VEGAN SMOKY BLACK PEPPER CREAM CHEESE
If there is one major thing I’ve missed since going vegan, it is CREAM CHEESE. One of my favorite things I indulged in the past was cream cheese on a toasted bagel. That irresistible, incredible, bold tang of cream cheese that is insanely delicious. The tang that is in cream cheese compared to regular cheese is what I love so much. Well, my friends, here is the result of my cream cheese dreams come true, in healthy vegan fruition. Read on to see how I came up with this dreamy stuff.
Most commercial vegan cheeses I’ve tried were, how do I put this, nasty. Weird and full of horrible ingredients. That is, until I tried Field Roast Chao cheese. It is incredibly delicious, melts well and tastes just like traditional cheese. They offer 3 flavors and by far, my favorite was their “black pepper” flavor. I love, love black pepper and in a cheese, it’s just divine. Only issue is it is of course highly processed and full of oil, 2 things I try to avoid.
Their “black pepper” flavor was what inspired me to create a cream cheese with that flavor. I took it one step further by adding a smoky element…another thing I loved before, was the smoky cheeses. So this recipe is the result of all things in the past I loved so much.
And my friends, this one passed with flying colors with my hubby, daughter and other family members who are NOT vegans. I’m as giddy as can be, knowing I can now have cream cheese again that I can feel good about eating.
Cashew cream cheese is nothing new. Cashews are a vegan’s best friend. But every recipe I’ve come across has involved strange ingredients I’ve never heard of or really involved steps or draining from cheese cloths….basically things I didn’t want to fool with. This is just soaking cashews overnight and then draining and blending in a food processor! I just wanted simple. I like simple. I also wanted a strong tang, more than just lemon juice, and an easy way to achieve that.
So, how did I achieve that amazing tang?? Well, it requires just 8 ingredients (plus water), but specifically 3 very basic ingredients to get that TANG. Nothing fancy you have to go to a special store for. These 3 ingredients achieved that awesome, bold tang I was after.
Lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and pickle juice! Yes, pickle juice. For some weird reason (no, I’m not pregnant) I started craving pickles really strongly the past month. Maybe it was a sign from the food Gods, I don’t know, but I bought some pickles. I had been working on this recipe a few times and wanted a more depth of tang than just what lemon juice and apple cider vinegar provide. It hit me, the pickle brine! I thought it sounded like the final piece to the cream cheese puzzle. I was right. It provided that extra tang and depth of flavor I was after. Plus, have you all seen the dairy cream cheese dips where people add pickles to the dip?
This cream cheese is soy-free, oil-free and coconut-free!
MORE VEGAN CREAM CHEESE RECIPES
- Strawberry Cream Cheese
- Blueberry Cream Cheese
- Apple Cinnamon Cream Cheese
- Almond Blueberry Cream Cheese
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!
Vegan Smoky Black Pepper Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140g) raw, unsalted cashews
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons (30g) non-dairy unsweetened unflavored yogurt (I highly recommend the almond kite hill yogurt, it is VERY creamy and rich. Don't use a low-fat brand.)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (23g) fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 2 teaspoons dill pickle juice OR 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar, which really aids in the cream cheese flavor
- 1/2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (increase to 1/2 teaspoon for a strong peppery taste or omit)
- 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
NOTE
- I trialed this recipe many times before arriving to the above recipe that I and others absolutely loved, so please don't sub any of the ingredients or change the process below, especially the acidic liquids, as they are the key to this cream cheese flavor. You can leave out the black pepper if you want a more basic cream cheese, but I wouldn't suggest leaving out the liquid smoke, as it does add an extra tang as well, helping to camouflage the cashew flavor. You can customize this with other flavors by adding chopped chives, olives, or sun-dried tomatoes. Have fun with it!
- I use this scale
Instructions
- Important: You MUST soak the cashews for a minimum of 12 hours and use a food processor. A fast boil or quick soak will NOT WORK. You'll need to prep this 2 days before you want to eat it, for the best results. You should literally be able to crumble them after soaking, that's how soft you want them. They become extremely soft this way and is how the whipped texture and super creaminess comes about. Even the flavor is better this way. This recipe uses very little liquids, so trying to skip the long soaking method will affect the results. You want the nuts very soft. A food processor is how to get the specific texture, again because very little liquid is used. A blender WILL NOT WORK. So, add your cashews to a bowl and cover with warm water and leave to sit on your counter overnight. Drain them the next day and rinse very well. Shake off excess water.
- Add the soaked/drained cashews, water, yogurt, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar to a food processor and process until a paste forms. Scrape the sides a couple of times and process again. You want it relatively smooth, but it doesn't have to be perfect since we are processing again.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients, liquid smoke, pickle juice, nutritional yeast, pepper and salt. Process for several minutes. I'm talking, walk away for a couple of minutes and come back. Scrape the sides down and process once more. DO NOT add more water or you will dilute the flavor. You want that stuff silky smooth and a whipped like texture. Refer to photos above for a visual.
- Once it's completely smooth, transfer to a glass container and store in the fridge overnight. It will thicken and firm up some and get really chilled, making it perfect for your bagel in the morning. You will experience the full flavor and texture after it has chilled overnight. Be patient my friends. Enjoy!
Husband allergic to nuts. Would cannellini beans be a good alternative?
No, unfortunately that won’t work well here. It would end up like hummus and nothing like cheese. It would be better to find a nut-free cream cheese or one made with tofu online.
I already know this is going to be good! How long does it last in the fridge? I’m making a couple different kids to bring on a trip with us.
Have you tried coconut vinegar instead of the white vinegar in your testing? Do you think it would work?
I have not so I’m really not sure how it would compare! If it’s not as strong, you may need a tad more.
I do not have access to plant based yogurt. Is there anything else I can use? Or can I omit?