This here is my favourite basic cashew cheese recipe. Now with herbs, other times with sun-dried tomatoes or lemon zest. Extremely quick and easy to make. It’s the best sandwich spread and filling for veggies, also great as a dip for veggie sticks or falafel. Who needs dairy when you’ve got cashews???
I have to tell you I am cheeseaholic. Cashew and almond cheeseaholic. It’s an addiction I am not ashamed to admit. Because vegan nut cheeses are awesome! I love them all! When it comes to aged cheeses I always go for my favourite cookbook about vegan cheeses: Miyoko Schinner’s Artisan Vegan Cheese. But when it comes to quick cheesy fixes this basic cashew cream cheese is the best. Takes absolutely no time to make it and it’s soooooo good!
Be creative with you cashew cheese! You can add so many wonderful things to make it special:
- Herbs: parsley, basil, chives, cilantro, summer savory, mint, dill, rosemary, thyme
- Chopped toasted nuts and seeds: almond, pine nut, cashew, pecan, pumpkin seed, walnut
- Dried Fruits: cranberry, prune, raisin, sour cherry
- Dried, baked or raw veggies: sun-dried tomato, aubergine, pumpkin, olive, jalapeño, carrot
- Spices: turmeric, chili, pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin, green pepper, smoked paprika
- Or even: hummus, beans, lime and lemon zest, tahini
Basic Cashew Cheese with Herbs
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 1 jar 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup of cashews (soaked overnight)
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 tbsp water
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup of chopped fresh herbs (I used dill, chives, basil and parsley)
- salt, pepper
Instructions
- Add cashews, nutritional yeast, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper to a food processor and blend until smooth and spreadable. It takes about 5-10 minutes. Adjust consistency with water.
- Add chopped herbs and mix well together.
- Store in an air-tight container in fridge. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Category: Appetizer
Try out my vegan feta cheese too.
For how long can I store it in the fridge? Thanks!
Usually 7-10 days in an air-tight container in the fridge.
I added a cup of seasoned cashew cheese to a pot where I had sautéed onions, garlic and oyster mushrooms, then I’d added broth and quartered baby potatoes. After the potato was almost ready, I added the cheese and it made a wonderful bisque!
Oh that sounds wonderful, I’ll definitely try it 🙂
Yummy!! That’s looks divine! And I love all the ideas you mentioned to give the cheese an unique twist. So creative!
Thanks, Bianca 🙂
I didn’t know it was that simple to make cashew cheese! This is definitely happening. Looks amazing 😀
Actually until last year I only had an old food processor and couldn’t make a proper cashew cheese. I didn’t understand how others can make all those fancy things. Then with the new food processor I was like…WHAT? REALLY? WOW 😀
This would be PERFECT for my homemade bagels 😉
Yes!!! I want to have those!!!
looks super creamy and delicious!!!
https://aspoonfulofnature.wordpress.com/
Thanks!
This sooo inspires me Evi! So there is still a bit of texture with the cashews being processed in a food processor… I was thinking I would need to process this in a VitaMix. I’ve still not made cashew cheese, but it’s on my radar now, thanks to you! So easy too… Thank you for this, Evi!!
Oh yeah, a Vitamix would be just perfect for that! I personally also prefer the creamier cheeses, but most people like it more when it’s a bit crunchy, so I make for them that way 😉
I love cooking with cashews! Like, I’m seriously obsessed with it! I’ve never tried to make a cheese like this one before and I’m very intrigued by it! I bet those herbs give it such a great fresh taste! This needs to be my next cashew creation 🙂
I love cooking with cashews too! So versatile and delicious! 🙂
I love cashew cheese! So good and so easy! I love that you listed all the ways to make it your own. Also…I think I can smell the garlic and herbs from here…so yum. Beautiful pics!
Thanks!
Yes, the garlic and herb smell is probably the best part 😉
I’m a cashew cheese addict too Evi. It’s so good, and easy to make. I love your recipe! Pinned. 🙂
Thank you, Linda! 🙂
I’ve never had cashew cheese, I am really curious about it. I ordered raw cashews online and the post strike will be over tonight, so I will be able to make this soon. The vegan feta cheese looks great too.
Oh yeah, the strike was very nerve-racking, I have ordered so many things I was excited about, and had to wait 1-2 weeks.
Thanks god, they sell cashews in every supermarket near us, otherwise I would have died 😀
Lovely!
Thank you 🙂
Looks amazing Evi 😀 I love making my own homemade cashew cheese although I don’t do it anywhere near as often as I should!
Hahaha, I think I make them way too often 😀
And eat way more than I should 😀
This looks fantastic Evi! I’ve made plant based ricotta before but I haven’t delved into any other nut cheeses. But you’ve definitely convinced me now is the time, with this great herby cheese of yours. So happy I found you and this recipe. Plus your photos are beautiful and wonderful to look at.
Thank you so much, Meg!
Ricotta…you see, that something I haven’t tried making myself. Ricotta was such a favourite of mine, I have to make that!
Hi Evi!
I was wondering where you buy nutritional yeast? 🙂 I’d love to make this cheese, but I can’t find it anywhere 🙁
So this is my favourite brand and I usually buy it in a small bio shop near my flat or order from Amazon if they don’t have. I also used to buy nutritional yeast in Hungary in small bio shops.
One big bio supermarket sells it also always, but I don’t really like the one they have, this one tastes very weird for me.
Do you have danish Amazon? I’m sure you can get some there. Plus it’s also awesome that you can check the reviews. I’ve tried so many brands and some of them are just like hell and others like heaven 😀
I made this 2 days ago for a gathering, I used sundried tomatoes chopped garlic, fresh basil and a few dried herbs. I loved it when I tasted it, but I wanted to see how my non-vegan friends would respond to it. Omg, it was a HIT. They loved it. I served it with multigrain crackers. They couldn’t believe it was homemade cheese made from nuts. I have Miyoko’s Artesian Cheeses book, but it was your recipe that gave me the confidence to actually try this. Thank you for encouraging your readers to step outside the box and their comfort zones. BTW, I am new to your site and I found you by searching for…easy vegan cheese recipes😊
Hi Yvie, I’m so glad you found my site, and that you and your friends liked the recipe. I hope you’ll find a few more recipes that you’ll enjoy 😉
BTW Miyoko’s book is a real game changer! Also took me a while to start with the recipes (mainly because she uses sooooooo many ingredients I didn’t have), but then I realized it all worth it to buy. Every recipe I tried from the book was great!
I was curious if you drain the cashews after they soak overnight before making this Basic Cashew Cheese with Herbs?
Thank you for any clarification received in advance. 🙂
Hi Kim,
Yes, I drain the cashews first, then try to add as little water as possible, to keep it all nice, thick and creamy 😉
oh. It’s very delicious. But I wonder how long I can preserve it and how it works best. Thanks you!
Hi! You can store the cheese in the fridge for up to 1-2 weeks. I haven’t tried freezing it yet, but I heard it should also work 😉
Extremely quick and easy to make.
Thanks!