This amazing vegan feta cheese has a wonderful firm texture and authentic tangy flavor that will leave you craving more!
This dairy-free feta cheese is rich, creamy, and perfect for crumbling over salads, veggie gyros, in spanakopita, and SO much more!
Vegan feta cheese
This vegan feta is a dream come true! Chunk this up and crumble it over a chopped salad with Greek olives, pepperoncini peppers, a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice, and a sprinkle of salt.... and swoon!
Plus it's easy to make, healthy, nut free, and gluten free!!
So let's get started!
Important ingredients to make vegan feta:
Agar powder - agar powder lends an extra firmness to this vegan feta. It's a vegan substitute for gelatin. However, don't confuse with agar flakes which are much less potent. One tablespoon of agar flakes = 1 tsp agar powder. You can get some here.
Refined coconut oil - it is important that you use 'refined' coconut oil to avoid the coconut flavor. This oil solidifies at cooler temperatures, helping give the cheese a firm, yet rich and creamy texture. Get it here.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - there's just a bit of this in the recipe, and if you don't have it you can sub with regular olive oil, but I have to tell you that the richer flavor of the 'extra' virgin olive oil, really improves the ultimate flavor of the cheese! I like this one, it's a really good price for the flavor.
How to make vegan feta cheese
Step 1: Drain water-packed tofu and add to blender with onion and garlic powder, lemon juice and vinegar, olive oil, melted refined coconut oil, agar powder, and water (see photo #1 below). Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender if needed.
Step 2: Add dried basil and oregano, and pulse the blender once or twice (Photo #2).
Step 3: Pour the cheese mixture into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it begins to bubble/simmer (Photo #3). Continue to cook while stirring for another minute or two, then remove from heat and pour into your selected mold/heat-safe dish (Photo #4).
Step 4: Let the cheese cool at room temp until steaming stops, then place dish into the refrigerator until chilled and firm, at least 2-3 hours. Use a butter knife to loosen hold on the edges of the dish. Using the butter knife as a wedge, flip the cheese out and cut, break, or crumble it as desired!
Store cheese in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
What mold should I use to make cheese?
Almost any heat safe dish that holds about three cups will work fine. I have several small glass and ceramic baking dishes that are my go-to options.
My favorite size for this cheese is 6 x 8 or 6 x 10 inches or so, allowing the cheese to cool in a thinner ½ inch slab. These simple pyrex dishes work well!
Use this feta cheese in these recipes:
- Easy vegan pasta salad
- Add even more flavor to this vegan egg salad
Other favorite vegan cheese Recipes:
If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it and let me know how it went in the comments below – I LOVE hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food!!!
Did you make this recipe? Please click on the stars to give it a rating below!
Best Vegan Feta Cheese
Ingredients
Blend until smooth:
- 14 oz firm water packed tofu, drained
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup refined coconut oil, melted
- 2 Tbsp agar powder
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp white vinegar
Add and pulse blender to mix:
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
Special equipment
Instructions
- Drain water-packed tofu and add to blender with onion and garlic powder, salt, lemon juice and vinegar, olive oil, melted refined coconut oil, agar powder, and water. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender if needed.
- Add dried basil and oregano, and pulse the blender once or twice.
- Pour cheese mixture into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it begins to bubble/simmer. Continue to cook while stirring for another minute or two, then remove from heat and pour into your selected mold/heat-safe dish.
- Let cheese cool at room temp until steaming stops, then place dish into the refrigerator until chilled and firm, at least 2-3 hours. Use a butter knife to loosen hold on the edges of the dish. Using the butter knife as a wedge, flip the cheese out and cut, break, or crumble it as desired!
- Store cheese in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Can you freze it? I just can’t see that we’ll be able to eat all of this! Lol
Hi Michelle! I have not frozen it. I think if you freeze the feta cheese it might have a different texture once it thaws - maybe a little more watery or crumbly? But I bet it would still be fine to sprinkle on salads, sandwiches, or to bake it for baked feta pasta! Or you can make the pasta with the leftover feta instead of freezing it 🙂
Can you substitute a different vinegar because white vinegar is made from corn which is not safe for me to eat?
Of course! ACV or white wine vinegar would be great.
Hi! I really want to try this fetta but I wanted to know if it melts when heated?
Hi Montana, No, it shouldn't melt because it's made from tofu, but it will soften and crumble a little!
Hi. When you say water packed tofu, is this the silken one or the firm, crumbly one? Thank you
Hi, it's the firm one! But I don't know if I would call it crumbly...? just firm tofu 🙂
I'm trying to stay on a wholefood oil free diet. Is it possible to leave out the coconut and olive oils and still be okay?
Hi Elaine, I haven't tried, but I really don't think so, the two oils are a pretty significant proportion of the recipe that leaving them out or subbing them for some kind of oil-free liquid (broth? plant based milk?) would really change how the cheese turns out. If I get a chance to try it without oil I'll post here again! And if you give it a try please let me know how it turns out and what substitutions you made because I am sure others want to know! But please don't hold it against me if it doesn't work lol
Hands down the best vegan cheese I've ever had. And I can't believe I made it. Thanks for a great recipe!! I'm thinking about trying your mozzarella. Hope you are have a great day.
So glad you enjoyed making it! Making vegan cheese is super satisfying!
Is there an alternative to coconut oil? I am allergic, but would really love to try this!
You could try it with a neutral oil and just a bit more agar powder. Coconut oil does firm up at cooler temps, so that makes it great for this recipe, but I think a little extra agar powder would probably make up for that!
I believe so but you have to make sure to add more flakes 1 tablespoon agar flakes = 1 tsp agar powder
Does it work the same to sub the agar flakes (with the amount noted)? I couldn't find agar powder.