Ok, this is serious. This is my vegan sharp cheddar cheese recipe and there's a problem- I can't stop snacking on it!! Vegan sharp cheddar cheese on crackers, layered on sandwiches, smeared onto crusty bread, crumbled onto salad, grated onto soup, shoved directly into mouth. This cheese is a creamy, tangy, cheddary problem that I'm very, very happy to have.
But there's more! (Do I sound like an infomercial yet)? It only takes 9 easy-to-find ingredients to make this vegan cheddar cheese. Just blend them up in a food processor, and then chill in the fridge to set. Done! Easy peasy vegan cheesy. (Yeah, even I rolled my eyes at that one).
My vegan sharp cheddar cheese is a slightly different texture than traditional cheese. It isn't as rubbery and instead, it has a crumbly yet spreadable texture all at the same time. You can freeze the cheese for an extra-firm texture, perfect for slicing or grating, or serve it cold from the fridge for the perfect snacking texture. The coconut oil is what makes this cheese firm, so the longer it sits at room temperature, the softer it will get.
To make Vegan Sharp Cheddar Cheese: start by softening the cashews to make them tender enough to blend smoothly. To soften them you can either boil or soak the cashews.
- To boil the cashews:Â 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.
- To soak the cashews:Â add the cashews to a bowl, and cover with water. Let soak for 4 hours or longer until tender. Drain and rinse before using.
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. The smoother, the better so don't be afraid to blend for a long time.
* If you have a large food processor, it can be difficult to smoothly blend a small amount of cheese, so I often double the recipe so it's easier to blend in my large food processor. Then I will freeze half and save it for later. The recipe is doubled in the pictures.
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 become softer the more it warms up, so for extra-firm cheese, you could freeze it.
This cheese is perfect for snacking or as an addition to a gorgeous vegan cheese board.
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.
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
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Vegan Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Servings:
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Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews,, softened (see step 1)
- ¼ cup refined coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 ½ teaspoons sweet paprika,, (use smoked paprika for a smoky cheese)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
Instructions
- Softening the cashews makes them tender enough to blend smoothly. To soften them you can either boil or soak the cashews. To boil the cashews: 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. To soak the cashews: add the cashews to a bowl, and cover with water. Let soak for 4 hours or longer until tender. Drain and rinse before using.Â
- 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
Nutrition
Cathy says
thank you for sharing your recipe. I just made it and it's so delicious I didn't even wait for it all to set up and get firm.
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
We're so glad you like it!
Karen says
Thank you for the recipe. Is there a substitute for the miso paste or can I just omit?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Karen, miso is what give the cheese the tangy umami taste so it is pretty important to get the correct flavor. There isn't really a good substitute, but if you are soy free you could try chickpea miso. You can omit the miso if preferred but just note that it won't have as much depth of flavor. I hope that helps!
Christine says
My favourite cashew-based cheese hands down!
Donna K says
First time making the recipe and it was quite delicious!
Courtney Moses says
I’ve made this cheese several times to bring to events with non vegans and it gets devoured every time. The taste is spot on for a sharp cheddar. It’s seriously addictive!
Linda says
Looks delicious. I really want to make this but I do not have a food processor. Will the recipe work in a Vitamix?
Sue says
Absolutely delicious and does taste sharp. I am allergic to cashews, is there anything I could substitute for them? I really want a sharp cheddar and the other "no nut" recipes don't come close to yours before I realized cashews made me break out with cold sores
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
You can sub them for blanched almonds, macadamia nuts, or try a recipe like the sunflower seed cheese instead.
Mrs Susan Tuffnell says
Have you ever tried to heat the mixture and add a tbs of agar powder to it or tapioca flour to make it firmer and sliceable?
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Check this recipe for inspiration!
Andrew says
Made this three times now. I now make 2bl or 3pl batches. I put some in a small jar in the fridge for spreading and freeze the rest in 1/4 cup moulds for slicing or cooking with. I just made Mac n cheese with some frozen. A bit of noodles, magerine and almond milk.
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
That sounds like a great plan!