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Creamy and tangy with diced fresh veggies throughout, this dairy free veggie cream cheese spread is perfect on bagels or toast, as a spread in sandwiches or wraps, or as a dip for crackers or raw vegetables.
College Memories
When I was in college (Go Hawkeyes!) I ate a LOT of sundried tomato bagels with veggie cream cheese from the local bagel joint, Bruegger’s Bagels. Breakfast, lunch, snack – I loved them! I still dream about that bagel/cream cheese combo. I have yet to find sundried tomato bagels around here and have never attempted to make them. And since giving up dairy, I haven’t found a store bought cream cheese that I love. Luckily for me, and now you, I created this tangy, creamy, dairy free Veggie Cream Cheese of my dreams.
Inspiration from Recipes Past
A long while ago, I posted a recipe for Creamy Cranberry Salsa Dip that is made with dairy free cream cheese mixed with cranberry salsa. If you haven’t tried it yet, you need to – it is so good! Always a hit at parties! The cream cheese part of that recipe is very basic since it’s mixed with the flavorful salsa. I used that same dairy free cream cheese base as a jumping off point for this Veggie Cream Cheese Spread and then loaded it up with extra flavor and diced fresh veggies. It turned out perfectly!
Fresh Vegetables and Herbs
Garden fresh veggies and herbs make this vegan cream cheese so flavorful and delicious! I used bell peppers, carrots, and scallions – all of which were included in that amazing cream cheese I remember from my college days. I went one step further and added fresh parsley and dill – because – yum! A few extra ingredients and you’ve got tangy, creamy, dairy free veggie cream cheese! It’s super easy and made with the ease of a food processor.
Perfect All Day Long
The Veggie Cream Cheese Spread is perfect for breakfast on bagels or toast, for lunch as a spread on a sandwich or in a wrap, or for snack as a dip for crackers or raw vegetables. I may have eaten it straight off of my finger more than once as well. I’m going crazy for this stuff – so good!
If you prefer your cream cheese on the sweet side, check out my Maple Walnut Vegan Cream Cheese – it’s amazing!
Veggie Cream Cheese Spread
I hope you guys love this Veggie Cream Cheese Spread as much as we do. Please do me a favor and leave me a comment below with your feedback and rating if you try it. You can find me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, too! Enjoy!
Veggie Cream Cheese Spread (Dairy Free)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews (soaked in water for several hours or overnight, drained and rinsed)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 2-3 tbsp water
- ¼ cup shredded carrots
- ¼ cup diced bell pepper (I used orange, but red or yellow would be great, too)
- 2 tbsp diced green onion
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
Instructions
- Be sure your cashews have soaked for several hours, or ideally, overnight. The longer they soak, the creamier your cream cheese will be. After soaking, drain and rinse the cashews.
- To the bowl of a food processor, add the soaked cashews, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, onion powder, paprika, and garlic powder. Start to process to break up the cashews. You'll need to stop the food processor and scrape down the sides frequently to keep the mixture moving. Add the water 1 tbsp at a time until it comes together into a smooth spread. Be patient as this could take 5-10 minutes.
- Once it's smooth, transfer to a mixing bowl and add the carrots, red pepper, green onion, parsley, and dill. Stir to combine.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt or a tiny splash of vinegar or lemon juice, if necessary.
- Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and store in the fridge. It will set up and thicken slightly as it sits in the fridge and gets cold. You could eat it right away, but it's better cold.
jolene says
can you freeze this
Jenn Sebestyen says
Hi, Jolene. Yes, you can freeze it in an air tight container. I would suggest re-blending after defrosting to ensure a creamy texture. Enjoy!
Deborah says
Oh, so amazing!
Jenn Sebestyen says
So glad you love it, Deborah! Thank you!
Mary says
This is amazing! My taste buds are doing the happy dance!! Thank you for sharing and spreading some love. Next time I’ll have to double the batch because this one batch might not make it past today. 😋
Jenn Sebestyen says
Wonderful! I’m so glad you love it, Mary! Enjoy!
Diane says
I made this twice and we love it. Great on bagels.
Jenn Sebestyen says
Wonderful. Thank you, Diane!
Rachel says
I failed to think ahead and soak the cashews overnight, so I quick soaked them for about an hour in boiling water. Turned out really good, a delicious topping for bagels, and it would make an excellent topper for crackers or bread!
Jenn Sebestyen says
That’s perfect! I often do a quick soak, too. So glad you love it! I use it in my Veggie Tortilla Rollups and they are always a huge hit! You can search for them in the search bar if you’re interested or shoot me an e-mail and I’ll send you the link. Thanks, Rachel!
Sue says
Superb! Thanks for the great recipe.
Jenn Sebestyen says
Thank you, Sue!
Nicole says
I made this today and it’s great, but mine didn’t turn out white, it’s orange…I’m guessing from the paprika. Didn’t know how yours turned out so white. Thanks!
Jenn S. says
Hi, Nicole. Mine usually has a slight tinge of color…the photos are bit deceiving, but it’s definitely not orange, more like a dull off-white. Did you process the vegetables into the cream cheese or just stir them in? If you added them to the food processor, that definitely would change the color. If you didn’t, I’m not sure why yours turned out so orange unless your paprika just “bleeds” more than mine. Glad you enjoyed it though!
Hayley Morrin says
About how much does this make? (in cups, tablespoons)?
Jenn S. says
It makes about 2 cups. Serving size estimated at 2 tablespoons.