A quick and easy way to make the best sliceable, shreddable, meltable vegan cheddar cheese! It's got just a bit of tang, lots of flavor, and that chewy-cheesy texture we all crave!
This vegan cheddar is AMAZING shredded in broccoli salad, sliced in sandwiches, or served cubed or sliced for snacking or a vegan charcuterie board!
What is vegan Cheddar Cheese made of?
- 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.
- Tapioca Flour - This helps solidify the cheese, and also adds a ‘stretchiness’ to the texture.
- 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 or Modernist Pantry).
- Mellow White Miso Paste - while there are other flavor ingredients included, this one really helps add a depth to the 'cheesy' flavor. (Don't confuse with dark or red miso - very different flavors!)
- Raw cashew pieces - This is the base of this cheese. Don't worry, the cheese doesn't taste like cashews. Just soak them in hot water for 5 minutes, and rinse well. This helps get rid of the cashew taste and softens them, making it easier to blend them into a smooth cashew paste.
Related recipe: Vegan Mozzarella
How to make vegan Cheddar Cheese:
The simplicity of this process is going to blow your mind. No 'cooking' needed!
Step #1: Soak cashews in hot water for 5 minutes. Rinse and drain.
Step #2: Add drained cashews and all other ingredients except water to your blender.
Step #3: Boil water and add (carefully) immediately to blender. Place blender lid on tightly(!) and blend until completely smooth for approximately 1-2 minutes. Stop once to scrape down the sides of the blender if needed.
Step #4: Pour right away into a mold - either glass, silicone, or metal as you prefer. (No need to line or grease mold.)
Step #5: Chill for at least 4 hours for optimal firmness and then use a butter knife to assist vegan cheddar cheese block to flip onto a plate. Slice, grate, and devour!
Pro cooking tip: This cheese starts to set immediately as soon as it begins to cool, so the faster you can get your cheese from the blender to the mold, the smoother the surface of the cheese will be. The great part is that the other side is always perfect. Just flip it over!!
Related recipe: Vegan pepper Jack cheese
What does vegan cheddar cheese taste like?
This vegan cheddar cheese recipe is mild but full of flavor. It's got a little tangy kick, and an awesome slightly chewy texture.
How long does this vegan cheddar cheese last and how do I store it?
The cheese will last around 5 days in the refrigerator. I recommend wrapping your finished cheese in a paper towel, and then tightly in plastic wrap. Change the paper towel every few days if you think of it. This will help to absorb and moisture if the cheese 'sweats' at all.
Can you freeze vegan 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 tho! Check out the comments below! )
Does this vegan cheddar cheese melt?
This cheese will melt if it doesn't dry out first. For example, it will melt well when used in lasagna, will soften over a baked potato, and works well in quesadillas. However if it is spread on top of pizza in the oven, it may dry before it can melt. If you want a more melty cheese as opposed to a block cheese, I would recommend decreasing the Kappa Carrageenan in the recipe to 1 tablespoon.
Can I use Agar Powder in place of the Kappa Carrageenan?
This is a common reader question. Agar does replace Kappa Carrageenan fairly well in this recipe - the result is not quite as firm or as melty. Use double the amount recommended for Kappa Carrageenan when replacing with agar. (I don't believe that agar is fully activated using this method, but it still does amazingly well.)
Can’t wait for you all to try this vegan cheddar cheese recipe! Happy vegan cheese making!
Other vegan cheese recipes you will love:
- Vegan mozzarella cheese
- Vegan pepper Jack cheese
- Vegan smoked Gouda cheese
- Vegan nacho cheese sauce
- Vegan cream cheese
If you’ve tried this Vegan Cheddar Cheese recipe or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to use the stars 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!!!
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Vegan Cheddar Cheese
Ingredients
Add to blender:
- ½ cup raw cashew pieces
- ¼ cup tapioca flour
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
- ¼ cup refined coconut oil
- 1 ½ Tbsp kappa carrageenan
- 2 Tbsp mellow white miso
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp canned pimientos
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp seasoned salt, I use Johnny's
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Reserve until ready to blend:
- 1 ½ cups boiling water
Instructions
- Soak cashews in hot water for 5 minutes. Rinse and drain. Add cashews and all other ingredients except water to your blender.
- Boil water and add (carefully) immediately to blender. Place blender lid on tightly (!) and blend until completely smooth for approximately 1-2 minutes. Stop to scrape down sides once if needed.
- Pour right away into a mold - either glass, silicone, or metal as you prefer. (No need to line or grease mold.)
- Chill for at least 4 hours for optimal firmness and then use a butter knife to assist vegan cheddar cheese block to flip onto a plate. Slice, grate, and devour!
Notes
Does this vegan Cheddar Cheese melt?
This cheese does melt if it doesn't dry out first. For example, it will melt well when used in lasagna, will soften over a baked potato, and works well in quesadillas. However if it spread on top of pizza in the oven, it may dry before it melts. If you want a more melty cheese as opposed to a block cheese, I would recommend decreasing the Kappa Carrageenan in the recipe to 1 tablespoon.Can I use Agar Powder to replace the Kappa Carrageenan?
This is a common reader question. Agar does replace Kappa Carrageenan fairly well in this recipe - the result is not quite as firm or as melty. Use double the amount recommended for Kappa Carrageenan when replacing with agar. (I don't believe that agar is fully activated using this method, but it still does amazingly well.)Nutrition
I have tried this recipe twice and it tasted great but did not set up. It was the consistency of a sauce and did not set up like the rest of the cheese recipe I have tried from this site. So do I add more of the kappa carrageenan? and how much more would I add?
Can I use agar agar powder instead of carrageena?
Thanks
Yes, you can use agar powder. Double the amount of carrageenan listed and then go ahead and cook the cheese after blending on the stovetop for a few minutes until bubbly! The agar powder just doesn't work as well with just the blender method....
Love it! It is just as good as the vegan mozzarella! Can't wait to try vegan smoked gouda and vegan pepper jack next.
So glad you liked it! The smoked gouda is my kids favorite and the pepper jack is my favorite so yes, you must try! Thanks so much for the comment!
Could you recommend a replacement for the miso, or could I just leave it out? I have two problems with it; one, I’m having a hard time finding it in my area, and two, I understand the white miso is usually made with rice, and I am allergic to rice.
Just a little Tahini might be a good substitute for Miso in this recipe. I haven't tried it but I think I would like it! If you are sensitive to tahini, just leave that out altogether and the flavor will still be good! Have fun!
I can’t put hot water in my blender...any idea of using room temperature water then heating the mixture will work?
Yes, you can use room temp water and then heat the mixture afterwards in a pan over medium heat while stirring constantly. Working with the ingredients over direct heat can sometimes cause the emulsion to split and the oil can separate. Keep stirring constantly and keep a close eye on the thickening. It will be quite thick and stretchy when it is done!
how would this work in a grilled cheese sandwich? Thanks.
It works great! I especially like the pepper jack flavor in grilled cheese! Oh my, it's good. It does take a little longer than dairy cheese to melt, so keep your heat low and be sure to slice your cheese fairly thin.... Have fun!
If it’s firmer will it melt less?
If you are using the kappa carrageenan as the recipes calls for, it melts pretty well! The kappa allows the cheese to go back and forth from solid to melty, and back more than most thickeners! It's pretty amazing.
Love the taste, but it came out a bit too soft for me. Could I add more kappa carrageenan to make it easier to shred? Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for the question! Absolutely - the more kappa carrageenan you add to the cheese, the firmer it will become!
Hi there! Just wanna check, are there any substitutes to refined coconut oil? thanks!
I use refined coconut oil because it solidifies when it is chilled and because it has no coconut flavor. I have had several people try using alternate neutral oils with some success. They say it makes a much softer cheese but when there are allergies involved or you can't obtain refined coconut oil, it's certainly worth a try!!
Just finished whizzing up two batches; one of the Cheddar and the other the Gouda ~. Yummm!
Two totally different & distinct flavors to serve with crackers. Thanks for sharing the awesome recipes that even any self-respecting mouse would die for.
Awesome, thx! Glad you liked them ;-)!