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Perfect for spreading on bagels, spreading on sandwiches and wraps, or using as a dip, this flavorful veggie cream cheese is packed with ranch seasoning and your favorite fresh vegetables.
There’s a local bagel place down the road that makes an amazing veggie ranch cream cheese. It is so good and tastes just like vegetable pizza, only spread on a bagel and suitable for eating for breakfast.
I wanted to be able to whip up a similar veggie cream cheese at home, so I called over to the shop and they were happy to tell me what’s in it. (Don’t worry, I still go there on a regular basis!)
This veggie cream cheese is the perfect summery spread for bagels, sandwiches, and wraps or dip for everything from pretzels to fresh veggies.
How to make veggie cream cheese
Just like with my mango and black bean salsa, most of the work for this recipe comes in chopping everything. So you know it’s going to be an easy recipe to whip up any time!
Ingredients you’ll need
To make this veggie cream cheese, you will need:
- 2 (8-ounce) packages room-temperature cream cheese
- 1 (1-ounce) packet ranch seasoning mix
- 1 peeled and finely diced carrot
- ⅓ cup finely diced red bell pepper
- ½ cup finely chopped broccoli
- 2 finely chopped green onions
In order for the seasoning and vegetables to mix smoothly into the cream cheese, you definitely want it to be at room temperature. If you forget to set your cream cheese out ahead of time, I have a few tips for how to soften cream cheese quickly.
As for the vegetables, carrots, red bell pepper, broccoli, and green onions are what my family likes best. Don’t worry too much about the measurements being exact, either – if you use roughly the same amount of chopped veggies as I do, you’ll be good to go.
Making this recipe
When you’re prepping your vegetables, make sure you are finely dicing them. You want the pieces to be pretty small so they mix well into the cream cheese.
I usually just do this by hand, but you could also pulse the vegetables in a mini food processor. If you do this, make sure you don’t process them too finely.
To mix together the veggie cream cheese, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes. You want it to be nice and smooth.
Add the ranch seasoning and mix for another minute, then switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the chopped vegetables.
Cover the cream cheese or transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it for a few hours before serving. This will give the flavors time to meld and get extra delicious.
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As I mentioned above, the vegetables listed in the recipe card are the ones we like best in this veggie cream cheese. But you can use any combination of vegetables you like best!
Aside from carrots, broccoli, red bell peppers, and green onions, some other options include:
- Cauliflower
- Green, yellow, or orange bell peppers
- Radishes
- Jalapeño (for a bit of spice!)
- Black olives
- Water chestnuts
No matter what vegetables you use, make sure they are finely chopped before adding them to the recipe.
You can also swap out homemade ranch seasoning for the packet of ranch. If you use homemade, use about 3 tablespoons.
I have also made this veggie cream cheese with full-fat and reduced-fat cream cheese. Both have worked great, so use whichever your family likes best.
Storing veggie cream cheese
Store your homemade veggie cream cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Cream cheese tends to split after being frozen and thawed, so I do not recommend freezing this recipe. If you do freeze it, plan to whip it with a mixer for a few minutes after thawing and keep in mind that the texture might not be the same.
Serving suggestions
Of course this veggie cream cheese is incredible when spread thick on a toasted bagel. Everything bagels are our family’s personal favorite!
You could even pair it with homemade bagels if you really want to go above and beyond.
But that’s not the only way to serve it. It’s awesome as a spread for sandwiches and wraps, too. Try it on a BLT made with fresh summer tomatoes and thank me later!
And definitely don’t sleep on this stuff as a dip. Set it out for your next party in place of homemade ranch dip (or alongside it!) and watch it disappear.
We like to dip pretzel twists and fresh vegetables in it, but you could serve it with everything from pigs in a blanket to homemade soft pretzels.
Honestly, there’s no wrong way to enjoy veggie cream cheese! It’s so good, it’s bound to become a family favorite.
Veggie Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature (2 8-ounce packages)
- 1 packet ranch seasoning mix 1 ounce
- 1 medium carrot peeled and finely diced
- ⅓ cup finely diced red bell pepper
- ½ cup finely chopped broccoli
- 2 green onions finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Add in the packet of ranch seasoning mix and beat for an additional minute.
- Use a rubber spatula to thoroughly incorporate the vegetables into the cream cheese. Cover and refrigerate for at least a few hours.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
