Homemade Vegan Cheez
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
I wanted to experiment with making my own plant-based cheese, so I searched the web and YouTube for ideas on how to make an oil-free cheese. I didn’t have much luck, but I did learn about agar! Agar is a type of seaweed that comes in a powdered form and becomes gelatinous when dissolved in water and cooked, so it’s a great substitute for gelatin. It’s expensive, but a little goes a long way. You can find it at most natural food stores. Agar flakes also work, but you will need more, since 1 teaspoon agar powder equals 2 teaspoons agar flakes.
Author: Kim Campbell
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsweetened dairy-free milk beverage, divided
- ¾ cup raw cashews
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons white miso (a soy-free version, if needed)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 8 teaspoons agar powder
- ½ cup chopped pimiento (optional)
- 1 tablespoon dried chives (optional)
Instructions
- Optionally line two ramekins, custard cups, or other small ceramic or glass bowls with parchment paper. It makes removal of the cheese easier later.
- Put 1 cup milk beverage, the cashews, lemon juice, tahini, white miso, Dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt in a high-powered blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Put the remaining 1 cup milk and agar in a medium saucepan and whisk to combine. Cook over medium-high heat until the agar is dissolved. Reduce the heat to medium-low. The mixture will begin to thicken.
- When the milk beverage and agar mixture has thickened, add the creamy mixture from your blender. Stir continuously as the mixture thickens.
- Stir in the pimiento and chives (if using).
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared ramekins.
- Cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the cheese is firm, 3 to 4 hours.
- Lift the parchment paper or use a knife to lift the cheese from the ramekin. Grate or slice the cheese to serve.
Notes
Kim’s Hint: You can add many flavorings to make this cheese unique. I have added minced jalapeño, 2 cooked carrots (blended with the cashews), vegan bacon bits, a touch of liquid smoke, and even chopped black or green olives.
This recipe is reprinted with permissions from The PlantPure Kitchen by Kim Campbell. The photo is by Colin Campbell.
This recipe is reprinted with permissions from The PlantPure Kitchen by Kim Campbell. The photo is by Colin Campbell.
Recipe by Go Dairy Free at https://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/homemade-vegan-cheez