EV’s Take: A Spreadable Cream Cheese that Moonlights as a Soup Superhero
Nature’s Fynd Dairy-Free Cream Cheese, fueled by fungi, is a complete protein, dairy-free cream cheese with a well-balanced flavor and a smooth, creamy texture. I used their cream cheese on bagels and in soup, and I can see this becoming a staple in my refrigerator.
Our review of Oatly’s dairy-free cream cheese noted that it had an intense sweetness, which could be good or bad, depending on your mood. Nature’s Fynd dairy-free cream cheese has a balanced sweet, salty, tangy flavor. It’s exactly what you’d expect in cream cheese and exactly what you want on a bagel.
My complaint? I’m a girl who likes extra-toasted bagels, and Nature’s Fynd cream cheese–like me in stressful work meetings–falls apart almost immediately as soon as things start to heat up. It drips off the bagel and turns into a thin layer of liquified cream cheese instead of a thick smear. Instead of just docking the points from them and moving on, I used its weakness to my advantage by melting it into creamy soups. While you can spread it on bagels–as long you’re mindful of how hot they are–I think it’s better suited as a cooking ingredient. Use Nature’s Fynd cream cheese in your next loaded baked potato soup, make vegan Alfredo sauce, or throw a scoop on your next batch of plant-based chili. The possibilities are endless.
Mushroom protein? In *my* cream cheese? What the what!
I will be the first to tell you that I never excelled in science. While I did my best to watch their Fy protein explainer video, all the technical terms went over my head. It’s not Hank’s fault, I swear…this is a me problem. I’ll try my best to give you the ELI5 version of it.
The gist is that Fy protein came into existence after NASA researcher Mark Kozubal discovered a “miracle microbe” thriving in the harsh conditions of Yellowstone’s hot springs. Eventually, this microbe–from the fungus family–made its way into an innovative food startup co-founded by Kozubal alongside a group of other like-minded sustainable food enthusiasts. There, they experimented with it in every sort of way to create a sustainable protein source, eventually landing on fermentation.
Think of it like a sourdough starter that you keep feeding to make bread, pancakes, and even pizza dough. Through fermentation, fungi are fed nutrients that help them grow mycelium–a complete protein—used as the base for Nature’s Fynd cream cheese, meat patties, and yogurt. While fermenting fungi is not exactly a new practice, many companies employ similar fermenting techniques that have been around for thousands of years. Nature’s Fynd developed a proprietary fermentation technique that emphasizes sustainability. Their technique significantly minimizes the amount of land, water, greenhouse gas and methane emissions, and waste that typically goes into the production of animal and plant-based proteins.
You can also read their helpful blog post explaining fungi protein in greater detail and their origin story for more information.
Okay, but does it taste like mushrooms?
Now that the science lesson is over let’s focus on the taste. I am happy to report that Nature’s Fynd cream cheese–which uses Fy Milk–does not taste like mushrooms at all. It has a really balanced flavor profile, combining a little sweetness, a little saltiness, and a little tanginess, just like a dairy-based cream cheese.
What are the ingredients in Nature’s Fynd Dairy-Free Cream Cheese?
Nature’s Fynd has two varieties of cream cheese, original and chive & onion. I only tested the original flavor for this review.
Nature’s Fynd Original Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Ingredients:
Ingredients: Dairy-Free Fy™ Milk (Water, Nutritional Fungi Protein), Coconut Oil, Cane Sugar, Contains less than 2% of Mushroom Extract, Salt, Lactic Acid, Guar Gum, Cultures.
Contains: Fungi
Nature’s Fynd Dairy-Free Chive & Onion Cream Chees Ingredients:
Ingredients: Dairy-Free Fy™ Milk (Water, Nutritional Fungi Protein), Coconut Oil, Cane Sugar, Contains less than 2% of Mushroom Extract, Salt, Dried Onions, Dried Chives, Lactic Acid, Guar Gum, Cultures.
Contains: Fungi.
I’m ready to cook! What should I make with Nature’s Fynd Dairy-Free Cream Cheese?
You can always start with the basics and use Nature’s Fynd cream cheese on a bagel, or you can take it up a notch and make this vegan loaded baked potato soup. Nature’s Fynd also has a bunch of recipes on their site that you can reference for ideas!
Vegan Baked Potato Soup Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon neutral oil, divided
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 1 rib celery, trimmed and diced
- 5 scallions, trimmed and minced; white and green parts kept separate
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- ¼ cup flour
- 4 cups water or vegetable stock
- 2 pounds Russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and medium-diced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne powder optional
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper optional
- 2 cups oat milk
- ¼ cup Nature’s Fynd Dairy-Free Cream Cheese
- ½ cup Daiya Cheddar Cheese Shreds plus more for serving
- 6 slices LightLife Smart Bacon cut into thin strips
- Salt and pepper
For serving:
- Plant-based sour cream
- Sliced jalapeño
- Red pepper flakes
Instructions
Sauté the aromatics:
- Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion, celery, and scallion whites. Cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Make the roux and simmer the soup:
- Sprinkle the flour on top and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute until nutty and fragrant. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of water or vegetable stock until smooth.
- Add the potatoes. Pour in the rest of the water and add the paprika, cayenne powder, and white pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20–30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Blend the soup (optional):
- Use an immersion blender or food processor to blend half of the soup until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Finish the soup:
- Add the plant-based milk, cream cheese, and cheddar shreds. Whisk until the cream cheese and cheddar cheese melts. Taste and season. Simmer over low heat as you cook the bacon.
Fry the plant-based bacon:
- Heat 1 teaspoon neutral oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook for 3–5 minutes until crisp. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
To serve:
- Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with the crispy bacon and reserved scallion greens. Serve with plant-based sour cream, sliced jalapeño, and red pepper flakes. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Where Can I Buy Nature’s Fynd Dairy-Free Cream Cheese?
Nature’s Fynd is available in most Whole Foods and Sprouts. Use their store locator to find the location closest to you.
Did you try this product? Love it? Hate it? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below!
