Easy Vegan Cream Cheese (5 Minutes)

Name: Easy Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 14 to 16 ounces extra firm tofu (or firm tofu, pressed and drained*); 1/4 cup raw cashews (blanched almonds, or sunflower seeds); 1 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast ((optional)); 1 tablespoon mellow white miso; 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste); 1 tablespoon olive oil ((optional)); 1/4 cup chopped chives; 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

4.88 from 8 votes

This Easy Vegan Cream Cheese is thick, smooth, and perfectly spreadable—made for slathering generously on a warm toasted bagel. Ready in just 5 minutes, it’s also delicious on sandwiches, toast, crackers, or as a creamy dip for veggies.

Nisha Melvani in a red sweater sitting with hands crossed over.

Modified: Oct 11, 2026 by Nisha Melvani, RDN · This post may contain affiliate links · 24 Comments

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This Easy Vegan Cream Cheese is perfect for spreading generously on a warm, toasted bagel, layering into sandwiches, or enjoying with crunchy crackers and fresh vegetables. Ready in just 5 minutes, it's made with simple plant-based ingredients, requires no added oil, and can be customized with your favorite nuts, seeds, and seasonings.

Vegan cream cheese spread on a bagel and in a small bowl.

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🔍 Quick Look: Easy Vegan Cream Cheese
👩🏽‍⚕️ Dietitian's Note
👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients
🥯 Substitutions
📖 Tips for Making Easy Vegan Cream Cheese
✔️ Storage & Meal Prep Tips
🫙 More Creamy Spreads & Sauces
🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs
🍽 Related Recipes
👩🏽‍🍳 Made this recipe?
⚖️ Convert the Recipe to Metric (g & mL)
Easy Vegan Cream Cheese Recipe
🛍️ Shop Recipe Cookware and Ingredients
💬 Comments

🔍 Quick Look: Easy Vegan Cream Cheese

⏱️ Prep Time: 5 minutes
👥 Servings: 3 - 4
📊 Calories: ~179 kcal (based on nutrition panel)
💪🏼 Nutrition: 15 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber.
👩🏽‍🍳 Flavor Profile: Thick, smooth, and luxuriously spreadable, with a bright, fresh finish.
⭐ Difficulty: Very easy - blend everything together in just 5 minutes.

👩🏽‍⚕️ Dietitian's Note

This vegan cream cheese can be an easy way to add vitamin B12 when made with fortified nutritional yeast-a nutrient that deserves particular attention on a plant-based diet because reliable natural plant sources are limited. Cashews contribute heart-healthy unsaturated fats and minerals such as magnesium and copper, while tofu adds plant protein and helps make the spread more satisfying.

I like that this recipe turns an everyday spread into an opportunity to add more nutrition to something you're already eating, whether you pile it onto a morning bagel, spread it on a sandwich, or serve it as a snack with vegetables.

Why You'll Love This Recipe:

This Easy Vegan Cream Cheese is smooth, thick, and spreadable, making it perfect for piling onto a warm toasted bagel. It's also:

Ready in 5 minutes: Simply add the ingredients to a blender and blend until creamy.
Easy to customize: Use cashews, almonds, or sunflower seeds and adjust the seasonings to make it your own.
No added oil: Cashews or seeds provide richness and help create a creamy texture without added oil.
Perfect for meal prep: Make a batch ahead and keep it refrigerated for an easy breakfast, sandwich spread, or snack throughout the week.

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

Below, I share ingredient notes from both a nutrition expert's and trained chef's perspective.

Tofu, cashews, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, miso, onion powder, lemon, and miso on a gray backdrop.

Extra-firm or firm tofu: Creates the thick, smooth base of the cream cheese. Extra-firm tofu makes a firmer spread, while firm tofu gives it a softer, creamier consistency.
Mellow white miso: Adds savory umami and a subtle sweetness that gives the cream cheese more depth without overpowering the other flavors.
Cashews: Add richness and help create an especially smooth, luscious texture. Their mild flavor makes them ideal for a creamy spread. If you do not have a high-speed blender, soak them first for easier blending.
Nutritional yeast (optional): Adds a savory, cheesy quality that makes the spread taste more like traditional cream cheese. Use it for a more pronounced cheesy flavor or leave it out for a milder spread.

See the printable recipe card below for quantities.

🥯 Substitutions

This recipe is versatile and easy to adapt. Below are some simple ingredient substitutions.

Tofu - Use super firm tofu (no pressing required) plus 1 tablespoon olive oil for the highest amount of protein.
Cashews - Instead of cashews, use sunflower seeds or blanched almonds.
Nutritional yeast - This ingredient is optional, but I highly recommend adding some to this recipe.
Chives - Use finely chopped red onion or shallots instead, or omit entirely.
Onion powder - Omit as desired.
Pressed garlic - Add some for a vegan Boursin-style cheese.
Seasoning - Add desired seasonings (garlic powder, everything bagel seasoning, oregano, paprika).
Add-ons - Add sun-dried tomatoes, chipotle in adobo, or roasted red peppers to the food processor with the other ingredients for a variety of flavor profiles.

📖 Tips for Making Easy Vegan Cream Cheese

The complete recipe with exact amounts is below. These additional tips will help you get the best results.

Optional cashew soak: For the best texture, I highly recommend soaking the cashews beforehand. For a quick soak, place them in boiled water for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour. Otherwise, refrigerate them in room-temperature water overnight. Drain and rinse them before using.

Tofu, miso, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar in the canister of a food processor.

For a silky vegan spread, combine tofu and soaked cashews in a food processor, add nutritional yeast, miso, lemon juice, vinegar, onion powder, and salt, then blend, scraping down the sides until ultra-smooth.

Smooth vegan cream cheese in the canister of a food processor.

Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. If blending the chives or red onion, chop them very small so they do not overwhelm the taste or texture of the cream cheese. Or add a sprinkle for serving.

Vegan cream cheese, red onion, and chives in a white bowl.

Optional for serving: Fold in the chives and red onion, if using.

Vegan cream cheese with chives on sourdough toast with sliced tomatoes and chili crisp.

Optional: Top crispy sourdough toasts with Best Vegan Cream Cheese, seasoned tomatoes, and my 7-minute homemade Easy Chili Crisp. Or pair with my 2-ingredient Flax Seed Crackers for a healthy snack.

✔️ Storage & Meal Prep Tips

These simple tips will help your vegan cream cheese stay fresh and delicious:

Storage: Refrigerate leftover vegan cream cheese in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Stir before serving: The cream cheese may thicken or separate slightly as it sits. Give it a good stir before using.
Meal prep: Make a batch ahead for quick breakfasts and snacks throughout the week. It's ready to spread straight from the refrigerator onto bagels, toast, or sandwiches.

🫙 More Creamy Spreads & Sauces

My Vegan Tzatziki is made with plant-based yogurt, crisp cucumber, garlic, and fresh dill-perfect for drizzling over wraps, spooning onto falafel, or dipping warm pita bread.

This Easy Vegan Mayonnaise is a creamy, flavorful mayonnaise without eggs, with options for an oil-free tofu mayo or classic avocado oil mayo.

For a higher-protein, nut-free option, try my High-Protein Vegan Cream Cheese made with tofu for a smooth, creamy spread that's perfect for bagels, toast, and sandwiches.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

Can I make dairy-free cream cheese without tofu?

For a tofu-free option:
Soak 1 ½ cups (220 g) raw cashews or blanched almonds for 30-60 minutes (nut-free: 1 ⅓ cups (200 g) sunflower seeds for 60 minutes). Drain.
Blend with the remaining ingredients, streaming in water until spreadable (about ¼ to ½ cup; sunflower seeds ½ to ¾ cup).
Omit the extra ¼ cup nuts/seeds from the original recipe. Chill 2-4 hours to set.

How can I make vegan cream cheese without nuts?

You can make this cream cheese substitute with sunflower seeds instead of cashews for a nut-free option.

Is vegan cream cheese healthier?

Vegan cream cheese is generally lower in saturated fat and calories than regular cream cheese. However, it is also lower in protein and calcium. Processed cream cheese alternatives tend to be higher in sodium, so check your labels.
This homemade version has a good amount of protein, and you can add the salt to taste. Some homemade versions use coconut oil, which is higher in saturated fat than cashews, and unlike cashews, lacks heart-healthy fats.