Miss Cream Cheese? Here’s the Best Plant-Based Homemade Recipe!

Try making this homemade vegan cream cheese recipe made with cashews when you're seeking a plant-based spread that will satisfy your tastebuds without any dairy! Creamy, smooth, and tangy, it’s perfect for spreading on bagels, toast, or even adding to mac n’ cheese!

Not only is this cream cheese made from whole foods, but it also doesn’t contain high amounts of saturated fat as traditional spreads do. Saturated fat is prevalent in dairy products, which can lead to conditions like heart disease.

And before you go thinking that vegan cream cheese is hard to make, this recipe is extremely easy to put together. Plus, it only requires five ingredients! No fermenting, no fancy equipment. You’ll have cream cheese on the table in no time.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Chill time: 3 hours
Total time: 3 hours 10 minutes

Cost: $3.35 recipe | $0.41 serving

Vegan Cream Cheese

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups raw cashews, soaked overnight ($3.01)
• 1 teaspoon white miso paste ($0.05)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice ($0.18)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar ($0.10)
• ½ teaspoon salt ($0.01)
• 3-4 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. Soak cashews in room temperature water overnight. Alternatively, soak them in boiled water for 1-2 hours.
2. Add drained cashews, miso paste, lemon juice, vinegar, 3 tablespoons of water, and salt to a high-speed blender or small food processor/blender.
3. Mix on high until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides a few times. If it isn't blending, add more water in 1 tablespoon at a time.
4. Stir in any mix-ins (chives, cacao powder, fruit, etc.), then transfer to a container and let chill in your fridge for a few hours or overnight before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

Ideas for add-ins: chives & onion, cacao powder, blueberries, strawberries, cinnamon & brown sugar, or dill.

Loved this recipe? Send us a photo of your own vegan cream cheese and we may feature you in our story!

Need a plant-based bagel recipe next? We’ve got you covered! For more recipes like this, check out our Vegan Recipes page.

Nutrition: 1 of 8 servings
Calories 163 | Total Fat 12.6g | Saturated Fat 0.8g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 95mg | Total Carbohydrates 9.3g | Dietary Fiber 1.0g | Total Sugars 2.1g | Protein 5.4g | Calcium 11.0mg | Iron 1.9mg | Potassium 193.9mg |

No time to make cream cheese from scratch? We taste-tested 5 non-dairy cream cheeses so you don't have to.