Garlic and Herb Vegan Cheese Spread is the perfect appetizer for holiday parties! It’s a great snack, too! You can even serve it on bagels instead of cream cheese. Made with a mix of cashews and macadamia a nuts, this non-dairy cheese recipe is super easy to make. It's is dairy-free, of course, and gluten-free, too.
A Cheesy Vegan
Cheese was the last animal based-food I cut from my diet. I had gone vegetarian in the early 90s. The idea of giving up cheese didn't even cross my mind. I lived for Cracker Barrel extra sharp white cheddar, and I once ate a container of Boursin with crackers for dinner.
After reading about how animals were treated in the egg and dairy-industries, I decided to go vegan. Cheese was SO HARD to give up. I ended up sneaking some in here and there for a few months before I gave it up all together.
At the time, vegan cheese wasn’t easy to come by, and I had no idea that it was possible to make my own cheese. I wish I had known about the magic of nuts and nutritional yeast back then. I probably would have been able to break up with dairy sooner.
Vegan Garlic and Herb Cheese Spread
The first time I realized that it was possible to make non-dairy cheese with nuts and seeds was a vegan potluck. Someone brought a casserole with her, and there was a layer of what looked like ricotta on top. She explained that it’s really easy to make cheese using nuts or seeds, a little water, and some spices.
I was absolutely amazed. “It’s really that easy to make this?” I asked while shoveling more of the casserole she made into my face.
And it I’ve since realized that yes, it really is that easy.
Sure, there are far more elaborate recipes that use tapioca to create a gooey, melty texture. Or you can use probiotics to create cultured cheese. But if you’re in the mood for a little cheesy drizzle on your tacos or a tangy spread for crackers, it just takes a few minutes to whip something up in your food processor or blender. You can easily change the flavor profile with different herbs and spices.
While this recipe might not taste exactly like my beloved Boursin, that's what I had in mind when I created it, using herbs, garlic, miso, and apple cider vinegar to give it a little tangy zip.
How to Make Vegan Garlic and Herb Cheese Spread
This recipe couldn't be easier to make! I like to make it in my Blendtec‘s Twister Jar, which I find works best with nut cheeses.
- First you mix everything except the herbs in a high-speed blender until it's smooth and creamy. You can add a little more water a tablespoon at a time if it's too thick, but don't add too much, because your cheese spread will be too thin.
- Then you pulse in the herbs.
That's it!
Storing Your Cheese Spread
Your cheese will thicken as it sits, so you may need to add a little water to thin it out, depending on how you’re serving it.
It freezes well, so if you find yourself wondering what to do with the full batch, you can pop some in the freeze and save it for later. Defrost it in the fridge overnight or on the countertop for a few hours. After it's defrosted, you'll need to stir it well, and you might need to add a touch more water.
Store your cheese spread in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Raw Nuts
When making cheese spreads like this one, I always suggest using unroasted, unsalted nuts, because they have a neutral flavor. Roasted nuts can be used, but they will give your cheese spread a little bit of a burnt flavor.
A little forethought is required before you make your cheese, as the nuts need to be soaked. Macadamias should be soaked for at least 8 hours. You can soak them overnight in the fridge if you prefer. Raw cashews don’t really need to be soaked if you’re using a high-speed blender, but I like to soak them for about two hours anyway, to soften them a little. You can soak both macadamias and cashews together for 8 hours, to make things easier.
Serving Your Vegan Garlic and Herb Cheese Spread
I originally created the basis of this cheese a few years ago for my Cheese and Apple Tartlets recipe. It works well in appetizers like that one.
You can spread it on a bagel instead of cream cheese.
It's a great snack or appetizer. Serve it on a cheese platter with olives, bread, crackers, fruit, and nuts.
Vegan Garlic and Herb Cheese Spread
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw cashews soaked for 2 hours, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup raw macadamia nuts soaked for 8 hours, drained and rinsed
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons mellow white miso
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- 1 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Mix everything except the chives and parsley in a high-speed blender or food processor. Mix until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrap down the sides if necessary. If the mixture is too thick to blend, add a little more water a tablespoon at a time.
- Pulse in the chives and parsley.
- Chill the cheese spread in the fridge for an hour or two before serving.
More homemade cheese recipes you might like include:
- Smoked Almond Cheddar from This Cheese Is Nuts! by Julie Piatt
- Veggie Packed Cheese Sauce
- Cashew Ricotta
- Tofu Feta
- Cashew Cheese Sauce
Susan
This sounds so lovely. I love the idea of blending macadamias and cashews. And that cheese platter.... WOW!!!
I used to think I could never be vegan because I could never give up cheese. 18 years ago there was really not much around... and what was around was not great. But now I knew I never really knew true cheese love until I came to know vegan cheese.
Dianne
Thank you, Susan! Vegan cheese is so much better than dairy, isn't it?!
Alisa Fleming
I hear so many stories like yours Dianne. Dairy has always been my nemesis, so I've never been a fan of cheese. But I love nut "cheeses" like this one. So flavorful!
Cadry
That vegan cheese board is just SO PRETTY! It has all of my favorite foods in one place. I rarely make my own vegan cheese anymore, since really good ones are a lot more readily available than they used to be. But this sounds so good, a trip to the grocery store for macadamia nuts is in order!
Dianne
Thank you, Cadry! I hope you enjoy it!
Dianne
Thanks, Alisa!
Susan
So much better! Omnivores don't know what they are missing out on!
Dianne
They don't!
Ricki
This sounds like the perfect spread! I love basically any kind of nut cheese, but homemade is always best. 🙂
Dianne
Thank you, Ricki! I hope you get a chance to try it!
Nicole Dawson
What a delicious looking cheese spread . I'd be slathering that on everything I could
Dianne
Thank you, Nicole! Enjoy!
Dana
Can this spread be made a day in advance? Does it keep well?
Dianne
Hi Dana! Yes, it can be made in advance. It will keep for about 5 days in the fridge. You can freeze it, too.
Dana
Thank you for the quick reply and the information--very helpful, and it will cut down on my prep work for tomorrow's meal. One other question--I just noticed the macadamia nut (which sounds delicious from my perspective). Unfortunately, I'm working with a potential macadamia nut allergy with the other individual coming to dinner. Do you think the spread would work as well using all cashew? Thanks!
Dianne
Yes, you can definitely use all cashews. I hope you both enjoy it!
Dana
Thank you 🙂
Dr. J
The taste is spot-on, and on the whole it's simple (requiring only a few ingredients), but I have to admit that the process for making it was way more frustrating that I had expected going in. We used a Kitchenaid blender and it flung the ingredients up the sides of the pitcher and all over the lid. We had to stop every few seconds, scrape it all off, pulse again, stop, scrape, etc. In the end, it took nearly half an hour just to blend it. I love the faux cheese but I'm not sure I'm willing to go through that to have it again. Were we doing something wrong?
Dianne
Sorry to hear that you had problems with the recipe. Without having been there, it's difficult for me to speculate as to what the problem could have been. It might have to do with the blender, or perhaps the nuts needed to be soaked a little longer.
Linnea
I’m going to be making this tonight...I couldn’t find white miso paste and I’m also just not a huge fan - anything I might substitute or will it just be fine without? Thanks!
Dianne
Hi, Linnea! I've never made it without the miso. I don't think there's a substitute for it, but I'm guessing it will be okay without it. Let me know how it turns out!