High-Protein Vegan Cream Cheese with White Beans
If you can’t have dairy but crave a grilled cheese sandwich, this quick, high-protein vegan cream cheese might be the answer to your prayers.
Vegan | GF | Soy-free | No rice
Made with just a few simple pantry ingredients, this spreadable cashew-and-bean cheese tastes just like aged cheddar—but without the dairy. It’s also gluten-free, and easy on your wallet.
I made my first vegan cheese many years ago—and it was a total disaster. But I didn’t let this failure stop me. Instead, I tried again, and again, and again, until finally I got it just right. More dairy-free cheese recipes followed (some more successful than others) and by now, I’ve got quite some minimal prep vegan recipes to choose from, no matter what kind of cheese substitute I fancy.
This one has been a family favourite for over a decade, and it more than earned that place. It’s a cheap and easy vegan white bean cream cheese for grilled cheese sandwich. Perfect for a quick and hearty breakfast, lunch, or mid-afternoon snack.
Why You’ll Love This Dairy-Free Cheese Spread
While not quite the same as real cheese, this bean-based vegan cheese spread comes deceptively close to the real thing. It tastes amazing. What’s more, it comes together in less than ten minutes, which might just earn it a place in my top ten easy recipes for chronic illness.
More than that, it’s so easy, even young children can make it as long as they’re old enough to handle a stick blender safely.
And did I mention it’s cheap and uses only vegan pantry staples? So you probably won’t even have to leave your house to satisfy your sudden and overwhelming grilled cheese sandwich craving.
What’s not to love about this cheap vegan cream cheese recipe?
Spoonie Tips for Easy White Bean Cheese
- This is an easy and forgiving recipe. If you lack the energy to measure, just eyeball it. Here, measurements are really just a guideline rather than exact amounts.
- Too thick? Add some water. Too thin? Add some beans or cashew butter.
- Too much bother to soak your cashews? Cashew butter works just as well.
- Low dexterity tip: store in a wide, shallow container. This makes scooping easier, especially for one-handed use or limited wrist mobility.
Gluten-free Cream Cheese Ingredients
White beans (frozen, cooked in your Instant Pot, or from a tin or jar), nutritional yeast flakes, cashews, apple cider vinegar, cooking oil, and a few flavourings. That’s all you need.
How To Make Vegan Cream Cheese
White Bean Cream Cheese (Vegan & High-Protein)
Equipment
- 1 immersion blender
- 1 bowl
- 1 Airtight container
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked white beans
- 5 heaped tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil
- ¼ cup cashews soaked
- salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder to taste
- 1 tsp light miso paste
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a bowl
- Blend with immersion blender until smooth
- Transfer to an airtight container and chill before serving
Notes
Bean and Cashew Cream Cheese Variations
- Sub chickpeas for white beans, tahini for cashews, lemon juice for vinegar, mustard for miso.
- Use less nutritional yeast or omit the miso paste for a milder flavour.
- Add in parsley, chives, and chervil for a flavour similar to French cream cheese spreads like Pâturain.
- Stir in toasted crumbled walnuts for extra texture.
- Add ¼ teaspoon mild paprika for deep yellow colour. (Be careful not to add too much—unless you don’t mind it turning orange.)
Serving Suggestions
There are so many ways to use this cream cheese, I can’t possibly cover them all here. Instead, I’ll share my favourite uses, just to give you a taste of what’s possible. That should be enough to help you come up with many more ideas of your own.
- Vegan grilled cheese sandwich. Easy and tasty.
- Spread onto buns, bagels, or a simple slice of bread.
- Use it in wraps, pita’s, or on flatbread with whichever toppings you fancy.
- Slather it on baked potatoes.
- Thin it to sauce consistency with water or dairy-free milk. Delicious on cooked cauliflower, broccoli, or leeks.
- Works like a charm in your Mac and Cheese.
How To Store Cashew Cream Cheese Alternative
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
This vegan cream cheese does not freeze well: once thawed, it will be grainy, have some water separation, and there will be little left of its velvety texture.
Allergy Information
Contains: Nuts (omit if you’re allergic)
Free from: Dairy, Gluten, Eggs, Soy, Sesame
Important: Always check labels for allergens and cross-contamination risks
Disclaimer
I’m not a dietitian; this recipe and any nutritional or allergy-related notes are based on personal experience and should not replace professional advice.
If you like this recipe, you might also enjoy my Healthy Lunchables Alternative, and my delicious Homemade Hummus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Just replace the cashews with tahini or sunflower seed butter. It will taste a little different, but it still gets the same smooth creamy texture.
Absolutely. Chickpeas work just fine, but you may need to add a little extra liquid to get the same smooth texture. The taste may change a little, but I personally never noticed it.
That’s the beans and cashews firming up as they chill. If it gets too thick, simply stir in a tiny bit of liquid.
You can, but I don’t recommend it. This recipe relies on nutritional yeast to provide a cheesy flavour. Without it, you’ll end up with a simple white bean and cashew spread.
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