This creamy and spreadable Vegan Cheese Ball never lasts long at parties! It’s a perfect appetizer that both vegans and non-vegans love. Make it for the holidays, game day, or potlucks!
Make it a party to remember with even more vegan appetizers and snacks, like this Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip, these Vegan Grape Jelly Meatballs, and this Vegan Buffalo Chicken Dip!
Every time I make this Vegan Cashew Cheese Ball, I have to stop myself from eating the whole thing in one sitting. It’s just so deliciously creamy, smooth, and cheesy… Just one cheese-topped cracker is all it takes to get me hooked!
“I made this for a Thanksgiving appetizer and my non-vegan family had the whole cheese ball eaten before dinner. It was delicious!” – Rachel
The good news is that my party guests feel the same way when I make this cheese ball recipe for Thanksgiving, Christmas, game days, and birthday parties. Vegan or non-vegan, they can’t get enough of the spreadable cashew cheese base and nutty exterior.
Why this is the best vegan cheese ball
- A perfect party appetizer – Just like my Vegan Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball, this nut cheese ball is always a hit, no matter the occasion. Bring it to Thanksgiving or Christmas, serve it at a birthday party, or make it for game day!
- No one will guess it’s vegan – Both vegans and non-vegans can’t get enough of this creamy, spreadable, and cheesy “cheese” ball!
- Incredibly easy to make – This perfect appetizer blends cashews, simple herbs and seasonings, and vegan cream cheese in a food processor. From there, just roll the cheesy mixture into a ball and chill it in the fridge! You can even do this days before the party to save time.
How to make this vegan cheese ball
Find the complete printable recipe with measurements below in the recipe card.
Add the soaked cashews, lemon juice, white miso, nutritional yeast, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt to a food processor. Blend until smooth.
Next, blend in the vegan cream cheese and fresh dill until the mixture is very creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust the flavors as needed.
Place a few layers of cheesecloth, a clean tea towel, or a layer of plastic wrap in a small to medium-sized bowl. Transfer the vegan cheese mixture into the bowl.
Gather the corners of the cheesecloth/towel/plastic wrap and gently twist the top to shape the cheese into a tight round ball. Transfer the bowl to the fridge and chill the cheese overnight.
When it’s time to eat, roll the vegan cheese ball in the chopped pecans until coated. Transfer it to a plate and surround it with crackers for serving. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
Get creative by replacing the pecans with chopped cashews, walnuts, or almonds (or use a mix of two or three different nuts), or by combining the chopped nuts with finely chopped parsley, chives, dill, lemon zest, and/or orange zest.
For a seasonal spin, roll the cheese ball in dried cranberries, chopped pecans, and dried thyme or rosemary before serving it as an appetizer at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
This vegan nut cheese ball is a perfect appetizer you can serve at parties or before dinner is ready. Once the cheese ball is on the plate, have a cheese knife nearby for slicing, and surround the ball with sturdy crackers, a sliced baguette, and vegetables, such as carrot sticks, celery, and cucumber slices.
Yes, you can replace the soaked cashews with store-bought vegan cream cheese and omit the chopped pecans for a nut-free version.
Absolutely! Roll 1 to 2 tablespoons of the cheese ball mixture into balls, chill them on a lined baking sheet overnight, and roll in the nuts as normal. Before serving, pierce each one with a toothpick or pretzel stick.
I actually encourage you to make the cashew cheese ball at least 1 day in advance. Chilling the cheese ball in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours or a maximum of 4 days will help it firm up and give the flavors time to deepen.
Yes, the vegan cheese ball freezes well for about 1 month. Wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap and tinfoil to prevent freezer burn.
Vegan Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon mellow white miso paste
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried dill or 1-2 tablespoons fresh dill
- 4 ounces vegan cream cheese 1/2 of a 8 ounce container
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped small
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, cover the raw cashews with boiling hot water. Let them soak for 5 minutes.
- Drain the cashews, and add to a food processor, along with the lemon juice, miso paste, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt and dill. Blend until smooth, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Now add the vegan cream cheese, and blend it in. It should be very creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste, it should be very flavorful!
- Place a clean tea towel in a small-medium sized bowl. Using a spatula, scoop all of the cheese into the bowl. Gather the corners of the towel and gently twist the top.
- Place the bowl with the cheese ball in the refrigerator and chill for 4-6 hours, or overnight. The cheese will harden considerably in this time.
- When ready to serve, unwrap the cheese ball and roll it gently in the chopped pecans until coated.
- Serve with crackers and/or vegetables like carrot sticks, celery and cucumbers. Enjoy!
- The cheese ball will stay firm for a few hours at room temperature, but try not to leave it out for longer than that. Return it the the refrigerator and cover with plastic wrap to save. Leftover cheese will last 4-5 days.
Made this for a gathering with no other vegans and put it on a cheese board, everyone LOVED IT. It was the first thing gone from the board. My non-vegan husband said it’s the best vegan cheese he’s ever had!
Hi Kelli. I’m thrilled that the cheese ball was a hit at your gathering! Thank you for sharing your stellar review and comments!
Eeek, I don’t know what I did differently but I cannot blend this. I tried my vitamix and that was killing the motor, so I switched to my cuisinart mini prep and it is a solid chunky mess. I can’t get it to blend! I do remember having this issue last year but I still managed to get it to blend. I didn’t see any notes on how to trouble-shoot…maybe add water?
Oh no, a Vitamix or other blender will not work well for this recipe. It’s much too thick. What you need is a food processor. Is a mini prep a food processor? If it is, you should just start with that (as long as it’s big enough for this recipe). If you start with a food processor, it will come together nicely.
I brought this to a holiday party and the (very discerning) host loved it and asked for the recipe. A young man at the party couldn’t get enough, and remarked to the host that it was the best cheese ball he’d ever had – she had to inform him it wasn’t cheese at all! I used some on a salad today and it was delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Sue. How fun that the cheese ball was a hit at the holiday party! I’m so glad that everyone loved it! Thank you for sharing your glowing review and fun feedback! Wishing you happy cooking!
Can I leave out the nutritional yeast? I don’t like the taste but unsure if it would change the texture
You can leave it out if you don’t like it. Enjoy!
I am planning on making this for Thanksgiving. Not a fan of dill, is there another spice I could use?
Oh sure! You could use parsley instead, I think that would be good. Enjoy!
Made this in a triple batch for a bridal shower. It was delicious & and hit. Nice texture & flavor. I went big on the dill. Many guests asked for the recipe, so I’m directing them to you!
Hi Lesley. What a fabulous item for a bridal shower! I’m thrilled it was a hit! Thanks for your glowing review, and for sharing my recipes! Wishing you lots of fun in the upcoming celebrations!
Nora! As with every recipe I’ve tried on your site, this is fantastic. I am the only vegan in my house, so I turned this into two small discs, so I could freeze one. I used plastic wrap and pressed them into two 4inch spring form pans, then rolled them in toasted pecans. I put dollops of it on my salads as well as using it other ways. Thank you!
Hi Debi. I love your ideas of ways to make and use the cheese ball recipe! Thank YOU for sharing your cooking experience, and for sharing your glowing 5 star review! Wishing you lots of happy cooking! I appreciate you using my recipes!