By Nik, founder of 東歐嚴選｜kefir.link and former chef · Updated 2 November 2026
Strained soy kefir turns thick and tangy, and once melted coconut oil and a little salt are whisked in, it chills into a spread much like cream cheese, only a little tangier. It is a soy-based take on cream cheese, popular in Japanese home kitchens. Spread it on toast, or split it into a sweet bowl and a savoury one.
Draining sets the texture
As soy kefir drains, the whey runs out and leaves a thick curd that holds its shape on a spoon. About 3 hours gives a soft, creamy result, while about a day gives a firmer cheese. How much liquid you lose depends on how thick the kefir is to begin with, but roughly 600 to 700 ml of soy kefir gives the 300 g you need. A well-drained base also takes the oil better and is less likely to split when it goes in.
Why coconut oil makes it set
Coconut oil sets solid under about 20°C and melts above about 25°C, so it is melted to mix in and then firms up again in the refrigerator, setting the spread. Refined coconut oil has almost no taste or smell and keeps the flavour close to cream cheese, while virgin oil leaves a clear coconut note. Oil that is not fully melted hardens as you mix and leaves little grains, and whisking too slowly once the oil is in can make the mixture suddenly turn heavy and stiff. Keep the oil warm and whisk briskly the whole time.
One bowl, sweet or savoury
Divide the plain spread in two to make both flavours. For the sweet half, fold in 30 g of unsweetened raisins and 15 g of finely chopped unsweetened dried mango. For the savoury half, stir in 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of dried basil and a pinch of sea salt. Serve either with crackers or bread, and with a glass of wine it becomes an easy at-home snack in the spirit of a Japanese izakaya. The plain spread also goes well with pancakes or as a dip for vegetables and fruit.
Soy-kefir cream cheese spread
Ingredients
- 300 g strained plain soy kefir Use plain, unsweetened soy kefir. Start with about 600 ml; thinner soy kefir loses more liquid, so weigh 300 g after draining. If it is already strained, start at step 3.
- 4 tbsp coconut oil Refined, deodorised oil has a neutral flavour; virgin oil adds a coconut aroma.
- 2 pinches fine salt
You will need
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Clean food-grade muslin cloth
- Deep bowl
- Kitchen scale
- Mixing bowl and whisk
- Small heatproof bowl
- Container with a lid
Instructions
- Set a cloth-lined sieve over a deep bowl, with enough space underneath to keep the sieve clear of the drained liquid.
- Drain the soy kefir in the lined sieve, covered, in the refrigerator at 4°C (40°F) or below for about 24 hours; it should hold its shape on a spoon.
- Weigh 300 g of drained soy kefir into a mixing bowl and leave it out for about 15 minutes to lose its chill.
- If the coconut oil is solid, melt it gently in a heatproof bowl set in warm water.
- Whisk the fine salt into the weighed soy kefir until evenly mixed.
- Whisk in the liquid coconut oil a little at a time, mixing continuously until smooth with no oil visible on the surface.
- Chill the spread in a covered container for at least 1 hour to firm up before serving.
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