Basic Vegan Mozzarella Recipe | How to make Cashew Mozzarella (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan mozzarella made from? ›

Vegan Mozzarella is typically made from a combination of plant-based milk, such as soy, almond, or cashew milk, and a coagulant, such as agar agar or carrageenan. Some vegan mozzarella brands may also include starches or proteins to improve texture and flavor.

Cashews are milled into creamy plant milk, which we then culture and craft into delicious mozzarella. From there, it's packaged or cold-smoked over hickory chips for a pleasant, smoky flavor. Our artisan process results in a soft, silky cheese with a creamy texture and springy bounce.

Nuts were a game-changer for vegan cheese because they provide a lot of fat: 100 grams of cashews have 44 grams of fat, versus 6.4 grams of fat in the same amount of soybeans. This allows for richer flavor and texture that gets closer to imitating animal milk dairy.

Vegan cheese is usually made from soy, nuts, vegetable oils, and various other natural ingredients like peas or arrowroot. Vegan cheese is seen as a healthier alternative to cheese by some, and may reduce your risk of heart disease due to its lower content of fat.

Vegan cheeses are typically lower in fat, protein and calcium than regular cheese and are likely gluten-free. Because vegan cheese is a processed food, it tends to be higher in sodium, so check your labels.

What is vegan cheese made of? Raw cashews, refined coconut oil, olive brine, garlic, and salt. You can also optionally add in chopped fresh herbs, lemon zest, coarsely ground black pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes to jazz it up a little! Raw cashews are the base of the cheese which will make it smooth and creamy.

Cashew cheese is a plant-based alternative to traditional dairy cheese. It's made from cashew nuts instead of milk from goats, sheep, cows or buffalo. The cashews are blended and flavour components are added, along with nutritional yeast or active live cultures to give it a cheesy taste and texture.

As vegan blog Wag Free Food notes, coconut oil, coconut milk, and coconut cream are popular ingredients to make vegan cheese. The high-fat content of coconut makes it easier to create a creamy, decadent, cheese-like product.

Labeling of vegan cheese, like other vegan dairy analogues, is controversial, with dairy industry groups pushing to prohibit the use of terms like "cheese" on non-dairy products. Labeling purely plant-based products as "cheese" is prohibited in the European Union and the United Kingdom.

Raw unsalted cashews are what most recipes use. They produce the creamiest and smoothest texture when soaked. They also have an ideal neutral flavor that is perfect in recipes such as vegan ranch dip and cashew mayo.

Why won t my homemade mozzarella stretch? ›

When making mozzarella and you ended up with rice-like curds that won't knit together, this is often caused by improper temperatures during the milk heating process, heating the milk to quickly (from refrigerator temperature to 88°F should take at least 12 minutes), the use of ultra pasteurized milk, or your curds ...

If the curd does not stretch, check and adjust your water temperature and re-immerse the curd. If there continues to be stretching issues, it might be a milk problem. If curd begins to cool too much, or if it begins to tear, place it back in the hot water to reheat. Add more hot water if necessary.

Also, you can try to avoid over-baking or overheating the dish, as this can cause the cheese to become tough and rubbery. Another tip is to use shredded or grated mozzarella instead of large chunks, as it will melt more evenly and quickly.

Like regular cheese, vegan cheese can be part of a healthy diet when used in moderation — but it's best to avoid highly processed options. However, not all vegan cheeses are created equally. Some versions are highly processed and have less nutritional value than others.

This shredded, yellow-white cashew-milk-based vegan mozzarella had some vanilla and coconut notes, which, while not unpleasant, weren't exactly the flavors we thought we'd encounter. Raw, Parmela Creamery Plant-Based Mozzarella had a nice mouthfeel and a dairy cheese-like texture.

I really do love the taste of this homemade vegan mozzarella cheese! This vegan cheese won't fool anyone into thinking that it's secretly regular cheese, but the taste is similar, and this vegan cheese has a texture that's very similar to traditional cheese. You'll just have to try it for yourself to see what I mean!

You'll know these vegan mozzarella shreds are 100% free from dairy, lactose, soy, gluten, nuts, and preservatives, but your friends and family (and taste buds) certainly won't.