Jalapeño cashew cheese is an enticing addition to a vegan cheeseboard. Or use it as a sandwich spread. Vegan and gluten-free.
Jalapeño cashew cheese combines the nutty creaminess of cashews with the briny bite of pickled jalapeños. It’s filled out with lemon juice for tang, tamari and miso for salt & umami. Finally, it’s finished with speckles of jalapeños.
This spread has a consistency that’s similar to hummus. It’s equally great slathered onto crackers or used as a sandwich spread.
Even though it involves pickled jalapeño slices + brine from the jar, it isn’t overly hot. It has the flavor of peppers, but the nuts in it temper the heat.
This recipe was inspired by a spread at New Pioneer Co-op in Iowa City. It’s used on their Cashew on a Hot Tin Roof sandwiches. That vegetable sandwich is a favorite of mine, especially in the summer months.
This oil-free spread can easily be made gluten-free. Simply use gluten-free tamari & miso paste. It is also made without nutritional yeast, an ingredient that I love but not everyone does.
What kind of jalapeño peppers should I use?
For this recipe, I use my favorite jarred jalapeño slices from Jeff’s Garden. They’re marketed as “tamed.” They have the all of the flavor of jalapeños with a fraction of the heat.
If you like a spicier cashew cheese, use whatever pickled jalapeños you prefer. Or try it with other types of pickled peppers like pepperoncini or banana peppers for a milder amount of heat.
Where to find raw cashews
I typically buy raw cashews at Trader Joe’s, where they sell them at a good value. You can also find them in some natural grocery store bulk bins. Or look for them online.
When buying raw cashews for this cheese, I recommend cashew pieces. There’s no reason to spend more for whole cashews when you’re going to blend them right away.
How to make jalapeño cashew cheese
Here’s what you’ll need.
Soak raw cashews in water for several hours until softened.
Drain the cashews with a sieve.
Add the following to a high-speed blender:
- Lemon juice
- Tamari
- Brine from a jar of pickled jalapeño slices
- Miso paste
- Drained raw cashews
Blend at a low to medium speed until smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides.
Once it’s completely smooth, add chopped pickled jalapeño slices. Blend for 10 to 20 seconds. The jalapeños should be incorporated and broken up, but not entirely blended.
Serve right away or move to a covered container in the refrigerator. The cashew cheese will continue to thicken as it cools.
Keys to perfect blending
Because there isn’t much liquid in this recipe, the cashew cheese blends best if you put in the liquid ingredients first – lemon juice, tamari, and jalapeño brine. Then add the solid ingredients to the blender – miso paste and drained raw cashews.
For easiest blending, go low & slow. If you try to run the blender too fast, it kicks all of the spread away from the blade. By going at a lower speed, it blends more effectively. I turn my Vitamix dial to about 4 or 5.
If your blender pitcher is very tall, the blade may have a hard time blending this smaller amount of cashew cheese. For easier blending, try doubling the recipe.
If you don’t have a high-speed blender, here are three different options as workarounds for perfectly blending cashews:
- Soak the raw cashews a long time in water before blending – between 4 and 12 hours.
- Boil the raw cashews either in water from a pot on the stove or microwave. Then let them sit in the hot water for at least 15 minutes.
- Grind the dry raw cashews in a clean coffee grinder. Then add it to your standard blender with the other ingredients.
If necessary, add a splash of water to get things going. Just be careful not to add too much, which will make the spread runny.
Ways to use jalapeño cashew cheese
There are so many ways to enjoy this flavorful spread.
- Smear it on crackers
- Add it to a charcuterie board with crudités & vegan deli slices or seitan chicken
- Use it as spread on a vegetable sandwich
- Scoop into it like a dip with pita chips or carrots
- Spread it onto toasted bagels at breakfast or in a bagel sandwich
- Enjoy it as a filling in fried squash blossoms
- Thin it out with water to use as a salad dressing
How to store
Store jalapeño cashew cheese in a covered container in the refrigerator. It will continue to thicken as it cools. It will last 5 or 6 days.
It also freezes well. Move it to the refrigerator to thaw when you’re ready to eat it.
More vegan cheeses
If you’re looking to fill out a cheeseboard or just add to your non-dairy repertoire, here are more vegan cheeses you’re sure to enjoy.
- Vegan feta cheese
- Tofu ricotta
- Vegan chili cheese dip
- Vegan blue cheese dressing
- Vegan nachos with cashew queso
- Creamy cauliflower queso
Jalapeño cashew cheese spread
Ingredients
- ¾ cup raw cashew pieces covered in water and soaked for several hours
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon tamari
- 3 Tablespoons brine from jar of pickled jalapeño slices
- 1 teaspoon white miso paste
- 1 Tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeño slices + extra jalapeño slices for garnish
Instructions
- Drain raw cashew pieces and set aside.
- In a high speed blender, put in lemon juice, tamari, brine from jar of pickled jalapeno slices, miso paste, and then the drained raw cashews. (Because there isn't much liquid in the cheese, it blends better if the liquid is at the bottom by the blade.)
- Blend the mixture, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides. Depending on how long the cashews have soaked, it may take a while until the mixture is completely smooth. (If the cashews aren't blending well, add a splash of water to move things along.)
- Once it is entirely smooth, add the chopped pickled jalapeño slices. Blend for 10 to 20 seconds more, until the chopped slices are incorporated but not entirely smooth. If you'd prefer a completely creamy cashew cheese, keep blending until it's all incorporated.
- Move the cashew cheese to a serving dish and garnish with pickled jalapeño slices. If you're not serving it right away, move the cheese to a covered container and put it in the refrigerator. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
Video
Notes
- Soak the raw cashews a long time in water before blending – between 4 and 12 hours.
- Boil the raw cashews either in water from a pot on the stove or microwave. Then let them sit in the hot water for at least 15 minutes.
- Grind the dry raw cashews in a clean coffee grinder. Then add it to your standard blender with the other ingredients.
Nutrition
Content, recipe, and photos updated April 29, 2021. Originally posted July 25, 2016.
Mandy
Jeff’s Naturals happens to be our favorite brand, too!! Love that there isn’t any weird ingredients thrown in there and that crunch can’t be beat…is it bad that we sometimes go through a jar a week? Haha! This cheese spread sounds amazing!! I’ll let you know when we make it 🙂
Cadry
Oh, that’s awesome that we’re both Jeff’s Naturals fans. I love that about their products too that there aren’t any unnecessary colorings or whatnot. And yes, that crunch is just perfect. I go through at least a jar a week as well, and whenever they’re on sale, I stock up! (Their Castelvetrano olives are really nice too.) Definitely let me know when you make the spread. I hope you enjoy it!
Dianne
This looks so good! I’m going to have to make it soon.
Cadry
Thanks, Dianne! I hope you love it. 🙂
Sarah
Youre recipe reminds me of my recipe for bean dip. Using the brine from the pickled jalapenos it makes a wonderfully flavorful dip.
Cadry
You’re right! That brine adds a lot of flavor.
Amey
This sounds so good! Musty loves pickled jalepenos and even drinks the brine sometimes (!!!). I bet he would love this! I’ll try it when I get home from camping! 🙂 xoxoxo
Cadry
Awesome!! It sounds like Musty and I are of the same mind when it comes to jalapenos. I hope you enjoy it, and have fun on your camping trip! (It must be quite rustic if you’re blog reading and commenting on it. 😉 )
Little Vegan Bear
Yes! Such a good idea. I too have much love for jalapenos, so this is right up my alley.
Cadry
Awesome! I hope you enjoy it. 🙂
Becky Striepe
This looks so good! I love the nibbly night idea. I could eat that way all the time.
Cadry
I agree! We’ve been doing Nibbly Nights at least a couple of times a week this summer. No hot stoves are involved, it’s a great way to use leftovers, and it’s easy to throw in some raw vegetables to amp up the nutrition-factor. Plus, it always feels like an indulgence even though it couldn’t get easier!
Melissa
There’s a local pickle company here in the DC area that sells at some farmers markets. They make regular pickles and pickled jalapenos, but also cilantro lime pickled jalapenos and Thai basil pickled jalapenos. I tried several slices as samples at the farmers market recently, which was perhaps a mistake because then my mouth was on fire… but they were so good! I bet you’d love the Thai basil jalapenos, it was definitely a unique flavor.
Cadry
Oh, that sounds very intriguing! That would be right up my alley.
Karly
Slightly afraid that I’d eat the entire bowl before the guests arrived, but hey, what’s life without a risk!? Seriously though, this looks insanely good. Putting it on my to do list right now!
Cadry
That’s the spirit, Karly! I hope you enjoy it. 😀
Sarah
How long does this dip last in the fridge? I wish to make it as a present.
Thanks!
Cadry
I can’t say for sure, because I usually eat it all within 5 days. If you’re planning on making it a long ways out, I’d recommend freezing it. It freezes & thaws very well.
Shanna
What a great recipe….just so good. Making it again this afternoon. Thanks!
Cadry
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know, Shanna!
Lucy
Thanks for those solid tips about blending! Now I see why my vitamix wasn’t working well for some similar recipes I’ve tried. (And wondering if it’s time to splurge on the smaller blender jar for it.)
Meanwhile Im happily making a double batch of this!! Glad to see it freezes well. 👍🏼👍🏼
Cadry
You’re welcome, Lucy! I’m so glad it was helpful. I have the shorter Vitamix blender jar, and I really like it. Since we’re a family of two humans, it’s handy to be able to make smaller amounts of things & have it still blend well. Plus, it fits nicely on the countertop under the cupboard. Thanks for the lovely comment!
Patricia
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made it today and had a very hard time not eating the whole thing. It is so so good! Thanks Patricia
Cadry
That’s so wonderful to hear, Patricia! I’m delighted you enjoyed it.
Ginger
So easy to make and delicious! It’s a keeper!
Cadry
I’m so glad to hear that. Thanks for the great feedback!