This Veggie Cream Cheese tastes like it came from the best bagel shop in town. It’s got the refreshing crunch of carrots and celery, extra substance from spinach and roasted red peppers (the stroke of brilliance behind this recipe) and an onion-y bite from scallions, so you need not choose between the veggie or scallion schmear!
For Family Visits and Brunch Gatherings
As the holidays approach, lots of recipes come top of mind. This is one you may not have thought of, but really comes in handy. Here in New Jersey, the easiest way to feed a crowd breakfast is with a bagel spread. Everyone can help themselves!
That said, a couple of pints of specialty cream cheese can get pricey quickly. And I don’t know about your family, but most everyone in our family likes a thick layer of cream cheese on each bagel!
This recipe is great if your family, like ours, can power through a whole lotta cream cheese, or if you’d rather save a few dollars and make it at home!
Tip: Buy the “Good” Cream Cheese
I’m going to be very Ina for a moment and call for “good” cream cheese. After testing this recipe and trying a couple of options, I’m now pretty firm that Philadelphia cream cheese is the top option. Recently, it went on sale, and we stocked up on a few blocks because, unopened, it will sit happily in the fridge for a couple months. The other brand I like is old school Temptee whipped cream cheese, a mainstay of bagel shops.
A Few Veggie Cream Cheese Truths
- Celery is surprisingly necessary. This is what gives veggie cream cheese that signature “garden” taste!
- You might think a food processor is the superior job for this—it is not. Vegetables minced too finely throw off the texture, look, and flavor of the cream cheese! Chopping by hand goes quickly, I promise!
- If you’re like me, you’re going to be tempted to chuck a loooot of veggies into your veggie cream cheese. Unfortunately, 1 block of cream cheese can only handle so much. Sarah tried to coach me, but I was two test batches deep ‘til I begrudgingly accepted her wisdom.
Make-Ahead Tips
It may be tempting to make a “large batch” of cream cheese and hang onto it for a while, but this homemade veggie cream cheese is at its best for 3-4 days. If you’d like to make it ahead of time, make it the night before.
A related tip is how much to make. The truth of the matter is, when you mix up 1 block of cream cheese, it doesn’t seem like that much—at least not where heavy bagel shmearers are concerned. So if you’re larger than a group of 4, I would advise doubling this recipe.
Veggie Cream Cheese Recipe Instructions
To finely mince the carrot, slice the carrot on a sharp angle as thinly as you can manage. Julienne the slices into matchsticks, and then mince the matchsticks crosswise into bits. To finely mince the celery, cut a rib lengthwise into very thin pieces, then crosswise into finely minced pieces. Thinly slice the scallions. No need to halve the scallion lengthwise, unless it is very very thick!
Next comes the spinach. I call for frozen spinach, which can thaw quickly and easily. I measure out a little more than 1 ½ tablespoons, and place it in a clean dish cloth (or sturdy paper towel can work too) and squeeze the water out. Then I finely chop it. Drain a small piece of jarred roasted red bell pepper. Finely chop it.
Add all the vegetables to a medium size bowl with the cream cheese. Sprinkle over ⅛ teaspoon of salt, and mix with a spoon. It’s better to mix by hand than with a mixer or food processor, as those tools will pulverize the vegetables and alter the color of the cream cheese.
Smear onto your bagel of choice, toast, or an english muffin!
Note: For a little kick, you can add a few dashes of Tabasco, or a teaspoon or two of deseeded, finely chopped jalapeño pepper.
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Recipe
Veggie Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 heaping tablespoon finely minced carrot
- 1 heaping tablespoon finely minced celery
- 2 tablespoons finely sliced scallions
- 1½ tablespoons frozen spinach (squeezed dry and finely chopped; you could also quickly blanch fresh baby spinach, rinse under cold water, squeeze dry, then chop)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped roasted red peppers (drained)
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add all the vegetables to a medium size bowl with the cream cheese and salt. Mix with a spoon until evenly combined.
Tips & Notes:
- It’s better to mix by hand than with a mixer or food processor, as those tools will pulverize the vegetables and alter the color of the cream cheese.
- For a little kick, you can add a few dashes of Tabasco, or a teaspoon or two of deseeded, finely chopped jalapeño pepper.
