Easy Cashew Cheese Spread {Vegan & Gluten Free}

Easy Cashew Cheese spread is a perfect vegan option for a potluck, holiday meat and cheese board, or a meal prep snack box!

Cashew cheese spread. I know. Stick with me. 

I have been blending up nuts in a food processor and calling them dips and spreads for a few years.... but have yet to share any of them on the blog. Wha!?

While you won't find a ton of vegan content on my blog, you will find my highly addictive Air Fryer broccoli which is where I fell in love with nutritional yeast.

Bad name. Delicious, nutrient dense stuff!

Cashews are by far my favorite nut to add to all the things, and again, I am not sure there is anything with cashew on the blog yet. So sorry! 

I love making this easy Cashew cheese spread to take to a potluck or holiday party and it is inhaled by vegans and non vegans alike.

If you have ever had Boursin cheese, this is a very similar texture - minus the diary. 

This has also been what I have been having as a mid afternoon snack.

The fat in the cashews keeps me satiated longer, and I often use cucumber slices as the "cracker".

Hello, easy snack idea.

I have even been known to make this into a full on (non vegan) lunch, by adding and egg, some fruit and a carb.

Hi crackers. I love you. 

Ok, here is the quick rundown on how to make this easy cashew cheese spread!

Start with cashews soaked in water. You must do this part. 

Then add in some lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and nutritional yeast to a food processor.

Pulse a few times.

Scrape the sides.

Repeat. 

Try not to just eat it all with a spoon at once. 

Ok, you totally can, but crackers, cucumbers, crustinis. ALL great vehicles to get this into your mouth!

Next time you make a snack box, or want to bring a vegan option to a potluck, make this and tag me @mealplanaddict on Instagram so I can see! 

Recipe

Easy Cashew Cheese Spread {Vegan & Gluten Free)

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bento box, cashew cheese, gluten free, vegan, vegan cheese, vegan meal prep

Prep Time: 2 hours hours

Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 240kcal

Easy Cashew Cheese spread is a perfect vegan option for a potluck, holiday meat and cheese board, or a meal prep snack box!

Print Recipe

Equipment

• Food Processor

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw, unsalted cashews
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• juice from one lemon
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

Instructions

• Soak the cashews in water for a minimum of 2 hours.
• After soaking, reserve ¼ cup of the soaking liquid and discard the remaining liquid.
• Add the cashews, reserved soaking water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and dried red pepper flakes to the food processor.
• Pulse a few times until the mixture starts to come together.
• Stop the processor, scrape the sides, and pulse again.
• Repeat this until the mixture is blended, but not over whipped like a nut butter.
• Place your cheese spread in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours to firm up a bit, and really develop the flavors.
• Store in the fridge, in an air tight container for up to a week.

Notes

Get creative and make this into a bento snack box with crackers and raw veggies. You can also add a protein to round it out into a full no microwave lunch!

Nutrition

Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g