Our Easy Vegan Tofu Cream Cheese Recipe

Jess Miller

Cream cheese is one of those things that ends up being useful far more often than you expect.

Breakfast bagels, sandwiches, crackers, wraps, baked potatoes: somehow it always finds a job.

Our vegan tofu cream cheese is smooth, creamy, tangy, and ridiculously handy to have in the refrigerator.

We like this one because it’s a bit more substantial than some store-bought spreads, and you can make the flavor exactly how you want it.

Keep it plain for breakfast, load it with herbs for sandwiches, or add garlic and chives when you want something a bit more interesting.

We end up making it every week (and we bet you will too)! Make a batch on Sunday and suddenly weekday breakfasts feel far more organized than they really are.

Here we’ll show you how to make our vegan tofu cream cheese, along with our favorite flavor variations and serving ideas.

Contents hide

1 Ingredients You’ll Need for Vegan Tofu Cream Cheese

1.1 For the Cream Cheese

1.2 Optional Extras

2 How to Make Vegan Tofu Cream Cheese Step by Step

3 Fun Ways to Flavor Your Vegan Tofu Cream Cheese

4 What Can You Serve With Vegan Tofu Cream Cheese?

5 Can You Use Silken Tofu Instead?

6 Can You Make Vegan Tofu Cream Cheese Without Oil?

7 How to Store Vegan Tofu Cream Cheese

8 Final Thoughts

9 Our Easy Vegan Tofu Cream Cheese Recipe

9.1 Ingredients

9.2 Directions

Ingredients You’ll Need for Vegan Tofu Cream Cheese

This is a simple, short ingredient list, which is always a win in our book.

The tofu keeps things creamy, while lemon juice and vinegar add the bright, tangy flavor that makes the whole thing feel much more like cream cheese.

For the Cream Cheese

14 ounces firm tofu, drained
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon neutral oil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons water, if needed

Optional Extras

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions
Pinch of smoked paprika
Pinch of red pepper flakes

How to Make Vegan Tofu Cream Cheese Step by Step

There’s no fancy technique here, which is good news if breakfast is already happening and patience is running low.

You’re basically blending everything until it turns silky, tasting it, tweaking it, and trying not to eat half of it straight from the blender.

Drain the tofu
Remove the tofu from the package and drain away any excess liquid.
Add the ingredients
Place the tofu, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper in a blender or food processor.
Blend until smooth
Blend until creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
Adjust the texture
Add 1 tablespoon of water if the mixture is too thick, then blend again.
Add a little more only if needed.
Taste and season
Add extra lemon juice, salt, or black pepper depending on how tangy and savory you like it.
Add any extras
Stir in fresh herbs, garlic, green onions, or other flavorings after blending.
Chill
Transfer the cream cheese to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Fun Ways to Flavor Your Vegan Tofu Cream Cheese

Plain cream cheese definitely has its place, but we’re rarely opposed to giving it some extra personality.

Here are some of our favorite ways to add more flavor:

Garlic and chives: Stir in fresh chives and finely grated garlic.
Dill and lemon: Add chopped dill and a little lemon zest.
Green onion: Fold in sliced green onions and extra black pepper.
Smoky paprika: Add smoked paprika for a deeper, savory flavor.
Spicy cream cheese: Mix in red pepper flakes, chili sauce, or chopped jalapeños.
Everything-style: Add sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, and a pinch of salt.
Herb cream cheese: Stir in parsley, dill, chives, or basil.
Peppery version: Add plenty of freshly cracked black pepper and a squeeze of lemon.

What Can You Serve With Vegan Tofu Cream Cheese?

A bagel is the obvious choice to serve with cream cheese, but there are plenty of other ways to use it.

We like spreading it on toast with tomatoes and cracked black pepper, or spooning it onto crackers when lunch is turning into more of a snack situation.

It’s also great with:

Toast
Wraps
Sandwiches
Baked potatoes
Roasted vegetables
Savory pancakes
Grain bowls
Vegetable sticks

You can also thin it slightly with lemon juice or water and turn it into a creamy dressing for bowls or salads.

Can You Use Silken Tofu Instead?

You can, but the result will be much softer.

Silken tofu blends beautifully, so it’s useful if you want something closer to a creamy spread or dip.

For a thicker cream cheese that sits nicely on a bagel without immediately sliding off the side, firm tofu is the better choice.

If you do use silken tofu, skip the added water and start with less lemon juice. You can always add more once you see how thick the mixture is.

Can You Make Vegan Tofu Cream Cheese Without Oil?

Yes. The oil adds a little richness and helps the texture feel smoother, but it isn’t essential.

If you leave it out, you may want to add a spoonful of water or a little extra lemon juice while blending. Just add it gradually so the cream cheese stays thick enough to spread.

The finished result will be slightly lighter, but it will still have plenty of tang and flavor.

How to Store Vegan Tofu Cream Cheese

Transfer the cream cheese to a clean, airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator.

It’s best eaten within 3 to 4 days.

Give it a quick stir before serving, especially if some liquid has separated on top.

If it thickens more than you want after chilling, stir in a teaspoon of water or lemon juice.

We don’t recommend freezing it. Tofu can become grainy after thawing, which isn’t ideal when you’re aiming for something smooth enough to spread on a bagel.

Final Thoughts

This vegan tofu cream cheese is smooth, tangy, easy to make, and far more useful than one little recipe has any right to be.

We love keeping it plain when breakfast is the priority, then throwing in herbs, garlic, or green onions when it’s heading into a sandwich or wrap instead.

It’s the kind of recipe that adapts to whatever meal you’re trying to rescue.

Make a batch, stick it in the refrigerator, and don’t be surprised if you suddenly start finding very convincing reasons to put cream cheese on absolutely everything!