Homemade cultured cashew cream cheese 3 flavours

Vegan and paleo cream cheese for spreading, dipping and cooking.

Making cashew cream cheese at home is surprisingly easy and with the Vibe Blender System you’ll definitely achieve a smoother and creamier texture in no time at all! Homemade cashew cheese a deliciously creamy vegan and paleo cheese alternative.

You can enjoy this homemade cashew cheese with pretty much anything that calls for a thick creamy cheese. Spread it on your favourite bread or crackers or use it as a dip and dunk veggie sticks in it. It is also delicious cooked, so try it on pizzas, drizzled over potatoes or even added to a salad.

After soaking the cashews to soften, the basic cream cheese recipe can be prepared in minutes. For extra funky cheese tang, follow our simple steps to lacto-ferment it. Fermenting the cashew cream requires only one additional step but a little bit of patience.

Culturing cashew cream at home requires no special equipment at all and is just done by adding in some healthy bacteria then leaving it to multiply in a warm place. We used a vegan yogurt starter culture, but a dairy-free probiotic capsule opened and dispersed into the mixture will work just as well. To kick start the fermentation we added a tiny bit of sugar to give the cultures something to feed on.

Plain cashew cheese tastes lovely but there is no end to the flavour possibilities. Once you have prepared the basic cheese recipe, fermented or not, you can get creative and add in all sorts of fun flavour combinations. Mixing in nutritional yeast is delicious because it adds a distinctly cheesy taste. If you prefer not to use nutritional yeast, garlic powder works well too. Spices and fresh or dried herbs are a fantastic addition to begin experimenting with. It’s even possible to go slightly sweet instead of savory with your add-ins – try dried fruit such as apricot or some crushed nuts. 

Makes 2 jars.

INGREDIENTS 

3 cups raw organic cashews
4 cups of filtered water*
Dairy-free starter culture or probiotic
¼- ½ cup additional filtered water* (add more water for a saucier consistency)
½ teaspoon of white sugar (if fermenting)
Olive oil to cover the top of the cheese. (optional but helps to preserve the cheese)

*if you do not have filtered water use boiled and cooled water.

FLAVOUR MIX INS – quantities are based on one jar of cream cheese (half the base recipe)

Smoked Paprika
1- 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
¼ teaspoon of garlic powder (optional)
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
½ teaspoon of dried flaked chilli (optional)
¼ - ½ teaspoon of salt

Creamy Caraway
1- 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons of caraway seeds
¼ - ½ teaspoon of salt

Spicy nigella & black pepper
1- 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon nigella seeds
2 teaspoons of freshly cracked black pepper
¼ - ½ teaspoon of salt 

PREPARATION

1.   We recommend organic raw cashews for fermentation.
2.   If you plan to lacto-ferment the cashew cream it is essential that you sterilise the jars and utensils in boiling water before you begin.
3.   Soak the cashew in a bowl with 4 cups of filtered water for up to 4 hours or overnight. Filtered water is necessary if you are planning to ferment the cashews. Regular tap water may be used if you are skipping this step.

METHOD

4.   Strain the cashews then rinse briefly with boiling water. (tap water is ok if you are not fermenting)
5.   Pour the drained cashews into the clear Vibe Blender jug.
6.   Add a portion of the filtered water
7.   Insert the tamper into the blender lid then secure it on the jug
8.   Blend on ‘nut’ mode, tamping down the cashews. You may want to add more filtered water? Blend for 60-90 seconds or until you achieve the right consistency. For a looser saucier cheese, add up to one cup of water.
9.   If you would like to enjoy cashew cream cheese ASAP, you can add you flavour mix-ins now. Simply divide the mixture between bowls then fold in your flavours.

10.  For cultured cream cheese, add the starter culture and sugar then pulse to incorporate.
11.  To lacto-ferment the cashew cheese, scrape the mixture into sterile jars so they are three-quarters full.  
12.  Put the lids on, then place somewhere warm (but out of direct sunlight) for 2-3 days. Low twenties is an ideal temperature. If your house is cool, leave sit for 3 days. Note: The cheese may rise in the jar and have a slight fizz when you open it.

13.  At the end of the fermentation, open the lids and stir in your desired mix-ins, tasting as you go. Note that the flavours will meld together and become stronger after being in the fridge for several hours.
14.  Optional - pour enough olive oil over the top of the cheese to completely cover it.
15.  Return the lid, then place in the fridge to chill.

PIN THIS RECIPE