Vegan Cheddar Cheese recipe is the best healthy, dairy-free substitute, offering a tangy, creamy flavor that melts beautifully on sandwiches, chickpea pizza, toast, or warm tortillas.
Made with cashews, this oil-free homemade cheese slices perfectly, making it an ideal addition to crackers, pasta, flatbread, or a snack board with grapes and olives.
Looking for more plant-based cheese options? Don't miss my vegan mozzarella cheese or vegan tofu ricotta.
Homemade cheddar cheese is so delicious that I’m completely addicted - it disappears quickly as I find myself eating it with everything from soups and salads to lentil wraps and my chickpea scrambled eggs. I even spread it on my multiseed crackers!
If you live in a place where good quality plant-based cheeses are hard to find or expensive, making your own is a great option. In my country, the options are limited, so I decided to experiment and create this dairy-free cheddar cheese.
I'm really happy with how this vegan cheddar turned out. It's salty, savory, cheesy, and super easy to make. Just blend, simmer, and chill to set. It's so good, even my cat loves it!
If you love more vegan cheese recipes, try my Parmesan cheese, vegan burrata, nooch cheese sauce, and lactose-free cream cheese.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Healthy and nutritious: Made with wholesome ingredients like cashews, nutritional yeast, and agar, this cheese is a healthier alternative to traditional dairy-based cheeses.
- Versatile: Can be sliced for sandwiches, melted on toast, or enjoyed on a clean-eating charcuterie board.
- Diet-friendly: This recipe is 100% plant-based, naturally vegan, non-dairy, oil-free, gluten-free, and soy-free.
Ingredients
- Raw cashews: The base of the cheese, provides a creamy texture. Roasted salted cashews won't work in this recipe.
- Nutritional yeast: Adds a cheesy, savory flavor.
- Agar agar powder: A plant-based gelling agent that helps the cheese set. Be sure to use powdered agar agar, not flakes.
- Lemon juice: Provides tanginess and helps to balance the flavors.
- Onion powder and garlic powder: Add savory depth and complexity to the cheese.
- Smoked paprika: Gives the cheese a subtle smoky flavor and a touch of color.
- Turmeric powder: Adds a subtle earthy taste.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavor.
- Water: Used to blend all the ingredients, creating a smooth and creamy mixture.
As always, you can find the full recipe with a list of ingredients and measurements in a printable recipe card at the end of this post.
How To Make Vegan Cheddar Cheese
Soak cashews: Soak the raw cashews in hot water for at least 30 minutes to soften them.
Blend: Drain the cashews and blend them with the nutritional yeast, agar powder, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, turmeric powder, salt, and water until smooth and creamy.
Simmer: Pour the blended mixture into a saucepan and simmer on medium-low heat for 6-7 minutes, stirring frequently.
Chill: Transfer the mixture to a round dish that has been lightly sprayed with oil (I used 2 small dishes to make 2 cheeses, but you can use 1 bigger dish). Cover with cling film or aluminum foil and refrigerate to set for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Serve: To remove the cheese, carefully turn the dish upside down or gently nudge it with a knife. Serve with crackers or your favorite fresh fruits and veggies.
Test
Nut-Free Option: For those who prefer to avoid nuts, you can substitute sunflower seeds for the cashews. I tried this and found that the cheese still came out perfectly, with a slightly nuttier and more pronounced flavor.
Variations
- Herb-Infused Cheddar: Mix in dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, or oregano for a herby twist.
- Spicy Cheddar: For a bolder flavor, add a pinch of cayenne pepper, chili powder, or black pepper to the blend.
- Miso Cheddar: Incorporate white or yellow miso for an umami boost and deeper flavor profile.
Storage
Store the vegan cheddar cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-6 days or freeze it for up to 2 months.
Top Tips
- Blend the ingredients until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy to avoid a gritty texture.
- Ensure you're using agar agar powder instead of flakes. Also, check the expiration date to ensure it's fresh and effective.
- If you're using agar agar flakes instead of powder, you'll need 3-4 times more, as flakes are not as potent as the powder.
- Measure ingredients accurately. This is crucial for achieving the desired texture and consistency. Even small changes can make a difference.
- Stir the cheese mixture frequently while simmering to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking. Don't walk away from the stove during this process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
There isn't a direct one-to-one replacement for agar agar powder. However, you can try using agar agar flakes as an alternative.
Keep in mind that agar agar flakes are less potent than the powdered form. To achieve a similar setting effect, you'll likely need to use 3-4 times more flakes than the amount of powder specified in the recipe.
Yes, you can grate vegan cheddar cheese just like regular cheese. To ensure it grates smoothly, make sure it's well chilled and set before grating. I recommend freezing it for about 10 minutes to firm it up.
Vegan cheddar cheese melts and softens when heated, but it doesn't spread as much as regular cheese.
Yes, you can easily spread vegan cheddar cheese. It softens enough to be spreadable, making it great for sandwiches, toast, crackers, and more.
More Vegan Cheese Recipes
Serving Suggestions
📖 Recipe
Vegan Cheddar Cheese Recipe (Oil-Free)
Equipment
- 1 High-speed blender or food processor
- 1 Saucepan
- 1-2 round ceramic or glass dishes lightly sprayed with oil
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked, drained
- 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons agar agar powder not flakes
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 + ½ cup water
Instructions
- Soak the raw cashews in hot water forat least 30 minutes to soften them.
- Drain the cashews and blend them with the nutritional yeast, agar powder, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and water until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the blended mixture into a saucepan and simmer on medium-low heat for 6-7 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Transfer the mixture to a round dish that has been lightly sprayed with oil (I used 2 small dishes to make 2 cheeses, but you can use 1 bigger dish). Cover with cling film or aluminum foil and refrigerate to set for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- To remove the cheese, carefully turn the dish upside down or gently nudge it with a knife. Serve with crackers or your favorite fresh fruits and veggies.
Notes
- Store the vegan cheddar cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-6 days or freeze it for up to 2 months.
- Nut-Free Option: For those who prefer to avoid nuts, you can substitute sunflower seeds for the cashews. I tried this and found that the cheese still came out perfectly, with a slightly nuttier and more pronounced flavor.
- Blend the ingredients until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy to avoid a gritty texture.
- Ensure you're using agar agar powder instead of flakes. Also, check the expiration date to ensure it's fresh and effective.
- If you're using agar agar flakes instead of powder, you'll need 3-4 times more, as flakes are not as potent as the powder.
- Measure ingredients accurately. This is crucial for achieving the desired texture and consistency. Even small changes can make a difference.
- Stir the cheese mixture frequently while simmering to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking. Don't walk away from the stove during this process.
Nutrition
If you try this cashew-based vegan cheddar, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @go_eatgreen on Instagram.
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Rene says
I was wanting a vegan cheese that didn't have all the saturated fat of the store-bought varieties, and stumbled across this recipe. I made the recipe exactly as written, and it's definitely more of a smoked cheddar with all the smoked paprika, so next time, I'll try leaving that out. Mine set well, not firm enough to grate it, but enough to slice or add to a dish to melt. I wish the cooking portion of the instructions were a little more detailed as to what I was trying to achieve with the cooking. An arbitrary time of 6-7 minutes at a simmer is not super helpful, as cooktops vary, and I never achieved a true simmer, just below a boil, as it thickened quickly. A picture of the thickness I was supposed to achieve would be helpful. All in all, I feel like I successfully made "cheese" in a healthy way that allows me to incorporate it into or onto dishes that just need cheese to taste right. A simple recipe, quickly made, and no bad ingredients! Thank you for a great recipe, and I look forward to making it again.
Marinela Malcheva says
Thanks for the wonderful review, Rene! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Adjusting the smoked paprika sounds like a great idea—hope the next batch turns out perfect!