Description
This Easy Vegan Herb Cheese Ball is a creamy, tangy, and flavorful dairy-free appetizer perfect for gatherings and snack time. Made from soaked almonds, cashew cream cheese, white miso, and fresh herbs, it is blended into a smooth mixture, chilled to set, and then coated with crushed pistachios and aromatic herbs. It offers a delightful, plant-based alternative to traditional cheese balls with a nutty texture and a refreshing herbaceous finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups almonds soaked (260 g)
- 4 oz cashew cream cheese (115 g)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 2 tsp white miso
- ⅓ cup water (80 ml)
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
Coating
- Crushed pistachios
- Chopped chives
- Fresh thyme
Instructions
- Prepare the Almond Base: Drain the soaked almonds thoroughly and place them into a food processor. Add water, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and cashew cream cheese. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides for even blending.
- Incorporate Seasonings: Add white miso, salt, nutritional yeast, and garlic powder to the blended almond mixture. Process again until all ingredients are fully combined into a homogenous and creamy texture.
- Shape the Cheese Ball: Place a clean cheesecloth or a thin tea towel into a bowl. Gently transfer the vegan cheese mixture into the center of the cloth.
- Wrap and Chill: Gather the sides of the cheesecloth together and twist the top to form a tight ball shape. Place the bowl with the wrapped cheese ball into the refrigerator. Allow it to rest and firm up for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight for best results.
- Prepare the Coating: When ready to serve, crush the pistachios finely and mix them with chopped chives and fresh thyme in a bowl.
- Coat the Cheese Ball: Carefully unwrap the chilled cheese ball from the cheesecloth and gently roll it in the pistachio and herb mixture, ensuring it is evenly coated on all sides.
- Serve: Serve immediately with crackers, fresh bread, or as part of an appetizer platter. The cheese ball can be kept at room temperature for a few hours.
- Storage: Store any leftovers tightly wrapped in foil and refrigerated for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- You can use any vegan cream cheese, whether homemade or store-bought, as a substitute in this recipe.
- Alternative coating ideas include crushed pecans, almonds, fresh parsley, or dried cranberries for varied flavor and texture.
- To make the recipe soy-free, replace classic white miso with chickpea miso.
- For a sharper, tangier flavor, substitute lemon juice with white vinegar.
- Nutritional values provided do not include the coating ingredients.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of cheese ball (approximately 60g)
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 1.5 g
- Sodium: 430 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
