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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Cheese

    Real Vegan Mozzarella Cheese (Shreddable Block-Style)

    Published on May 29, 2018 by Kate, Updated on January 28, 2022 - 504 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    side overhead shot of vegan mozzarella with text overlay for pinterest

    This Vegan Mozzarella Cheese is creamy, plus it slices, shreds, and melts!

    It takes only a few minutes and a blender to make this dairy-free mozzarella - no actual cooking involved!  Everyone loves this amazing vegan cheese. You simply must try it!

    block of vegan mozzarella grated, and sliced.

    Melty-stretchy gooey mozzarella cheese is something that I think all of us vegans dream of.  Except now you don't have to just dream about it!  

    You can make it in your kitchen in about 5 minutes with just a handful of ingredients!

    This Vegan Mozzarella Cheese...

    • Is deliciously creamy
    • Slices
    • Shreds
    • Melts - this is an amazing vegan cheese for pizza
    • Is quick to make
    • Healthy, thanks to a couple of nutrient-loaded ingredients, such as cashews and nutritional yeast flakes

    I am excited for your try this stuff!

    Shred this mozzarella and use it in my vegan manicotti or vegan stuffed shells stuffing, add it to pizza, serve it as part of a vegan charcuterie board, or simply snack on it! It's also amazing shredded on top of vegan stuffed Portobello mushrooms before baking, so it gets nice and melty.

     sliced vegan mozzarella cheese on a cracker with tomato slices and a basil leaf.

    What does Vegan Mozzarella taste like?

    This Vegan Mozzarella is very mild and neutral flavored.  It is rich and creamy, and has bit of that satisfying cheesy 'chew'.  

    I think it tastes a lot like string cheese actually. 

    It makes the perfect vegan pizza cheese, and I truly believe it is the best vegan mozzarella recipe.

    Overhead view of sliced vegan pizza with vegan mozzarella cheese melted on it

     

    What is Vegan Mozzarella made of?

    1. Refined Coconut Oil  - Please don't miss the word refined.  It doesn't taste like coconut but it still turns solid at cooler temps and just has that wonderful richness.
    2. Tapioca Flour  This helps solidify the cheese, and also adds a 'stretchiness' to the texture.
    3. Kappa Carrageenan - This ingredient is what makes the cheese able to go from liquid to solid and back to melted state.  It's a wonder ingredient and not widely sold.  (find it on Amazon.
    4. Raw cashew pieces - These make the cheese creamy in texture and add lots magnesium, potassium, iron, and healthy fats to this vegan cheese
    5. Nutritional yeast flakes - Nutritional yeast is loaded with nutrients like niacin, Vitamins B1, B2, B6, B9, and B12, and it gives vegan cheese a wonderful realistic cheesy flavor

    The one challenge of making this cheese is that it takes a few unusual ingredients that not everyone has on hand.  But please believe me, it's SO worth it!  (See all the rest of the ingredients in the photo below!)

    ingredients to make vegan mozzarella including cashews coconut oil, tapioca flour, and nutritional yeast flakes

    How to make Vegan Mozzarella:

    Assemble all your ingredients (Photo 1).  Rinse Cashews under hot running water for several minutes. (Photo 2)  Put all ingredients in the blender except for the water. (Photo 3)

    Carefully! Add HOT (just boiled!) water to blender and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides of blender with spatula once if needed. The water must be JUST BOILED. I mean, HOT! (Photo 4)

    Pour immediately into heat-safe dish (this will be your mold - no need to oil the mold) and place in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight. (Photo 5)

    Slice, grate and enjoy!

    photo collage of the steps for how to make vegan mozzarella

    Expert cooking tip for making cashew cheese:

    Don't skip rinsing the cashews!  (If you don't want run water over them for several minutes, soak them in super hot water for about 5 minutes and then rinse again.)  This step really helps to decrease the 'cashew' flavor in the recipe, while still using the wonderful creaminess of the cashew!

    slices of vegan mozzarella cheese with cheese blocks in the background

    What kind of mold to use to make vegan mozzarella?

    Any small heat-safe container will do, but I like making mozzarella into a round shape so it resembles a mozzarella bowl. The 2-cup container from this set of Pyrex containers is perfect!

    How long does vegan mozzarella last in the fridge?

    This cheese will last about 4-5 days in the refrigerator... if it makes it that long. 😉

    Can you freeze Vegan Mozzarella?

    Sure!  It does get a little softer in texture after thawing, but if you think you can't eat it all, by all means freeze it!  (Most people have trouble making it last that long though!  Check out the comments below! )

    Does Vegan Mozzarella Melt?

    Yes!  This vegan mozzarella does melt at higher temps, so if you're baking a pizza you're in for a melty treat!  It also works great melted in quesadillas, shredded over lasagna, and breaded and fried as vegan mozzarella sticks!!

    vegan mozzarella cheese block sliced on a white plate with red peppers and basil beside.

    Can you use Agar powder in place of the Kappa Carrageenan?

    The short answer is yes.  Double the amount recommended in the recipe for Kappa Carrageenan and replace with Agar Powder. Make sure to use Agar Powder, not Agar Flakes.

    The long answer is also yes, but it won't have quite as firm a texture and may not be quite as melty. Which is still perfectly fine for many uses!

    What I would NOT recommend substituting:

    Don't replace the lemon juice with Lactic Acid.  For some reason, the quick blending process used here does not work well with this substitution and your cheese may not set properly.

    vegan mozzarella shredded on a wood board

    For a slightly drier cheese:

    After your cheese block has hardened, you can wrap first in a dry paper towel, and then tightly in plastic wrap.  This will remove any excess moisture.

    For a softer cheese:

    Decrease Kappa Carrageenan amount to 1 tbsp.  This texture is ideal for making Mozzarella Balls.

    side view of vegan mozzarella cheese sliced and grated with red peppers and tomatoes beside.

    Whew, reading about the ingredients is SO much harder than actually making this, I promise.  I cannot wait for you to try this so you too, can successfully make and enjoy yummy, healthy, Real Vegan Mozzarella Cheese!!!

    Other recipes you will love:

    • Vegan nacho cheese
    • Vegan feta cheese
    • Best vegan egg salad
    • Easy vegan buttermilk biscuits
    • Vegan smoked Gouda cheese
    • Vegan pepper Jack cheese
    • Vegan cream cheese
    • Vegan herbed cheese 
    • See my web story for 10 vegan cheese to try!

    If you’ve tried this Vegan Mozzarella Cheese recipe or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on 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!!

    side view of vegan mozzarella cheese sliced and grated on a white plate with a plaid napkin underneath and basil, tomatoes and peppers beside

    Real Vegan Mozzarella Cheese

    A super simple and tasty Vegan Mozzarella Cheese that will slice, shred, melt, and blow your mind!!  
    4.56 from 350 votes
    Print recipe Leave a comment
    Course: Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Refrigerator Time: 4 hours
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 83kcal
    Author: Kate

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup Raw cashew pieces, Rinsed under hot water for several minutes
    • ¼ cup Refined coconut oil
    • ¼ cup Tapioca flour
    • 1 tablespoon Nutritional yeast flakes
    • 1 ½ tablespoon Kappa carrageenan
    • 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
    • 1 ¼-½ teaspoon Salt
    • 1 ½ cup Boiling water

    Special equipment

    • Blender

    Instructions

    • Select a heat-safe preferably glass dish that can hold approx 3C and set aside. (This is your cheese mold.)
    • Rinse cashews under HOT water for several minutes.
    • Put your water in a small pot on the stove to boil.
    • Add all ingredients (except the water!) to the blender.  Add the cashews first and then everything else on top of the cashews.
    • Carefully add (so you don't burn yourself!!!) the boiling hot water into your blender.  Put the blender lid on!  And blend immediately until completely smooth.
    • Stop blending once if need be to quickly scrape sides of blender and resume blending right after.
    • Immediately transfer your cheese to your chosen dish/mold as it will start to solidify quickly as it cools.
    • Place in refrigerator to chill. No need to cover yet.
    • After 2-3 hours or when fully chilled, remove cheese block from dish/mold and wrap in paper towels and then tightly plastic wrap. The flavor gets better over a day or two but it’s great as soon as it’s hardened, too. Yeay! You are officially a cheese-maker!

    Recipe video

    Notes

    Cooking tip:
    Don't skip rinsing the cashews!  If you don't want run water over them for several minutes, soak them in super hot water for about 5 minutes and then rinse again.  (This step really helps to decrease the 'cashew' flavor in the recipe, while still using the wonderful creaminess of the cashew!)
    What kind of mold to use
    The 2-cup mold from this set of pyrex bowls is a great shape to make vegan mozzarella
    Can you use Agar powder in place of the Kappa Carrageenan?
    Yes.  Double the amount recommended in the recipe for Kappa Carrageenan and replace with Agar Powder (make sure you use Agar Powder, not Agar Flakes!).  The texture will not be quite as firm or as melty.
    What I would NOT recommend substituting:
    Don't replace the lemon juice with Lactic Acid.  For some reason, the quick blending process used here does not work well with this substitution and your cheese may not set properly.
    For a slightly drier cheese:
    After your cheese block has hardened, you can wrap first in a dry paper towel, and then tightly in plastic wrap.  This will remove any excess moisture.
    For a softer cheese:
    Decrease Kappa Carrageenan amount to 1 tbsp.  This texture is ideal for making Mozzarella Balls.
    How long does vegan mozzarella keep in the fridge?
    This cheese will last about 4-5 days in the fridge.
    Can you freeze this cheese?
    Sure!  It does get a little softer in texture after thawing, but if you think you can't eat it all, by all means freeze it!  (Most people have trouble making it last that long though!  Check out the comments below! )

    Nutrition

    Calories: 83kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 349mg | Potassium: 57mg | Vitamin C: 0.6mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.5mg

    More Vegan Cheese Recipes

    • Vegan Cheese Dip
    • Best Vegan Feta
    • Herbed Vegan Cheese
    • Best Vegan Cream Cheese

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Christina

      October 18, 2022 at 1:29 am

      Is it gluten free?

      Reply
      • Kate

        October 19, 2022 at 1:27 pm

        Yes! This is gluten-free vegan mozzarella. There are no wheat ingredients used.

        Reply
    2. Kate

      September 03, 2022 at 11:24 am

      5 stars
      I have made this recipe a few times with Knox gelatin and it is delicious. I tried it 3 times last night with Agar Agar powder and it is not working. As per the note, I used 3 tablespoons of agar agar powder. The first time, I put it in the blender on top of the cashews with all the other ingredients, as per the instructions. When I added the 1.5 cup of boiling water, it gelled immediately and would not blend. On take 2, I put everything in the blender, except the agar powder; I added the boiling water and turned on the blender, then quickly added the first tablespoon of agar powder. It immediately gelled and wouldn't blend any longer. On take 3, I put the 3 tablespoons of agar powder in the blender first and added 1/2 cup of cool water and blended it. I put all the other ingredients on top, added the boiling water and blended. It gelled pretty quickly, but looked as if it might be sufficiently blended so I poured it into my mold and put it in the refrigerator. This morning it l had not hardened. Has anyone else successfully used agar powder with this recipe?

      Reply
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