Shellfish Free Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese
Creamy, tangy, and surprisingly rich, this plant-based spread delivers everything you love about classic cream cheese — without a drop of dairy or anything from the sea. Soaking the raw cashews is the key step here: it softens them just enough that a high-speed blender can whip them into a silky, spreadable texture that genuinely rivals the real thing. Lemon juice and apple cider vinegar bring that signature tang, while refined coconut oil adds body and helps the spread firm up beautifully once chilled. A pinch of onion powder and optional nutritional yeast round out the savory depth, so it tastes complex without requiring a long ingredient list. Store-bought cream cheese alternatives can be hit or miss — and sometimes carry unexpected additives — so making your own means you know exactly what's in every bite. Slather it on a bagel, use it as a dip, or spread it across crackers for a snack that feels indulgent but is completely wholesome. Once you see how easy it is to pull together, it's hard to go back to anything else.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews
- 3 tbsp lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp refined coconut oil, melted
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- 2–4 tbsp cold water, as needed
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with cold water by at least 2 inches. Soak for at least 4 hours at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator, until the cashews are plump and noticeably softened.
- 2
Drain and rinse the soaked cashews under cold running water.
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