Vegan Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Just 9 easy ingredients and 15 minutes to make. So easy and totally delicious. Perfect for snacking, serving on a vegan cheese board, or adding to sandwiches.
My Notes:
Servings:
Ingredients
- 1 cup(s) raw cashews softened (see step 1)
- 1/4 cup(s) refined coconut oil
- 3 tablespoon(s) nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoon(s) lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoon(s) apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon(s) white miso paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) paprika (use smoked paprika for a smoky cheese)
- 1/2 teaspoon(s) garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon(s) turmeric
Instructions
- Softening the cashews makes them tender enough to blend smoothly. To soften them you can either boil or soak the cashews.ย To boil the cashews:ย add the cashews to a small pot, cover with water, and boil for about 10 minutes until the cashews are very tender. Drain and rinse before using.ย To soak the cashews:ย add the cashews to a bowl, and cover with water. Let soak for 4 hours or longer until tender. Drain and rinse before using.ย
- Add the softened cashews, along with all the remaining ingredients to a small food processor*. Blend, stopping and scraping the sides as needed, until the cheese is as smooth as possible.
- Scoop the cheese mixture into a dish lined with plastic wrap, or into a small silicon baking dish, and smooth out the cheese. Cover and then chill in the fridge until completely firm, about 3 hours or overnight. Enjoy the cheese as you please! The cheese will be come softer the more it warms up, so for extra-firm cheese you could freeze it.
Notes
*If you have a large food processor, it can be difficult to smoothly blend a small amount of cheese. I often double the recipe so it's easier to blend smoothly in my food processor, and then I will freeze half and save it for later.
This cheese is perfect for snacking or vegan cheese boards. While this cheese does melt a bit, it's not ideal for nachos or similar uses. For a very melty and stretchy cheddar style cheese, I would recommend instead making my melty stretchy gooey vegan nacho cheese.
The coconut oil is mandatory for this recipe as it has the unique ability to be liquid when warm, but solid when chilled. This helps give the cheese it's amazing texture. Use refined coconut oil which is flavourless so your cheese won't have a coconut taste.
Soy-Free: To keep this recipe soy-free, swap out the miso for chickpea miso!ย
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (recipe makes 6 servings) | Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 109mg | Potassium: 234mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 245IU | Vitamin C: 1.9mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1.9mg
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