Minute Vegan Cream Cheese
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5 Minute Vegan Cream Cheese is made with whole food ingredients and is ridiculously easy to make. It tastes amazing, too!
I dont know if theres anything I miss more than cream cheese. Before going vegan, I didnt care much for meat, or milk, but CHEESE. It seems like Im not alone in this. Ive heard over and over again from people that the hardest thing to replace or give up is cheese.
Well, dont worry, Ive got you covered! Im on a mission to satisfy all your cheesy cravings. ð So far, Ive made Easy Vegan Nacho Cheese, Vegan Queso Dip, Stretchy Mozzarella, and this delicious Cheese Ball. And now, you can have a big toasted bagel slathered in vegan cream cheese!
Now, a quick word about this vegan cream cheese. Its not going to fool anyone into thinking its real cream cheese. I want to be honest about that! Its more like a really delicious schmear or bagel spread. And just because it doesnt taste EXACTLY like dairy cream cheese, does not mean its not incredibly drool worthy and delicious!
Whats really great about this homemade vegan cream cheese is that its full of nutritious ingredients. Its made primarily with raw cashews, and there is no oil involved. So you get some healthy fat and even protein with this spread!
Follow Your Heart Slices
Sliced cheese is an American staple, and you dont have to give it up if you decide to break up with cheese. The creators of the famous vegenaise also make fabulous dairy-free cheese in pre-sliced form. Were fans of the Provolone and Smoked Gouda slices in particular. Pile atop a veggie sandwich, stuff into gourmet grilled cheese, or stack slices on crackers or a savory afternoon snack. No matter how you eat it, its going to be gouda .
Goveggie Classic Plain Cream Cheese Alternative
GoVeggie is a cheese alternative brand, but be careful. Many of their products are only lactose free, meaning it still contains animal by-products.
Thoughts: It was much softer and comparable to the Trader Joe version rather than being the consistency of regular cream cheese. We didnt mind the flavor overall but Larisha did say for her there was a bit of a soapy taste at the end.
Where to Buy:Use their store locator
Varieties: Classic Plain, Chive & Garlic
Ingredients: Filtered Water, Coconut Oil, Mid-oleic Sunflower Oil, Soy Protein Concentrate, Cornstarch, Sea Salt, Tricalcium Phosphate, Natural Flavors, Organic Locust Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum, Organic Guar Gum, Vegan Culture
Allergens: Coconut and Soy.
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Seasons Of Salad Ideas
During the summer when the farmers markets, fruit stands and grocery stores are brimming with fresh produce, its easy to eat our fill of fresh fruits and vegetables. But during the long winter months, we may struggle to find ways to use root vegetables or other vegetables that are in season. Here are a few
Regular Versus Dairy Free Cream Cheese
Now Im going to give you a little truth up front if youre expecting Philadelphia, this isnt it. I have yet to find a substitute, homemade or store bought, which tastes exactly like your standard dairy-based cream cheese.
But now, the good news! This spread is rich, tangy, savory, and tastes absolutely delicious. Aside from eating it just slathered on a bagel, I make this awesome vegan bagel sandwich that includes this spread along with avocado, cucumber, scallions, spinachits insanely good.
Im going to venture to say this homemade version is way better than most of the cream cheese alternatives you find at the store both as far as flavor and nutrition. Some of the store-bought varieties are filled with odd ingredients, and many have a strange, almost artificial taste to them.
This is one of my favorite recipes in my upcoming cookbook, a Dairy Free Cookbook for Beginners be sure to grab your copy for the other 100 awesome recipes in the book!
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What Vegan Cream Cheese Brands Did We Try
Despite trying out 10 different brands, we know that there are even more out there. We just didnt find them local to us. The brands that we did find and try are:
- Wayfare
- Tofutti
- Treeline
We also had a bonus taste test of Spero Sunflower Cream Cheese. We didnt see a plain version of this but did they the red pepper version.
I will be upfront that we had tried a few of these before. However, we had never tried any of them side by side with other brands which we believe is really important when it comes to taste testing.
Who Was The Winner
Okay. I put you through all that just to make you wait until here until I announce the winner. You know, wait with baited breath, type of thing! HA!
Again, we were pleasantly surprised with all the brands we were able to find and what that means for the future of those of us that are vegan or living a dairy free lifestyle.
Now, without further ado!
Our top 3 brands would be:
- Wayfare
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Miyokos Smoked English Farmhouse
This cashew-based cheese was made for the cheese plate. Cut yourself a wedge and prepare for an intense flavoryoure first hit with a sharpness thats countered with a creamy smokiness that lingers on your tongue. Like all solid relationships, this dairy-free cheese is well-rounded . Opt for this cheese wheel when you want to impress or simply treat yourself to a bit of indulgence.
Vegan Cream Cheese Brands
If you want to go dairy-free, your love for cream cheese wont stand in the way. Just try a few of these excellent products and see which you like best:
Of all these products, Violifes cheddar variety is the most daring and the least traditional. It tastes nothing like regular cream cheese, but its outstanding and unique.
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Dairy Free Down Under
Dairy Free Down Under have a huge range of products including cheddar and mozzarella shreds and slices, and even a cashew parmesan. You can find them at independent supermarkets and specialty stores, and you can also get their cheddar slices and mozzarella shreds at Costco stores nationwide! .
Available at independent supermarkets and Costco.
For Chive And Onion Vegan Cream Cheese:
While the cream cheese is quite good plain, it is SO much better with more flavor. Simply add 3 tablespoons of chopped chives and a teaspoon of onion powder to the cream cheese, and process until smooth. SO GOOD.
You could also get creative with different add-ins, such as sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, chipotles in adobo or maple walnut.
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How Does Vegan Cheese Compare With Dairy
Not many people consider cream cheese as an option when discussing vegan options, but as you can see, theres so many to choose from! Traditionally, cream cheese is made from dairy cheese using casein protein, which is found in cow, goat and sheep milk. Cheese is made using an enzyme called rennet, which is added to the milk during the coagulation process. There are other ways that cream cheese can be made, however using rennet is the most common method and almost all cheeses are created this way.
Vegan cheese is made using a similar process, but very different ingredients . Vegan cream cheese has a protein substitute added to it, usually sources from plants. Then, instead of using rennet during the coagulation process, vegan cheese uses the lactic bacteria. For more firm vegan cheeses, additional ingredients like oils and emulsifiers can be added, as well as nuts, tofu or seeds.
Vegan Cream Cheese: Top Brands & Serving Suggestions
You can find excellent vegan cream cheese in most supermarkets and every natural foods store. In terms of taste and texture, most vegan brands are indistinguishable from dairy-based cream cheeses. Your favorite grocery probably carries these products right where they keep the regular dairy-based brands.
A growing number of bagel shops likewise offer dairy-free cream cheese. If they dont yet offer it, just buy your bagels to go, and add your favorite vegan brand at home.
Tofutti pioneered this product category decades ago, but the segment is now crowded with a wide variety of excellent products.
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Treeline Plain Plant Based Cream Cheese
This is the newest vegan cream cheese on the market. This product was just recently released. The dips made from the company are so good!
Thoughts: It is darker in color, similar to the Miyokos product. Its a much more savory taste than many of the others. In fact, they said it tastes just like the Treeline soft cheeses rather than a cream cheese.
Varieties: Plain, Strawberry, Chive & Onion.
Ingredients: Cashew Nuts, Filtered Water, Sea Salt, Lemon Juice, L.Acidophlus.
Allergens: Cashews.
Price: $9.50*
*We had this shipped to our house, so we assume that some of that cost is due to shipping. Use the store locator above to see if you can find it near you and it may cost less.
Vegan Cream Cheese Taste Test
We taste tested 9 different vegan cream cheese brands! Were dishing out all the details on which is the best in our vegan cream cheese taste test!
We have a clear favorite vegan cream cheese before starting this vegan cream cheese taste test, but could it stand up to a taste test challenge. Thats what we wanted to find out.
After doing our vegan shredded cheese taste test Pt. 2, many people asked if we would do other cream varieties. Many vegan cheeses dont have enough to compare however, we were surprised that we were able to find 9 different vegan cream cheese brands with a plain variety in order to put them to the test.
Also, if youre interested, make sure to check out our vegan yogurt taste test where weve tried more than 25 brands.
So can you believe we were able to find 9 different ones?
And these are all nine different brands. No two are from the same brand and they are all plain flavors so a true side by side comparison.
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Downsides Of Dairy Free Cream Cheese
While there are certain benefits to choosing dairy free cream cheese, there are also some downsides:
- Level of processing. To mimic the taste and texture of conventional cream cheese, dairy free cream cheeses are often highly processed. Several studies have linked higher intake of ultra-processed foods to heart disease, cancer, depression, and other common health conditions .
- Additives. Gums such as xanthan gum and guar gum are the most common types of additives in dairy free cream cheese. They are derived from natural sources, used to thicken products and to prevent separation. Though they are not absorbed by the body and have been deemed safe to consume, their presence is an indicator the product is more processed. Its important to point out that gums are a common additive in regular cream cheese as well .
- Taste and texture. Despite the additives to help, some proponents of traditional cream cheese suggest the taste and texture of dairy free cream cheese simply doesnt stack up. As this downside is based on opinion, consider trying a dairy free cream cheese for yourself before completely ruling them out.
How To Make Dairy Free Cream Cheese
All you need to make this recipe is a few simple ingredients:
- Soaked raw cashews
- Onion powder
- Scallions
All you need to do is combine these ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender, and process them into a smooth spread!
I use a little mini food processor, which works well for this amount. I recommend periodically scraping down the sides and processing a few times to get the smoothest texture you can.
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Trader Joes Plain Classic Vegan Cream Cheese Alternative
Trader Joes vegan cream cheese alternative is the cheapest of the 9 options that we found.
Thoughts: We liked this one overall. It does have some consistency issues. What we mean by that is that it has a more whipped consistency and sometimes is runnier than other times.
It doesnt matter for things like bagels, but when you are trying to make things like vegan cheesecake, it can be an issue.
When tasted side by side with the other brands, Larisha does think there is a bit of an aftertaste.
Where to Buy: All Trader Joes locations.
Varieties: Original
Ingredients: Filtered Water, Coconut oil, Mid-Oleic Sunflower Oil, Soy Protein Concentrate, Cornstarch, Sea Salt, Tricalcium Phosphate, Natural Flavors, Xanthan Gum, Locust Bean Gum, Guar Gum, Vegan Culture, Lactic Acid .
Allergens: Coconut and Soy.
Dairy Free Cream Cheese Recipe
If youre on a dairy-free diet but are missing your morning bagel and cream cheese, youre in luck! This dairy free cream cheese is a perfect spread for bagels or crackers. The scallions and onion powder give it a punch of flavor that tastes great spread on a bagel or toast, and the cashews create the smooth base for this vegan cream cheese.
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Rating The Best Vegan Cream Cheese Brands Of 2021
February 14, 2021 by Jamie
Going vegan doesnt mean that you now have to forego cream cheese for the rest of your life that life isnt going to be very enjoyable. Thankfully, there are some extremely good vegan cream cheese options available that you can try out.
The best part is that the options mentioned here taste quite good too. Now you can go back to slathering that rich goodness on your bagel, whipping it into creamy pasta sauce, or adding it to some of your favorite vegan recipes.
Formulated to taste just like the real stuff, these vegan cream cheese options have everything but the animal byproducts you are trying to avoid.
You can even find a wide variety to suit every palate, from smoky vegan salmon flavors to herbed options and cruelty-free choices, the choice is back in your hands again. That being said, here are some of the best vegan cream cheese available in the market.
Tofutti is a well-known and trusted brand. In fact, it was one of the very first brands to look into making dairy-free products for the vegan community.
One of the biggest issues people had with Tofutti initially was that they originally made their dairy-free cream cheeses with hydrogenated oils.
However, the brand quickly got off that train and started using non-hydrogenated alternatives a move that saw its popularity go back up.
Pros:
- Its soy-based some people dont like that taste
- Has a somewhat strong artificial taste
Miyokos Creamery Classic Plain Cultured Vegan Cream Cheese
Miyokos is a female owned and led business that focuses on vegan cheese alternatives.
Thoughts: It was not as smooth as some of the other ones and much more thick. The color was definitely not a cream cheese color and there was. a vinegar smell to it before even trying to taste it.
The overall opinion was this was not good. Maybe in a savory recipe it could be saved, but there was a strong lemon taste to it and a fragrance taste. The texture was also gritty but that may be due to the cashews.
Andrew did comment that it seemed like it was the least processed of all the ones they tried up to that point.
Varieties: Classic Plain, Savory Scallion, Fish-Free Lox
Ingredients: Organic Cashews, Filtered Water, Organic Coconut Cream, Sea Salt, Cultures
Allergens: Cashews, coconut.
Price: $5.99
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Be Kind To Calves With These Dairy
More people than ever are exploring the delicious world of animal-friendy foods and doing good things for their health, the environment and animals.
But what happens when you’ve got cravings for cheesy pizzas, toasties and cheesecake? Well the good news is with 1 in 6 Aussies moo-ving away from dairy, the number of dairy-free options is exploding. So it’s easier than ever to have your cow-friendly cheesecake and eat it too!
We’ve tried and tested the best dairy-free cheeses out there and here some of our favourites…
Ingredients To Look For When Buying Vegan Cream Cheese
There are a number of different sources used in vegetable-based proteins and cheeses, so theres many ingredients to look for. However, below weve outline the key ones for you.
Soy Cheese
Soy vegan cheese is the most common and widespread vegan cheese. Its usually offered in a variety of different flavors, like cheddar and mozzarella, and has a very similar consistency to dairy cheese, which means you can slice, grate, or even melt it onto your recipes! Its also very low in fat and calories, which is why its a very popular choice among many vegans.
Nut Cheese
Another great option, nut cheese is usually made from macadamias, brazil nuts or cashews. Although this one is higher in fats, its also a great source of iron, antioxidants, calcium, and potassium. Nut cheese is a great option for spreadable snacks and recipes because the consistency is creamier than other options.
Seed Cheese
Ideal as a substitute for hard cheeses, seed cheese is great for grating over your dishes and is usually made from sesame seeds or hemp seeds. Because seed cheese is made using different seeds, the flavors also vary so theres different combinations to try! Again, this cheese is an excellent source of antioxidants and healthy fats.
Rice Cheese
Not as popular as the other three, rice cheese is mainly processed using water and rice flour. Its usually used for cheddar alternatives and comes in the form of harder blocks or slices great for vegan sandwiches.
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