When I went vegan, I figured that cream cheese was just gonna be one of those things I lived without. I tried a couple of store brands, including Tofutti (umm, tastes like tofu to me), and Daiya (so chalky I can’t even get it down!), and Trader Joe’s Brand (I can’t remember why I hated that one, so I guess I blocked it from my memory). In short, commercial vegan cream cheese substitutes just do not do it for me. Nor did blending cashews with lemon juice. I mean, that tasted good, but it didn’t have that hip tang. I gave up for a while. Years, actually. I put hummus on my bagels and soyrizo in my jalapeno poppers. Then one day, I discovered that you can make easy cultured cashew cream cheese with nothing but nondairy yogurt and cashews. WTF? Was it seriously that easy this entire time?
Yes. Yes it was. It sure freaking was. I have wasted no time playing catch-up on all of the cream cheese I missed out on eating during those dark days. This stuff is so superior to anything else I’ve tried. It’s sublime. Not only is it delicious vegan cream cheese… it just IS cream cheese. It takes exactly the same as the cow-derived variety, with none of the cruelty or digestive sadness. One of my good friends eats dairy foods. I fed him this stuff and he was even more excited than I am. He asked me for the recipe and now slathers it on his bagels too. I may not have turned him vegan yet, but I’m pretty sure there’s one more happy cow out there thanks to this amazing vegan cultured cashew cream cheese.
I’m a little intimidated by fermented foods. I took a few stabs at making rejuvelac for the Artisan Vegan Cheese recipes, and it didn’t work so well for me. Beyond that, the process made me incredibly nervous. So take it from someone who is far from a whiz with culturing and fermenting things: this cashew cream cheese is extremely easy to make. And unlike rejuvelac, you will already know what the end product is supposed to smell and taste like! You know what yogurt is like, and you probably know what dairy cream cheese is like. You’ll be fine! If you’re nervous, start with a half batch (assuming your blender is small enough that it can blend that volume of ingredients smoothly).
Here is the super simple recipe! (Pictured on homemade bagels). Finally a vegan cream cheese that doesn’t taste weird or have a bunch of funky ingredients. Just cashew cream and a little patience :).
Simple Cultured Cashew Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cashews soaked overnight in filtered water (raw macadamia nuts also work - but will take a lot longer to blend)
- 2 tbsp plain, unsweetened non-dairy yogurt (see notes)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
- filtered water as needed to blend
Instructions
- Prepare a clean and dry glass or other nonreactive container. I use a Pyrex container. It may not be strictly required, but it's best to sterilize all of your equipment with boiling water before getting started.
- Drain the liquid off of the soaked cashews. Add them to a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth. If you aren't used a high-powered blender, it will take several minutes for the cashews to break down and release oils in order to become a smooth mixture. Stop to scrape down the sides as needed; you can also add filtered water a tablespoon at a time if you're having trouble blending.
- Note: if your blender has warmed the mixture very much, it's best to take a break now and wait for it to cool down (we don't want to kill the yogurt cultures with heat). Then, add the yogurt and salt and pulse to combine.
- Transfer to the clean container and cover. Let sit out at room temperature for 24 hours. Use a clean utensil to taste the mixture, and add more sea salt to taste; let it culture for another 12-24 hours if you want a stronger tang.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 weeks. (Note: length of storage time may depend on the culturing conditions and brand of yogurt used).
- (Optional step) This recipe makes cultured cashew cream cheese with a texture more like "whipped" dairy cream cheese. For a firmer texture like block cream cheese, press out the liquid using cheesecloth.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe source: Miyoko Schinner via Your Vegan Mom
Other troubleshooting:
The cultured cashew cream cheese won’t actually culture at all: The ambient temperature in your kitchen may be too cool. Try moving the mixture to a warmer location, or adding a bit more yogurt.
The cashews won’t get smooth:Â You really do need to soak them overnight first, and use RAW cashews. And have patience: it can seem like all they’re doing for 5 minutes is getting grainy, but keep blending and they will eventually start to release their oils and get smooth. It’s basically the same chemistry as making nut butter.
The mixture doesn’t taste like anything, not even yogurt. More salt! This definitely needs plenty of salt to bring out the flavor.
Julie says
Hi Shannon, This recipe looks great! I was just wondering if anyone has tried adding in seasoning like garlic and chives? I’d love to replicate a store bought cashew cream cheese. Would I add the extra ingredients before or after it cultures? Thanks!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hey Julie! Just stir in your other seasonings after the culturing process.
saralue says
Hello, This looks amazing! My family and I are just starting vegan so excited to learn I don’t have to give up cream cheese. Where do you buy non dairy yogurt? I haven’t heard of that
Thank you for all the recipes, my kids are going to be so happy
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi! I hope you and your family love this recipe! This cashew cream cheese is definitely one of the more realistic homemade dairy substitutes I’ve made. Unfortunately, I’ll have to admit that non-dairy yogurt can be a bit difficult to find outside of urban areas. If there’s anything like a Whole Foods, PCC, or other natural stores in your area then that would be the best place to look for unsweetened non-dairy yogurt (usually made from almond, coconut or soy milk). You could also try purchasing “mesophilic culture” or “vegan probiotics” online and following the instructions to use those. Hopefully this is helpful.
saralue says
Thanks I will give the mesophilic culture a try. All I found was flavored non dairy yogurt which my kids loved but reading through the comments, it sounded like they wouldn’t work for this recipe. I have six kids and a picky husband and we have loved all your recipes that we have tried!! thank you for all the time and effort you put into this and sharing. It has been amazing to have recipes that everyone will eat
Amber says
Hey I’m trying this out for the fist time, and it’s simple and great! I only have one question about the way to cover the mixture while it’s culturing. I placed mine in a mason jar, is it okay to use the steel top? Or should I just use a cloth? Or simply place a plate over it? Thank you for sharing this with us! 🙂
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Amber, anything sterile will work fine, including the normal jar top. A cloth might work but I’d recommend against it since it won’t provide that tight of a cover and could allow airborne bacteria in.
Cindy says
Hi…
Can you buy the cashew cream already prepared? I am in a small apt and don’t want to start the blender up for long periods of time. I know they have it at Whole Foods. Thanks !
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Cindy, is the prepared cashew cream just cashews and water? If so I think it would probably work. If it is made in the prepared foods section of Whole Foods then just be aware you may need to keep a more watchful eye on the culturing process, since you won’t know how/if they sterilized their equipment. If it is a shelf stable product then it’s probably going to work quite well for this. My fingers are crossed, let me know!
Leilani Freeman says
The store only had vanilla coconut yogurt. I made some with that. Is it safe? Or was it just for taste reasons you said not to do the flavored yogurt?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
It’s mostly for taste reasons, but also that I don’t know how the added sugar impacts the culturing process. But if you’re going to use it in desserts then I’m sure taste wise it will be fine. It wouldn’t be inherently unsafe but just keep an eye on it and don’t eat it if it grows mold or strange colors.
Sylvia says
This looks awesome! I have looked at so many vegan vegan cheese recipes, but as soon as I read your preliminary comments about not liking the commercial stuff I felt I might have found a winner. FWIW Tofutti CS always has an off taste to me – somewhere between plastic and chemical – IDK what it is, but I don’t care for it.
Having recently discovered a great recipe for jalapeno poppers using vegan cream cheese I have been on the hunt for a viable alternative. I also love cream cheese on crackers with a good jam or marmalade as an evening snack or in lieu of dessert and this sounds like it will fill the bill for both!
Since I have a nasty allergy to all things that started out as cow milk I have had years of experiments (and disappointments). This is the first recipe I have found that sounds like it will do the job for me. I’ll get back to you with the results. My only concern is that I live in Florida, and finding a spot to let it culture without getting too warm may be tricky, as I keep the AC set to 86 or so while I am away at work to save electric. I may have to wait for a couple days when the temps are scheduled to be a bit cooler than the current 96+ so I can set the AC to 75 without breaking the bank.
Alison Houtz says
Can I also use this brand?
Silk Simply Plain Soy Yogurt
Thanks in advance! New to Plant Based eating. 8 days now! 🙂
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Alison, do you mean this one? https://silk.com/products/plain-soy-dairy-free-yogurt-alternative-24-oz
It looks like this product has cane sugar added, so that will affect the flavor and might also affect the culturing process. You’re welcome to give it a try though! Some other readers have said that the cream cheese still worked when using sweetened yogurt, as long as they weren’t trying to use it in a savory recipe. Your results may vary.
B.d. says
Fabulous. Thank you for this great re how. New to vegan, so anything super tasty and healthy is appreciated
Jessica says
The super market around me only have soy/vegan sour ‘cream’. Would that work instead of the yogurt?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Jessica, no, that probably won’t work. It needs to be something that has live cultures which is why I call for yogurt. An alternative might be probiotic capsules of some kind, but I haven’t tested this with those to figure out which specific types work best.
Echo says
This is absolutely amazing! I made the recipe, then turned it into so many different dishes. Mix this in with some almond milk and vegan butter with some spices and BOOM vegan alfredo sauce, the best one at that! Then BOOM the best vegan pizza topping my mouth hath ever tasted. So many possibilitys!
Tanya says
Hi! I can’t get plant-based yogurts where U live. What would you suggest? Hope there’s an alternative recipe with probiotic capsules or something. Thanks!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hey there! I haven’t tried a probiotic based option yet. I think it would work, but I unfortunately can’t recommend any specific brand/type of probiotic. Please let me know if you experiment!
Allison says
Tried this today and I love it. I’m just wondering if this freezes well. I’d like to freeze this in ice cube trays and use it in portions for baking or just for eating and wondering how freezing this affects the texture. Has anyone tried this?
Leah says
I realize it’s a little late to reply to Allison, but for any others wondering, the original recipe says it can be frozen for up to four months (it’s important to note that that recipe uses a lot more water), so it’s worth trying
Patricia Schmidt says
Wonder where to buy FRESH raw cashews? If Trader Joe’s aren’t all that good, maybe Whole Paycheck? lol I don’t want to pay an arm and a let for them as I know they are expensive anyway. You don’t recommend bulk like Winco stores? So anxious to try this!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hey Patricia, Whole Foods bulk bin raw cashews are pretty fresh and priced competitively. FWIW, I find my grocery bills at Whole Foods very reasonable if I don’t buy many specialty products and stick to the basics. 🙂 I really haven’t had problems with buying them anywhere other than Trader Joe’s. Bulk tends to be fresher!
nora says
I am looking forward to trying this recipe. I’ve done a similar fermented cashew recipe which blends the cashews with water in the Vitamix and then just sit at room temp for a couple days. It comes out creamy and tangy. Delicious for dipping apple slices! I never thought of processing the cashews first in a processor without water but I know this works well for other nut butters. I have always used Trader Joe’s cashews and have tried many other vendors over the last 20 years. I have not found them to be inferior at all. Do you have ideas for other flavor enhancers for those of us who don’t eat salt?
Ann Hupe says
Exactly what kind of problems did you have with the Trader Joe’s brand of cashews? I normally use the raw cashew pieces, and they’re pretty fresh for me. No molding. I like Nuts.com myself.
Zenae says
I just bought planters raw to Walmart. They were cheap and it seemed alright. I used it for a soup base though so I ended up cooking it.
dee says
Hi Therw
So I made the mistake of putting only 2 teaspoons instead of Tablesppons, so I added more yogurt. Is my mixture supposed to turn white like cream cheese? Yes I used RAW cashews.
Thanks!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Dee. Yes, this should have a white color like my pictures, or light brown. I did not use a high-speed blender and had to add a little extra water which made the color even lighter. It does not turn lighter *during* culturing. But if your raw cashews are fresh and don’t have an off flavor, it’s okay if they’re not a super light color. Some cashews are more brown than otheres or even a little gray. However, if the color changes during the culturing process it might be a sign of mold so just proceed with caution. Culturing can be a bit finicky the first couple of times.
Moran says
Hi. It came out tasting and smelling a bit funny. Can I let the cashews soak in the fridge ? Can I use mineral water instead of filtered water ? Could it be that it didn’t work because I left it in a plastic container? Many questions… it looks like a great recipe, so I would really like it to work!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Moran, yes it sounds like the culture went bad. It could also be if your cashews were old and gone rancid. Do you get them from bulk bins or…? You can’t do the culturing in the fridge, it will never culture due to the cold temperature. However, if your ambient temperature in your home is very warm it could encourage too much bad bacteria to grow, so unfortunately some people just have trouble culturing things in general. Also, make sure your equipment is also super clean – I sterilize everything that will touch the cream cheese with boiling water before I start. Culturing can be a bit of a fussy thing until you find the conditions that work best for you.
The reason I recommend filtered water is to prevent unpredicted effects on the culturing process from straight tap water. Bottled water is akin to filtered water in this sense – so I definitely recommend using bottled if needed.
Tori says
Mine came out very differently than pictured and described! I’m not sure what I did wrong. Mine ended up a tan/brown color more like peanut butter, nowhere near the white color in the picture. Also tastes pretty much completely like a nut butter after culturing for over 24 hours. Is it supposed to taste similar to dairy cream cheese? Any suggestions on what I could do differently next time??
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Tori, based on this it sounds to me like you might have used roasted cashews instead of raw? Can you confirm? It does taste similar to dairy cheese at the end and the cashew flavor is fairly faint, but using non-raw cashews would change that completely. If not, we’ll have to keep troubleshooting (feel free to email me or FB message if that’s easier!)
Tori says
The bag I bought didn’t specify, so it’s probably roasted since that’s more common! I’ll make sure I try again with definite raw cashews and I’ll post back.
Jilian Oder says
also had a similar thing happen with a different recipe. Soaking the nuts prevented the tan color and nut butter consistancy.
Patty says
I just blended the cashews with the yogurt and salt and have yet to culture it. So far it tastes wonderful. I know this has too much fat (I try to keep my total fat calories below 20 %) but for those special occasions, this fits the bill. My kids do not eat whole food plant based. But when I can sneak something in this tasty and prevent them from consuming dairy, I consider that a win! Thank you for a great recipe!
Gemini Xettigar says
Hi Shannon
Will this work for frosting a vegan red velvet cake ? Will I have to reduce the salt? I never tasted dairy cream cheese before going vegan, so I don’t know how it tastes like?
Kind Regards
Gemini Xettigar
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Gemini, I don’t think you would need to reduce the salt to use this in frosting, I believe most dairy cream cheese is sold salted. This recipe is unsweetened so I would recommend following a cream cheese frosting recipe that mixes cream cheese with sugar, etc., and to do the step of draining this with cheesecloth before using it. I think if you do that it would work very well in frosting. Let me know how it turns out!
Marina Biagi says
Hi,this recipe is very interesting I would like to try bit I am concerne about the high contenta of lectin in the cashew, My questione is:would the fermenting reduce the lectin?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Sorry, I don’t have any knowledge about lectin!
Jennifer S. says
Thank you for this enthusiastic and helpful description. I’m going to try it tomorrow.
I am thinking about adding salt after the 24-hour fermentation period. I think salt inhibits yeast activity. Not sure how it affects the other bacteria in the starter.
Charmaine says
PS
How about culturing inside the fridge for days? I just read the comment above whose cheese had pink spots on top.
Charmaine says
Hello Shannon, can I use probiotic caps or coconut kefir water in lieu of yogurt? Also did you use an opaque cover the cheese, or did you use a cheese colth? Am wondering if I can ferment using a glass jar and covering the blended cashews tightly with the metal cover.
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
I culture mine in a glass container with a plastic lid, which I use to cover it tightly. Anything that keeps out external bacteria should work fine. Also, I don’t think it would work in the fridge. The cold temperature of the fridge would prevent the culturing process.
Charmaine says
Okay Shannon. Thank you! 🙂
Maryann al Majdalea says
Hello Dear, Thank you so much for your recipes – Fabulous! FYI, you can also use an organic probiotic bill to and put it into the cashew cream/nut cream/ or nut free hemp (any) seed cream… to to turn it into yogurt / if you can’t buy real Kefir Bacteria (Lactobacilli bacteria)- Its not dairy but is used to make milk into Kefir and after its used to turn milks into yogurt, you can strain out the original chunks of bacteria (which is what we do here in Greece and then put the Kefir in the freezer so you can perpetually re-use it – while waiting for yogurt to become cheese. Also if you have a grain mill to turn the nuts into powder before you Blend – it the the best help to start the process of making nut and seed yogurts and cheese <3 – and this Lady's recipes nouveauraw.com I'm sure you would Love. I am transitioning to Raw Vegan, simply because its the healthiest diet..Dr Hulda Clark's Protocols (drclark.net) & the Gerson Therapy saved my life. when i have my own farm I will be a Gerson Vegan. The Gerson Diet is also cited in this profound Cancer Doc..
I love your page – Have a wonderful day! –
Carli Klap says
Hi Maryann. I have been making goat milk kefir. When I strain my kefir through cheese cloth, can I use the thick part that doesn’t strain through for the yogurt portion of this recipe?
Sorry new to making kefir and don’t know correct terminology.
Thanks for the help!
Heather says
Mine grew some bright pink spots on top. Is this safe?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Heather, I probably wouldn’t eat that. How warm is it in your kitchen? If it’s very warm there, it can’t safely be left out as long. Also, make sure all of your equipment is completely clean before you get started.
Andrea Tersigni says
Can this cashew cream cheese be cultured in an Instant Pot on ‘yogurt’ setting ?
Thank you for the recipe !
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Andrea, that seems like a good idea but I’ve got no clue if it would work! If you do try it can you let me know the results?
Christine says
Hi Andrea,
I’m curious… did you try it? I was just contemplating trying the same thing 🙂
Noel says
Hey! Do you think I could compensate for real cream cheese in a cream cheese cake?
Maybe I just have to reduce the amount of salt..?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Noel,
Your cake might be a little more dense because unlike dairy cream cheese, this has fiber in it (from the cashews). But I think it would probably work fairly well if you make sure to drain it to a similar water content and are deliberate about how you salt it.
Vida Rose says
Noel,
I was wondering if you tried baking this in a cheesecake. My daughter has been vegan for about a year, and while I am not, I am always looking for new ways to incorporate her needs into family favorites.
Thanks,
Vida
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi there! I do think this would work in a cheesecake. I’d recommend pressing it using cheesecloth and then following a cheesecake recipe that calls for commercial vegan cream cheese. I haven’t developed any recipes specifically to use it yet, but have gotten several requests recently so it’s definitely in my queue!
Skipay says
I’m obsessed with this vegan cream cheese. It’s to die for. Thanks for the recipe.
Honey says
About how many calories?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Honey, I’m not comfortable providing nutrition info on my website, so I recommend using your favorite nutrition calculator.
Martina says
I’ve made it twice already. It’s soooo good and so very easy to make. I’m happy I found this recipe. At the moment it is helping me through my morning sickness 😉
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
I’m so happy to hear that, Martina! Good luck with your morning sickness. xo
Kirsten says
Do I need to mix or stir while it is sitting for 24 hours?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Nope!
This Vegan Girl says
Just to clarify… tb for the yogurt in this recipe means tablespoons?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Yes, that’s right!
Evi @ greenevi says
Cashew cheeses are the very best, though I’ve never tried a cultured one before. I’m gonna try out your recipe, it sounds so simple, I love it!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
I think as far as cultured cashew cheeses go this is one of the very easiest, but with ample reward! Hope you give it a try – this is one of my very favorite new vegan discoveries 🙂
Judith Broadhurst says
You saved me from having to buy pricey ingredients I’m not likely to use again, at least not often. So now I can make this recipe:
Roasted pear crostina by UCD integrated medicine
THANK YOU!