You won't believe how close this vegan pimento cheese recipe tastes to the real thing! It's tangy, creamy, and so delicious as a spring appetizer.
My husband Jack loves pimento cheese. Actually, he loves any kind of cheese but, having grown up in the south, pimento cheese has a special place in his heart. So I made this vegan version! Although he was skeptical as I was blending it together he was shocked and impressed by how close it tastes to the real thing.
Cashews give this spread a creamy base while jarred pimentos, dijon mustard, and lots of lemon give it a proper tang. It’s best with Ritz-like crackers, but I also like to serve it with tons of chopped up veggies as well. This is a great party dip – it can be made in advance and stored for a few days in the fridge.
For more appetizer ideas, check out this post with 50 easy appetizers.
Vegan Pimento Cheese Dip
- 1½ cups raw cashews
- ½ cup water, more if needed to blend
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 2 tablespoons jarred pimento peppers, more if desired
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chopped chives, for garnish
- Crackers
- Sliced vegetables (radishes, celery, or veggies of your choice)
- In a high speed blender, combine the cashews, water, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, sriracha, pimento peppers, garlic, smoked paprika, salt and a generous pinch of pepper. Blend until smooth, using the blender baton to help keep the blade moving. If the mixture is too thick, gradually add more water until smooth. Chill until ready to use.
- Garnish the dip with the chopped chives and serve with crackers, celery, and radishes for dipping.
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I made this dip today with a large garlic clove and fresh chives from my garden. As it turned out with a a sharp flavour, next time I’ll make it with a small to medium size garlic clove and only 2 tbsp lemon juice.
Made this last night for my Oscars party to dip soft pretzels in. Came out PERFECT! Thank you!
I’m so glad you loved it!
My partner is allergic to peanuts, cashews and pistachio but can eat all other nuts. What could I use instead of cashews? Thanks!