Is cream cheese dairy free? No. And for those committed to vegan eating, or dealing with dairy aversions or allergies, this means saying farewell to cheesecake, dips, and a beloved breakfast bagel topped with – you get the picture. Thankfully, due to cheese-lovin’, dairy-ditchin’ heroes like Vevan, there’s a tasty plant-based alternative to save the day and your favorite dishes! Find out everything you need to know about dairy-free cream cheese.
Is there dairy-free cream cheese?
Yes! There is a dairy-free alternative to cream cheese. Say hello to UnCreamCheese!
Not only is it available in the traditional plain flavor you’ve come to adore and devour, but UnCreamCheese comes in two additional palate-pleasing blends:
- Strawberries & Cream – this taste of summer makes a mean shortcake trifle (no, we’re not triflin’!) and is the perfect way to sweeten any morning
- Garlic & Herb – garden-fresh goodness adds a savory surprise to your favorite sandwiches and can up the ante when swapped into apps like these cucumber canapés
What is the best dairy-free cream cheese by Vevan? You be the judge! Try all four flavors and spread the love when you share with your DF BFF (dairy-free best friend forever, obvi)!
What is dairy-free cream cheese made of?
Perhaps the craziest thing about UnCreamCheese is how much it tastes like its dairy counterpart – you may just do a double take, or go for a double test!
Similar to our lineup of other vegan cheeses, top ingredients in UnCreamCheese include:
- Vegetable oils – vegetable oils like coconut provide a richness to vegan cream cheese, adding to the creaminess of this dairy-free spread
- Starches – contributing to the cream cheese’s thickness, starches derived from peas are used
Tang and texture are complete using fiber, sea salt, water, pea proteins, cultures, and probiotics, which give it a bit of nutritional value as well. And as with all plant-based Vevan products, UnCreamCheese is vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO and soy-free – all in all, 100% awesome, 0% dairy!
Is vegan cream cheese dairy-free?
If a cream cheese is labeled “vegan,” you can rest assured it’s also dairy-free. By definition, a vegan diet means avoiding the consumption of animal products. So when it comes to a vegan product, this denotes no meat, dairy, or even some ingredients like honey and certain sugars.
Like with all foods, it’s important to read the label. A quick rule of thumb is:
- Plant-based – consists mainly of ingredients derived from plants and doesn’t contain animal ingredients of any kind
- Dairy-free – doesn’t contain any dairy, but may contain other animal-derived ingredients, so not necessarily vegan
- Vegan – contains no animal-derived ingredients, i.e. dairy-free and often plant-based
How to make dairy-free cream cheese
Of course, there is always the option to try your hand at homemade! Check out this dairy-free cream cheese recipe courtesy of Michelle of World of Vegan:
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- High-powered blender
- 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight and drained
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- salt, to taste
- water, to reach desired texture
- chives, or green onion, optional
HERE’S HOW
- Add the soaked cashews, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt to blender; blend until smooth.
- Add water as needed to reach a thick, spreadable consistency.
- Mix in finely chopped chives if desired.
- Enjoy (and share – makes 8 servings).
- Store leftovers in fridge.
Vevan combines the best plant-based ingredients with the talent of world-class cheesemakers to create sensational, authentic flavors. Getting the perfect texture via DIY is a tricky task, but you can skip all that work when you grab some UnCreamCheese!
How to enjoy dairy-free cream cheese
Cream cheese has earned a solid reputation for its versatility. From adding a bit of tanginess to a bagel, thickening up sauces and dips, or serving as a secret smoothing agent in baked goods, cream cheese can add value to every meal category.
Here are a few more ways to enjoy Vevan’s dairy-free UnCreamCheese:
- Breakfast – beyond the obvious bagel schmear, level up your breakfast with a class bagel and cream cheese. Experiment with flavored bagels, toast, or whip up a cream cheese board and find your own combinations!
- Lunch – this Green Goddess Garlic & Herb Veggie Sandwich is calling your name! When the weather turns cold, consider roasting veggies – tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant, pepper – and pressing this in a panini served with a hot cup of your favorite soup.
- Dinner – add elegance to any entree with our Baked Sweet Potato With Spiced UnCreamCheese Whip & Cranberry Orange Relish recipe, not just for holiday dinners!
- Dessert – try our Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites for a dairy-free dessert that will definitely delight, especially since it whips up in 30 minutes or less (plus refrigeration).
With a strikingly similar taste and texture to traditional cream cheese, we dare you to substitute UnCreamCheese into your favorite recipes or come up with your own!
Where to buy dairy-free cream cheese
Now that you know everything you need to know about UnCreamCheese, you just need to get it into your refrigerator! You can find us at a Giant or a Kings Market near you.
For more recipe inspo (like this Sugar Cookie Latte) and even product sales or coupons, be sure to follow us on Instagram @vevan.foods.
