Cashew Cheese

Whether you follow a vegan diet or just want to cut out dairy, cashew cheese satisfies your cheese-related cravings. Making cashew cheese is also ridiculously easy, relying on (you guessed it) cashews and nutritional yeast to mimic the cheesy flavor. Its uses are versatile and wide-ranging: you can spread it on crackers for a snack or enjoy it in vegan mac and cheese, vegan enchiladas and vegan broccoli cheddar soup, as well as a topping on vegan pizza.

Cashew Cheese Ingredients

• Cashews: Cashews are the ideal nut for making vegan cheese because of their creamy texture and mild flavor. They also are packed with nutrients and minerals. We don’t recommend substituting them with a different type of nut.
• Nutritional yeast: Nutritional yeast is responsible for a cheesy, umami flavor and is a source of plant-based protein. It’s often used in vegan cooking to replace cheese.
• Lemon juice: The zestiness of lemon juice helps brighten the flavors, and the acid in it can help make the cheese smoother.
• Garlic powder: Garlic adds greater depth to make the cheese more flavorful and complex.

Directions

Step 1: Soak your cashews

Jackie Alpers for Taste of Home

Place the cashews in a small bowl and add enough warm water to cover them completely. Soak the cashews for one to two hours; drain and discard the water.

Editor’s Tip: You can soak your cashews for as long as overnight.

Step 2: Make the cashew cheese

Jackie Alpers for Taste of Home

Add the cashews and the remaining five ingredients to your food processor. Cover and process until smooth, one to two minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally. Transfer the cheese to a serving dish. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Editor’s Tip: You can also make this in a blender, although we find it more effective in a food processor due to the amount of liquid used.

Jackie Alpers for Taste of Home

Cashew Cheese Variations

• Add herbs and spices: Toss in your favorites, such as paprika, dried herbs or onion powder to play with different flavors.
• Indulge with truffle: For a sophisticated spin, use truffle oil (white or black is fine) and include truffle salt.
• Add fruit: For a sweeter cheese, you can use chopped-up fruit, such as dried cranberries or fresh blueberries.
• Turn cheese into pizza: Integrating chopped sun-dried tomatoes evokes pizza flavors. Some fresh or dried basil will make that similarity even more pronounced!

How to Store Cashew Cheese

You can store this cheese in the fridge for up to four days.

Can you freeze cashew cheese?

If you can’t finish your cheese in time, you can certainly store it in the freezer. This also means that you can double the recipe just to stash some away and have it on hand as needed.

Cashew Cheese Tips

Jackie Alpers for Taste of Home

Do I need to soak the cashews?

Yes. Soaking the cashews is an important step to create a smooth and creamy texture.

Can I use roasted cashews in this cashew cheese recipe?

We recommend using raw, unroasted cashews. However, you can use them if that’s what you have on hand. It just may change the overall flavor.

What do you serve with cashew cheese?

Spread vegan cashew cheese on crackers, toasted bread or bagel chips. It can also be served with veggies or a sandwich spread.