Get 10% off all orders for gluten-free sourdough bread from Bread SRSLY using the promo code “meaningfuleats”.
The code is good through through 11/30 at 11:59pm.
One of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving is the part before the big dinner. I love hanging around the kitchen, cooking, and talking to family while sipping holiday punch and snacking on a delicious cheese platter. This year I’ll be making this delicious dairy-free cheese ball so everyone can still enjoy that tradition!
Growing up, my Mom’s traditional cheese ball always made an appearance on the cheese platter. A few months ago I tried making dairy-free cream cheese out of cashews and it turned out fabulous. I knew as soon as I tasted it, a dairy-free cashew cheese ball was in my Thanksgiving future.
Making homemade cashew cream cheese might sound like a challenge, but it’s actually really easy! It does require a 24-hour resting period, so be sure to plan in advance when making this for a party. The good news is I’m always looking for things to make-ahead on Thanksgiving. This cheese ball can be made well in advance so it’s waiting in the fridge for your guests on the big day.
These are the basic steps for this cheese ball:
1. Soak the cashews for 8-24 hours.
2. Blend the cashews with lemon juice and cider vinegar until very smooth.
3. Wrap in cheese cloth and hang over a jar to drain out excess liquid for 24 hours.
4. Mix the “cheese” with spices, herbs and flavorings, roll in pecans, enjoy!
The cheese ball is savory, creamy, and totally satisfying. Cheese can be a hard thing to replace if you eat dairy-free, and this appetizer will leave your taste buds exceptionally happy! It is delicious on a platter with your favorite gluten-free crackers, olives, cold cuts, pickles, etc.
My very favorite thing to eat this cheese ball with is cubes of Bread SRSLY gluten-free sourdough bread. I can honestly say this bread is the best gluten-free bread I’ve ever tasted! It is made using the traditional sourdough process and each loaf rises using a sourdough starter (no yeast) for at least 12 hours. This makes a deliciously flavorful and tummy-friendly loaf of bread. Bread SRSLY bread is also virtually allergy-free and contains no dairy, eggs, yeast, or nuts. This makes it great for so many people who have multiple food allergies!
Right now you can get 10% off all orders on the Bread SRSLY site using the code: “meaningfuleats”. The code is good through 11/30 at 11:59pm. They have fabulous gift baskets of bread that can be mailed anywhere in the US. They make great gifts for gluten-free friends!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cashews
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3-4 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional: Lea & Perrins brand is gluten-free)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce (or coconut aminos for soy-free)
- 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans, toasted
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- Olives
- Pimento
- Bacon
- Jalapeno
- Bell Pepper
Instructions
- Soak the cashews for 8-24 hours, changing the water at 12 hours if you opt for a longer soak time.
- Once the cashews have soaked, drained and rinse them very well. Place them in a high-speed blender or food processor with the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and water. Blend until completely smooth. You may have to add in an additional tablespoon or so of water to get the mixture smooth. Just try to add as little as possible.
- Cut a large square of cheese cloth (I prefer just 1 layer or 1-ply thick for this). Scoop the mixture into the center of the cheese cloth and pull up the ends to form a ball. Tie it off tightly with kitchen twine.
- Suspend the cheese cloth over a deep glass or plastic container by tying the ball to a kitchen spoon or something else to suspend it over a container. (See the picture above.) Let the cheese sit somewhere warm at room temperature for 24 hours, so some of the liquid can drain out.
- After the cheese has drained, cut open the twine and cheese cloth. Plop the cheese into a bowl and mix with all the ingredients for the cheese ball.
- Place the pecans and parsley for the coating in a swallow dish. Form the cheese mixture into a ball and place it in the pecan dish. Roll and scoop pecans over the ball until it is totally coated. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving. Enjoy!