With just a few simple ingredients, you can make this red pepper cashew cheese dip in minutes!  This rich, creamy dip is a healthy vegan alternative to dairy-based dips, cheeses, spreads, and sauces. 

An assortment of veggies and pretzels on a blue plate with vegan cashew cheese dip in the middle.

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You can flavor this cashew dip with red peppers or other veggies, or make it cheesy, spicy, or smoky, depending on the seasonings you add to the cashews.  This recipe is incredibly versatile, easy, and healthy!

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • It’s super easy to make!
  • This recipe only uses a few simple ingredients.
  • This dip is raw, vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free!
  • It’s the perfect dip, spread, or nacho cheese sauce for any occasion!
  • It’s a delicious way of making vegan cheese without nutritional yeast!

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Cashews – raw, unsalted cashews work best.
  • Water – to soak and blend the cashews.  (Cold-filtered water or hot water for faster blending.)
  • Sea Salt – for flavor.
  • Red Bell Pepper – for color and flavor. (optional)  You can also use yellow or orange bell peppers.
  • Green Onion – for flavor (optional)  You can also use a small clove of garlic instead.

Helpful Tools

  • Immersion Blender – An immersion blender is my preferred tool for this, since it gets the cashews super creamy, and you don’t have to stop and scrape the edges.
  • High-Powered Blender – If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a blender instead.  You will have to stop every 20 seconds or so and scrape the edges until it gets blended.
A gluten-free pretzel being dipped into vegan cashew cheese dip.

How to make cashew dip

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

Step 1 – Soak raw cashews overnight or for at least 6 hours in cold water, or use hot water instead and soak for about 30 minutes.

Step 2 – Drain the soaking water.

Step 3 – Add the cashews to an immersion blender container or high-powered blender.

Step 4 – Add clean, fresh water, salt, red pepper, and green onions. (or other herbs and spices of choice.)

Step 5 – Blend for about 2 minutes until very creamy.

Variations of cashew dip

  • Smokey – add 1/2 tsp of smoked paprika.  (This is my personal favorite!)
  • Spicy – add 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper or 1 tsp sriracha.  You can adjust to your taste.
  • Cheesy – omit the red pepper, add 1 tbsp of nutritional yeast, and about 1/2 cup of cooked carrots to the cashews.
  • Herbed – add 1 tsp dried, or 1 tbsp fresh herbs to the cheese.
  • Cheese Sauce – increase the water until you reach your desired consistency, and turn the thick cheese dip into a rich, creamy vegan cheese sauce you can use for mac and cheese or pour over nachos.

Note:  This cashew cheese is delicious, rich, and creamy.  It gives you a cheesy feel, but it won’t fool anyone into thinking it’s real cheese.  If you want a truly cheesy sauce, try my easy vegan cheese sauce.  It’s super close to the real deal!

A blue plate filled with cashew dip with colorful vegetable all around it.

Make this without soaking the cashews

If you are limited on time and want to make it quickly, you can still make this cashew dip.

Tips for blending cashews without soaking

  • Simply soak your cashews in hot water for about 30 minutes.
  • Don’t use boiling water to avoid “cooking” the cashews; very hot water will soften them quickly.
  • Use hot water during both the blending and soaking processes.
  • Blend your cashews, then let them rest for 5-10 minutes before blending again for a creamier, smoother cashew dip!

Serving suggestions

  • You can use this cashew cheese as a dip, sandwich spread, or in place of vegan mayo, tofu sour cream, or vegan cream cheese.
  • You can also add more water to it and turn it into a creamy sauce for pasta, nachos, or veggies.  This is how I make the base for my vegan heavy cream recipe.
  • Spread it on crackers, slather it on your favorite wrap, or spread it on your sandwich or bagel.
A bowl filled with cashew cheese dip with a yellow pepper being dipped into it.

If you want a classic vegan cheese recipe, check out my guide on how to make vegan cheese.

More vegan dips

Red pepper cashew dip recipe

A blue plate filled with colorful veggies with cashew cheese dip in the center.
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4.67 from 3 rating

Easy Cashew Cheese Dip and Spread

Yield: 8
Prep: 30 minutes
Blend and Rest Time: 10 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A creamy, cheesy, dip, spread, or sauce that is made with pureed cashews.
Print Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cashews, (raw unsalted)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper, (1 small fresh red pepper)
  • 1 stalk green onion, (with the roots cut off)
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika , (optional)

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Soak raw cashews overnight or for at least 6 hours in cold water, or use hot water instead and soak for about 30 minutes.
  • Drain soaking water.
  • Add cashews to an immersion blender container or high powered blender.
  • Add clean, fresh water, salt, red pepper, and green onions. (or other herbs and spices)
  • Blend for about 2 minutes until very creamy.

Notes

Variations of cashew cheese
  • Smokey – add 1/2 tsp of smoked paprika.  (This is my personal favorite!)
  • Spicy – add 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper or 1 tsp of sriracha. You can adjust to your taste.
  • Cheesy – omit the red pepper, add 1 tbsp of nutritional yeast, and about 1/2 cup of cooked carrots to the cashews.
  • Herbed – add 1 tsp dried or 1 tbsp fresh herbs to the cheese.
  • Cheese Sauce – increase the water until you reach your desired consistency, and turn the thick cheese dip into a rich, creamy vegan cheese sauce you can use for mac and cheese or pour over nachos.
Tips for blending cashew sooner
  • Simply soak your cashews in hot water for about 30 minutes.
  • Don’t use boiling water to avoid “cooking” the cashews; very hot water will soften them quickly.
  • Use hot water during both the blending and soaking processes.
  • Blend your cashews, then let them rest for 5-10 minutes before blending again for a creamier, smoother cashew dip!
Serving: 3tbsp, Calories: 93kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 149mg, Potassium: 126mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 368IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!

*This recipe was inspired by the Lion Cashew Cheese recipe in the Vegan World Fusion Cuisine cookbook from the Blossoming Lotus restaurant. 

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