Recipe
Vegan cheesecake recipe
A vegan cheesecake recipe that even non-vegans love? This delicious no-bake recipe from Professor Luigi Fontana is a must-try.
By Luigi Fontana
If you're looking for a healthy alternative to cut down on dairy but can't resist desserts, then this vegan cheesecake is a good option. This plant-based version of the classic cheesecake replaces the cream cheese with a cashew layer, but we bet you won't be able to tell. Instead, you'll get to enjoy the same rich and creamy texture as a regular cheesecake. Give it a try.
MAKES 12
Ingredients to make vegan cheesecake recipe
FOR THE BASE
50 g (1¾ oz) walnuts (soaked overnight and drained)
60 g (2 oz) raw cashews
45 g (1½ oz) cranberries
3 Medjool dates, pitted
45 g (1½ oz) raisins
50 g (1¾ oz) walnuts (soaked overnight and drained)
40 g (1½ oz) pine nuts
155 g (5½ oz) raw cashews (soaked overnight and drained)
320 ml (11 fl oz) almond milk
6 Medjool dates, pitted
juice of 4 lemons
zest of 1 lemon
½ avocado
½ teaspoon nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
30 g (1 oz) honey
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
TO SERVE
200 g (7 oz) raspberries or blueberries
How to make vegan cheesecake recipe
To prepare the base, pulse the walnuts and cashews in a food processor until coarsely ground. Add the cranberries and dates, and pulse again until the mixture starts clumping together. To check for the correct consistency, if you squeeze the mixture, it should be crumbly but will stick together.
Prepare a 12-cup muffin tray with a cupcake paper in each hole (or alternatively use greased rings or small round springform tins). Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of the crust mixture into each paper. Use your fingers or the base of a tumbler or the top of jar to press the base firmly down. If the mixture sticks to your fingers or the tumbler, wet them slightly.
Once each paper is filled, put the tray into the freezer to set for at least 30 minutes.
For the filling place all the filling ingredients in a high-speed blender and liquidise.
Divide the mixture amongst the frozen bases prepared earlier and return to the freezer.
When ready to serve, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for 10–15 minutes. Top with fresh berries or poached fruit and enjoy.
Citro food tip
Want a more stable cheesecake layer? Try mixing a tablespoon of cornflour into your cheesecake filling mixture before baking. This will help thicken your filling and give it a more consistent texture.
This is an edited extract from Plant Power: The Essential Plant Food Guide to Enrich Your Health by Professor Luigi Fontana, MD, PhD, published by Hardie Grant Books. Available in stores nationally from 11 February 2025. Recipe photography by Marzio Lanzini.
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