This vegan sunflower seed cream cheese reminds me of french onion dip. It is rich in flavor and perfect as a sandwich spread or on crackers for some party fun!
Best of all, it is nut free and has no added oil.
Rich and creamy, yet healthy and light on the hips… you can’t beat that 🙂
Happy eating!
Vegan Sunflower Seed Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 0.5 cup Sunflower Seeds
- 0.25 cup Filtered Water
- 0.25 cup Scallions
- 1 tbs Miso paste
- 0.25 tsp coarse celtic sea salt or to taste
- 0.25 tsp White Pepper
- 1 tbs Lemon Juice
- 0.5 tsp Onion Powder
Servings: Cup
Units:
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a blender and process until creamy. Done!
Recipe Notes
The blender I use for this is a Tribest Personal Blender. Find it using my Amazon link: https://cookingwithplants.com/visit/amazon-com-tribest/
Share this Recipe
Anja, do you use raw sunflower seeds or roasted ones?
I use shelled raw sunflower seeds 🙂
2 huge thumbs up? I’ll get some sunflower seeds tomorrow!
Enjoy 🙂
I have been allergic to sunflower seeds, although I’m finding allergies less of a problem since eating gluten-free. However, the allergy was severe enough to cause breathing difficulties and swelling in my throat. Therefore, I am somewhat afraid to try the sunflower seeds. Could I substitute pumpkin seeds for this recipe?
You could try cashews or sesame seeds (or a mix of the two). I think pumpkin seeds would change the flavor too much.
what can I substitute for miso paste? Can I just leave it out?
You can just leave it out, or use a bit of tahini mixed with soy sauce.
ha! I was wondering if i could use tahini or soy instead of miso.. and there’s my answer. Love the recipes. Just venturing into vegan diet from being veggie so looking for recipes. Loving the ones i’ve seen of yours. 🙂
Cheers
Glad you like the recipes and it really is easy to eat super tasty vegan food 🙂 x
YUM! This looks and sounds delicious, thanks Anja, I can hardly wait to try it! I do have one question for you: Are the sunflower seeds you use raw, unsalted or roasted (unsalted / salted)? Thanks so much, I hope to make this tomorrow as a treat for my husband!
Marcia
I use shelled raw sunflower seeds – unsalted. 🙂
Raw or toasted sunflower seeds??? Looks yummy!
I use shelled raw sunflower seeds 🙂
Just made this AND your Parsley Avacado dressing and BOTH are amazing!!! Thank you sooo very much for doing what you do!! Im ordering your cookbook ASAP!!
So glad you like the recipes 🙂 I’m sure you will enjoy the cookbook to x
Hi Anja
Another wonderful recipe for me to try, sure will tomorrow. How long do you think this will keep in the fridge please?
It should keep for about 5 to 7 days 🙂
Anja , I would just like to say I love your book, but where can I buy miso paste ?Thanks Kale xx
Excellent 🙂 Miso is available in most large grocery stores (usually in the asian section). You can also get it at health food stores, asian grocery stores and online.
Hi. Measurements and me…my dilemma. The metric measurements here look like what I’d use. When it calls for a quarter teaspoon, is that a metric measuring spoon? Thanks.
Nevermind…..looks like my new measuring spoons are marked for both Imperial and metric…
Fantastic to have both measurements in one 🙂
Yes, metric, but the website does have a conversion button.
Hi Anja, do you have a recipe for oil /butter free bread?
Yes, give these a try: https://cookingwithplants.com/recipe/crusty-home-made-bread/ and https://cookingwithplants.com/recipe/easy-vegan-bread-sticks/
Heya Anja. Looks good as do most of your recipes 🙂
Something wrong with the metric/US converter though – it’s giving me, for example 4.23 tbsp for the scallions.
(And just for the information, in the UK, scallions would be spring onions).
John.
Thanks John. We are trying to fix the converter. Yes, they are called spring onions in Australia too 🙂
Do you ever soak your nuts and seeds?
Sometimes, but I didn’t for this recipe.
Just wanted to suggest chickpea miso for anyone allergic to soy like we are. Chickpea miso can be bought at many health food stores
Thanks Amy. Also brown rice miso is awesome 🙂
[…] Vegan Sunflower Seed “Cream Cheese” […]
Hi Anja,
I just made this and surprisingly I am sad to report I did not like it very much. Although I enjoy and use miso in many other recipes, I found the miso taste was overbearing in this recipe. Any chance the recipe should be 1 tsp instead of “1 tbs”? Thank you Anja. 🙂
Oh no 🙁 I use 1 tbs in my recipe but if you make it again, you could start with 1 tsp of miso and add more to taste.
Hi Anna, what type of miso did you use? I find white or shiro miso is much milder and works better in most recipes than the more aged types.
Speaking of aging, on a different note, I am into fermentation for it’s varied health benefits, and found that aging this spread overnight or longer on the counter (as opposed to the fridge) causes the flavor to develop sharper cheesy notes. Try a tiny portion from a batch and see what you think!
I used white miso with this. Yum, the fermentation sounds great. I’ll try to remember to give it a go 🙂
Hi Anja, I wanted to send you some fan mail. This dip was so delicious like every Cooking With Plants recipe I have tried. I think you are a genius at creating delicious combinations. Thanks also for your excellent cookbook. The recipes are quick and easy and are helping me transition to a plant based diet. I’ve loved all the recipes so far including the awesome cashew cheese. It is more delicious than Bio Cheese or Soy Cheese – and healthier. I like the way you use the same ingredients in many recipes. Don’t you hate it when you buy some weird ingredient and only use it for one recipe? Many thanks.
Thank you for your wonderful feedback Janet. So glad that you are enjoying all of the recipes and the cookbook 🙂 All the best on your plant based journey x
Very good! Your recipes (and videos) are awesome! Quick, easy, healthy and delicious! Thank you <3
Glad you like it 🙂
Love your recipes. I will be making the sunflower cream cheese
Thank you. Let me know how you like it 🙂
This looks delicious. I look forward to trying it. I wanted to get clarity on something though – I see tbsps and tbs – are those both used for tablespoons? I will have to use the metric converter and wanted to make sure I was converting the right thing. 😀 Thanks.
Yes tbs = tbsps. I use a metric tablespoon which holds 20ml of liquid.
Thanks for the quick reply. I will give it a try. 😀
Enjoy 🙂
Hello anja I’m so happy to have found your blog. My daughter is allergic to dairy and I’m allergic to nuts and I’m really wanting to try this. But I’m wondering could I leave out the miso because they sell this no where near us? And also do you think adding coconut sugar to it would make it sweeter so I can make a cheesecake out of this? Its my daughters favorite and she misses it. Thank you!
Glad to have you here Lindsey 🙂 You could use some tahini paste and a dash of tamari or soy sauce instead of the miso. As for a sweet version, it should work as long as you leave out all of the savory ingredients. Enjoy 🙂
Hi Anja! Congratulations on the 2015 Vegan of the Year award! Thanks for all the good work you do and for the delicious recipes! XX OO Karla
Awwww thank you so much Karla. Much appreciated 🙂 x
I just found out by reading the above! From me as well:
CONGRATULATIONS on Your Vegan of the Year Award 2015!
You have deserved this, Anja!
Thank you so much Katja 🙂 x
Happy New Year, Anja.
Just made this and it’s frikkin delicious!! Such a lovely cheesy, savoury taste even though it has no nutritional flakes.
I soaked my seeds for 8 hours; omitted the miso and pepper; added one tablespoon of oil-free tahini; only one and a half small spring onions; lime juice instead and an extra half cup of water to make it more of a sauce to pour over my veggies and rice tomorrow. Yum.
Am so grateful to have found you whilst on my vegan transition.
So glad you like the recipe as much as I do Leona 🙂 Welcome to the lifestyle and have an awesome 2016!!
I followed this recipe, using red miso, omitting the salt because I know miso is salty. Mine didn’t taste very good. I should have used white miso
I always use white miso paste for this.
this is amazing…im eating it now, thank you 🙂
Deeeeeeelicious!
Hey: ) am I blending the sunflower seeds with the shell?
no
Hi, I was wondering if I could use this cream cheese for cheesecakes and other deserts? I’m allergic to nuts and can’t seem to find any recipes that don’t include nuts in the cream cheese recipe.
Thank you and have a great day!
I haven’t tried… you would need to do an experiment. Let me know if you do 🙂
Just started plant based eating. we love you recipes !!! We made this a few days ago for some friends and everybody LOVED it. Actually going make it as soon as I send this message off to you.
Thanks for showing us some great stuff. Keep up the good work.
I’m so glad… Thank you so much for your lovely feedback, I really appreciate it 🙂
Anja,
I tried this for the first time today and I LOVE it! In fact, I doubled the recipe since my hubby and I will be sharing. I found that doubling the miso made it a little salty. Maybe I could use 1 1/2 tbsp and also leave out the salt. And could I sub almond milk for the filtered water for an even creamier texture? Half the fun is in tweaking a recipe to find even more benefits. Your thoughts ?
Glad you like the recipe. You could use almond milk but make sure it’s not sweetened or it will throw off the flavor. I found it too rich using plant milks, but you might enjoy it 🙂