Gluten-Free Vegan Raw Strawberry Cheesecake
A creamy no-bake vegan cheesecake loaded with strawberries. This delicious cashew cheesecake is gluten-free, paleo, and refined sugar-free.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6" cake
Ingredients
Base Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, liquified
- 3 soft medjool dates
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (or a small pinch of raw ground vanilla bean)
Cheesecake Filling:
- 2 cups raw cashews, presoaked and strained*
- 6 tbsp coconut oil, liquified
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (or another pinch of raw ground vanilla bean)
- ¼ cup maple syrup (or a raw liquid sweetener, like raw agave, etc.)
- 1 medium ripe banana
- 2 cups strawberries, hulled
- Optional: extra strawberries for decorating
Instructions
- Place all base ingredients into a food processor and process until a coarse crumbly mixture forms. Transfer mixture into a 6" springform pan and press down to form a very thin base layer and edging. I worked my mixture a little higher up the wall sides to create the rustic effect you see in the image. To get that, be sure to spread it around evenly, but also thinly. Alternatively, you can also forget about the edging and just press the entire mixture down evenly along the base for a flat gluten-free cheesecake crust. Once the base is in place, place the pan into the freezer while working on the next step.
- Place all cheesecake ingredients into a blender (I find putting them in the order listed helps them to blend easier), and process until the mixture is smooth and uniform. You may need to pause and scrape the sides down or stir the mixture a little to help it blend through if you're not using a high-speed blender (I used my Vitamix for this recipe). Transfer the mixture into the springform pan on top of the crust and spread it out evenly, smoothing out the top.
- Place the cheesecake back in the freezer and freeze for a 1-2 hours to allow it to set. Then transfer the cake into the fridge, garnish with extra strawberries on top if you'd like, and enjoy!
Notes
If you let this cake freeze fully, you'll need to thaw it out a little to slice it as it gets very, very firm. If you keep it in the fridge it should slice nice and easy. Enjoy!
*To pre-soak cashews: place in a glass bowl, cover with water, and leave to soak for 4 hours (or overnight in the fridge). Then strain and discard the water. For a quick pre-soak, cover with boiled water and soak for 15 mins, then strain and discard water. (Note: this technique doesn’t preserve the nutrition of the recipe as well as the traditional soaking technique above). Note: the purpose of soaking the nuts is to re-hydrate them and plump them up for blending into a smooth, cheesecake-like consistency. Proper soaking techniques also maximize nutrition and digestibility. If you’re interested in learning more about nut soaking and other dessert prep tips and tricks, I delve into these subjects in detail in my book Unconventional Treats.
