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Smoky, sharp, and sliceable - this Vegan Cheddar Cheese is a great choice for entertaining or everyday snacking.
Now that the holidays are getting closer, I'm thinking of all things festive - comforting food, cozy drinks, sweet treats, and everything CHEESY! This Smoky Vegan Cheddar Cheese fits the bill and will be on our table all season long.
It's delicious on its own, in a sandwich, or on a snack board with crackers, olives, fruit, and Vegan Pepperoni. It's perfect for midnight snacking or impressing house guests!
The base of this recipe is very similar to my Vegan Mozzarella Cheese. It's made with cashews, non-dairy yogurt, and soy milk. This trio gives this vegan cheese an ultra-creamy texture and a subtle tangy flavor.
To make the cheese firm and sliceable, I used Agar Agar Powder. It gels up slightly and creates the perfect texture. You can make this recipe without the agar agar powder (and added water) and it will still be delicious, but it will be more of a soft spread.
For the sharp cheesy flavor, I used nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar. Then I amped up the flavor with smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, jarred pimientos, garlic, and onion. It's mouth-watering good!
If you are interested in more cheese recipes. I highly recommend Miyoko’s Artisan Vegan Cheese cookbook. You’ll find an array of vegan cheese recipes from soft, creamy to sliceable, and totally tasty.
How to Make Vegan Cheddar Cheese
(full ingredient amounts in recipe card below)
To get started, lightly grease a round 2-Cup Glass Container or something similar and set it aside. You’ll need to soften the cashews first. To do this, boil water in a small pot and remove from heat. Add cashews and cover for 15-20 minutes until they’re softened.
Drain cashews and discard soaking water. Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until smooth and set aside.
Now add the water to a medium pot over medium heat. Whisk in the agar agar powder until dissolved. The agar will thicken and start to appear gel-like after 2-3 minutes.
Tips:
- To prep ahead, pre-soften your cashews by placing them in cool water for 4-6 hours (or overnight in the fridge).
- If you don't have a high-speed blender, the cashews might not completely break down and this could result in a gritty texture. You can try soaking the cashews longer for 12 hours or more.
- Make sure to use refined coconut oil to avoid a subtle coconut taste.
When the agar agar gels up, pour in the blended cheese mixture. Stir together well using a silicone spatula or spoon. Cook until the vegan cheese slightly thickens up, about 2-3 minutes. Stir often so it doesn’t stick or burn. Remove from heat.
Pour evenly into your prepared container. Let it cool at room temperature for 25-30 minutes before placing it in the fridge. Cover and Chill for 4-6 hours. (*I put a paper towel between the cover and the cheese to help absorb condensation).
To remove vegan cheddar cheese, turn the container upside down onto a small plate. Give it a few taps. The cheese will slowly slide out on the plate. If it doesn't come out, you can gently use a butter knife to release the edges.
So easy, right? Enjoy!
Want more cheesy goodness?
I’d love to hear from you
If you make this Vegan Cheddar Cheese, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.
Smoky Vegan Cheddar Cheese
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw cashews , soaked in hot water for 15-20 minutes
- ½ cup non-dairy yogurt , unsweetened
- ⅓ cup soy milk , unsweetened
- 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice , fresh-squeezed (I used 4)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil , refined
- 2 tablespoons jarred pimientos
- 1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar , more to taste
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 ½ tablespoons tapioca flour/starch
- 1 teaspoon sea salt , more to taste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon granulated onion
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (*optional)
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 ½ teaspoons agar agar powder
Instructions
- Lightly grease a round 2-Cup Glass Container or something similar. Set aside.
- To soften cashews, boil water in a small pot and remove from heat. Add cashews and cover for 15-20 minutes, until softened (*see note).
- Drain cashews and discard soaking water. Add all ingredients to a High-Speed Blender (*except the water and agar agar powder). Blend on high until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside.
- Add the water to a medium pot over medium heat. Whisk in the Agar Agar Powder until dissolved. The agar will thicken and start to appear gel-like after 2-3 minutes. When it gels, pour in the blended cheese mixture. Stir together well using a Silicone Spatula. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed.
- Cook until the cheese slightly thickens up, about 2-3 minutes. Stir often so it doesn’t stick or burn. Remove from heat.
- Pour evenly into your prepared container. Let it cool at room temperature for 25-30 minutes before placing it in the fridge. Cover and Chill for 4-6 hours. *I put a paper towel between the cover and the cheese to help absorb condensation.
- To remove cheese, turn the container upside down onto a small plate. Give it a few taps. The cheese will slowly slide out on the plate. If it doesn't come out, you can gently use a butter knife to release the edges.
Notes
- If you don't have a high-speed blender, the cashews might not completely break down and this could result in a gritty texture. You can try soaking the cashews longer for 12 hours or more.
Eva
I live in France and I´m not sure I´ll find jarred pimientos. Can this be substituted?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Eva, you can use jarred roasted red peppers. It'll be delish! 🙂
Kandi
Hi Melissa,
In place of the agar agar, can you use chia seeds, since you are blending the mix?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Kandi, it's a good question, but I never tried it. I don't think it would provide the same texture and it may change the appearance. It may be worth experimenting though. However, you can make this without the agar agar... it will just yield a softer cheese. So good though!
LISA HILL
How long does this last? I'd like to make it ahead for Thanksgiving.
Rosa
I love this recipe, I tried it and it's delicious
Melissa Huggins
Hi Rosa, I'm so glad you liked it! Thank you for giving it a try 🙂
Cindy
Can I sub more milk for the yogurt or could I leave it out.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Cindy, I haven't tried it without the yogurt. The only thing I can think of trying is to replace the yogurt with soy milk. In a small bowl, combine it together with the other soy milk in the recipe, and use 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice that's already in the recipe. Combine it all together and let it sit for about 15-20 minutes to thicken and curdle. Then follow the recipe as normal. This will only work with soy milk. I hope this helps. Thank you for stopping by.
Ally
Hi! I just moved to a country where non-dairy yogurt is not available, but I still want to make "cheese."
Do you have any recs for substitutes?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Ally, vegan sour cream would work, but you might not have that there either. What you can do is make vegan buttermilk. Instead of the yogurt and 1/3 cup of soy milk in the recipe, use 3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk and mix it with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Let it curdle and thicken for about 15 minutes. Soy milk works the best and will thicken the most. Don't add all the lemon juice in the recipe or it may be too tangy. Add some and taste before adding more. I hope this helps. Have a nice weekend!
Jane Clay
Can I sub for the coconut in the recipe?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Jane, do you mean sub with another oil? The coconut oil helps firm up the cheese. It may work with another oil, but I haven't tried it. However, I have made it without oil and It's still delicious, but not as firm. Hope this helps. Thank you for stopping by. 🙂
Jane Clay
Thank you. I can’t eat coconut as I have heart problems.
Melissa Huggins
You're most welcome. I think you'll like it without the oil 🙂
PontianMom
This recipe is incredible! Very flavorful and creamy. It also makes a great gift for other vegan friends! Thank you for introducing us to Agar Agar.
Melissa Huggins
Yay! This is great to hear! Thank you for making it! Have a great weekend 🙂
Stacey E.
I made this today, and failed to see the instruction about leaving out the water. I didn't know if I'd like it, so I tried to make the cheese spread version. I ended up using the sauce I got as a result in a macaroni recipe out of the Grit restaurant cook book. I have to say, this is the closest I've ever found to being cheese flavored of all the recipes I've found online. I already have agar powder, but was afraid this would be another disappointing recipe, so I decided to save it for later. So the next time I'll try making this as a solid cheese. I used cashew milk to avoid opening a new bottle of soy, and the yogurt I used was Silk almond milk yogurt alternative. I also soaked the cashews overnight, because I didn't feel like making it when I started soaking them. Anyway, I use a can of unsalted cashews from Walmart. I never use "raw" ones. It works just fine. Everyone stresses to use raw ones, yet the ones you get in the store are perfectly useable for these recipes. I also didn't use pimentos just because I don't like them.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Stacey, I'm so glad the cheese worked out for you! Thank you for making it and sharing your tips and modifications. I think you'll like the solid version too 🙂
Bettina
What non-dairy yogurt did you use?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Bettina, I use So Delicious unsweetened coconut yogurt.
Erin
Is the a substitute for the yeast?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Erin, it gives that cheesy flavor, so it's hard to replicate. You can try a bit of miso paste to get that umami flavor. Just reduce the amount of salt it the recipe though. I'd love to hear how it turns out for you.
Harry
How can I use this for nacho sauce? Before I added the water and agar everything was great- just needed it a bit thinker to use for nacho sauce.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Harry, I actually have a recipe coming for this soon. Just skip the water and agar step completely. You will still need to heat the cheese mixture on the stove to thicken up. Then serve. Enjoy!
Christy
What if your allergic to soy? Can you use a substitute for the soy milk?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Christy, I use soy because it's a bit creamier, but any unsweetened non-dairy milk will work. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
John
This looks amazing and far better than any store bought vegan cheese. I can't wait to try it.Melissa, do you have a recipe for provolone also? Thanks
Melissa Huggins
Hi John, Thank you so much! I don't have a vegan provolone yet, but I will definitely work on one. I'll keep you updated. Have a great weekend! 🙂