Herbed Vegan Cheese Ball

by Alena
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This pistachio and herb-crusted vegan cheese ball is surprisingly easy to make and a true success at any party! Customize it to your liking and serve as a delicious dairy-free appetizer.

If cheese is what keeps you from going fully plant-based, then this vegan herb cheese ball with a pistachio and thyme crust is just what you need!

Perfect for snacking when combined with crackers, tortilla chips or served on a vegan appetizer platter, this undetectably vegan treat is always a hit.

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Made with mostly easy-to-find plant-based staple foods, the creamy, cheesy and spreadable result is sure to swoon any dairy-lover.

While it does require some resting time, the actual vegan herb cheese ball takes only about 10 minutes of hands-on time and is based on healthy nuts.

white table with fresh herbs, pistachios, almonds, lemon, vegan cream cheese and herbspin it

Look at the recipe

  • Based on healthy plant-based ingredients
  • Flavorful, customizable & so pretty
  • Creamy, oil-free & cheesy
  • Requires just 10 minutes of prep time
  • Perfect appetizer or snack
  • Undetectably vegan & crowd-pleasing
  • Kid-friendly and super festive

All you need in terms of kitchen equipment are a food processor, cheesecloth or tea towel and a bowl. Here are the basic ingredients!

almonds and vegan cream cheese in blender jar on a tablepin it
blender jar with vegan cream cheese, lemon juice, miso paste, nutritional yeast and saltpin it

Ingredients needed

  • Almonds — they are our go-to for the base but they can be replaced with cashews.
  • Cashew Cream Cheese — any vegan cream cheese will do, homemade or store-bought!
  • Lemon Juice — for that zing and to reduce the amount of added salt needed.
  • White Miso — while more uncommon compared to the other ingredients, it’s key for the best flavor!
  • Nutritional Yeast — no vegan cheese recipe without a good pinch of these delicious flakes.
  • Herbs — we ised fresh thyme, chives and some crushed pistachios; find lots of delicious coating ideas below!

Adding white miso is really key to make this appetizer super flavorful! Not only does it taste salty, it adds the mysterious umami — known as the fifth flavor, oftentimes associated with animal-based food.

hand holding a blender jar and pouring seasoned almond mixture into a cheeseclothpin it

How to make this vegan cheese ball

Start by soaking your whole almonds for a few hours and draining them well once you are ready to make this recipe.

Step 1

Place the almonds alongside your cashew cream cheese, lemon juice and water into a food processor and blend until smooth. Stop to scrape down the sides here and there if needed.

Now, add the white miso, nutritional yeast, garlic powder and salt, then process again to incorporate until a homogenous mixture forms. Taste test to see whether you need to make any flavor adjustments at this point.

white bowl on a table with a cheesecloth holding almond mixturepin it

Step 2

Get either a clean tea towel or, better yet, a cheesecloth and place it into a medium-sized bowl. Gently scoop your vegan cheese mixture with a spatula or spoon into the center of your bowl, then gather the cheesecloth sides and twist the top. 

Place the bowl with the wrapped vegan cheese ball in the refrigerator and let it rest for at least 4 hours, better overnight.

Step 3

Once you’re ready to serve your appetizer, crush some pistachios and place them into a bowl together with chopped chives and thyme. You can use a plethora of nuts, herbs or dried fruit (suggestions below!)

Unfold the cheesecloth and gently place the cheese ball into the bowl. Roll it until it is evenly coated with crushed pistachio and herbs.

Your dairy-free appetizer is now ready to serve with some crackers or fresh produce!

white bowl with a cheesecloth and a freshly made almond cheese ballpin it
white bowl with crushed pistachios and herbs which are used to roll an almond cheese ball inpin it

Tips for this recipe

If your vegan cheese ball seems a bit too soft in the beginning, be aware that it will harden considerably during its time in the refrigerator. That’s why it’s suggested to wait overnight to serve it!

Try not to keep the ball out for more than a few hours before storing any leftovers in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

We also highly recommend soaking the nuts for the cheese ball first and chopping any coatings really finely!

Delicious flavor ideas

  • Walnuts
  • Pistachios
  • Pecans
  • Almonds
  • Parsley
  • Dill
  • Chives 
  • Rosemary
  • Sage
  • Dried tomatoes
  • Olives 
  • Mustard
  • Smoked paprika
  • Cranberries
  • Dried figs
  • Crushed crackers
  • Minced smoked tofu
  • Tempeh bacon

You can also get creative and form or decorate your spreadable vegan cheese in a funny and kid-friendly way if you like!

small white plate with a vegan almond cheese ball with herby crust next to some crackerspin it

Serving suggestions

We love this spreadable vegan herb cheese with crackers, freshly baked bread, apple slices, pretzels or toasted pita triangles. It also pairs wonderfully with raw veggie sticks!

Serve it at any dinner party, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Game Day or potluck, or spread on vegan pizza rolls!

colorfully loaded board with crackers, fall produce, 3 types of hummus and nut cheesepin it

More vegan cheese recipes

Have you made our vegan cheese ball? Share with us in the comments below, make sure to rate this recipe and Pin it here!

small white plate with a vegan almond cheese ball with herby crust next to some crackers

Easy Vegan Herb Cheese Ball Recipe

Yield: 14 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

This delicious vegan almond cheese ball is coated with pistachio and fresh herbs, easy to make and completely whole food plant-based! Just 10 minutes of hands-on time and a bit of resting in the fridge until you can serve this dairy-free appetizer with some crackers or on a platter at any festive occasion or party and see your family devour it.

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
  • â…“ cup water (80 ml)
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Coating

  • Crushed pistachios
  • Chopped chives
  • Fresh thyme

Instructions

  1. Drain the soaked almonds and place them into the food processor. Add water, lemon juice and cashew cream cheese, then blend everything until smooth. Stop to scrape down the sides if needed.
  2. Add the white miso, salt, nutritional yeast and garlic powder and process again to incorporate until a homogenous mixture forms.
  3. Place a clean cheesecloth or tea towel into a bowl, and gently scoop the vegan cheese mixture into the bowl.
  4. Gather the cheesecloth sides and twist the top.
  5. Place the bowl with the wrapped vegan cheese ball in the refrigerator and let it rest for at least 4 hours, better overnight.
  6. Once you’re ready to serve your vegan cheese ball, crush the pistachios and place them into a bowl together with chopped chives and thyme.
  7. Unfold the cheesecloth and gently place the almond cheese ball into the bowl. Roll it until evenly coated with crushed pistachio and herbs.
  8. Serve immediately with crackers, fresh bread or on an appetizer platter! The cheese ball will stay good for a few hours at room temperature.
  9. Keep any leftovers refrigerated, wrapped in foil, for up to 5 days.

Notes

  • You can use any vegan cream cheese, homemade or store-bought, for this recipe.
  • Other coating ideas include pecans, almonds, parsley and dried cranberries! Find more in the article above.
  • To make this recipe soy-free, go for chickpea miso instead of classic miso.
  • For a sharper taste, replace the lemon juice with white vinegar!
  • Nutritional values have automatically been calculated without any coating.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 125Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 462mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 5g

Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated automatically, their accuracy is not guaranteed. Just focus on whole plant-based foods and eat until satiety!

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About Alena Handwritten FontAlena Schowalter is a Certified Vegan Nutritionist who has been a vegetarian since childhood and vegan since 2012. Together with her husband, she founded nutriciously in 2015 and has been guiding thousands of people through different transition stages towards a healthy plant-based diet. She’s received training in the fields of nutrition, music therapy and social work. Alena enjoys discussions around vegan ethics, walks through nature and creating new recipes.

4 thoughts on “Herbed Vegan Cheese Ball”

  1. Looks like a good recipe. However, I’m allergic to almonds (sadly, I developed the allergy during adulthood). Are there any good alternatives for this recipe?

    Reply
    • sure, thanks for the question! Just use cashews instead :) Sorry to hear about your almond allergy, must be tough.
      Let us know how you like the cashew cheese ball!

      Reply

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