How-to Make Dairy-Free Cultured Cream Cheese | Healthy Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is dairy-free cream cheese made of? ›

Almond Milk (Water, Almonds), Salt, Dehydrated Onion, Poppy Seed, Dehydrated Garlic, Sesame Seeds, Roasted Sesame Seeds, Enzyme, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Mushroom Extract (to help preserve freshness), Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Cultures.

Blend together one cup of thick coconut cream and one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. Next, add a pinch of salt and two teaspoons of nutritional yeast for a cheesy tang. Chill the mixture to firm it up, and you'll have a terrific dairy-free cream cheese substitute.

If you're looking for one that's on the better-for-you side, avoid the dairy-free varieties made from oil and stick to the ones made from whole food ingredients like nuts, seeds, or even beans. That's not to say that oil-based vegan cream cheeses are bad for you.

Vegan cheese is usually made from soy, nuts, vegetable oils, and various other natural ingredients like peas or arrowroot. Vegan cheese is seen as a healthier alternative to cheese by some, and may reduce your risk of heart disease due to its lower content of fat.

Vegan cheese is made using a similar process, but it starts with plant-based milk, like soy or nut milk. A bacterial culture is added to separate the proteins in the milk, and it's often supplemented with oils, emulsifiers, and thickeners, like tapioca, pea flour, arrowroot, or agar, to achieve a cheese-like texture.

Plant-based cream cheeses have existed for years now, with established brands like Tofutti and Kite Hill dominating the dairy-free cheese products section. However, like many veganized versions of dairy and animal products, plant-based cream cheese is relatively new and ever evolving.

Ten tried-and-true cream cheese swaps are thick strained yogurt, sour cream, Neufchâtel cheese, vegan cream cheese, mascarpone, ricotta, cottage cheese, fresh goat cheese, butter, and silken tofu.

On the other hand, it does not have the same flavor and texture as whipped cream, and costs nearly 50% more per ounce. It was originally marketed as being "non-dairy" despite containing the milk protein casein; it now also includes skimmed milk.

Ingredients: water, coconut oil, modified potato starch, faba bean protein, contains less than 2% of maltodextrin, salt, guar gum, lactic acid, sorbic acid as a preservative, natural flavor, citric acid.

Some vegan cheeses may contain inflammatory ingredients, such as highly processed oils or added sugars, but this is not necessarily true for all vegan cheese products.

Is dairy-free cheese really dairy-free? ›

Generally, dairy-free cheese is made of soy, coconut, or nut milk. Other ingredients, such as vegetable oils, salt, emulsifiers, and various flours, are added to achieve regular cheese-like texture.

Ingredients: water, coconut oil, modified potato starch, faba bean protein, contains less than 2% of maltodextrin, salt, guar gum, lactic acid, sorbic acid as a preservative, natural flavor, citric acid.

Substituting Dairy-Free Cheese For Cream Cheese

They can be an easy substitute when looking for a ready-to-use bagel or cracker spread or a base for chilled dips and cheese balls. Some brands work fine in baked desserts, casseroles, or warm dips.