• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Vegan Blueberry

Easy, delicious, satisfying, family-friendly vegan recipes

  • All recipes
  • Vegan kitchen essentials
  • About
  • Buy me a coffee
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • All recipes
  • Vegan kitchen essentials
  • About
  • Buy me a coffee
  • Subscribe
  • Follow on social media:

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Vegan Cheese

    Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese Recipe

    Published on July 23, 2018 by Kate, Updated on December 21, 2020 - 52 Comments

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

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Pinterest graphic of vegan smoked gouda cheese

    Creamy, sliceable, shreddable and meltable, this Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese recipe is completely irresistible and can be created in your very own kitchen in just minutes!

    distance overhead shot of vegan smoked gouda cheese on a log board with tomatoes and sunflowers nearby

    I'm so excited to be sharing with you another rendition of my blender-based, no 'cook' vegan cheese!!  Today we're going to go over how to make a sumptuous block-style Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese.  But first, some questions and answers....

    Can you make Vegan Cheese?

    That is a million dollar question and I'm here today to tell you YES YOU CAN!  A thousand times YES!  Don't let the whole idea scare you.  You are going to feel like a master chef in minutes!!  This cheese is such a confidence booster and a game changer!

    This cashew cheese can be used in any recipe because it is sliceable, meltable, shreddable like regular cheese. It is also fantastic as part of a vegan charcuterie board.

    What does this Vegan Cheese taste like?

    Obviously, it's not quite like dairy cheese - BUT the texture, flavor, richness, and creaminess of this vegan cheese will literally knock your socks off!  It satisfies a major cheese craving for me, and it even meets the expectations of my non-vegan friends!

    overhead shot of vegan good cheese being sliced with crackers beside

    Why would you make vegan cheese?

    • it's non-dairy
    • it tastes amazing
    • it's cheap
    • it's easy to make
    • it cooperates (will slice, shred, melt)
    • it is low in fat compared to dairy-cheese
    • it is low in fat compared to non-dairy store-bought cheese
    • it's also soy-free and gluten-free

    side overhead shot of vegan smoked gouda block cheese quartered and sliced with crackers

    What's in this Smoked Gouda Vegan cheese??

    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 is SO worth the effort!!  Really, only #3 is harder to find.  Here's the short list:

    1. REFINED Coconut Oil - (Please don’t miss the word refined.) Refined coconut oil doesn’t taste like coconut but it still turns solid at cooler temps, thus adding firmness and richness.  It's available at many local grocery stores in the health food section.
    2. Tapioca Flour - a thickener with a slightly 'stretchy' texture.  I usually buy online but many local health food stores sell this.
    3. Kappa Carrageenan - This is the most unusual ingredient and somewhat difficult to obtain.  A derivative of sea weed, this ingredient is vital because it 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.
    4. Wright's Hickory Smoke Flavor - It adds a lovely smoke flavor and can be widely obtained.
    5. Seasoned Salt - I use Johnny's that I buy at Costco, but you can also get it here!

    Overhead shot of ingredients for vegan smoked gouda in small clear bowls.

    Steps to Make Vegan Smoked Gouda:

    Assemble all your ingredients (Photo above).  Rinse Cashews under hot running water for several minutes. (Photo 1 below)

    Add all the ingredients to the blender except for the water. (Photo 2)

    Add boiling water to blender and blend until smooth.  (Photo 3)

    Pour immediately into heat safe dish (your mold) and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to harden.  (Photo 4)

    Slice or grate, and enjoy!

    Overhead Process shots for Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese

    Cooking tip:

    Don't skip the 'rinse your cashews under HOT tap water for several minutes' step.  Not only does this soften the cashews for blending, but it removes that 'cashewy' flavor so the final cheese doesn't taste nutty.

    side closeup view of vegan smoked gouda cheese sliced and quartered with crackers nearby

    Super excited for you guys to experience the joys of making awesome vegan cheese at home!  Let me know how it goes, and if you have any questions, leave a comment and I'll try to help out!!  (For a video tutorial of making this style cheese, please see the links for my vegan mozzarella cheese recipe below. )

    Check out these other vegan cheese recipes:

    • Vegan mozzarella cheese
    • Vegan cheddar cheese
    • Vegan herb cheese
    • Vegan cheese ball
    • Vegan feta cheese
    • Vegan pepper Jack
    • Best vegan cream cheese
    • Vegan parmesan cheese
    • Vegan nacho sauce

    If you’ve tried this Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese recipe or any other recipe on my 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!!!

    Recipe

    overhead shot of vegan good cheese being sliced with crackers beside

    Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese

    Creamy, sliceable, shreddable and meltable, this Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese recipe is completely irresistible and can be created in your very own kitchen in just minutes!
    4.56 from 74 votes
    Print recipe Leave a comment
    Course: Appetizer, cheese
    Cuisine: American, French
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10 people
    Calories: 97kcal

    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 Tbsp Lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon Sea salt, scant
    • 1 teaspoon Seasoned salt, I use Johnny's
    • 1 ½ teaspoon Onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
    • 1 tsp Hickory smoke flavor, I used Wright's
    • 1 ½ Cup HOT (just boiled) water

    Instructions

    • Select a heat-safe preferably glass dish that can hold approx 3C and set aside. (This is your cheese mold.)
    • Rinse the c¼ashews 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!

    Notes

    This Cheese recipe is one of my saltier options.  If you're not a salt-lover you may want to scale back on the salt by a ¼ tsp.  I often use Himalayan salt, although not "Kala Namak" or "black salt" in this recipe.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 457mg | Potassium: 61mg | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.5mg

     

     

     

    More Vegan Cheese Recipes

    • Vegan cashew cheese dip in a bowl.
      Vegan Cheese Dip
    • side view of squares of vegan feta stacked on each other with greek olives and peppers nearby
      Best Vegan Feta
    • wide overhead shot of vegan cheese on a black slate board and surrounded by sliced veggies and fruit
      Herbed Vegan Cheese
    • vegan cream cheese spread on 2 bagel halves
      Best Vegan Cream Cheese

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      4.56 from 74 votes (68 ratings without comment)

      Questions? Feedback? I love to hear from you! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Jodie

      July 14, 2024 at 12:44 am

      5 stars
      Love love love this cheese!
      It is our go to for vegan toasties, my vegan “egg” breakfast buns, sandwiches when traveling, or just for snacking.
      As soon as one is done another is being made.
      Worth finding kappa carrageenan!!

      Reply
    2. Lucy Anne

      May 15, 2024 at 5:41 pm

      5 stars
      this is absolutely better than dairy gouda. which we have always loved. we can't stop eating it. I want to make several more batches because I never want to run out. I didhowever, use the agar agar method.

      Reply
    3. Delores

      November 22, 2023 at 10:32 pm

      What can I use in the place of the Tapioca Flour that is much less carbs? I have a Keto lifestyle, and am now transitioning to vegan as well.

      Thanks.

      Reply
      • Kate

        December 06, 2023 at 1:10 pm

        I really don't know because most thickeners are carbs (corn starch, tapioca, flour). Keto and vegan is really hard. You can definitely do low carb or lower carb and vegan (search on my site for a list of low carb vegan recipes!), but strict keto where you're at around 20 grams of net carbs + vegan is tricky. Even the cashews in most of my vegan cheese recipes add carbs. It's not just the tapioca that would be the problem.

        Reply
      • Shirley

        September 09, 2024 at 3:25 pm

        You might want to substitute clear jell, although I've never used it but have seen it recommended a lot

        Reply
    4. Suus

      February 23, 2023 at 5:38 pm

      What can you use as Kappa Carrageenan suptitude?

      Reply
      • Kate

        March 10, 2023 at 2:13 pm

        You can use agar powder. Double the amount compared to kappa. The texture will be a bit different, not as solid, but it will still be delicious!

        Reply
      • Kate

        May 22, 2023 at 10:57 am

        Agar agar powder! I haven't made this specific cheese with agar agar, but it works fine for my mozzarella cheese, it just makes the cheese not quite as firm or as melty, but it still works. Double the amount recommended in the recipe for Kappa Carrageenan and replace with Agar Powder - so use 3 tablespoons if keeping all other ingredients the same (make sure you use Agar Powder, not Agar Flakes!). Let me know how it works out!!

        Reply
    5. Kate

      December 13, 2022 at 6:17 pm

      Agar agar powder! I haven't made this specific cheese with agar agar, but it works fine for my mozzarella cheese, it just makes the cheese not quite as firm or as melty, but it still works. Double the amount recommended in the recipe for Kappa Carrageenan and replace with Agar Powder - so use 3 tablespoons if keeping all other ingredients the same (make sure you use Agar Powder, not Agar Flakes!). Let me know how it works out!!

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Primary Sidebar

    Pinterest graphic of vegan smoked gouda cheese
    Image of Vegan Blueberry recipe creator.

    Welcome to Vegan Blueberry! Here you'll find veganized versions of your favorite comfort food, amazing vegan desserts, and the best vegan cheese recipes on the internet.

    More about Vegan Blueberry →

    "Buy me a coffee" button.

    Reader favorites:

    • Tofu shawarma rice bowl with toppings
      Tofu Shawarma with Lemon Garlic Sauce (Vegan)
    • Stack of vegan glazed meatballs on a plate.
      Vegan Garlic Ginger Glazed Meatballs
    • Vegan butter bean stew in a saucepan
      Butter Bean Stew
    • Butterbean hummus in a bowl
      Butter Bean Hummus

    Footer

    logo collage

    Find Out What's Cookin'

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Who's behind Vegan Blueberry?

    Hi! I'm Kate. Welcome to Vegan Blueberry, where you'll find easy, delicious vegan recipes that are family-friendly and super satisfying! Read more

    My Favorites:

    Tofu shawarma rice bowl with toppings
    Stack of vegan glazed meatballs on a plate.
    Vegan butter bean stew in a saucepan

    See the Vegan Blueberry Web Stories

    Footer

    Pinterest graphic of vegan smoked gouda cheese

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Vegan Blueberry

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full disclosure and privacy policy.

    Copyright © 2025 · MAMA IS WORKING LLC, VEGAN BLUEBERRY | Privacy Policy

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.