Ok, this is serious. This is my vegan sharp cheddar cheese recipe and there’s a problem- I can’t stop snacking on it!! Vegan sharp cheddar cheese on crackers, layered on sandwiches, smeared onto crusty bread, crumbled onto salad, grated onto soup, shoved directly into mouth. This cheese is a creamy, tangy, cheddary problem that I’m very, very happy to have.
But there’s more! (Do I sound like an infomercial yet)? It only takes 9 easy-to-find ingredients to make this vegan cheddar cheese. Just blend them up in a food processor, and then chill in the fridge to set. Done! Easy peasy vegan cheesy. (Yeah, even I rolled my eyes at that one).
My vegan sharp cheddar cheese is a slightly different texture than traditional cheese. It isn’t as rubbery and instead, it has a crumbly yet spreadable texture all at the same time. You can freeze the cheese for an extra-firm texture, perfect for slicing or grating, or serve it cold from the fridge for the perfect snacking texture. The coconut oil is what makes this cheese firm, so the longer it sits at room temperature, the softer it will get.
To make Vegan Sharp Cheddar Cheese: start by softening the cashews to make them tender enough to blend smoothly. To soften them 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. Drain and rinse before using.
- To soak the cashews: add the cashews to a bowl, and cover with water. Let soak for 4 hours or longer until tender. Drain and rinse before using.
Add the softened cashews, along with all the remaining ingredients to a small food processor.
Blend, stopping and scraping the sides as needed until the cheese is as smooth as possible. The smoother, the better so don’t be afraid to blend for a long time.
* If you have a large food processor, it can be difficult to smoothly blend a small amount of cheese, so I often double the recipe so it’s easier to blend in my large food processor. Then I will freeze half and save it for later. The recipe is doubled in the pictures.
Scoop the cheese mixture into a dish lined with plastic wrap, or into a small silicon baking dish, and smooth out the cheese. Cover and then chill in the fridge until completely firm. About 3 hours or overnight. Enjoy the cheese as you please! The cheese will become softer the more it warms up, so for extra-firm cheese, you could freeze it.
This cheese is perfect for snacking or as an addition to a gorgeous vegan cheese board.
While this cheese does melt a bit, it’s not ideal for nachos or similar uses. For a very melty and stretchy cheddar style cheese, I would recommend instead making my melty stretchy gooey vegan nacho cheese.
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Just 9 easy ingredients and 15 minutes to make. So easy and totally delicious. Perfect for snacking, serving on a vegan cheese board, or adding to sandwiches.
- 1 cup raw cashews, softened (see step 1)
- 1/4 cup refined coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika, (use smoked paprika for a smoky cheese)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Softening the cashews makes them tender enough to blend smoothly. To soften them 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. Drain and rinse before using. To soak the cashews: add the cashews to a bowl, and cover with water. Let soak for 4 hours or longer until tender. Drain and rinse before using.
Add the softened cashews, along with all the remaining ingredients to a small food processor*. Blend, stopping and scraping the sides as needed, until the cheese is as smooth as possible.
Scoop the cheese mixture into a dish lined with plastic wrap, or into a small silicon baking dish, and smooth out the cheese. Cover and then chill in the fridge until completely firm, about 3 hours or overnight. Enjoy the cheese as you please! The cheese will be come softer the more it warms up, so for extra-firm cheese you could freeze it.
*If you have a large food processor, it can be difficult to smoothly blend a small amount of cheese. I often double the recipe so it's easier to blend smoothly in my food processor, and then I will freeze half and save it for later.
This cheese is perfect for snacking or vegan cheese boards. While this cheese does melt a bit, it's not ideal for nachos or similar uses. For a very melty and stretchy cheddar style cheese, I would recommend instead making my melty stretchy gooey vegan nacho cheese.
The coconut oil is mandatory for this recipe as it has the unique ability to be liquid when warm, but solid when chilled. This helps give the cheese it's amazing texture. Use refined coconut oil which is flavourless so your cheese won't have a coconut taste.
Nutrition
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I have bunches of almonds. Do you think substituting almonds (with a little extra soaking time) for the cashews would yield similar results? I find sometimes the substitution works…and sometimes not.
Thoughts?
Hi Jacquie, yes almonds can work as a good substitute. They should be blanched (skins removed) for the best texture and colour. Hope that helps 🙂
Has anyone tried culturing this or any other of Sam’s cheeses? I love the base of many of these cheeses but lately I’ve been making cashew based sour cream and that tang of probiotic takes it over the top. I wonder if that would work here (2-3 probiotic capsules emptied/stirred into cashew cream. let sit room temp 2-3 days covered with a cloth). I may try and report back!
I’ve never tried but in this recipe, I use the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and white miso paste to add those tang fermented tastes. 🙂
Gosh something went wrong! Mine tastes like Cashew butter rather than cheddar! What did I do wrong?
Hi Vickie, it’s very difficult to know without being in the kitchen with you, but it sounds like the spice measurements may have been off as that’s where most of the flavour comes from. Hope that helps!
This is so delicious! It’s my favorite cheese recipe now. Thank you! I have liked every recipe of yours that I’ve tried
That’s so awesome, Lori!! Thrilled you are enjoying my recipes so much 🙂
Hi Sam
Just made your Vegan Sharp Cheddar Cheese. One question…I followed the instructions to the letter, however my cheese turned out not as solid as your looked (being able to chunk or slice it). My cheese was sort of solid, but more along the lines of a spreadable cheese?? Not sure why..any ideas?
Hi Sheree-Lee! It just depends on how cold the cheese is. To firm it up, even more, you can pop it in the freezer for a bit. Enjoy!
Sam! This Wisconsin girl is lovin’ this cheddar! I was leery to be honest, but I just sliced off a small piece and I can say “oh yes…you nailed it!” I started out trying to use my 2 cup food processor and it was too small. So I went with the 4 cup (yes, I have 3 food processors…I know, I know…). The size worked fine, but it did take quite a while. When little swirls of smoke came from the back of the processor, I just walked away for a while. I needed to be sure that the creaminess would be there without any hint of nut meat. I think a good 4-6 cup processor would be perfect, and I may double the recipe next time just so I can use the Big Boy and walk away while she’s whirring. I think I’ll prefer it on crackers as opposed to just plain. But I can’t wait to serve this to my friends! Thank you from America’s Dairyland!
Haha! Awesome! So very happy you love it, Suzy! Yes I normally use my big food processor and make a double batch so I can let that beast run for as long as needed 🙂
Hello. Love your recipes. I can’t eat cashews or almond. Hoping you could put a substitute for some recipes. I have used macadamia nuts but they are super expensive. Are there any other alternatives.
Thanks.
Hi Sandi, I haven’t done much experimenting myself, but I have heard others have used sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds with success. Of course, the results will be different.
I feel like it will be very soft and won’t hold together, won’t it?
Nope, the coconut oil makes it firm up beautifully 🙂
Is there a way to make this without the oil? Would it still set?
No, the oil is key for this recipe, but you could try my nacho cheese recipe for an oil-free cheese. EnjoY!
I gave up dairy years ago, and have done without cheese because I don’t like buying the processed non-dairy cheese. Who knows what’s *really* in it?
This was quick & tasty, made with ingredients I already had, and gives the “cheese satisfaction” without any added salt. Loved it.
Next time I’ll make a double batch!
Wonderful!! So happy you enjoyed it so much, Gayla! 🙂
The only problem is the fat….is there a substitute?
Not for this recipe, but you could try my nacho cheese recipe which is oil free. Enjoy!
What would the vegan do without Sam’s always creative & ever expanding repertoire?!
I use these molds for vegan cheeses and will definitely honor this recent Sampost with these festive floral shapes.
Haha, so happy you love my recipes so much, Vinny 🙂