Vegan Cream Cheese (Nut Free)

if you have been wanting to try making your own homemade vegan cream cheese now is the time! this recipe uses the traditional way of making cream cheese so the result is pretty amazing. this recipe is totally nut and soy free and you are going to love it.

I am sure you are thinking if this vegan cream cheese is nut and soy free then what the heck is it made from?! Pea protein milk! This recipe uses the traditional way of making cream cheese – adding an acid to the non-dairy milk, letting it curdle, separating the curds and then blending it to make our vegan cream cheese. The beauty of this recipe is you can use any high protein non-dairy milk that you like, as long as it has at least 7g plant protein per serving. I always opt for Ripple because it just my favorite.

What You’ll Need

You actually only need 4 simple ingredients to make the vegan cream cheese base and cheese cloth!

• Ripple Pea Protein Milk or High Protein Non-Dairy Milk: I always opt for Ripple because I like it but you can of course use soy milk and there are other high protein non-dairy milks out there now. You need it to be higher in protein so it creates nice big curds and a lot of them. At least 7g plant protein per serving.
• Lemon Juice: the acid helps to create the curds.
• Salt: to make it salty.
• Nutritional Yeast: just a small touch to add in some extra cheesiness, you can leave it out if you like.
• Cheesecloth: easy to find at most food stores or online this will help to separate essential the non-dairy curds and whey.

Vegan Curd

So, I never really knew what curds and whey were until I got older. Essentially, the curd is the solidified part that milk leaves behind while whey is the liquid. So, with higher protein non-dairy milks we are also able to create a vegan curd and vegan whey. This curd is so important for making the vegan cream cheese. You can also use this to make homemade vegan ricotta. It is important to also use an unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk. I personally find soy milk to be a little sweet naturally so I opt to not to use it BUT if you like it then use it!

Separating the Vegan Curd and Whey

After you boil the non-dairy milk on the stove and the curds and whey form you will be left with a mixture in your pot of some solidified parts in liquid. To separate those all you will do is pour or scoop it into a cheesecloth that is sitting on a strainer and a bowl. Then let it sit for about 10 minutes or up to a half hour, depending on how much time you have. Once it is cool enough to handle you will carefully squeeze with your hands any excess liquid out and then you will be left with a bunch of the curd. It is really simple!

How to Turn Vegan Curds Into Vegan Cream Cheese

The final step is now to blend the curds up until they are super smooth and creamy, hence the name cream cheese. While blending you may want to add in a few spoonfuls of that residual liquid (vegan whey) in to help the blender. Just blend until it is smooth and creamy, it should only take about 1 to 2 minutes if that. You may need to help the blender by scraping down the sides a bit. From there your vegan cream cheese is done! You can then scoop it out and enjoy it immediately or place in the fridge. This will create a plain vegan cream cheese but of course you can add in other seasonings and flavors to create variation.

Vegan Cream Cheese FAQ

• Is this recipe soy free? Yes.
• Is this recipe nut free? Yes.
• Is this recipe gluten free? Yes.
• Can I use a different non-dairy milk besides pea protein milk? As long as you use a high protein milk with at least 7g plant protein per serving it should work fine.
• How long does this keep in the fridge? For up to 4 days in a sealed container.
• What can I do with the leftover liquid from the curds? You can use it to bake bread, you can try using some in a smoothie (it may be too acidic), add to soups or stews, you can even freeze it in cubes and then use it later!
• Can I use this recipe to make cheesecake or frosting? I haven’t tried it for a vegan cheesecake or frosting but I do think it should work. If you want to try a vegan cheesecake recipe I have a great one on the blog! Let me know how it works out.

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Homemade Vegan Cream Cheese

This homemade vegan cream cheese is fun to make and comes out so delicious! A simple process and contains no nuts or tofu!

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Chill Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Vegan Cheese

Servings 8 ounces

Equipment

• Cheesecloth
• Blender

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 cups (960ml) pea protein milk, unsweetened see note about milk choice
• ½ cup (120ml) lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast

Instructions

 

• In a pot add the non-dairy milk and lemon juice. Cook on the stove for 10 minutes over medium heat, this helps the non-dairy milk to curdle.
• Place a large piece of cheesecloth over a sieve or strainer and then place in a pot to catch the liquid. Pour the curdled non-dairy milk carefully into the cheesecloth or scoop it in. Allow it to sit for at least 10 minutes (or up to 30 minutes). This will get a lot of the liquid out. Then once it is cool enough to handle use your hands to squeeze out more excess liquid.
• Transfer the curds into a blender with the salt and nutritional yeast. Blend for about 1 to 2 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. You may need to add in some additional liquid as it blends and you can use the liquid that drained from the curd (essentially a vegan whey). Adding in small spoonfuls as the blender needs about 1 to 2 teaspoons at a time.
• Taste the vegan cream cheese and add in more salt if you desire. You can enjoy on its own plain or add in other flavors with vegetables, seasonings, spices, and sweeteners. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or until ready to enjoy.

Video

Notes

• In order to make this recipe work you must use a high protein milk at least 7g plant protein per serving. Please read the blog post for more information if you have other questions.

Keyword vegan cream cheese

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