Can you believe I have never actually had a cheese ball until I made my first vegan cheese ball just the other day? True story.
So let's see, what are the cheese ball requirements. Smooth and creamy, check. Flavourful and addictive, check. Festive colours, check. Easy to make (and can be made ahead of time), check. Want to devour the whole thing immediately, double check. Welcome Cranberry & Thyme Vegan Cheese Ball, you are my new favourite addition to the appetizer table.
So it's true, I am new to the world of cheese balls. I experimented with one for my family Christmas the other day, and while it turned out pretty darn tasty, it somehow seemed to absorb the colour of the pecans I used and turned kind of a pâté brown. Yuck.
Then when I went to sample some, a family member warned me not to eat it because it was meat. Haha! Regardless of the funny colour, the whole thing was devoured, and considering there are only 3 vegans in my family of 44 people this year, that means a lot of omnis were digging it too (and thinking it was meat apparently).
So I knew I had something, I just had to improve it. A little experimenting in the kitchen, skip the pecans and welcome to this ridiculously good cheese ball love. The colour is a creamy soft yellow with little specks of green thyme throughout, and the cranberries on the outside make it super pretty. No yucky brown going on here.
The flavour took several steps up too. The combo of the cashews and coconut oil make it so smooth and creamy, it's kind of ridiculous, and lemon, miso paste, and nutritional yeast add a gorgeous zing of flavour. Agh! I want it now. I am just so totally into it, and really had to fight myself from polishing off this entire ball mid photoshoot.
So let's get making this vegan cranberry & thyme cheese ball! You can either boil the cashews for 10 minutes or soak them for about 4 hours until they are nice and tender. Then just drain the cashews and add to a food processor along with the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, coconut oil, white miso paste, garlic, and salt.
Blend until very smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Now add the thyme leaves and blend to combine. Cheese done. See, so easy peasy.
Line a small bowl with plastic wrap, and scoop the cheese mixture into the bowl. Gather up the sides of the plastic wrap and twist to form a ball. Let the cheese ball firm up in the freezer for about an hour, or for a couple of hours in the fridge.
Then it will look something like this. The magic of coconut oil, ooooh ahhhh.
Remove the now firm cheese ball from the plastic wrap, and press the cranberries onto the outside of the ball. You can try to do this with handfuls of cranberries, but I found it easiest to just take my time and press in one cranberry at a time. It really didn't take that long.
Tah dah! If your ball is kind of a funny shape, you can lightly pat it into a rounded shape. Serve it right away, or just store it covered in the fridge until you are ready to serve. You can definitely make this ahead of time. Garnish with thyme sprigs and serve with crackers.
Cranberry & Thyme Vegan Cheese Ball
My Notes:
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons white miso paste
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- You can either boil or soak the cashews. To boil the cashews: add the cashews to a small pot, cover with water, and boil for about 10 minutes until the cashews are very tender. To soak the cashews: add the cashews to a bowl, and cover with water. Let soak for 4 hours or longer until tender.
- Drain the cashews and add to a food processor along with the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, coconut oil, white miso paste, garlic, and salt. Blend until very smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Add the thyme leaves to the food processor and blend to combine.
- Line a small bowl with plastic wrap, and scoop the cheese mixture into the bowl. Gather up the sides of the plastic wrap and twist to form a ball. Let the cheese ball firm up in the freezer for about an hour, or for a couple of hours in the fridge.
- Remove the now firm cheese ball from the plastic wrap, and press the cranberries onto the outside of the ball. You can also lightly press the ball to get a rounder shape if desired. You can serve it right away, or keep the cheese ball covered in the fridge until you are ready to serve. Garnish with thyme sprigs and serve with crackers.
Video
Nutrition
Bon Appetegan!
Sam.
Honey Bee says
Wowee! This was the hit at our Christmas eve appetizers and charcuterie gathering! My family is ridiculously picky, and we couldn't get enough of it! I did use a nutribullet, and it was very difficult to get smooth. So, I will be getting a small food processor, just so I can make things like this! It's that worth it! 10/10! Very umami, and nobody could tell it wasn't "real" cheese. Great spreadable texture. I did add toasted nuts around the sides and the cranberries just on the top. It looked very festive. This makes me want to try more of your food. We only have one vegan in the family, one gluten free, but everyone else is milk-product free. So yummy. This will forever be in my celebrations rotation!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, that's amazing!! Thrilled you love it so much, and have fun with your new food processor. I have many other cheese recipes you can now try too 🙂
Jade says
Made it today for Christmas and this is simply the best vegan cheese recipe I've ever made. Had to add a bit more oil than suggested as it was a bit dry, otherwise made it exactly as written. Phenomenal work!
Sam Turnbull says
SO happy you loved it Jade 🙂
Honey Bee says
I am excited to make this recipe for my son that cannot have dairy. But, I lack a food processor. I have a blender/nutribullet. Is there a way to do this in a blender and have it be smooth? Thanks for any tips!
Josie says
Hi, I'm excited to make this for Christmas this year. The reviews are all great and it looks amazing! I want to make it in advance but I'm not sure how long it last for in the fridge?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Josie, it will keep for about 5 days in the fridge, or it freezes wonderfully too! Enjoy1!
Deb Z says
Hi Sam!
This recipe looks terrific. One question: Can I use agar-agar or cappa carageen instead of coconut oil? I'm assuming you're using this oil to firm the cheese up. If so, how much? Water added with it?
Thanks and keep the recipes coming!
Jen B says
Made and loved! I misread and added 2 tablespoons instead of 2 teaspoons of miso paste, but I loved that extra funkiness actually. Might have to make that mistake again! 😉
Jose says
I loved this. The balance of flavors was perfect even without fresh time (I used dried thyme instead). What kind of white miso do you use? The lightest I've been able to find have been a light orange color. Either way, this is a keeper and a great party cheese with crackers and toasty baguette.
Rose says
HI Sam,
I am a cheese ball fan and now that I was so surprised to find this recipe for a Vegan Chesse Ball. I made it for a snack between Thanksgiving and Christmas and totally love it The cranberries on the outside are so cute and delicious! I had no idea there was a vegan way to make cheese. So fun. Thank you for sharing all your recipes! On to crackers. . .
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome! So happy you loved it 🙂
Kylie says
loved it! your blog is amazing! What do you think about this vegan cheescake recipe ?
Shannon Jeske says
This is the BEST vegan cheese recipes I have ever made. Huge huge hit. I did only add half of the coconut oil( I used unrefined, that is what I had) and vegan broth power instead of the miso. It turned out great on the softer side but held it shape. I also rolled it in dried cherries.
Thank you Thank you:)
Sam Turnbull says
That's wonderful Shannon! I'm so happy you loved it. It's one of my faves too 🙂
Andy says
Hi, Sam! I’m going to try to make this to take out of town this weekend and was wondering if it would be safe to make a couple of days ahead? It seems like everyone makes it and immediately devours it. Great sign! Haha
Sam Turnbull says
Yes you can definitely prepare this and advance and even freeze it if you like. Just make sure it stays cold when you travel with it. If it gets too hot it could get melty. Enjoy!
Jill Ellis says
I meant to hit 5 stars!!
Jill Ellis says
Wow, I really love the flavor but I had some trouble getting my cashews creamy...i don’t think my food processor is strong enough. Do you think I could substitute the cashews with cashew butter next time? I also didn’t have any cranberries so I used golden raisins on the outside and they worked well. Thank you for the great recipes, I just ordered your cookbook!
Diana says
This looks delish! Can I use dried thyme instead? Also, would non-refined coconut oil be used instead of refined? If not, would you recommend an alternative type of oil?
Sam Turnbull says
Non-refined coconut oil has a strong coconut taste, so it would make your cheese taste like coconut and not cheese, so I recommend getting refined if you can. You can sub dried thyme, just use half as much. Enjoy!
Alan says
Mine is a beige colour, and smells odd, could this be the Miso?
Sam Turnbull says
Yes, if your miso was a darker miso that could be the reason.
Micheline says
I brought this to a gathering of French-Canadians, traditional eaters of tourtière, and they all loved it! They couldn't believe that it's vegan. I will definitely be making this again and again 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!!! I love that! Thrilled everyone enjoyed 🙂
Jess Rose says
This recipe is amazing. I doubled it to make two balls for a big event, and they both got demolished. I added about 1/4 tsp of garlic powder in addition to the fresh garlic, for some extra kick, and it was delicious. Thank you for sharing this!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!! Happy you love it, Jess 🙂
Émilie says
Can I use dark miso for this? I just have the dark one.
Sam Turnbull says
Yes but the colour of the cheese might be a bit funny. Enjoy!
Laura says
Wow this was killer!!! Made it for a mostly vegan Thanksgiving and everyone- vegans and meat eaters loved it! I forgot to add the thyme to the cheese, so I just rolled it on the outside along with the cranberries. Thanks for this!
Sam Turnbull says
Thrilled you enjoyed it, Laura!
Claudia says
Really good! I made this 3 times and everybody loved it (picky kids included). I omit coconut oil and it work well also 🙂
Chantel says
Hi Claudia, just wondering what oil you used as an alternative? I really want to make this recipe but am having difficulty finding refined coconut oil.
Claudia says
No oil at all 😉
Nicki says
(Mic drop)
This is amazing! I made it today as a trial run for appetizers for the holidays and my husband and I can't stop eating it! It's perfect as is but also has so much potential for other add ins and toppings too (oregano and sun dried tomato???)
Thank you so much! I thought I'd never have a cheese ball again!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, wonderful!! Thrilled you loved it so much, Nicki 🙂
Bianca Neves says
This recipe needs a warning label: "CAN CAUSE ADDICTION"
I did it 3 times in a week.
Send help, please!
Sam Turnbull says
Bahaha! I know the problem. So happy you love it so much, Bianca!!
Nigel says
Yup that is a great one. As a "I eat anything" guy I could eat that instead of cheese. Vegan crackers, fresh celery sticks with a little salt, and a bottle of port would be good support.
the fresh thyme was worth the effort of de-stalking. Really added something.
Tried half mixed with half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. My vegan wife liked that better. More of a buzz for the taste buds. But I found it great without.
Just a thought. I'm going to halve the oil next time. Quite a bit of the oil escaped anyway. And I can think of dozens of substitutes for the cranberries. Next time I plan to use small pieces of date. Cheers Sam
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful, so happy you enjoyed it! For sure, feel free to adapt away. 🙂
Kris says
His was amazing! I made it leaving out the herbs, and coated in crushed walnuts and dates. The best vegan cheese yet! Thank you x
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo!! Thrilled you loved it, Kris 🙂
Bob says
Hi, How big a serving is 162 calories? Thanks.
Sam Turnbull says
About 1/8 of the cheeseball. Sorry, I didn't measure out exactly how much 1/8 is but hopefully you can eyeball it 🙂
patricia says
I am not to eat soy. Is there a substitute for the white miso? Thanks for your help
Sam Turnbull says
You could use chickpea miso. Enjoy!
Kansas says
This was amazing! I used to love cheese and crackers and haven't found a good vegan cheese that I actually find worth buying. I don't need to look in the store anymore, I'll keep making this. SO good!
Sam Turnbull says
So thrilled you love it so much, Kansas!! I have a nacho cheese ball in my cookbook that you might enjoy as well if that interests you 🙂
Solveig says
Super tasty! I just made it for my husband and his parents and it lasted less than 10 minutes! Thank you Sam, you are a lifesaver!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Love that 🙂
Lucia says
I made this as an appetizer for all the Christmas dinners last year, and it was a hit! Everyone loved it, even the ones most suspicious of vegan cooking, lol. I left out the miso since I did not have any. Personally, I did not enjoy it too much due to the strong coconut flavour as I am no coconut fan. But I think I'll make it again with miso and a more refined coconut oil that does not taste of coconut as much. Thanks for the recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome 🙂
Ines says
I just tried making this and it tastes good but I can’t get it creamy enough like you have in the picture. How do you get your’s so creamy?
Sam Turnbull says
Make sure your cashews are very softened so they will blend easily, then make sure to keep blending until it reaches a very smooth and creamy texture. Check out the video above to watch me prepare the cheese.
Marie-Helene says
This cheese looks amazing! I would like to know, is it possible to change the form? As a christmas tree? If so, would you suggest to put it in the plastique wrap first and shape it after? Thanks!!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Marie,
Absolutely! You could push the cheese into any shaped dish, and yes, be sure to line it with plastic wrap so you can release it easily once it is set. Enjoy!
Sharae says
This looks delicious! Question - how important is the miso? I've never attempted vegan cheese, so I'm not sure what the miso flavor adds.
Sam Turnbull says
Thanks! The miso adds a fermented umami taste and is what helps make it taste like an aged cheese. So I think it's important. Enjoy!
Martha says
This recipe looks amazing! My son has a soy allergy so we are going to try it with sundried tomatoes like some of the other reviewers mentioned and replace the thyme with basil. I’m thinking I’ll then cover the ball with a vegan pesto and some chopped sundried tomatoes for a festive holiday look... hoping it tastes as good as the original recipe!
One question - what kind of coconut oil do I use? There are so many different types and I never know which one is right. Thanks for your help!
Sam Turnbull says
Sounds delish! My go-to is refined coconut oil which has no taste. Enjoy!
Laura Rivero says
Oh my goodness!! What is cheese! Forget cheese!!! I’m not going to miss cheese at all. My kids wanted to eat the whole thing from the blender.
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha! Love it 🙂
Kari says
Made this last night. I had dark miso for the longest time, but I just bought white miso and WOW it will be my staple for now on. I feel like it gives that perfectly aged taste I loved in cheese.
I didn't have the cranberries, but I couldn't wait to try it. I took it out of the fridge too soon (about an hour a few minutes after sticking it in) and it had hardened up a bit but was still soft, It was really good though! Woke up this morning and it has a much firmer texture that makes me very, very happy.
I'm so happy I have a permanent cheeseball recipe! This will be perfect for Christmas, Thursday, Friday, Saturday...
I haven't been disappointed by a recipe of yours yet. Thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
That's wonderful, Kari!! Thrilled you love the cheese so much. And yes, white miso paste is magic in vegan cheeses!!
April says
What can I substitute for the coconut oil?Several people in the family have an allergy to coconut.
Sam Turnbull says
Coconut oil has the unique quality of getting very firm in the fridge and holding its shape at room temperature. It's what gives the cheese its texture, so I am afraid there isn't a great substitute. The only thing I can think of would be vegetable shortening, but I don't know how well that would work. Hope that helps!
Rose says
This looks amazing and would love to try it for Christmas. My son can't have nuts though... is there a seed or grain I could substitute the cashew with? If not I might just have to make it just for me!
Sam Turnbull says
I haven't tried it with anything other than nuts, so I am afraid I'm not sure. Sorry, I can't be more help!
Sarah says
I made this over the weekend, and when my 15 year old daughter took her first bite, she went wide-eyed and said, "Mom, I think I love you even more". lol Needless to say, it was an absolute hit! We omitted the cranberries (my husband and daughter aren't a fan of them), however, I added a dollop of red pepper jelly on top of my cracker and "cheese", and it was INCREDIBLE!
Sam Turnbull says
Oh that's awesome!!! Love that story! So happy you loved it 🙂
Barbara Rozenburgh says
Hello Sam,
I’m making this cheese ball for thanksgiving appetizer... I’d like to make it 3 days ahead stored in fridge...is that too long.
Thanks for all your tasty recipes
Barb
Sam Turnbull says
Don't think I got to you in time, but that would be fine 🙂
Edith says
Any idea what a serving size is for this?
Sam Turnbull says
Well, I could eat the entire thing myself, but I would say this could serve 8. Enjoy!
Kirsty Cartin says
I just made this cheese ball with a few tweaks. I couldn't find white miso paste so just used regular miso paste and instead of thyme/ cranberry, I used chives/ almonds. It is soooooo delicious. Not very cheesy, more earthy and I perhaps added a tad too many chives but still totally moreish. I will definitely be experimenting more. I love how you can pretty much slice it and spread. You are awesome!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it so much, Kristy 🙂
J.P. says
Hi Sam,
It's the first time I feel compelled to write a comment on a food blog. At last, I've finally found a vegan cheese I like! I just had some tonight on crackers and with a glass of wine - perfect. Your recipes in general are genius (I've made many)! I loooove your cottage cheese and make it regularly and your mac n cheese powder is also amazing, oh, oh, and your tofu bites - oh those tofu bites! Can't stop eating them if I make some (maybe I need to go write a review with those recipes too?). Thank you so much for your enthusiasm and your delicious recipes.
From a fellow Canadian living in the UK.
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so very much, J.P.! So flattered you took the time to leave your first ever comment on a food blog!! Thrilled you are enjoying my recipes so much 🙂
Stacy Sharp says
Sam, This looks soooo good. We have cashew allergies. Is there something else we can use as substitute? Sometimes white beans or sunflower seeds have worked but I am curious about your ideas. Thanks.
Sam Turnbull says
Blanched almonds or macadamia nuts should work well. 🙂
Stacy says
Thank you for answering so quickly. I’ll try it this weekend.
Tina says
Sam, have you tried making this without the miso paste? Or is there a substitute you might recommend?
Sam Turnbull says
Miso paste is key for an aged umami cheese taste so I would recommend it. Enjoy!
Jo says
Hi Sam
Just letting you know that I tried this with tahini instead of miso paste (as that's what I had available at the time). Definitely need to up the fresh herb content if you go this route, but didn't affect the texture so will be making it again 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing this with us x
Sam Turnbull says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Andi says
Dear Sam, I just discovered your site and I'm already hooked. I heard that coconut oil has a lot of saturated fat, more than butter and crisco, and should be avoided if you have high cholesterol (like I do). Any recommendations for substitute? canola oil maybe or safflower?
Sam Turnbull says
Welcome, and thank you so much, Andi! Unfortunately, this cheese ball relies on the unique properties that coconut oil has, being solid at room temperature, to hold the cheese together. So there isn't really a substitute here, and I would recommend trying a different recipe instead. You can check out all of my recipes that are completely oil-free here.
Erica says
I made this recipe yesterday to serve some friends who were coming over, and it was great! I have tried making cashew cheeses before, and they usually came out like a dip rather than a cheese ball. This one was easy to make and definitely held its form. Everyone loved it, and I was the only vegan in the bunch! Thanks for the great recipe! I look forward to trying more of your recipes in the future! ☺️
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome!! So happy you and everyone else loved it so much, Erica 🙂
Jordi says
This sounds amazing!!! Definitely going to try this. I may try using chives instead of thyme, only because I have a chive obsession. Any suggestions on what would be good for the exterior to compliment chives?
Sam Turnbull says
You could try almond slices. 😉
AGEN SBOBET Terbesar says
Hey there! I'm at work browsing your blog from my new
iphone! Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog
and look forward to all your posts! Keep up the superb work!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww wonderful, So happy you're enjoying it 🙂
Jen Simas says
THIS RECIPE IS GOOOOOOOOOOOLD!!!!! What a hit! I’ll have to make variations of this every week I think DELICIOUS!! Thank you
Sam Turnbull says
Hahahaha! Love it! Can't get a better review than that! Thank you so much, Jen. 🙂
Kate says
This one was one of my starter dishes yesterday and my family didnt even realise until I told them that it was vegan <3 I didn't have white miso so used genmai miso and it was delicious, just a darker colour then yours. I also made your vegan ricotta to go with your olive and sundried tomato tapenade and my family loved it. I'll definitely use this recipe again in future, I've already had friends who spotted it on my IG asking me to make it for them. I hope you have a great Christmas 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Oh awesome!! I served it too and it was a hit with my fam as well. Thrilled you loved it, Kate 🙂
Beth says
Mixing this up Christmas Eve. We are a bit of an omni / vegetarian family...with vegan leanings. I am sure everyone will enjoy this. The leavings in the food processor are delicious. 🙂 Can't wait to dress it up with cranberries. 4 stars for prep. Will see about flavour with the family, Christmas Day.
Sam Turnbull says
I hope you and everyone loved it Beth 🙂
Wanda says
Amazing. I see from all the comments that this recipe was posted years ago, but I'm a new baby vegan within the last couple months and I tried it for the first time tonight. It almost didn't make it into the bowl to get cold because I couldn't quit sampling as I transferred it from the food processor. Luckily the rest of the family will get a small amount tomorrow when I serve it. Yum. And beautiful. Thank you, Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! I see you are enjoying many of my recipes, Wanda. Amazing! Congrats on your new veganism and welcome to my blog 🙂
Wanda says
Right you are, Sam! It seems like every day I am eager to try a new recipe. If I could just retire from my job I could play all day in the kitchen. Thank you so much for all your efforts and your delicious contribution to our lives. Your new cookbook is sitting under the tree right now - a present to myself. :)) Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Sam Turnbull says
Oooh lovely! Merry Christmas! 🙂
Maria says
I am a professional chef and I made this at a large event for 700 people, then brought some to my mom who has many allergies. Everyone, meat lovers and vegans alike LOVED this. The miso is hat key ingredient to make it have an "aged" taste like cheese. Spot on recipe.
Sam Turnbull says
Amazing!! Thrilled you love it so much, Maria. It's one of my favourites too 🙂
Vicky says
Can you use double layered cheese cloth instead of plastic wrap and refrigerate it?
Sam Turnbull says
You could try but the cheese might be a bit too liquid before it sets so it might seep through and be difficult to remove.
Matt says
This looks great, but I have a brother who is allergic to coconut. What, if anything, could I substitute in its place?
Kenia says
Coconut oil is just to make it firm. Use agar agar instead! 🙂
Matt says
Thanks! I’ll try that and see what happens, but it sounds like it wouldn’t quite work here. ♂️
Sam Turnbull says
Unfortunately no, the coconut oil is key in this recipe as it has the unique quality of being firm at room temperature which is what helps this cheese hold together.
Matt says
Thank you! I’m bummed, but I can make it for other occasions where my brother isn’t around. I want everyone to be able to enjoy what I make this weekend.
Amy says
Hello! Just wondering if Yellow Miso paste can be substituted for the White Miso paste and how the flavor would compare. Thanks so much!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Amy. Yes, it can. Yellow miso paste will change the colour of the cheese, and it also has a bit more of an earthy taste. I am sure it would still be yummy tho. Enjoy!
Joanne Love says
I made this yesterday. It's my first attempt at making a vegan cheese ball. It worked and it's beautiful.
Thank you 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Thrilled you loved it so much, Joanne 😀
Vesna says
I made this for Thanksgiving. My very first nut-cheese! I always thought that making vegan cheese would be messy, difficult, and complicated, but the truth is quite the opposite! I feel that a whole new world has opened up for me. I was pleased to see that people liked this cheese a lot. I thought it was good too and I will make it again - the only thing that bothered me a bit was the mild coconut taste, but other that that it was delish. And it looked very artisanal 😉
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome! So happy you enjoyed it. To avoid any coconut flavour make sure you use a refined coconut oil which doesn't taste of coconut 🙂
Stephanie Knowles says
I made this about a month ago and loved it. It's a beautiful centrepiece for a snack table, I almost didn't want to eat it because it was so pretty! I'm glad I got over that though because it tastes amazing! So creamy and savoury! We quickly realised though that it's pretty filling and there was no way I was going to get through it in a few days so I froze half. Just had the rest of it today and it was exactly as delicious as it was when I first made it. So I can confirm it freezes well for a month at least, cranberries and all. Just thaw at room temp or even in the fridge, though that takes longer and who wants to wait?! Thanks for this wonderful recipe Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!! So happy you enjoyed it so much, Stephaine. Great to know that it freezes well too! 🙂
Maureen Cram says
Thanks for the info on freezing. I have someone who wants me to make this for her for Christmas so I wanted to freeze it for her. We don't have cheese balls in South Africa so this will be an interesting centrepiece for her!
Lizzie Violet says
I made this recipe as part of an all Vegan hot appetizer feast for my fella's birthday and it was a HUGE hit. Because we had a large crowd coming, I doubled the recipe and it was gobbled up. I love that is can be customized. I didn't have fresh thyme but did have chives. Next time, I may coat it with nuts or a different dried fruit. I also love that it can be used as cream cheese. So amazing! Thank you for always being an inspiration.
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!!! So happy you and everyone else loved it! Thanks for the lovely comment, Lizzie. -Comment of the day! 🙂
Jami McWade says
Made this up last night. It was so easy and tastes great. Being the only vegan in my family for just over a year now and I can't wait to share this with my carnivorous family today!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! I hope everyone loves it 🙂
Jami McWade says
Everyone loved it. Thanks again Sam.
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! You're most welcome 🙂
Flo says
Made this cheese this afternoon and oh myyyy! How perfect and delicious !
Gonna post it on Insta.
Thank you Sam
Hugs from France
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! Hugs to you from Toronto Flo 🙂
Olwyn says
I am wondering whether aquafaba could be substituted for the coconut oil as I can't do oil? The cheese ball needs a binder to hold it together - so am just wondering what if anything could be substituted for coconut oil ?
Sam Turnbull says
I'm afraid not. The coconut oil here isn't used for a binder, it's really more to firm up the cheese as coconut oil turns solid in the fridge. Aquafaba would not work the same way. You could skip the coconut oil, but the cheese would be a softer spread and not a ball. Hope that helps!
Christina says
Could tapioca flour or agar take the place of the coconut oil? My fiance is allergic to coconut, so we've been trying to find vegan cheeses that are made without it, and this just sounds tooo good.
Sam Turnbull says
The magic of coconut oil is that it is solid at room temperature, so that's what is key with this recipe. I would say the closest thing you could try to substitute it with is vegetable shortening. Your cheese might be a tad softer, but I think it would work. Enjoy!
Adriane says
I'm really loving the theme/design of your blog. Do you ever run into any browser compatibility issues? A few of my blog readers have complained about my blog not operating correctly in Explorer but looks great in Firefox. Do you have any tips to help fix this problem?
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Adriane!
Nope, I can't say I run into many problems at all. You can read all about my hosting, and blog design in this article if you like 🙂
Gaelle says
Would this work with almond meal (I've used it for your mozarella before)?
Sam Turnbull says
To replace the cashews? Yes, I think that would work fine, just make sure it is blended really well so it is smooth and creamy. If you give it a go, let us know how it turns out!
Jennifer Johnson says
So excited to try this. Just wondering if you've tried freezing it? I'd like to make it ahead of an event. Thanks for the great recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Jennifer,
You can make it ahead and store it in the fridge for a few days, I have never tried freezing it myself, so I am not sure how it would work. If you give it a try let us know how it turns out. 🙂
Milda says
This looks interesting. Though I cook without oil (not that this is cooked). Is it possible to skip coconut oil of will it not hold together?
Sam Turnbull says
Unfortunately, the coconut oil in this recipe is really what holds it together and firms it up in the fridge. I do have a whole section of oil free recipes on my blog however. 🙂
Luke Diebold says
You're my hero! I feel sooo much better after eating your vegan cheese than when I used to eat dairy cheese. Thank you 🙂
Sam says
You're very welcome Luke! So happy you love the recipe 🙂
Beth says
I made this for Christmas eve and it sat next to the Cheese Ball Supreme my family traditionally has - with cream cheese, cheddar cheese, ranch dressing and pastrami. Yes, we find a way to put meat in everything in Texas. At the end of the night, mine was gone. My uber meat eating family loved it and told me it's a keeper for next year. Thanks so much! I used to love the one we had and was feeling sad I wouldn't eat any of it this year. Now I have an option that everyone else likes too!
Sam says
I love that story!!! So happy you got to have a cheese ball and eat it too! The fact that everyone else enjoyed it just makes it so much better. So very happy you loved my recipe so much 🙂
Leigh says
I am having a hard time finding White Miso Paste
Where do you find is locally? When I look online it sales by the pound - does it go bad fast?
Sam says
Hi Leigh,
I found it in my local grocery store in the Asian section. If yours doesn't carry it, any healthy food store definitely will. It is a naturally fermented product, so just keep it in the fridge and it stays fresh basically forever! One tub can last you a very long time. (That said, once I fell in love with the flavour I started using it in dressings, soups, and all over the place).
grace says
i've never had a VEGAN cheeseball, but my interest is definitely piqued! it looks like it has the perfect texture, that's for sure.
Sam says
Thank you Grace! I hope you give it a try and better yet, love it! 🙂
Walt says
I did make this, and it was wonderful. When you said the pecans turned it brown, did you add pecans to the mixture or roll the ball in pecans? I was thinking of trying the latter as a variation because the combination sounds so tasty.
Sam says
So happy you enjoyed it Walt! I did both actually, and also included some cranberries in the mixture. It set overnight which I think made the colour from probably both the pecans and the cranberries seep in more. If you just coat the ball in pecans I am sure you won't have that problem. Enjoy!
Srivani says
This is so silly easy! And super delish!!!! 🙂 All the carnies (I don't mean carnival workers, although with my family, one can never truly tell) LOVED this. And it looks super pretty too. Another hit, Sam. Merry Christmas; and I look forward to more of your great kind culinary creations in 2016. 🙂
Sam says
Aww so happy you and your fan loved it! Merry Christmas to you as well. Many exciting things to come in 2016!
Walt says
This looks very tasty. I don't have any dried cranberries or thyme leaves on hand, though (guess I could go shopping but it is Christmas Eve). What to do, what to do. . . .
Sam says
Haha! Well I hope if you didn't get to it, you do soon 🙂
Pia says
I made today and it turned out very well. The "cheese" tastes like fondue! I forgot to add the thyme, but it was great nonetheless. Thanks for sharing.
Sam says
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it Pia. 🙂
Emilie @ Emilie Eats says
That really does look like a real cheese ball! I really don't think I ever tried a cheese ball before I went vegan, so this will be exciting 🙂
Sam says
Haha! I hadn't either! Turns out they are delicious! (Well at least this vegan one is). Haha
Leslyn says
This looks absolutely delicious. I've been trying to find a great vegan cheese ball recipe and I will give this a try. Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe.
Sam says
You're very welcome Leslyn!
Kathy Sturr says
So pretty and festive ... and KIND! Thank you, love!
Sam says
Awww Kathy! You're so very welcome 🙂
Aliyanna says
Looks really good.....but allergic to miso. Any ideas to replace??
T says
Chickpea miso is an option if it's the soy you're allergic to.
Aliyanna says
No....unfortunately it is the culture that we are allergic to. And that is in all misos....so wondering if there were something to sub for it.
thanks for getting back to me. I really appreciate it.
A
Jordyn says
Maybe try sundried tomatoes? They have a nice umami flavor to them. It'll turn the cheeseball into a slightly different color and I'd rethink the cranberries, but maybe top with more sundried tomatoes.
Sam says
Good idea Jordyn!
Sam says
Hmm.... miso is just for flavour and that umami taste. You could just skip it entirely and see how it tastes, then add any seasonings as necessary. Perhaps some tahini might be a good sub? Let us know what you try and how it turns out 🙂
Meg says
So very excited to try this for Christmas. I am mostly vegan and my son is GF and now dairy free also for health reasons I know we are going to enjoy this thank you for making it so easy.
Sam says
You're very welcome Meg! I hope you and your son love it!
Megan says
How wonderful! I'm cooking entirely vegan Christmas meals for the first time this year. I was trying to figure out something for a "snackish" lunch in between the gargantuan breakfast and dinner I'm fixing. This will be so festive and perfect! Thank you!
Sam says
Wow! That's awesome! I am so excited by your entirely vegan Christmas. Enjoy 🙂