So many people have been enjoying my Melty Stretchy Gooey Vegan Mozzarella recipe for years. It’s a fan favourite with almost 150 thousand shares and over 800 comments. Woah! But there were two questions about that vegan mozzarella that I’ve received over and over again that I wanted to answer with a brand new recipe.
- Is there a way to make this vegan mozzarella nut free?
- Is there a way to make this cheese firm so I can grate it?
I’m happy to report that I was able to solve both of those problems, which is why I dub this recipe, The Best Vegan Mozzarella!!!
But those aren’t the only two reasons this vegan mozzarella recipe is the best. This mozzarella is the best because:
- It takes about 5 minutes to make. That’s it! Then just pop it in the fridge to chill and set. SO easy peasy.
- It requires only 9 ingredients… and one of them is water!
- It can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge so grateable vegan mozzarella will be at the ready!
- It melts wonderfully, better than most store-bought vegan mozzarellas.
- It tastes super creamy cheesy gloriously delicious.
- It’s 100% nut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and of course vegan.
See, it really is the best!
For the firming agent in this vegan mozzarella recipe, I provide you with two different options and they yield very different results.
Kappa Carrageenan (I ordered mine on amazon here), is a powder derived from seaweed. Using kappa carrageenan in this recipe is easier and results in a creamier meltier cheese texture so it’s my preference. Some people are concerned about the health effects of kappa carrageenan but according to nutritionfacts.org, the science isn’t there yet. Popular vegan brands such as Follow Your Heart use it in their products and they provided this article about it stating that as long as it’s food grade carrageenan, it is safe to cosume. So for me, I’m 100% cool about using it, but if you’d prefer to avoid it, I wanted to provide you with another choice.
Agar- also called agar agar (I ordered mine on amazon here), is also a powder derived from seaweed. It takes slightly more work to use, but the real difference is in the finished mozzarella. You can see from the photo below that it doesn’t melt as well, and the taste is ever so slightly less delicious when compared to the kappa carrageenan version. That said, if I didn’t have the two side by side, I would have been totally happy with the results using agar. I also found that when you add toppings over the cheese, I got a little meltier and creamier. Or if you were making a different type of recipe, the cheese gets very melty in the microwave.
For both of these, it’s important to note that this vegan mozzarella recipe is intended to be grated or sliced, and then melted. While the cheese is totally edible sliced cold from the block, neither the kappa carrageenan or the agar provided a texture close to traditional cheese, so it isn’t my favourite for snacking. But if you’re into the texture, by all means, snack away!! My favourite cheese for snacking is my cranberry and thyme vegan cheese ball.
Now lastly, before we get into the method I wanted to breakdown some of the other ingredients in this recipe. You know I’m all about using easy-to-find ingredients in my recipes, but this vegan mozzarella recipe requires a lot of tricks- it needs to turn into a firm block of cheese, it needs to be grateable, it needs to melt, and get stretchy so this recipe required some special ingredients you might not find in your local grocery store, while other ingredients should be easy to find.
- Soft tofu provides creaminess while keeping the cheese light and nut-free.
- Coconut oil has the unique quality of being solid at room temperature but melts very easily which helps with the firming and melting of this cheese. I recommend refined coconut oil which is flavourless as opposed to unrefined which will add a coconut taste.
- Tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour) provides the stretchy texture to the cheese. You can sub another starch if preferred but the resulting mozzarella will not have the stretchy texture.
- Nutritional yeast is a non-active yeast which provides a cheesy flavour.
- Sauerkraut, yep, regular old sauerkraut is my secret ingredient hack for instantly providing an aged fermented flavour to the cheese. Check to make sure the sauerkraut is vegan (some of them contain meat bits). If you want to experiment you can sub sauerkraut for equal amounts of the brine from a jar of green olives or white miso paste for other great aged flavours.
Now onto cheese making!
To make the best vegan mozzarella: if you are using kappa carrageenan, simply add everything to a blender, combine until smooth, and pour into a mold to set. BOOM! It’s that easy. Kappa carrageenan must reach 158F to set. Because of this, it’s very important that the water is at a full boil, that you add it to the blender last, and that you blend right away to ensure that nothing cools down.
If using agar it takes a little more effort to make the agar set properly, so add everything to the blender except for water and the agar. Whisk together the water and agar in a small pot and bring to a boil over medium heat while continuing to whisk until the mixture thickens and forms a gel. Working quickly, add the agar mixture to the blender along with the rest of the ingredients, and blend until smooth. Pour into a mold to set. Done!
Chill, uncovered in the fridge for about 1 hour or until the cheese sets and is firm all the way through. To remove the cheese just turn the mold over onto a clean surface and smack the bottom and sides a few times until it releases. Keep the chilled and set cheese in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Use anywhere you desire! On pizza, in lasagna, garnish hot soups, to make grilled cheeses, the options are endles.
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
5 minutes and only 9 ingredients to make dairy-free mozzarella that is perfect for your pizza! It grates, melts, stretches and tastes super delicious. Perfect for lasagna, pizza, soups, grilled cheese, the options are endless.
This recipe goes quickly so be sure to read all of the instructions before you begin.
Method adapted from Vegan Blueberry. Flavours adapted from my mozzarella in Fuss-Free Vegan cookbook.
- 1/2 cup soft or silken tofu
- 1/4 cup tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour)
- 1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 1/2 tablespoons kappa carrageenan (or substitute 2 tablespoons agar powder)
- 1 tablespoon sauerkraut
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water (or use cold water if you are using agar)
Add all of the ingredients to the blender, and blend until completely smooth and creamy. Kappa carrageenan must reach 158F to set. Because of this, it's very important that the water is at a full boil, that you add it to the blender last, and that you blend right away to ensure that nothing cools down. Quickly pour into your mold of choice, the cheese sets very fast so work quickly.
Chill, uncovered in the fridge for about 1 hour or until the cheese sets and is firm all the way through. To remove the cheese just turn the mold over onto a clean surface and smack the bottom and sides a few times until it releases. Store the cheese in an air-tight container in the fridge up to 1 week, or it can be frozen.
Add everything to the blender except for water and the agar. Set the blender aside.
Whisk together 1 1/2 cups cold water and 2 tablespoons agar in a small pot and bring to a boil over medium heat while continuing to whisk until the mixture thickens and forms a thin gel, about 1 - 2 minutes at a full boil. Working quickly, now add the agar mixture to the blender and blend until smooth. Quickly pour into your mold of choice, the cheese sets very fast so work quickly.
Chill, uncovered in the fridge for about 1 hour or until the cheese sets and is firm all the way through. To remove the cheese just turn the mold over onto a clean surface and smack the bottom and sides a few times until it releases. Store the cheese in an air-tight container in the fridge up to 1 week, or it can be frozen.
For the mold, you just need a container that holds 2 cups or more. You can use a small baking dish, a silicone mold, or even just a bowl as a mold to make this cheese. I used a glass storage container like this one to make mine.
Nutrition
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Hi Sam!
Love all your recipes and haven’t tried this one yet! (But I love all your recipes, so I’m giving you a 5 star!) I have tried several recipes using agar and haven’t had the cheese “set”. It turns out slightly less firm than a cream cheese texture. I have followed the recipes to a T and was wondering if it might be my blender. I have a Vitamix, which really liquifies everything and am wondering when adding the agar (after activating it with boiling water) might be too broken down to do its work. I do find myself blending on high for quite a bit, thinking that the more I do, and it does get hot in the blender, the more I will activate and cream it up!
So my long winded question is, has anyone, or you, had this happen with your Vitamix when making cheese recipies?
Hi Sam if I want to increase the quantity and making do I also increase the amount of the agar agar?
When I tried this recipe the a plasticy dry crust formed on top of the cheese any idea why that would happen?
Weird! I have never had that happen before. Did it get dried out? It should be stored covered in an air-tight container. Hope that helps!
Can you leave out the saurkraut? I hate it and if I try this it will be for kids so anything funky tasting will not go over well.
Thanks.
I saw the answer for this further down. Thanks.
The sauerkraut adds the aged taste to the cheese, without it, it might be a little bland. You can try substituting green olive brine (the liquid in a jar of olives) or white miso paste for another slightly different aged taste. Enjoy!
I made this earlier and I’m not sure it turned out right. After realizing I only had unrefined coconut oil, I checked other comments and saw one where the poster had used extra tofu instead of the oil and it turned out great so that’s what I did. The end product tastes okay but the texture is all wrong – it’s very spongy and damp. I can gently squeeze it and moisture comes out, much like extra firm tofu. Is this result from using tofu instead of the oil or did something else go wrong?
Hi Jennifer, yes, that would be why. If the ingredients and quantities are changed in a recipe this can result in major changes in the outcome. Hope that helps!
I made this recipe and thought my eyes were deceiving me when I saw the “cheese” had melted. And was gooey. And then when I tasted it…it wasnt rubbery or plastic. Oh, happy day. I was just curious, though…my sister has both nut and soy allergies (along with a gluten intolerance) Any suggestions on a sub for the tofu?
Yay!!! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much, Sunny! You can substitute the tofu for softened cashews. Enjoy!
I had already seen that in a previous response you posted but, unfortunately, she is also allergic to cashews and other nuts. 🙁
Hi What can I use instead of sauerkraut? No one heard of it. I’d like to make this.
You could substitute white miso paste, or the brine from a jar of olives. Enjoy!
Hi Sam
Diana here from SA!!
I tried now a third batch and my Kappa doe not want to do the trick and set?
It always turns out like a cream cheese and is super salty?
Are there different Kappa’s?
Can I substitute Sauerkraut with Rice Vinegar.
(Glad you cannot hear me sob)
Love
D x
Hi Diana, kappa carrageenan must reach 158F to set. Because of this, it’s very important that the water is at a full boil, that you add it to the blender last, and that you blend right away to ensure that nothing cools down. You can test yours with a thermometer to see if it reaches the correct temperature. And yes, you can sub the rice vinegar and reduce salt to taste. Enjoy!
Hi Sam, will try again. Maybe it did not reach the correct temperature?!!
I let you know!!
Thank you for your response though xxx
I hope it works for you this time!
Hej hej, got it!!
The Kappa was not enough. So I transferred again to the heat and it went quick to set.
Now I just need to find a way (for me) to make look pretty 🙂
Love
D x
Hi Sam,
This recipe looks so intriguing. I’m curious if you have any links to research on carageenan. I asked my local health food store staff if they had it (expecting they wouldn’t and they didn’t), and they were so puzzled, because folks are often asking for things *without* carageenan (i.e. almond milk and the like). I’m not super worried about it, just wondered what’s all the hubub.
Also, I can’t wait to try your lemon curd recipe! I thought I’d never have that gooey lemony delight again.
Thanks for all your fabulous photos, yummy recipes, and cheery outlook on life! 🙂
Oops! Sorry, I missed the entire paragraph with links! Please disregard most of my message – except for the lemon curd and kudos for you!
Haha! No problem! I hope you enjoy the recipes 🙂
So, back when I first became vegan I had to allow myself to come to terms with the fact that I’d never have cheese again. At the time I had only tried store bought and couldn’t stand it. Then I found “The Gentle Chef” and for the longest time swore by his recipes… but they are finicky and they take practice. A couple months ago, I lost my ability to execute his “block and wheel” cheeses properly. I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. People suggested my brand of kappa was bad, then the tapioca, maybe I was overheating, maybe I was underheating… UGH!. So, I decided to give it a break and try other peoples recipes… While I’ve found a bunch that are tasty, I could never find any that melted like his…
WELL! You just changed all that, my dear! Not only does this cheese melt fantastically, it tastes great, and it’s ridiculously easy to make. I’m so happy you shared this with us. I cannot wait to make pizza and dip with it this weekend. — Internet strangers! If you’re reading this and you haven’t made this yet, you’re only hurting yourself. This woman is a genius.
Note for other cooks: I only ever have extra firm tofu on hand and when I decided to make this, I used a piece that had already been pressed. My mixture before the water was a crumbly mess but I kept calm and just kept scraping and processing until a dry dough like ball formed. Once the boiling water was added, we were back on track.
Awww wow!! Melt my heart, Lisa! What a lovely comment, totally made my day!! 🙂
Is there a way you could substitute the silken tofu for something else? Like a blended chickpeas, white bean paste or soaked nuts?
I have a soy allergy but really want to try this!
You can substitute softened cashews. Enjoy!
When it comes to vegan cheese, Chef Skye Michael Conroy has been my go to, he still is. BUT… this vegan mozzarella its the BEST!.. and no cooking! Love you Sam. Thanks for your recipes!
So happy you loved it, John!
This recipe sounds amazing! Do you think it survives freezing?
I’ve tested it and it sure does! Enjoy!
Love this, Sam! Another winner, and thank you.
A note about oil? I don’t use it at all (ever) and simply substituted additional tofu for the coconut oil in this recipe. Turned out great!
Great idea and so happy you enjoyed it, RoseAnne 🙂
How much and what type of tofu did you use to sub for the oil?
I simply used the same amount as called for in the recipe (1/4 cup) and the same type (soft).
Sam!!!!!!! You slammed this one! This is the best vegan mozzarella cheese I have ever had.
WOOHOO!! Thrilled you loved it so much, John!!
I would have thought I would miss extra old cheddar the most because I loved that taste, but I actually miss a good melty mozzarella the most. I didn’t realize how much I actually used it.
I have agar in the cupboard, but you’ve convinced me to order some kappa carrageenan and give it a try. It just looks more cheesy in the end.
It’s DEFINITELY worth it! I’m sure you will be very happy.
Yeah it’s pretty magical stuff!! I hope you love it when you try it, Kari 🙂
Made it tonight and used it on pizza along with your Seitan pepperoni. Amazing. Gooey and delicious. And so easy to make. So much easier and tastier than another vegan mozzarella I had previously tried. Definite do over!
Wonderful! So thrilled you enjoyed it, Joan 🙂
I bow on the altar of kappa carrageenan! This stuff really makes the mozzarella set quickly and the texture is perfect – grates as well as the real thing. Another winner Sam!
Haha! Awesome! Thrilled you loved it so much, Joe 🙂
Easy to make and firmed up nicely! Love that you can easily grate it. My only issue is that it has a strong coconut flavor. Have you tried making it with other oils?
Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it, Corine. That’s why I recommend using refined coconut oil (as opposed to virgin coconut oil). Refined coconut oil is flavourless, whereas virgin coconut oil has a strong coconut taste. Hope that helps!
I’m not sure what I did wrong. My cheese didn’t firm up enough to shred. I used the Kappa method. I did notice in the instructrions that you say to refridgerate uncovered. I covered mine, maybe that is the problem. Oh well, it was still delicious on my pizza.
Hi Terrie, no the covering shouldn’t be the problem, it should start setting immediately when you pour it out of the blender. Did you make sure to have your water at a rolling boil, add it last, and blend very quickly? The kappa carrageenan needs to reach 158F to set so it is important that everything is done quickly so it doesn’t cool. Hope that helps!
I heated it back up in the microwave and put it back in the fridge uncovered. It turned out perfect! So yummy. I think when I put it in the fridge covered that the steam might have caused too much moisture to stay in the container.
Made this yesterday using agar, and swapped the tofu for cashews since it’s all I had on hand. It turned out wonderful! My 2 year old was eating it by the chunk (: thanks for the recipe Sam!
Haha! Amazing! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much, Nikki 🙂
How many cup of Cashew did you swap with?
1/2 cup 🙂
Made this today and was SUPER excited! However I think maybe I did something wrong? I used the agar method since I already had some on hand and I’m thinking maybe I overcooked the agar? It just seems to be kinda grainy? Other than that though I’m really impressed! Definitely going to try the karageenan method next time around and maybe even add some smoke flavor and more nutritional yeast to make it kinda Gouda like.
I did notice that the agar can sometimes provide a slight graininess. I believe this is due to a bit of the powder not getting 100% dissolved so I would actually recommend cooking it a little longer next time and hopefully that will help. So happy you’re impressed with the results 🙂
I can’t do soy, so although I was initially pleased with the recipe idea, I was subsequently disappointed that you have soy in this.
Hi Clare, unfortunately not every recipe will meet everyone’s needs. I was making an option for those who couldn’t enjoy my melty stretchy gooey vegan mozzarella recipe due to nut allergies. In this recipe, you can replace the tofu with equal amounts softened cashews which should solve your problem.
I’m so excited for this recipe! Your first “cheese” recipe has always been my go-to and I have sent it to so many people! I order the secret ingredient as soon as I read this and it should be in today!!!!
I am making a vegan birthday dinner for my best friend (who is not vegan but loves my cooking) I am making baked mac and “cheese” and pulled “pork” using bananas! Lol
Now to my question! I plan to make a cheese base I like using potatoes, carrots garlic cashews exc… and now I want to top it with this cheese and bake it! (Sounds amazing right? What would your suggestions be for this? What would I do to make this into a cheddar style “cheese” thanks on advance!
Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!
Hi Nicole! So happy you are enjoying so many recipes. I haven’t done any recipe testing to make it a cheddar style cheese yet, so I would recommend sticking with the mozzarella as is before trying to experiment with it. Hope that helps!
Move over, Daiya and Earth Balance! There’s a new cheese in town and it’s so gooood! I was once a cheese addict and consequently had a hard time committing to being fully vegan because of it…but then I found your blog and tried your cheeses and it filled that cheese filled hole in my heart. ❤️ Making this again and again for tacos, lasagna, pizza, and be still my cheese loving heart – my ultimate fave – the grilled cheese sandwich! Thank you!!!!!
Hahaha! That’s awesome Jerusha! Thrilled you love it so much 😀
if you use a glass container for the mold, should i grease it ? or will the cheese come out ok if ungreased?
I didn’t have a problem with sticking and didn’t grease the molds, but if you would like to grease them it won’t affect the cheese 🙂
I want to make this. How do you make the sauerkraut?
So happy you do! I just buy store-bought sauerkraut such as this one. 🙂
Do you use the actual sauerkraut, or just the brine? It doesn’t specify in the recipe.
The actual sauerkraut along with any brine you scoop up. 🙂
Do you think we could use corn starch, instead of the tapioca starch in your recipe?
Yes, but the tapioca provides the stretchy texture, so it won’t have that.
Could you freeze this?
I haven’t tested this yet myself, but I can’t see a reason why you couldn’t… I will give it a try now!
How did the freezing go?
It worked just fine! Freeze away 🙂
Do you happen to know what the difference between refined and semi refined Kappa Carrageenan is?
I’m not sure I understand it exactly, but I used refined for my cheese. Hope that helps!
The tag in the recipe that says “adapted from vegan blueberry” is a link to another blog that made a vegan mozzarella similar to this with cashews. You should be able to combine both recipes in a way to do that!
Does the sauerkraut need to be fully drained?
Nope! I just take a scoop right from the jar. The juices have a ton of flavour too 🙂
Will this work without the oil? Where do you buy kappa carrageenan?
No. The coconut oil helps it set and then melt. For an oil-free mozzarella, I recommend my other mozzarella recipe. I ordered my kappa carrageenan online here.
Oh. My. God. THANK YOU!
I am deathly allergic to nuts so I’ve been looking for a mozz I could master at home. Off to order the Kappa Carageenan! I can’t wait to try this.
Yay!!! I hope you love it, MikeA 🙂
I don’t use coconut oil due to my high cholesterol. Can I use somerhing else as a substitution?
You really need a fat that is solid at room temperature but melts well. So vegetable shortening would also work, but I’m not sure if that will work any better for your needs.
Can you use an equal amount of cashews instead of the soft tofu if you wanted to make this soy free?
I’m wondering the same,
Yes! Cashews should work well in the same amount. Make sure to soften them first by soaking or boiling so they blend well. Enjoy!