Like many of you, I’m often wary of cheese alternatives. But this homemade dairy-free Swiss cheese won me over. It’s quite delicious, more nutritious than most store-bought varieties, and takes just 15 minutes of hands-on time to make! Once set, it slices and shreds quite well, and adds that perfectly pungent, salty flavor to sandwiches, vegan cheese boards, and all types of recipes.
Homemade Dairy-Free Swiss Cheese that’s Unbelievably Easy
This dairy-free Swiss cheese recipe was share with us over fifteen years ago by The Vegan Chef, Beverley Lynn Bennett. We’ve updated the post and adapted the recipe ever-so-slightly, but have stayed true to her unique formula. And we have a few quick ingredient notes.
- Agar: Remember that this is the flakes. If using agar powder, you will need much less. We haven’t tested it, but if using powder, around 1 1/2 tablespoons might work fine. Agar is what helps the dairy-free Swiss cheese set up into a block, and is used as a vegan alternative to gelatin. Without it this recipe makes more of a thick dairy-fee Swiss cheese sauce.
- Nuts: The blend of cashews and almonds creates a great flavor and creaminess. In a pinch, you can use all cashews or all almonds, but the latter option will have a more pronounced flavor. As noted, do not pre-soak the nuts. They absorb a lot of the liquid in the recipe. If you are using soaked nuts, you will need to reduce the water by quite a bit.
- Miso: This pungent condiment adds an umami flavor that helps with the cheesiness. You can find it in most grocery stores, sometimes refrigerated, and sometimes in the Asian food section. Check with the store staff if you don’t see it. Most mainstream varieties are soy-based, but there are soy-free varieties, too. South River Miso makes chickpea miso and azuki bean miso, and Miso Master makes chickpea miso.
Special Diet Notes: Dairy-Free Swiss Cheese Alternative
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, peanut-free, optionally soy-free, vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian.
Dairy-Free Swiss Cheese Alternative
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
This plant-based, vegan cheese alternative is surprisingly fast and easy to make. You just have to be patient - it needs to refrigerate for several hours to set up. Please note that the Prep time is hands-on time only.
Author: The Vegan Chef
Recipe type: Snack
Cuisine: Swiss
Serves: 1 (3-cup) block
Ingredients
- 1½ cups water
- ⅓ cup agar flakes
- ½ cup raw cashews (do not soak)
- ⅓ cup blanched almonds (do not soak)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ⅓ cup unsweetened dairy-free milk beverage
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast flakes
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon light or mellow miso (use soy-free, if needed)
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Place the water and agar flakes in a small saucepan, and simmer over low heat to thoroughly dissolve the agar flakes, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the cashews, almonds, and oil in a blender or food processor and process for 1 to 2 minutes, until a smooth paste forms.
- Scrape down the sides of your blender or food processor, and add the milk beverage, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, miso, mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt. Process for 1 minute, or until smooth.
- Add the dissolved agar mixture to your blender or food processor and process for an additional 2 minutes.
- Lightly oil a 3-cup mold, plastic container, or small loaf pan. Pour the cheese mixture into the mold. If holes are desired, place a few chopsticks or thicker heat-safe and food-safe tubes in the mixture at various angles.
- Cover the dairy-free Swiss cheese mixture, and refrigerate overnight.
- Un-mold the cheese alternative, and enjoy it sliced or shredded (easier if there are no holes in it!) in your favorite recipes, on sandwiches, with crackers, etc.
- Store the Swiss cheese alternative in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 to 10 days.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1/12 block Calories: 82 Fat: 5.6g Saturated fat: .9g Carbohydrates: 6.1g Sugar: .8g Sodium: 121mg Fiber: 2.3g Protein: 3.9g
More Dairy-Free Cheese Alternative Recipes
Dairy-Free Cottage Cheese Alternative
Vegan Goat Cheese Alternative
Spreadable Dairy-Free Yogurt Cheese
15 Comments
hi there, thanks for the recipe. Do you by any chance know the agar flakes to powder conversion?
There are details about the agar above the recipe. As noted, I would try about 1 1/2 tablespoons agar powder if you don’t have the flakes available.
Can I substitute gelatin instead of the Agar. I am allergic to sea vegetables because of the iodine.
Yes, if you prefer!
Introductory comments say this is soy free but this is not the case. This has miso which is soy based.
I will hopefully be updating this post with more information soon. When I do, I will add details about soy-free miso. And it should state “optionally soy free” – I will edit that now. There are soy-free chickpea miso and brown rice miso products available. They work well.
This is delicious! I really missed Swiss cheese and found the taste from this recipe similar. I used pumpkin seeds because that was what I had on hand. Paired the cheese with a fruit and bread plate.
That’s wonderful! Thank you for your feedback Jana and I’m so happy to hear it worked with pumpkin seeds for you!
Thank you Miss Meagan. I am so happy to find your wonderful recipie.
Hi my son is allergic to soy and cow milk also goat milk
So what to do
Really upset
Start here Aman – http://www.godairyfree.org/dairy-free-information/new-to-the-dairy-free-diet-start-here
My son is allergic to soy…is there a substitute for the miso? Thank you! Excited to try this
Hi Meghan, you don’t have to use a soy miso. You can use chickpea, barley or rice miso instead!
I think my son is allergic to nutritional yeast. Is it neccessary for the recipe or is it just for flavor?
It is pretty necessary – it provides the “cheesy” flavor.