February 18, 2016
(last updated September 16, 2021) 
My go-to cashew cheese recipe allows you to whip up a creamy and delicious vegan cheese at home. Quick and easy—no fermentation required!
Those of you who have been reading this blog for a while know that I have a slight obsession with all things cashew. And especially cashew cheese.
Cashew cheese has found its way into countless vegan lunch bowls, salads, pasta recipes, and and sandwiches. I spread it on crackers when I’m feeling snacky. It has been the base of countless vegan toast meals.
When I mention cashew cheese to my clients, they often counter that it sounds like a lot of work. But making cashew cheese at home is really as simple as making hummus or bean dip.
Today, I’m sharing my go-to cashew cheese recipe. It’s the one I return to again and again. It’s flavorful, fast, and it doesn’t require any fancy home fermentation. I hope you’ll come to rely on it as much as I do!
What appliance do I need to make vegan cashew cheese?
There are different approaches to making cashew cheese. Some folks like to use a high speed blender. Personally, I find that you have to add a lot of liquid to make the cheese blend properly in a blender.
This results in something that’s closer to cashew cheese sauce or cashew cream than cashew cheese. And while I love both cashew cream and cashew queso, cashew cheese is its own entity.
So, I like to use my food processor when making my go-to cashew cheese. This creates a texture that falls someplace in between ricotta cheese and hummus.
When I was working on Food52 Vegan, my editors asked me a few times about the consistency of cashew cheese. To some extent, this is a matter of preference.
You might want to create a loose, creamy cashew cheese for folding into baked pasta. On the other hand, you might prefer a really thick batch to crumble onto salads.
But for the most part, what you want to whip up in the food processor should resemble a thick batch of hummus. It should be uniform and creamy, but the texture won’t be silky smooth.
Another way to think of this go-to cashew cheese recipe is as a savory cashew butter. That’s sort of what it is: it won’t crumble as neatly as, say, feta. But you can definitely dollop it on top of any dish that you’d usually add a crumbly cheese to. And it’s perfect for spreading.
Blending your cashew cheese
Blending the cashew cheese in your food processor will require a little patience. It’s not like making nut butter, which can take up to ten minutes of processing, in my experience. But it won’t be the right consistency right away.
Once you start blending the go-to cashew cheese as instructed, give it some time. Stop often to scrape the processor down, then start it again. After a few minutes of this, the cheese will be ready.
Add-ins and modifications
Once you prepare the go-to recipe I’m sharing today, you can start to get creative.
For example, you can modify the go-to cashew cheese by adding your favorite herbs. I like to pulse in dill, chives, thyme, and herbes de Provence. You can add spices, too, such as garlic powder, a pinch of curry, or some smoked paprika.
Dried fruit, especially cranberries, can also be a great mix in if you chop them finely first. Other creative additions that I’ve experimented with include:
- Lemon zest
- Capers
- Sun-dried tomatoes (like my pizza cheese!)
- Olives
- Tomato paste
- Blueberries
- Everything bagel seasoning
How long will cashew cheese keep in the fridge?
Your cashew cheese should keep for about 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
With that said, I’ve had some batches get a little sour sooner than 5 days. I’m not sure why this is; it may have to do with the batch of cashews I use, or maybe it’s random.
If you don’t think you’ll eat your cashew cheese within five days, that brings me to the next question…
Can I freeze cashew cheese?
Absolutely! I love the fact that cashew cheese can be frozen. It makes it easy for me to double the recipe below, enjoy one batch now, and freeze another batch for later on.
Having cashew cheese that’s ready-to-defrost means that I can whip up creamy vegan pastas, savory toasts, enchiladas, quesadillas, and cheese-studded salads at a moment’s notice.
I use cashew cheese as a meal “hack” in lots of different ways. My latest favorite is to warm up marinara sauce (store-bought!) for pasta and stir in a few tablespoons of cashew cheese. It’s a quick, simple makeshift pasta a la vodka.
Recipes for your go-to cashew cheese
Cashew cheese is so versatile. You may find lots of quirky ways to serve it. But to begin, you can use it wherever you might use traditional goat cheese or crumbly/spreadable cheese.
Some of my favorite recipes for using my go-to cashew cheese:
- Eggplant baked rigatoni
- Farro salad with roasted zucchini, herbed cashew cheese, and mint
- Butternut red onion pizza
- Pizza pasta bake
- Lentil beet salad
- Italian quinoa and lentils
- Skillet lasagna
- Brussels sprout kale salad
The list goes on, and on, and on.
Go-to Cashew Cheese Recipe
Author –Yields: 1 1/4 cups
Ingredients
- 1 generous cup raw cashews soaked for at least 2 hours (up to 10, or overnight, is fine), drained, and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder for stronger garlicky flavor, use 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 crushed garlic clove instead
- 1/2 teaspoon salt more as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup water more as needed
Instructions
- Place the cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse repeatedly to break the cashews down, until they form a coarse, wet meal. Scrape the sides of the food processor down with a spatula.
- Turn the motor of the processor on. With the motor running, drizzle in the water and let the cashews process for about 10 seconds. Stop and scrape the machine down again. Continue processing for a full 1-2 minutes, or until the cashew cheese is smooth and thick, adding a tablespoon of extra water if needed. The consistency should be a little bit like hummus (see photos of finished cashew cheese as a cue).
- Taste the cashew cheese and add lemon, salt, and pepper to taste. If you like, pulse in fresh herbs or other flavorings. Serve. Cashew cheese will keep for up to 6 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Video
Hopefully this post will inspire you to add homemade, vegan cashew cheese to your own list of go-to condiments.
Once you get in the swing of making it at home, you’ll find yourself wanting to put it in just about anything and everything. (Tonight, I’m planning to stir some into a batch of savory oats–why not?)
Enjoy your cashew cheese adventures, everyone!
xo
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My cultured cheese did not turn out…. Luckily I found your recipe. Quick, easy and delicious. Thank you for sharing.
So glad it worked out for you, Lindsay!
My go to!been making it weekly and always doubling up the recipe !
Good as a dip/spread /burrito or taco cheese
Also good cashew cheese when baked on pizza(changes the texture)
Vegan and non vegans love this dip
Thank you, Isabel! 🙂
Would this work with any other nuts like pecans?
Hi Anna, I don’t think the flavor is as good with pecans or walnuts. It works really well with soaked pine nuts. Macadamia nuts are also a great choice. Hope this helps!
Can you add soy milk instead of water?
Hi Peggy! You certainly can. I actually think the flavor is more vivid with water (somehow I find that milk dilutes the saltiness and tangy quality without making it more creamy), but if you try it and like it, I’d love to know.
I couldn’t eat it. Not like any other cashew cheese I’ve ever tried, hard pass for me.
One of my doctors recommended me to try a dairy-free diet and I tried this recipe today hoping it can be also my “go-to cashew cheese”! 🙂 Result is, it’s quite easy and delicious! I modified it by omitting nutritional yeast due to not wanting to have processed food and instead added a tablespoon more of lemon juice and a bit of extra salt like another commenter recommended. Delicious! It went so well with the gluten-free rice and buckwheat flour bread I baked, which was sprinkled with sesamy and black cumin. Recommended!
So glad you enjoyed it and also love hearing about your modifications!
Can this be frozen then thawed & re-blended?
Yes! It can be.
The pictures and video are making me want to try this right away! Thanks for this interesting fun cheese recipe! Much love!
I love this cashew cheese recipe. I tweaked it a little by adding lemon zest and a few cloves of roasted garlic. I love it on my dense seeded bread as a protein snack. Delicious!
Thank you so much!
Hi,
Will give this a go, looks proper del.
Anyway this can be hardened, grated and then sprinkled over food?
Lionel
Thanks for this perfect recipe! I’m not vegetarian but I really like to make this spread.
Really glad you like it, Kara 🙂
I made this, and it turned out really yummy! I used roasted cashews and can see what you mean by it being too nutty, so I’ll try raw next time if I can find them. Do you know how many calories are in 1 Tbsp or 2 Tbsp of this?
Hey Rhianna, I’m glad you liked it! I don’t have the nutrition information, but you could use a program like MyFitnessPal to calculate. Or, I think it’s probably comparable to the nutrition for any of the vegan cream cheeses on the market lately 🙂
This is so incredibly delicious! Thank you so much!! I was wondering if you could you roasted, salted cashews?
Hi Rosie, you can. I don’t personally like the roasted flavor—I think it makes the cheese taste too nutty/toasted, and the acidic/cheesy flavor doesn’t shine through in the same way. But I’ve done it in a pinch, when I didn’t have raw cashews and didn’t want to run to the store!
This looks delicious. I am garlic intolerant, do you think this will work without garlic? And perhaps replace it with something else? Many thanks.
Sure, I think it’ll be fine without garlic, Signe! I’d probably focus on adding more herbs in its place.
This was delicious and exactly what I was hoping for making cashew cheese for the first time. The only things I did different was add one Tbls of lemon juice and one of apple cider vinegar. I also added and extra 1/4 tsp of salt at the start. Delicious! Putting this on everything now.
Hooray! Great to hear that, Jade 🙂
I have always avoided “fake cheese” but have more and more drifted toward a plant based diet. Today, I tried your cashew “cheese” recipe. The flavor is fabulous. This will absolutely become a regular item in my condiment repertoire. Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that! Hope you continue to enjoy it.
I was definitely a skeptic, but I’m shifting to a whole food plant-based diet and decided to try this recipe tonight. I don’t use nutritional yeast, so I just increased the salt a bit and I think I use too much water because it came out a bit more like a sauce but oh my goodness, it is delicious! Like a rich Alfredo sauce!
So glad you enjoyed it, Alice!
Do you use Nutritional yeast flakes or powder?
Either will work here, since it gets ground up anyway 🙂
Do you soak the cashews in plain water or should the water be boiled first? Thanks xx
If you boil them, they’ll be ready faster for use (you’ll only have to soak them 1 hour). But plain water is fine if you have time to soak for 2 hours or more 🙂
My boyfriend has diet restrictions and can’t have nutritional yeast. Is there a substitute?
Hi Renee, you can just omit it. It does add “cheesy” flavor, but the cashew cheese will still be tasty without it!
This looks amazing. Can I use cashew butter and just add the remaining ingredients to make this?
I’ve never tried it, so I’m not sure! I worry that the texture would be very dense. But if you have success, let me know 🙂
Just made this today! It’s amazing and better than anything I’ve bought! Thanks
So glad you enjoyed!
Can you mold this into a ball and put on a board or would you serve it in a bowl like a dip?
This one is a bit spreadable, so I’d probably serve it as a dip. You could use less water and serve it as a ball if you like!
Thanks for the recipe! It’s lovely and will make again.
Hi, Gena! Thank you for sharing this recipe! A week ago I tried it and it was so delicious! I have a question. Can you recommend the brand of nutritional yeast?
I love one from Sari foods, but I’ve also used Red Star and a lot of other brands 🙂
This recipe is a good starting point, i followed it to a tee at first and it was flavorless, after adding more salt, garlic powder and lemon juice – it was still needing something… enter 1 sundried tomato = game changer! YUM
Gena, this looks amazing! Thank you, I will try this right away)
Gena, What a great idea! Love this. I’m sure this is incredibly delicious!
Can this be made with roasted cashews or just raw?
I think raw is preferable, but I’ve used roasted in a pinch. It will taste a little roasted, but it’ll still have a nice creamy texture!
This has been my go to cheese for the past couple years now :).
Thanks for the great recipe!
Can you freeze it after it’s been made? How long will it last in the fridge?
You sure can! And it’ll last up to 6-8 weeks.
Hi Gena,
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I have a question: what is the purpose of adding “nutritional yeast?”
I have never done it, will try very soon it seems delicious, and all the comments are very encouraging.
Hi Teresa,
Nutritional yeast adds a “cheesy,” savory flavor!
G
I’m an omnivore living with a strict vegetarian. I love me some vegan food, but hate meat and dairy alternatives. This cashew cheese is not cheesy at all in my opinion, but it’s SO GOOD. It’s hummus-like in texture, and rich but modest taste. Great on chick peas. Thanks for the recipe!
Tried this today. It’s yummy!
I’m glad!
I made this cheese today and it’s really good! Thanks so much for this recipe. I added some cayenne, extra lemon juice and about 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard. Yum! I couldn’t wait to dip a chip in it. Thank you!
Hi Gena,
This is an awesome recipe, I love this Cashew cheese. 🙂
I’ve also featured this in our website Green Thickies latest post 10 Delicious Raw Vegan Cheese Recipes. Not the actual recipe, but only one image from here, a small quote and I have credited to you and linked back to this page.
I hope that is okay with you.
Thanks a lot 🙂
Katherine
Green Thickies
I wonder why you say prep time 2 hours? It takes 10 mins to make and then leave to ferment for two hours b4 eating?
Thanks,
Veena
Hi Veena,
It’s the soaking time for the nuts 🙂
G
Hi Veena! That time is for soaking the cashews 🙂
I love this recipe. I spread it on a toasted poppy bagel, and I add a toss of sprouts. Breakfast is served.
LOVE this recipe. I’ve made it every single week since I first tried it. So easy and I love it! I have it on toast and sprinkle a little cajun seasoning on top of, every morning! Absolutely wonderful!
Just made this on a whim on Sunday night, and it was INCREDIBLE! I also cut the salt, added paprika and increased both the nutritional yeast and lemon juice…and it was over the top! I’m making another batch in a few days and have spread the word of your lovely recipe to my friends. Thank you 🙂
can i add coconut oil to make it creamy? cause it looks like its kind of grainy or hard
You could add coconut or olive oil, sure. If you use a high speed blender, it will be even creamier, but I usually use a food processor because I find that it blends more readily.
Just made this with my Vitamix with 1/4 cup of water as written.
It doesn’t like really thick like in the pictures, hopefully it will get thick in the refrigerator
Thanks
Well, after it was in the refrigerator it remained the same. Unlike the pictures you posted.
I’m sorry to hear that! You can try less water or adding less of it upfront next time. I hope that helps 🙂
I absolutely love this recipe! I’ve made it two weeks in a row so far, and I put it on basically everything! I was just wondering if it freezes well? Thanks in advance!
This is great Gena–a fantastic staple. I added a little bit more nutritional yeast. Next time I will add some fresh herbs. Yum!
I don’t have a food processor. Only a Ninja blender. So it’s the high pace kind. Would an Immersion Blender work better?
Hey Tinisha,
Actually I think a Ninja will work well for this recipe. I’ve made it in a high speed blender with good results. Hope you enjoy it!
G
Did you use flake or powder nutritional yeast? I read somewhere that if flake is used, it requires more.
Aida,
There is a slight difference in weight, but for the most part I find that flake vs. powder quantities and measurements can be comparable in recipes. So, you can use either here.
G
Thank you!
I’m looking forward to making this recipe this week! Quick question – can this cheese be used in recipes that need to be baked (i.e. alongside sautéed veggies as an enchilada filling)? I only ask because when I’ve microwaved cashew cream before the texture has been ruined (hard and grainy), so I”m wondering if prolonged heat has a negative effect. I can always just dollop it on top afterwards, but vegan enchiladas might be an easier sell to my husband if there’s some creaminess inside 🙂 Thank you!
Hi Katie,
I’ve had good luck spreading it on top of enchiladas and having it get a little browned in the oven — I haven’t had the hardness you mention, though it’s possible that the cheese gets a little more grainy. I think if you put it inside enchiladas and baked them you’d be in good shape, because the enchiladas would hold moisture in. I hope it works out!
G
I realize this was a few weeks ago, but wanted to let you know this cashew cheese was awesome in the enchiladas! Definitely a recipe I will come back to 🙂
Oh, I’m so glad to hear it!
My girlfriend and I had Cashew Cheese last Wednesday in Victoria, Canada at a restaurant Nourish, we loved it. We ecstatic that we found your recipe and getting together tomorrow to try our hand at it. Hosting a Vegan dinner on the 13th for friends. Thanks
great recipe, i would like to try it…
Since I don’t have a processor, so you think grinding in a coffee grinder & then using a blender will give it that smooth texture?
I definitely wanna give this a try..
Hi Tommica,
I’m really not sure — I’ve never tried a grinder. A blender might work on its own if you add enough water, though — and the cheese will thicken up in the fridge. Good luck!
G
I made some using a blender. I put the blade attachment on a mason jar and blended the ingredients in the jar instead. It worked. Although I had to stop more often than I would if I had a food processor.
Thanks for letting me know!
So very delicious!! It is hard not eating the whole thing in one sitting!
So glad you enjoy it, Michelle!
I am addicted – the only problem is how to stop eating it! Thank you it is delicious!
I absolutely love cashew cheese. Thanks for the reminder. I tend to make things regularly for awhile and then get tired of them. I will try this next.
This recipe is amazing OMG! I’m amazed! I’ve been a vegan for 2 months now, so I’ve been on the hunt for recipes that aren’t just “eh, that’s good for vegan food”, but that are actually good, for vegans and non-vegans. And this one definitely just earned a spot on my list. And to make it even better, it’s really easy to make! I’m not very experienced in the kitchen, but the recipe was very easy to follow and came out exactly as I expected from the pictures. And I was really glad that it actually had a very cheesy flavor, and I couldn’t taste the cashews at all. I don’t hate cashews, but I’m not a huge fan, but this is just perfect. Thank you so much! Will be making this regularly, my family also loved it!
So happy that you like it, Daniela!
Can it be made without nutritional yeast?
Sorry, I’m in Australia. Big time difference. Go back to sleep if I woke you.
Certainly! It’ll just taste slightly less “cheesy” and savory.
Is this something that you think can be put on pizza? Maybe just dollops of it? If so, would you add it before cooking the pizza or after?
Yes, I’ve tried it on pizza! You can add some dollops prior to cooking or after, but I prefer to add them prior, so that the cashew cheese becomes warm.
Thanks! We make homemade pizza on Friday nights. Trying this tomorrow!
I just made this and it’s wonderful. I have only a Vitamix, but I’m ok with the smooth texture. Thanks for a great recipe that I’m sure I’ll use over and over.
cashew cheese will always be my favorite! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
This is far and away my fav cashew cheese spread recipe. Most others use Dijon which is too vinegar-y. I used fresh pressed garlic and fresh lemon juice. Totally scrumptious.
Just want to update that we’ve now made this every week for the past 7 weeks and it’s as tasty as ever! Normally I’d be sick of a repeat dish by now but this one is just so versatile. My SO and I love it with salads as some might use goat cheese! Thanks! Can’t wait to try your sunflower seed romesco once we get some peppers!
Oh, I’m so happy you like it! I pretty much make it on repeat, too. The romesco is delicious, too 🙂 Enjoy.
I wish more folks who have made this dish would comment. I’ve now made this twice based on the Healthy Librarian’s recommendation. It’s delicious! The flavors marry in a way that I could not predict reading the ingredient list. I wouldn’t call it “cheese” in the presence of non-vegans but it stands tall on its own merits as a spread or condiment. I love it as a spread on toasted bread and generously dolloped onto bowls of quinoa, beans, and veggies. Also good as a dip for crackers and pretzels but it seems like a waste to use it for this! I made it exactly as described except I used heaping tablespoons of unfortified nutritional yeast and heaping 1/4 tsp of black pepper. Everyone in our house loves it. I will make again and again! Thanks!
I’m so glad you like it! I agree: the final product really feels like more than the sum of its parts, and it’s so versatile. I do know what you mean about using the word “cheese”–it evokes some very definite expectations–but hopefully it gives folks some cues on what to expect. Enjoy the recipe 🙂
Yum! I love cashew cheese – I have no idea how I survived without it for all these years. Thanks for debunking the myths that it’s either difficult to make or just weird, it’s actually so much better than dairy cheeses. Even my meat & dairy loving fiancee enjoys cashew based creamy cheeses the most 🙂 Thanks for the mix-in tips! I love how versatile this recipe is – my favorite add-in is actually roasted garlic (we love that stuff).
Definitely going to try this! It looks and sounds like a dream.
Nourishing Amelia | Food, Health and Lifestyle Blogger
x
Mm, finally a tasty option to change cheese with!
Great recipe, I love cashew cheese too! I also prefer to use the food processor, the texture and consistency is really much better that way.
And those charred carrots, wow, beautiful presentation ♥︎ Pinned.
HI Gena–what a great no-nonsense approach to cashew cheese. I, too, am a fan of using the food processor for all manner of things like this. It looks yummy and obviously it’s extremely versatile. Thank you! xo
That looks interesting … I’ll have to try it out this weekend!
I LOVEE cashew cheese:)))
This is great, Gena! I bet this cheese would be great with herbs and chives, like a spreadable herb dip I’ve seen at parties. And good call making it in the food processor – when I make cashew cheese in the blender I definitely need to add more water than I’d like to make it blend properly. This is a much better technique 🙂
I just made this 1st time using cashews ..wow so delicious !