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    You are at:Home»Dairy-Free Recipes»Appetizers»Homemade Vegan Cheez

    Homemade Vegan Cheez

    17
    By Alisa Fleming on October 9, 2017 Appetizers, Cheese Subs, Dairy-Free Recipes

    With a season of cheese platters ahead, you need to be prepared. So today I’ve got the Homemade Vegan Cheez Recipe from The PlantPure Kitchen: 130 Mouthwatering, Whole Food Recipes and Tips for a Plant-Based Life by Kim Campbell.

    Homemade Vegan Cheez Recipe by Kim Campbell from PlantPure Kitchen - a sliceable dairy-free cheese with flavorful options

    This pimiento-style dairy-free cheese alternative can be sliced and diced for serving with toothpicks or fresh sourdough bread. And when surprised guests ask for the recipe, you can tell them it’s in The PlantPure Kitchen by Kim Campbell (yes, of THAT Campbell family), along with these entertainment-worthy recipes:

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    Homemade Vegan Cheez Recipe by Kim Campbell from PlantPure Kitchen - a sliceable dairy-free cheese with flavorful options

    Special Diet Notes: Homemade Vegan Cheez

    By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, peanut-free, optionally soy-free, vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian.

    4.0 from 1 reviews
    Homemade Vegan Cheez
     
    Print
    Prep time
    30 mins
    Cook time
    10 mins
    Total time
    40 mins
     
    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
    1. Optionally line two ramekins, custard cups, or other small ceramic or glass bowls with parchment paper. It makes removal of the cheese easier later.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. When the milk beverage and agar mixture has thickened, add the creamy mixture from your blender. Stir continuously as the mixture thickens.
    5. Stir in the pimiento and chives (if using).
    6. Transfer the mixture to the prepared ramekins.
    7. Cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the cheese is firm, 3 to 4 hours.
    8. 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.
    3.5.3229

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    Alisa Fleming
    • Website

    Alisa is the founder of GoDairyFree.org, Food Editor for Allergic Living magazine, and author of the best-selling dairy-free book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living, and the new cookbook, Eat Dairy Free: Your Essential Cookbook for Everyday Meals, Snacks, and Sweets. Alisa is also a professional recipe creator and product ambassador for the natural food industry.

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    17 Comments

    1. Karen on September 11, 2018 1:42 pm

      So maybe I did the agar conversion wrong. You wrote 1 teaspoon of powder equals 2 Tbsp of flakes. 8 tsp powder=16 Tbsp flakes. When I added it to 1 cup of milk it was so thick I couldn’t stir it to dissolve so added it to the blender to make it creamy. It’s setting in the fridge now and seem ok but I just wanted to clarify.

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on September 11, 2018 2:03 pm

        Yikes! Thanks for pointing this out Karen and sorry for your troubles. It looks like a possible typo in her book. It should be 2 TEASPOONS (although many resources sat 1 teaspoon powder = 3 teaspoons flakes).

        Reply
    2. Michelle Clark on July 26, 2018 2:20 pm

      My son is allergic to cashews and almonds. What other nuts would you substitute?

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on July 27, 2018 10:38 am

        Macadamia nuts are a good option for dairy-free cheeses for both flavor and creaminess. Other nuts will work, but might have a more pronounced flavor.

        Reply
    3. dana lasswell on December 9, 2017 11:23 am

      The flavor is great! I added finely diced jalapenos. Mine didn’t get very firm though. The agar powder and milk was so thick before I added the other ingredients that I could barely stir it, so I believe I cooked it long enough. Any ideas? Soooo delicious as a spread though, it definitely won’t go to waste! 🙂

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on December 10, 2017 2:49 pm

        You didn’t soak the cashews, correct? You want the cashews to be raw so they can soak up the liquid. For firmer, I would try increasing the cashews. They absorb the moisture as they sit, and can help in firming the cheez more.

        Reply
    4. Christine on October 20, 2017 8:29 am

      Love this! I’ve never made this before but it looks delicious and like such a great idea. Definitely saving!

      Reply
    5. Laura on October 19, 2017 7:18 pm

      Wow I’d love to make my own dairy free cheese! This looks so yummy!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on October 20, 2017 11:38 am

        It’s SO easy.

        Reply
    6. Kerri Olkjer on October 19, 2017 5:36 pm

      OK, this is completely brilliant and so creative! Looks so much better than vegan cheeses I’ve tried.

      Reply
    7. Alexa on October 19, 2017 5:06 pm

      I think diving into this the world of vegan cheese making could be a lot of fun. The ultimate in kitchen experimentation. But I trust you and your reviews of recipes, so I think I will just start with these great looking vegan cheese recipes.

      Reply
    8. Maria on October 19, 2017 3:19 pm

      I would have never known this was vegan cheese without the title!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on October 20, 2017 11:38 am

        Right? It looks SO impressive and real!

        Reply
    9. Jessica @Small Bites by Jessica on October 19, 2017 3:13 pm

      These look awesome! What a great dairy-free option!

      Reply
    10. Liz on October 19, 2017 12:48 pm

      I love the addition of the pimento in here! I love using nutritional yeast too, esp on my popcorn, to give that cheesy taste!

      Reply
    11. Taylor Kiser on October 16, 2017 11:48 am

      This homemade vegan cheez looks so easy and delicious! Can’t wait to give it a try!

      Reply
    12. Deryn | Running on Real Food on October 16, 2017 9:06 am

      Woah, the texture of that looks fantastic! I haven’t really ventured into vegan cheeses but this looks doable! Can’t wait to try it.

      Reply

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