vegan cheese recipe

This nut-free, dairy-free Vegan Ricotta Cheese is wonderfully delicious, so easy to make and so healthy. It makes a great replacement for dairy ricotta and pairs well with so many recipes calling for traditional ricotta. Once you try this, you’ll never go back to the dairy version.

Vegan Ricotta Cheese

oz firm tofu (drained)

lemon

basil

yeast

garlic (minced)

olive oil

salt (to taste)

black pepper (to taste)

Mash the tofu with a fork in a medium bowl.

Add all ingredients and mix until well combined.

A basic recipe for making vegan cheese with garlic and herbs made with coconut milk.&nbsp; Free of gluten, soy, and nuts.

Vegan Cheese with Garlic and Herbs

coconut milk (full fat)

water

salt

tbsp agar agar (powder or 6 tbsp flakes)

lemon juice

herbs

spray oil (on the glass container)

Prepare cheese molds by spraying a glass bowl or container with spray oil or rub any neutral-flavored oil on the molds to prevent sticking. (Recipe will make about 2 cups of cheese).

Pour the can of coconut milk into a saucepan.

Put 1/2 cup of hot water into the empty coconut milk can to melt all the remaining coconut milk and add the water to the pan.

Add all remaining ingredients to the saucepan and stir with a whisk.

Turn heat on to medium and stir frequently until it boils.

Turn down the heat until the cheese sauce is just barely boiling and stir constantly for 6 minutes until it is very smooth.

Immediately pour into the prepared cheese molds.

Let it cool with the lid off for about 15 minutes at room temperature, cover, and then transfer to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to firmly set. 

Once the cheese is cooled completely cover and store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to a week.

How to make a basic vegan cheese using coconut milk that is free of dairy, gluten, soy, and nuts.  Vegan provolone flavored cheese.

How to Make Vegan Cheese - Vegan Provolone

(13.5 oz) can coconut milk (full fat)

nutritional yeast

garlic powder

Add all remaining ingredients (2 tbsp agar agar, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp garlic powder) to the saucepan and stir with a whisk.

Cook over a medium heat stirring frequently until it boils.

Turn down the heat until the cheese sauce is just barely boiling and stir constantly for 6 minutes until it is very smooth.  (It must boil for 6 minutes to activate the agar agar and set correctly.)

Let it cool with the lid off for about 15 minutes at room temperature, then cover and transfer to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to firmly set. 

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/B1vvEafQ.mp4

Homemade vegan cheese made from coconut milk.

Vegan Provolone

Vegan cheese that&#x27;s made from pistachio nuts and is free of dairy. Quick and easy recipe for a plant based cheese that has no added oils. This nut cheese slices and grates.

Pistachio Nut Cheese

Nutritional Yeast

tbsp Maple syrup / any sweetener

tbsp Agar agar powder

Garlic

½ Lemon juiced

tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

Water

Salt

Soak the pistachio nuts in water with a...

Soak the pistachio nuts in water with a pinch of salt for an hour or overnight.

Place half the water and everything else apart...

Place half the water and everything else apart from the agar agar into a blender.

Blend nut mixture until smooth in a powerful...

Blend nut mixture until smooth in a powerful blender.

In a pan put in the remaining half...

In a pan put in the remaining half of the water and the agar agar powder.

Simmer for 5 mins stirring constantly. Make sure no...

Simmer for 5 mins stirring constantly. Make sure no lumps of agar agar form at the bottom.

Take off the heat and stir in the...

Take off the heat and stir in the pistachio mixture until combined.

Pour nut cheese mixture into a mould and...

Pour nut cheese mixture into a mould and then chill for 2 hours. Line with greaseproof paper to give a great look.

Enjoy Pistachio Cheese within 3 days and keep...

Enjoy Pistachio Cheese within 3 days and keep chilled.

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/uyw6asltddiv1wvzhehu.mp4

Vegan cheese that's made from pistachio nuts and is free of dairy. Quick and easy recipe for a plant based cheese that has no added oils. This nut cheese slices and grates.

Pistachio Cheese

Made with only 7 plant-based ingredients, this Vegan Ricotta Recipe is easy, healthy, and delicious! Perfect for Lasagna, Stuffed Shells, and more.

Vegan Ricotta Cheese Recipe

(400 g) block firm tofu, pressed*

(140 g) cashews,

nutritional yeast (see notes for “sweet” variation)

lemon zest (optional)

garlic garlic

Black pepper,

Whip it Up: Set up a food processor with an S-blade attachment and add the tofu, cashews, lemon zest, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt. Add the garlic, black pepper, and Italian seasoning as well, if you are going for the savory version. Process the mixture for for 45 to 60 seconds, scraping the sides of the food processor with a spatula as necessary. The final mixture should be creamy and fluffy, with a slight texture that melts in your mouth. 

Serve

Enjoy as-is as a dip, or use as desired in any recipe of choice! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

I made ravioli tonight with this as the filling (I stirred in some spinach.) WOW! This was great, and my decidedly non-vegan fiance said it was a really impressive substitute. This will be my go-to for shells/lasagna/tortellini in the future.

This is our go-to vegan ricotta recipe! It is SO delicious in lasagna!

I made this the other day and used it in a Oaxacan farmer's cheese pie, very nice. I saw you wrote it would last in the fridge up to a week. I made a bunch and need to keep it longer, so will try freezing it ... ok? Bad idea?  I don't have much experience with tofu.

Made exactly as directed and used in my vegan lasagna, it was delicious. Actually I like it better than actual ricotta :) Thank you for the lovely recipe!

Really great recipe, thank you! I was looking for a lighter ricotta than just cashews and this is perfect! I did it just as written with the addition of 3cloves garlic and some crushed red pepper. Can’t wait to layer my lasagna!!!

This is the best Vegan Ricotta I ever made. I added a 14oz of firm tofu and an extra 1 tbsp of Nutritional Yeast. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I can see me  making  many other dishes sweet and savory.

Super simple and so flavorful; I made a batch of this tofu ricotta for a vegan lasagna and it was great! I used the leftovers in a broccoli ricotta stuffed shell dish which was also delicious!

Wow!!!  Great recipe and I appreciate the tofu/cashew combo.  Non vegan husband truly didn’t realize that this was non-dairy.  A real HIT!

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/z7B8HYyU.mp4

Creamy, thick, and tangy, this Sunflower Seed Cream Cheese is the best dairy-free cream cheese substitute! It&#039;s nut-free, gluten-free, and made with 7 ingredients only!

Sunflower Seed Cream Cheese Recipe

raw sunflower seeds

coconut oil*

nutritional yeast**

¼ tsp black pepper

Rinse sunflower seeds well. Add pot a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium-high heat for 25-30 minutes or until soft.

Then, drain the sunflower seed, and DO NOT rinse! Add them to a food processor or a high-speed blender, alongside the coconut oil, boiling water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt, and black pepper. Blend on high for a few minutes, until very creamy and smooth. You&#39;ll need to stop a few times to scrape down the sides with a spatula.

Taste and adjust the flavor if needed, adding more salt for saltiness, lemon juice for tanginess, or nutritional yeast for cheesiness.

Transfer the cheese into a container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally 6-8 hours. This will help the cheese to set and firm up.

Serve with veggies, crackers, or pita chips. Keep in mind that the cheese will start to melt slightly if kept for 1-2 hours at room temperature.

Learn how to make hickory-smoked vegan cheese from scratch! Prepared with 5 simple ingredients, this vegan cheese is naturally fermented and smoked over hickory wood chips for complex flavors. It&#39;s buttery, packed with umami and so warming!

Hickory Smoked Vegan Cheese

raw cashews (soaked overnight)

tbsp sweet white miso

tbsp filtered water

capsules acidophilus

sea salt

tbsp hickory wood chips

Soak the cashews. Add the raw cashews to a large bowl and cover them with water. Let the cashews soak overnight or for at least 8 hours.

Drain them. The next day, drain the cashews and transfer them back to the bowl. In order to kill possible harmful bacteria, I recommend bringing a pot of water to a boil and pouring it over the cashews. Let sit for 1 minute, and drain them again. Next, allow the cashews to cool down for 15-20 minutes.

Blend into a cream. Transfer the drained cashews to a high-speed blender or food processor. Add the white miso, nutritional yeast, and filtered water. Blend on high speed, scraping down the sides from time to time, until you get a very smooth yet thick texture.

Add the culture. Stir in the acidophilus powder from the capsules (or use mesophilic culture) and blend again for a few seconds.

Blend the cashews

Allow the cashew cream to ferment. Transfer the cashew mixture to a cheesecloth and wrap it tightly (alternatively, you can use a nut milk bag). Place the cheesecloth containing the cashew cream in a colander on top of a bowl. Add a weight above it and let sit at room temperature for about 24 hours. Regarding the weight, I usually just place a plate and a few bowls on top but feel free to use whatever you have on hand. This step is important to start the fermentation of the cashew cream and drain possible excess water (which will make it easier to shape the cream into wheels).

Check after 24 hours. After one day, give the cashew cream a taste. It should have a slightly sour and lemony taste, like fresh cream cheese.

Refrigerate. Transfer the cashew cream to a clean bowl and cover with plastic film to the touch. Place in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.

Shape into small wheels. Cut strips of parchment paper and lay them in three 4-inch springform pans. You want to cover the sides and bottom of the springform pans. You can also use plastic film if you prefer. The goal is to prevent the cheese from sticking to the metal. Fill the pans with the cashew cream and press it down using plastic film so it doesn’t stick to your hands. Cover the pans with plastic film touching the cashew cream (to prevent it from drying) and place in the refrigerator for 2 days.

Salt. Two days later, carefully remove the cheeses from the springform pans and place them in a container lined with parchment paper. Salt both sides of each cheese with about 1/4 tsp of salt per cheese. Slightly salt the sides as well. Use your finger to gently spread the salt on the surface of the cheeses.

Refrigerate. Cover the container with its lid and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Pat them dry. The next day, your cheeses will have lost some water due to the salt. This reaction is called osmosis. Basically, salt drains excess water. If they are too wet, pat them dry with a paper towel and replace the parchment paper with a new one.

Fermenting and shaping

Age the cheeses. For the next 2 weeks, flip the cheeses every day and change the parchment paper regularly if it becomes wet. Note: Your cheeses should always be aged in your refrigerator, inside the container. Not at room temperature. At first, the cheeses will be very soft, but as they age, they will become firmer. If you see some mold appearing, just scrape it off and re-salt the area.

Aging

After two weeks, your cheeses should be firm enough to handle. If they are not, I recommend letting them age for another week. Once they are firm enough, it’s time to smoke them.

Set up. Place one tablespoon of hickory wood chips in the bottom of the stovetop smoker. Place the drip and cooking trays on top of the wood chips. You can now place two cheeses on the cooking rack.

Smoke. Heat the smoker over low-medium heat on a stovetop burner. Once the smoke starts to appear, close the smoker’s lid completely and smoke the cheese for about 12 minutes. Some smoke will escape from the smoker. That’s normal.

Flip. Halfway through smoking, carefully flip the cheeses. This will not affect flavor, but it will allow your cheeses to get an even brown color.

Allow to cool. After 12 minutes, the cheeses should be golden brown. Remove the smoker from heat and let cool for at least 30 minutes. Note: The cheeses will be very soft because of the heat, so remove them very carefully from the rack.

Age them again. Transfer the cheeses to a bamboo mat or clean grid and place them in the refrigerator. Let them age for one more week, flipping every 2-3 days. If you are patient enough, I recommend allowing the cheeses to age for another 2-3 weeks after the smoking process, wrapped in cheese paper (the flavors will merge, and the cheeses will become even firmer).

After the smoking process, this cheese can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four weeks. If you see any sign of mold, simply scrape it off.

Smoking

Thomas, I love your determination about and dedication to making vegan cheeses!  I would say that cheese is the food I've missed the most since going 100% plant-based with my eating.

The cheese-making processes (for this and all the other cheeses you do) are fascinating and definitely more specialized than, say, making a dinner dish.  You've certainly put a ton of work into developing them!   

Alas, I don't know that I'll get around to making them, given the special ingredients, tools and the 'active waiting' times.   But I'm giving it a 5-star rating because I can see the recipe and process are solid.

However, maybe you should consider making them for sale?  They sure beat what goes for 'vegan cheese' in the markets!  And I suspect I'm not the only plants-based eater who craves a good, aged cheese.

Hi Thomas, Thanks for sharing all these amazing vegan cheese recipes!
Do you believe I could replace the springform pans from step 6 with a cheesecloth lined in a bowl?

I just had my first bite of this cheese and it was worth the wait! Tastes just like Miyoko's Aged Smoked English Farmhouse. Actually... it's a little better!
I bought a smoker just for this (same as the one you have, btw).
I'm also almost done with a batch of camembert and blue cheese.
In a couple of weeks, I'll have some friends over and we'll enjoy all these 3 cheeses along with your cheese fondue.
Can't thank you enough!

I'm making your camembert, blue cheese, and hickory smoked cheese all at the same time! You made me buy a smoker, my friend... haha
I have made camembert and blue cheese in the past, but I had trouble with growing the mold. Your instructions were really clear, so I'm having a lot more success this time.
I got a fridge thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature around the cheeses and the mold is growing beautifully!
I'll tag you on IG when they're ready to show you the pictures.

have you ever tried liquid smoke instead? Thank you

My absolute favorite cheese to make. It is delicious.  Finally I dont miss cheese from dairy anymore, all because of this recipe. All my non-vegan friends and family adore it as well. Thank you so much for sharing Thomas.

Top 7 vegan cheese recipe recipes from across the web

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Vegan Ricotta Cheese

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Top 7 vegan cheese recipe recipes from across the web

The most viewed vegan cheese recipe recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Vegan Ricotta Cheese

Vegan Cheese with Garlic and Herbs

How to Make Vegan Cheese - Vegan Pr...

Pistachio Nut Cheese

Vegan Ricotta Cheese Recipe

Sunflower Seed Cream Cheese Recipe

Hickory Smoked Vegan Cheese

The most viewed vegan cheese recipe recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine