This creamy vegan cheese ball is rich, cheesy and made in the food processor with cashews and vegan cream cheese. Make it the day before, roll it in your favorite toppings and set it out with crackers and veggies. It's an easy make-ahead appetizer for holiday parties, potlucks and game day, and vegans and non-vegans alike go straight for it!
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Why You'll Love This Vegan Cheese Ball
- Make-ahead: It needs at least 6 hours in the fridge, so you can make it the day before your party.
- Creamy and cheesy: Soaked cashews, vegan cream cheese and nutritional yeast give it a smooth, spreadable texture and savory, cheesy flavor.
- Simple pantry spices: Garlic powder, onion powder and dried rosemary do all the work.
- Crowd-pleaser: Set it out with crackers and veggies and watch it disappear.
Looking for more vegan party food? Try my easy vegan jalapeño poppers, vegan Buffalo chicken dip and deviled potatoes.
Vegan Cheese Ball Ingredients
- Raw cashews: Soaking softens them so they blend into a smooth, creamy base. Use raw, unsalted cashews.
- Vegan cream cheese: This helps the cheese ball hold its shape and adds tang. I'm old school and use Tofutti, but Violife, Miyoko's, Oatly and Trader Joe's also make vegan cream cheese. Use plain, not a flavored spread.
- Nutritional yeast: Gives it that savory, cheesy flavor.
- Lemon juice: Adds a little tang, like a classic cheese ball.
- Olive oil: Makes the mixture extra smooth and spreadable.
- Seasonings: Onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper and dried rosemary.
See the recipe card below for the full ingredients list and amounts.
How to Make a Vegan Cheese Ball
Step 1: Soak the cashews. Place the cashews in a medium bowl, cover them with just-boiled water and let them soak for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Drain and rinse. Drain the cashews and rinse them well.
Step 3: Blend the cashews. Add the cashews to a food processor and blend for about 1 minute.
Step 4: Add the seasonings. Add the lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, rosemary and nutritional yeast. Blend for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.
Step 5: Add the cream cheese. Add the vegan cream cheese and blend for about 3 minutes. With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil.
Step 6: Blend until smooth. Keep blending until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.
Step 7: Scoop it into a towel. Line a small bowl with a clean kitchen towel and scoop the mixture into the center.
Step 8: Shape and chill. Pull up the corners of the towel and twist them to make a tight ball, then secure it with a rubber band. Chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Step 9: Unwrap and serve. Unwrap the cheese ball and gently smooth it with your hands if needed. Roll or press it into your toppings right before serving.
Short on time? If you plan ahead, soak the cashews in cold water overnight instead of using hot water.
Toni's Recipe Tips
- Soak the cashews: Soaking softens them so they blend smooth, and it gives the cheese ball a more neutral flavor.
- Don't rush the chill: The cheese ball needs the full 6 hours to firm up and hold its shape, and the flavors come together as it chills.
- Add toppings right before serving: That way the nuts and seeds stay crunchy.
- Make mini cheese balls: Divide the mixture into small portions and shape them into bite-size balls for individual servings.
Toppings for a Vegan Cheese Ball
Right before serving, roll or press the chilled cheese ball into a coating. These are the ones I use:
- Sesame seeds: White, black or mixed.
- Toasted chopped nuts: Like pecans, walnuts, almonds or pistachios.
Looking for more ideas? Check out the coatings I'd like to try in the Ideas I Haven't Tried Yet section below.
What to Serve With a Vegan Cheese Ball
- Crackers, crispbread, pretzels or pita chips
- Sliced baguette, crostini or bagel chips
- Fresh veggies, like baby carrots, celery, cucumber slices and mini peppers
- Apple or pear slices
For a full party spread, add chili sauce and grape jelly meatballs, tater tot nachos and a bowl of non-alcoholic Christmas punch.
How to Make It Ahead and Store It
Make ahead: Make the cheese ball 1 to 2 days before your party and keep it wrapped in the fridge. Add the toppings right before serving.
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
Ideas I Haven't Tried Yet
I haven't tested these yet, but they'd be fun to try:
- Nut-free: Soaked sunflower seeds in place of the cashews.
- More coatings: Fresh herbs like parsley, dill or chives, everything bagel seasoning, shredded vegan cheese, crushed Ritz crackers or pretzels, or dried cranberries for a festive pop of color.
- Extra savory: 1 to 2 tablespoons of white miso paste, or a few drops of liquid smoke.
- Spicy or smoky: A pinch of cayenne or smoked paprika.
- Mix-ins: Finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, olives, jalapeño, roasted red pepper or fresh herbs.
- Holiday shapes: Shape it into a log, or a pinecone covered in sliced almonds.
- Blender: A high-speed blender in place of the food processor.
- Freezing: I haven't frozen it, and the texture may change depending on your cream cheese. If you try it, wrap it tightly and thaw it in the fridge.
If you try one, let me know in the comments!
FAQs
A classic cheese ball is made with dairy cream cheese and shredded cheese, so it's vegetarian but not vegan. This vegan cheese ball uses cashews, vegan cream cheese and nutritional yeast, so it's completely dairy-free.
This one is made with soaked cashews, vegan cream cheese, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, olive oil and simple seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder and dried rosemary.
I'm old school and use Tofutti, but Violife, Miyoko's, Oatly and Trader Joe's all make vegan cream cheese. Use a plain one, not a flavored spread.
You can make it 1 to 2 days ahead. Keep it wrapped in the fridge and add your toppings right before serving.
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
Sesame seeds are my other go-to. I haven't tried them yet, but fresh herbs, everything bagel seasoning, shredded vegan cheese or crushed crackers would also make a tasty crust.
I haven't tested a nut-free version yet. Soaked sunflower seeds in place of the cashews would be my first try. If you make it, let me know how it turns out in the comments!
I make it in my food processor and haven't tried a blender. A high-speed blender may work, but the mixture is thick, so you'd need to stop and scrape down the sides often.
Did you make this vegan cheese ball? I'd love to hear how it went! Leave a 🌟 star rating and a 📝 comment below to let me know which toppings you used.
More Vegan Appetizer Recipes
Vegan Cheese Ball
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Equipment
- Kitchen Towel or plastic wrap
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cashews
- just-boiled water for soaking
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 4 ounces vegan cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- sesame seeds or toasted chopped nuts for rolling (optional)
Instructions
Place the cashews in a medium bowl and cover them with just-boiled water. Let them soak for 30 minutes.- Drain the cashews in a colander and rinse them well.
- Add the cashews to a food processor and blend for 1 minute.
- Add the lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, rosemary and nutritional yeast. Blend for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add the vegan cream cheese and blend for 3 minutes. With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil and blend until completely smooth.
- Line a small bowl with a clean kitchen towel and scoop the mixture into the center.
- Pull up the corners of the towel and twist them to make a tight ball. Secure the towel with a rubber band.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Unwrap the cheese ball and gently smooth it with your hands if needed. Roll or press it into your toppings right before serving.
Notes
- Makes 1 cheese ball.
- If you plan ahead, soak the cashews in cold water overnight instead of hot water.
- Use plain vegan cream cheese, not a flavored spread.
- Don't rush the chill. The cheese ball needs at least 6 hours to firm up and hold its shape.
- Add the toppings right before serving so they stay crunchy and fresh.
- For mini cheese balls, divide the mixture into small portions and shape them into bite-size balls.
- Make it 1 to 2 days ahead and keep it wrapped in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
Andrea White says
So yummy!
Toni Okamoto says
Thank you so much, Andrea! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.