8ozcontainer vegan cream cheeseI like Kite Hill or the BLUE container of Tofutti - not the yellow container - it's not as good
zest of 1 lemon
4-5tablespoonslemon juice(juice of 1-2 lemons)
3tablespoonsnutritional yeast
1/2teaspoononion powder
1/2teaspoongarlic powder
1/4teaspoonpaprika
pinchof cayenne pepper
1/2teaspoonsalt
3ozblack olives
2cupspecanstoasted and finely chopped
Instructions
Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with water. Let sit at room temperature for 6 hours or cover and refrigerate overnight.
Place the soaked cashews, cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt in the food processor. Process until completely smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
Add the olives and pulse to combine, about 10 pulses. Place a strainer over a bowl and line it with a thin dishcloth or cheesecloth. Scoop the cheese mixture out into the bowl and shape into a ball. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and preferably overnight. (This can be made up to 3 days in advance.)
Coat the cheeseball in the toasted pecans, pressing them lightly into the surface. Serve with your favorite crackers. Enjoy!
Notes
MAKE IT SOY-FREE: Use Kite Hill Almond Milk Cream Cheese instead of a soy-based cheese.Coat the cheeseball with the pecans only a few hours before serving so they don't get mushy. I love serving this with gluten-free crackers! The cashews need to be soaked for the cheeseball to have the correct texture. If you're in a hurry, you can pour boiling water over the cashews and let them sit at room temperature for 1 hour to speed up the soaking process.