Homemade Vegan Cheddar Cheese

Learn how to make your very own vegan cheese that's firm from scratch. My rendition is more on the solid side, tastes and even grates just like the real thing. Add a few slices to your favourite crackers or grate it instead.

This vegan nut cheese is so foolproof and ever vegans and dairy free person dream come true made in the comfort of your very own homemade with a small amount of ingredients.

For those of you who are vegan, dairy free or simply lactose intolerant the one thing you will miss is cheese. Even if you don't miss it immediately at some point it will dawn on you.  You may start by research online or browsing your local supermarket for some cheese, anything that taste like cheese.

A few years ago I challenged myself to make some "dairy free cheese" you know something that could yield similar results and after some....well actually, scratch that! Months of trial and error I finally made cheese.

I've since updated the recipe offering step by step pictures, more in depth instructions and adjusted the ingredients which results in something much more foolproof

Keep in mind that vegan cheese will never be able to fully replicate conventional cheese simply because it needs additional ingredients to make it look/behave like cheese. 

Therefore I'm going to use the term "cheese" very loosely because it's not 100% the same but close enough to the real thing thanks to the cheesy flavour  which derives from the nutritional yeast (dried deactivated yeast)  and I will explain why as you read on.

Ingredients you will need

What this cheese can and can't do

Before you get carried away with making the recipe, let's etablish a few things;

• This cheese won't replace cheese as you know it, it NOT a direct replica. More like it will give you that cheese vibe and help to satisfy your cravings.
• It grates and slices but DOESN'T MELT - yup! sorry about that!
• It's soft and more delicate then conventional cheese, handle with care. It doesn't have a slightly gelatinous feel to it thanks to the use of the agar agar (will explain further on) but aside from that, it's good to go!

What is agar agar?

Agar agar is the vegan's answer to gelatine, made from dried seaweed, it comes in the form of powder or flakes.

The great thing about agar agar is it's versatility, you can use it to mould jelly, custard, as a thickener in soup, just about any recipe that requires emulsifying.

Ways to use this vegan cheese

• On crackers
• Add to your favourite vegan burger
• Cheese board
• Chop/slice some up and add to your salad

The steps

• Spray or lightly grease a cheese mould and set aside
• Combine the water and the almond milk in a medium sized saucepan and bring to the boil
• Once boiled, add the rest of the ingredients and proceed to stir
• Reduce the heat to medium/low and continue to stir for 5 minutes until everything is combine and slightly thickened
• Pour the liquid into a mould and allow to completely cool (this can take 1-2 hours) uncovered
• During the given time the cheese will begin to set.
• Once cool, wrap the top with foil/saran/cling film and transfer to the refrigerator and leave to completely set (this will take a few hours but I like to leave it overnight)

 Can you freeze this cheese?

Yes, for longevity, keep your cheese in the freezer (in an airtight container) and store for up to 3 months.

Do you need to use agar agar? is there another vegan alternative?

Yes, you do need some type of gelatin (agar agar is sea weed based) for the cheese to become firm. As far as an alternative, I don't know of any as xanthan gum won't work either.

What can you use instead of the lemon juice?

Apple cider vinegar or lime works just fine.

Can you use an alternative to almond milk?

As the recipe has been adapted in liquid form I can only recommend using another plant based milk i.e cashew, coconut or dairy free yoghurt will work too

Notes and tips

• Don't skip any of these ingredients as this is what makes the recipe work.
• DON'T use agar agar FLAKES, it isn't as strong as the powder and is likely NOT to set your cheese.
• If you don't have a cheese mould use a small clear pyrex dish or ramekin roughly 5 inches x 2 inches (12 cm x 5 cm)
• If you are using a pyrex you may need to run the knife around the perimeter to ease the cheese out.
• The texture of your cheese may have a slightly jello type of feel to it, this is normal, remember this is alternative cheese.
• Your cheese will be softer then conventional cheese but firm enough to pick it up and use against a box grater.
• PLEASE PLEASE keep in mind this cheese DOESN'T NOT MELT. Make sure you are aware of this as I do not want to mislead you. It's up to you to read the recipe post and notes/tips first and then decide if this recipe is for you!
• To extend the life of the cheese, store in the freezer for up to 3 months
• Keep the cheese chilled at all times and use within 5 days.
• Allow to thaw out (doesn't make very long) and use accordingly.

 Other recipes with vegan cheese

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Homemade Vegan Cheddar Cheese

Learn to make your very own vegan cheddar cheese that's firm and slicable from scratch

4 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Extras

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 113kcal

Author: Charla

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 ½ cups almond milk
• ▢ ½ cup of water
• ▢ 3 tbsp of nutritional yeast
• ▢ 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ▢ 2 tbsp of agar agar powder (or carrageenan kappa)
• ▢ ½ tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 1 tsp himalyan pink salt
• ▢ a dash of turmeric optional

Instructions

• Spray or lightly grease a cheese mould and set aside
• Combine the water and the almond milk in a medium sized saucepan and bring to the boil
• Once boiled, add the rest of the ingredients and proceed to stir
• Reduce the heat to medium/low and continue to stir for 5 minutes until everything is combine and slightly thickened
• Pour the liquid into a mould and allow to completely cool (this can take 1-2 hours) uncovered
• During the given time the cheese will begin to set.
• Once cool, wrap the top with foil/saran/cling film and transfer to the refrigerator and leave to completely set (this will take a few hours but I like to leave it overnight)

Notes

• Don't skip any of these ingredients as this is what makes the recipe work.
• DON'T use agar agar FLAKES, it isn't as strong as the powder and is likely NOT to set your cheese.
• If you don't have a cheese mould use a small clear pyrex dish or ramekin roughly 5 inches x 2 inches (12 cm x 5 cm)
• If you are using a pyrex you may need to run the knife around the perimeter to ease the cheese out.
• The texture of your cheese may have a slightly jello type of feel to it, this is normal, remember this is alternative cheese.
• Your cheese will be softer then conventional cheese but firm enough to pick it up and use against a box grater.
• PLEASE PLEASE keep in mind this cheese DOESN'T NOT MELT. Make sure you are aware of this as I do not want to mislead you. It's up to you to read the recipe post and notes/tips first and then decide if this recipe is for you!
• To extend the life of the cheese, store in the freezer for up to 3 months
• Keep the cheese chilled at all times and use within 5 days.
• Allow to thaw out (doesn't make very long) and use accordingly.

Nutrition

Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 294mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 13IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg

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