Description
This Easy Vegan Herb Cheese Ball is a delicious and creamy plant-based appetizer made with soaked almonds, cashew cream cheese, and flavorful herbs. It’s coated in a crunchy mix of crushed pistachios, chives, and fresh thyme, offering a perfect party starter or snack that’s dairy-free and packed with wholesome ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Ball Base
- 2 cups almonds, soaked (260 g)
- 4 oz cashew cream cheese (115 g)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 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 Almonds and Blend: Drain the soaked almonds and place them into a food processor. Add water, lemon juice, and cashew cream cheese. Blend until the mixture is smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides to ensure even blending.
- Add Seasonings: Incorporate white miso, salt, nutritional yeast, and garlic powder into the food processor. Process again until a homogeneous cheese mixture forms.
- Form Cheese Ball: Line a bowl with a clean cheesecloth or tea towel. Scoop the blended vegan cheese mixture into the center of the cloth.
- Wrap and Chill: Gather the sides of the cheesecloth and twist the top securely. Place the wrapped mixture in the refrigerator and let it rest for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, allowing it to firm up and meld flavors.
- Prepare Coating: Crush the pistachios and mix them in a bowl with chopped chives and fresh thyme to create the coating for the cheese ball.
- Coat and Serve: Unwrap the chilled vegan cheese ball and gently roll it in the pistachio and herb mixture until evenly coated. Serve immediately with crackers, fresh bread, or as part of an appetizer platter.
- Storage: The cheese ball can be kept at room temperature for a few hours when serving. Any leftovers should be tightly wrapped in foil and refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Notes
- You can use any vegan cream cheese, homemade or store-bought, in place of cashew cream cheese.
- Alternative coatings include crushed pecans, sliced almonds, parsley, or dried cranberries for varied flavor and texture.
- To make this recipe soy-free, substitute white miso with chickpea miso.
- For a sharper, tangier flavor, replace lemon juice with white vinegar.
- Nutritional values are calculated without the coating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of cheese ball (approx. 54 g)
- Calories: 140 kcal
- Sugar: 1.5 g
- Sodium: 430 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
