Looking to level up your bagel game or add a flavorful, kid-friendly spread to your weekly meal prep? This easy veggie vegan cream cheese is the ultimate way to pack in flavor, color, and nutrients — all while keeping things dairy-free.
Whether you're a busy parent, plant-based foodie, or just cream cheese-obsessed (like me!), this simple veggie-ful version is a serious upgrade. It's creamy, savory, and loaded with fresh veggies. Even better? You can totally customize it to suit your vibe — think celery, green onion, basil, thyme, chili flakes, or even a sprinkle of furikake.
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vegan cream cheese: hits, misses & favorites
Let’s be real — the vegan cream cheese scene has been hit or miss for a while. The much-hyped plant-based Philadelphia release? Total letdown. Tofutti has been a long-time staple and honestly works well in baking or in a recipe like this one, where you’re mixing in tons of flavor. But on its own, it’s pretty bland — lacking that signature tang you want in a cream cheese spread.
For a while, Kite Hill’s almond-based cream cheese was my go-to for something creamy, spreadable, and tangy enough to enjoy plain on a bagel. But after moving back home to Toronto, I discovered President’s Choice vegan cream cheese, and let me tell you — it’s a game-changer. It’s cultured (hello, live good bacteria!), super soft straight out of the tub, and only $3.49! The only caveat? It’s coconut-based, which some folks aren’t into — but I personally don’t mind it at all. That’s the one I used to develop this veggie vegan cream cheese recipe.
If you're outside Canada, Violife is another great option — widely available in the US and Europe, and it works perfectly in this recipe too.
why you’ll love this vegan cream cheese
- dairy-free & plant-based
- loaded with fresh veggies
- kid-approved
- customizable to your taste
- perfect for weekly meal prep
easy veggie vegan cream cheese
Ingredients
- 1 227g/8oz tub store-bought vegan cream cheese
- 2 tablespoon finely chopped chives
- 1 small jalapeño, deseeded and finely chopped (about 2 tablespoon chopped)
- ¼ C finely chopped red onion
- ⅓ C shredded carrot
- ⅓ C finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic or onion powder
- sea salt & ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Take the cream cheese and place in a mixing bowl. The President’s Choice brand doesn’t need to soften. It can be mixed with the vegetables immediately. If using another brand of vegan cream cheese it might be much harder right out of the fridge. Allow it to soften so you can easily mix it with a spatula or you can use a hand mixer or stand mixer to stir everything together.
- Add in all the vegetables and seasonings and mix until well combined.
- Scoop into a container with a lid (reuse the cream cheese tub or use a glass container) and store in the fridge for up to 5–7 days
hot tips
- Want more flavor? Add a squeeze of lemon juice or a dash of hot sauce.
- No jalapeño? Try green onion or omit for a milder version.
- Going herby? Basil, parsley, or thyme add a fresh, fragrant twist.
- Add crunch with finely chopped celery or broccoli stems and florets.
- Make it umami-rich with furikake, nutritional yeast, or miso paste.
There are tons of vegan cream cheese options out there, but this levelled up veggie version is hands-down the most flavorful, colorful, and satisfying one you can whip up in under 10 minutes. Whether you're dairy-free by choice or just looking for a fun twist on a classic spread, this one’s a winner.
Let me know if you try it — and don’t forget to tag me if you share your creation!
Lauren Toyota
Lauren is a plant-based powerhouse, a former TV host turned wildly successful food creator, best-selling cookbook author, and the woman responsible for making vegan comfort food a thing worth craving. Through her blog and YouTube channel, hot for food, she’s amassed a dedicated following by recreating all the nostalgic, indulgent dishes we love—mac & cheese, burgers, cinnamon rolls—but making them entirely plant-based. No compromise on taste, no weird ingredients, just damn good food.