Yogurt, quark and cream cheese are definitely the things I miss most since giving up dairy. While I can tolerate moderate amounts of dairy again, I try to steer clear as I know I will definitely go overboard once I tuck in!

In Australia it is next to impossible to obtain dairy free alternatives such as vegan cream cheese, vegan yogurt and the like. While in my home country Germany, great-tasting, inexpensive and lowfat soy yogurt and soy quark is readily available at all supermarkets, vegan “yogurt” Down Under is limited to coconut yogurt which is sky-high in fat and obviously tastes nothing like yogurt (and don’t even get me started on the price tag)!

So what was I supposed to do with my cream cheese cravings? Thankfully, I discovered a way to recreate a creamy, dreamy, dairy-free dip that tastes heavenly and surprisingly close to cream cheese. My secret ingredient is….silken tofu.

Silken tofu is readily available, low in fat, relatively inexpensive and virtually flavourless which makes it an excellent vehicle for any savoury or sweet creations you might fancy. And since my first try creating a vegan “cream cheese” with silken tofu was so successful, it is definitely not going to be my last!

This dip really is so delicious, even my dairy-loving husband loved it! And best of all, it is ready in a jiffy and super versatile. I made this version with sundried tomatoes in, but anything will taste amazing – use chopped cucumbers and garlic to create a vegan tzatziki, make a nacho dip with mexican spices and capsicum or even try a sweet version with frozen fruit. The sky is the limit here.

This dip is great with crudités, crackers, on bread or even as a creamy pasta sauce.

1 packet (300g) silken tofu

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

2 tsp lemon juice (apple cider vinegar also works)

Salt and spices to taste

Add-ins (sundried tomatoes, capers, olives, fresh cucumber…)

Simply blitz all ingredients together and there you have it! Vegan cream cheese! This keeps well in the fridge and tastes even better the next day!

Enjoy! Nathalie xoxo