As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my Privacy Policy for more details.
Sun Dried Tomato Spread – creamy, tangy and, most likely, your new favorite condiment! Spread it on crackers or a sandwich or grab some fresh cut veggies and start dipping!
You guys, this Sun Dried Tomato Spread! I may just eat this every day for the rest of my life!
Reminiscent of cream cheese, it’s super creamy, a little tangy, a little herby, and so full of flavor. It’s oil-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan! Make this your go-to condiment for all your dipping/spreading needs!
Jump to:
How to make this recipe
This easy dip is made in a food processor.
First soak the nuts and sun dried tomatoes. Then place them in the food processor and start to blend while drizzling in some water.
Add the remaining ingredients and purée until smooth.
Recipe Substitutions/Adaptations
For a nut-free option: try using white beans or silken tofu instead of cashews. Both the beans and the tofu are softer than cashews so you will need less water when blending. Add the beans/tofu to the food processor at the same time as the sun-dried tomatoes. If it’s too thick, add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Additional seasonings may be added: Italian herbs work nicely, like rosemary or thyme. A drizzle of balsamic vinegar would be nice, as well.
Serving Suggestions
We love this flavorful dip with raw vegetables and crackers. It’s also great as a spread on a sandwich, veggie burger or bagel.
It’s a party favorite when used in these cucumber appetizers.
Use it in these kid-favorite rollups instead of the cream cheese.
Dollop it on a bowl of grains and roasted veggies.
More Vegan Dips and Spreads
- Vegan Pumpkin Seed Pesto
- Vegan Southwest Ranch Dressing
- Creamy Avocado Dill Sauce
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Dairy Free Queso
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.
Snap a photo and share on Instagram! Be sure to mention @veggie_inspired and tag #veggieinspired so I’m sure to see it!
Sun Dried Tomato Spread Recipe
This Sun Dried Tomato Spread is quick and easy and is the perfect condiment for just about anything. Spread it on a sandwich, in a wrap, on top of crackers or use it as a dip for raw veggies.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup dried sun dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 green onions
- 4-5 large fresh basil leaves
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- dash of pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Soak the cashews and sun dried tomatoes in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse.
- Place the cashews and sun dried tomatoes in a food processor fit with the S blade. Start to puree, then drizzle in the 1/2 cup water. Puree until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Add the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth.
- Refrigerate until serving.
Notes
Be sure to get the sun dried tomatoes that are not packed in oil. The ones I get come in a bag, not a jar. Some stores keep them by the other dried fruit; other stores keep them by the sun dried tomatoes packed in oil (which is usually near the olives, jarred roasted red peppers, pestos, etc).
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
2 tbspAmount Per Serving: Calories: 51Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 81mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 2g
Jane Exell says
I dehydrated my tomatoes last year but then packed them in olive oil…could I use these in the sun dried tomato dip recipe?
Jenn Sebestyen says
I would think so. Let me know if you give it a try.
Brigitte says
I just made this awsome cream cheese ! I would it call more like a dip/ cream cheese it’s so good . First I soaked my nuts for 1 hour, than I soaked my own Garden Sun-dried tomatoes that I dehydrated this summer with garlic and herbs. I used about just 1/3 cup of liquid I didn’t want to waste all the nice seasoning that was on my tomatoes . When done I pretty munch had no liquid left . I had a leftover silken tofu about 1/2 cup I added to the food processor . I processed everything except the green onions until smooth than I pulsed the green onions. It’s divine first time I can truly say this is a keeper. I think having my own tomatoes made a huge difference because they were already seasoned with herbs no salt . I keep them in the freezer . Thanks again !!
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Brigitte! So glad you loved it. I love that you make your own sun-dried tomatoes – I bet they are absolutely amazing!
Briigtte says
I wanted to add that I didn’t use the 1/2 cup of water since my tomatoes where moist and the water was pretty much all gone ..you always have to go little by little adding the water so you can see the consistency . The spread was the perfect texture not to thick and not to thin .
Chauncey says
I’m doing whole 30 and this spread is amazing!!! Thank you!!! I put it atop 4 english cucumber slices
Jenn S. says
That’s great, Chauncey! So happy to hear you love it!
Sandy says
Can I replace the cashews with either silken Tofu or soaked Hemp seeds? or will either one work?
Jenn S. says
I think silken tofu would work great. Might be a little softer texture, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’m not sure about hemp seeds. I’ve never tried blending them like this. It may turn out more like a pesto, than a creamy spread, but again, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. If you try either one, let me know how it goes!
Sandy says
I’m trying it today with silken tofu. I’ll let u know how it turns out.
Tina says
I love this! I have made it several times. You mention the per serving information but don’t say how much a serving is. Can you let me know? Thank you!
Jenn S. says
Hi, Tina. Nutrition facts are based on 2 tablespoons per serving. So glad you love it!
Cristina Campbell says
This spread looks great, and I’d love to make it for a few get-togethers over the summer, but I don’t normally use my food processor. Do you think it would work well in a blender? I make dairy free sour cream in my blender with cashews and there is no coarseness of the nuts. Is using the food processor for a texture thing?? Thanks!
Jenn S. says
Hi, Cristina. I have never tried making in the blender, so I’m not sure. It’s a pretty thick spread, so without adding additional liquid, I’m not sure if it would get totally smooth. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!
Mary says
This looks amazing! I was thinking of giving this spread away as Christmas gifts. Do you know how long it keeps if refrigerated?
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Mary. Homemade gifts are the best – great idea. It usually doesn’t last more than 2-3 days in our house. I would think it would be fine maybe up to 5 days. Enjoy!
Melissa says
Could I use this to replace Mayo for like chicken salad or would it be to thick ? Looks amazing !?!
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Melissa! It’s a bit thicker than mayo…more like hummus consistency. Not saying that would be bad though. You could thin it out with a few tablespoons of water if needed. As long as you don’t go overboard on the water, the flavor shouldn’t be affected.
Emma says
I made this spread and it is great! Added some more italian dried herbs and some rosemary and thyme. Also, i didnt soak because i was hungry but that turned out fine! it goes well with avocado as well. 🙂
Jenn S. says
So glad you enjoyed it, Emma! Great idea pairing it with avocado – sound yummy!
Amy says
Can you use fresh tomatoes that are in season??
Jenn S. says
I wouldn’t. Fresh tomatoes would be far too juicy and not a strong enough flavor. Use those fresh ones for a homemade marinara!
Janine says
Nice recipe but the cashews need to be soaked for a few hours as the studies shown we shouldn’t consume them raw. Sounds very tasty, will for sure make it. Thank you!
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Janine. The instructions call to soak the cashews for 30 minutes (you can soak longer if you want – it certainly won’t hurt anything), but honestly it’s just so they blend easier. I haven’t seen any studies stating we should be eating them raw. Can you send me this info? I’m curious.
Janine says
Hi Jenn,
Here is one of many links: http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/recipes/appetizers-snacks/is-soaking-nuts-necessary-how-to-properly-soak-your-organic-raw-nuts/
Have a wonderful weekend!
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Janine! I’m going to look into this more.
Eve says
This would be so good on roasted zucchini. Perfect palio snack.
Jenn S. says
Oooh, I hadn’t thought of that! Sounds delicious!! Thanks, Eve!
Kat says
I’ve asked this question before, but probably in the wrong place. Is there something you can use instead of cashews, or tofu because of the calories?
Thanks
Kat
Jenn S. says
Hi, Kat. Sorry I didn’t see your question before. I haven’t tried it with anything else. You can try using white beans. It will likely alter the flavor a bit, but should still be yummy! If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out!
Gin says
Ha, you’re right! This spread would TOTALLY make cardboard a worthwhile snack! It’s hard to get around to trying new recipes when you’re trying to come up with your own, but I _have_ to make this sometime. Reading your ingredient list it’s easy to imagine how good it is!
Jenn S. says
LOL, thanks, Gin!! I hope you love it!! Please let me know if you try it!
Uma Srinivas says
I bet this will be super yummy! The list of ingredients made me so tempting. I will try this week end. and let you know 🙂
kate @veggie desserts says
This looks so flavourful and versatile!
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Kate!
Sina @ Vegan Heaven says
This looks so good, Jenn! I love homemade spreads. 🙂
Jenn S. says
Homemade is always the best! Store bought spreads/dressings don’t taste like much more than flavored oil…and they leave an oily film in your mouth! This one tastes like the healthy ingredients it is made from!
Linda @ Veganosity says
I could definitely see this spread all over a veggie burger, or crackers, or bruschetta, or….. Love the ingredients in this, it looks like it should be bad for your heart because it’s so thick and creamy, but it’s actually so good for you. Thanks for the great recipe, Jenn. 🙂
Jenn S. says
Yup, no yucky stuff in there at all! Thank you, Linda!!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
I love how creamy this looks, can’t believe it’s vegan! This would be so good on EVERYTHING – sandwiches, wraps, maybe stirred through pasta?! Definitely trying this 🙂
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Becca!! I haven’t tried it in pasta yet, but I was just thinking that the other day too! I bet it would be so yummy!! I hope you love it! Please let me know how it turns out!
dixya @ food, pleasure, and health says
this will be great for a wrap or sandwich! i have a jar of sundried tomatoes that needs to be used up and this is doable.
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Dixya! It’s so yummy on a sandwich! Hope you love it!
Alisa @ Go Dairy Free says
I seriously cannot get enough cashew recipes Jenn. And sun-dried tomatoes look like the perfect pairing.
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Alisa! I am obsessed with cashews! I go through so many of them in a week, it’s ridiculous! And delicious! 🙂
Mel @ avirtualvegan.com says
This looks so good! I can think of so many uses for it. I’ve got a thing for rice cakes at the moment. It would be awesome on them! That jar just would not be safe in my fridge at all…in fact I don’t think it would make it to the fridge!
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Mel! It would be wonderful on rice cakes!
Kat | curlsnchard.com says
I love everything with sun dried tomatoes! This sounds absolutely delicious and I know I will make this as soon as I remember to buy cashews again 😀
Jenn S. says
My pantry is never without cashews. I have at least 2-3 bags at once and they don’t last very long! Thanks, Kat!
Sophia @veggies dont bite says
I love the combo of sun dried tomatoes and basil! It’s a favorite around here. Sounds delicious and the perfect spread for crackers! Just pass me the wine and I’m good to go!
Jenn S. says
YES!!! Why didn’t I think of that. PERFECT for a wine and “cheese” party!! Let’s go! 🙂
Kelly @ TastingPage says
This is such a good idea. Sundried tomatoes and basil – now that’s a winning combination!
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Kelly!! It really is!
Aimee / Wallflower Kitchen says
Well now I’m craving this in a sandwich BIG TIME! Sounds so so good.
Jenn S. says
Yes! I had a GIANT roasted veggie sandwich with it the other day. SO good!! Thanks, Aimee!
Strength and Sunshine says
Hello yummy creamy smokey spread! I love the flavor of sundried tomatoes!!! So deep and rich <3
Jenn S. says
Yes, they don’t need much doctoring up! So flavorful already!! Thanks, Rebecca!
cathi says
Why can’t you use packed in oil sun dried tomatoes?
Jenn S. says
Oh, well, you definitely could, but it wouldn’t be oil-free that way. Just a lot of unnecessary calories when they are packed in oil. If you do use them, you won’t need all of the 1/2 cup of water. Add the water last and start with just a little bit, adding more if you need the mixture thinner.
Hedi Hearts says
Love love and one more time love sun-dried tomatoes. The best are from our family in Sicily, they are full of sunshine! Lovely recipe Jenny xx
Jenn S. says
Oh yum!!! LOVE that your family has them. Thank you!!
Becky says
Oh my gosh, this looks super good!
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Becky!