Ever since I started posting my vegan cheese recipes, I have gotten asked (probably a million and twelve times) if I had a nut-free version. Well, my friends, I finally do! Welcome to my new shiny vegan sunflower seed cheese recipe. Applause!
This vegan cheese is also so super simple to make! Just 9 ingredients, blend, chill, done. The result is a vegan cheese that is creamy, tangy, spreadable, and completely addictive. You can taste the sunflowers seeds in this cheese but it just adds to the depth of flavour. And because this cheese is nut-free that also makes it school safe so you can pack it in your lunch box!
You know this vegan cheese is a keeper because as I was testing this recipe, some non-vegan family stopped by and had a taste. They immediately asked for the recipe -it's a win for vegan cheese!
To make vegan sunflower seed cheese:
You will first need to soften the sunflower seeds. Softening them will make them easier to blend and will result in a smoother cheese. You can either boil or soak the seeds. To boil: put the sunflower seeds in a medium-sized pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and continue to boil for 10 - 15 minutes until the sunflower seeds have softened. Drain and rinse before using. Or to soak: place the sunflower seeds in a bowl and cover the seeds with water. Soak overnight until tender. Drain and rinse before using.
Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and blend until the mixture is as smooth as possible, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.
Prepare your mold(s) by lining them with plastic wrap or parchment paper, or you can use a silicone mold. You can use any mold, dish, or bowl you like, I used two of these mini springform pans to make two wheels of cheese about 4 inches wide, perfect for a cheeseboard.
Once the cheese is blended, scoop the cheese mixture into a mold of choice and smooth the top. Cover and chill in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight to let the cheese firm up. The cheese will be firmer right out of the fridge but will soften as it sits out.
The vegan cheese will keep well in an air-tight container in the fridge for about a week or this sunflower seed cheese also freezes well. Just wrap tightly then store in an air-tight container and freeze.
Serve this vegan cheese with crackers or bread, spread on a sandwich, add to a salad, or use it anywhere you like!
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Vegan Sunflower Seed Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw sunflower seeds, softened (see step 1)
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup refined coconut oil
- 4 teaspoons white miso paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
Instructions
To soften the sunflower seeds:
- You will first need to soften the sunflower seeds. Softening them will make them easier to blend and will result in a smoother cheese. You can either boil or soak the seeds. To boil: put the sunflower seeds in a medium-sized pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and continue to boil for 10 - 15 minutes until the sunflower seeds have softened. Drain and rinse before using. Or to soak: place the sunflower seeds in a bowl and cover the seeds with water. Soak overnight until tender. Drain and rinse before using.
To make vegan sunflower seed cheese:
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and blend until the mixture is as smooth as possible, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.
- Prepare your mold(s) by lining them with plastic wrap or parchment paper, or you can use a silicone mold. You can use any mold or dish you like, I used two of these mini springform pans to make two wheels of cheese. Once the cheese is blended, scoop the cheese mixture into a mold of choice and smooth the top. Cover and chill in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight to let the cheese firm up. The cheese will be firmer fresh out of the fridge but will soften as it sits out. Serve this vegan cheese with crackers or bread, spread on a sandwich, add to a salad, or use it anywhere you like!
Notes
Nutrition
chá de sumiço funciona says
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Renee Sanders says
Hello,
Recipe sounds great but I'm allergic to soybeans. Is there an acceptable substitute for the miso paste??
Pat says
I love this cheese. I have made it many times, but I leave out the coconut oil and nutritional yeast and enjoy it is still good. I just use it as a spread. Thank you for all that you do.
Sam Turnbull says
You could use a chickpea miso 🙂
Courtney says
The flavor is amazing! I wound up with what I'm sure is an operator (me) error, though. Boiled the seeds as directed and I still wound up needing to add 1/2 cup of water to my Vitamix to get it to even start blending. The seeds are fresh, so I have no idea where I went wrong. In the end it came out fine, though!
Christie Z says
This was so good and so easy. I used silicone cupcake molds so I could have 6 individual servings. I can't believe there is no dairy in this. This will forever be my go to recipe for an really tasty cheese spread. It's really good with pretzels dunked in it. 🙂 thank you for making easy inexpensive vegan recipes!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it Christie! 🙂
Abi says
Made this so many times and everybody loves it! So easy to prepare and yet so impressive! Just made a Christmas batch!!! Thank you, Sam, for yet another firm vegan favourite. Happy Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww you're most welcome, so happy you enjoyed!
Katie Z says
Yes!! Hello from rainy England 🙂 I made this this week and it is very very yes. I didn’t have enough stuff for a big batch and my ninja blender struggled, so it wasn’t smooth at all, but as it’s so yummy the soft seedy texture was actually quite nice. It still firmed up nicely. This recipe is magic, thank you x
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed Katie!
Michele says
I don’t have a vitamix either, just a mini food processor—to achieve smoother cheese, I soaked seeds or nuts overnight AND boiled a few minutes before rinsing and draining. Gets quite soft
Michele says
I made these vegan Cheeses yesterday and I tried it today on some gluten free crackers. Delicious . I’m new to the world of veganism and I find your recipes easy to follow. I especially love the videos that go with the recipe. They help me tremendously. Thankyou
Sharon Brubaker says
This is an AMAZING recipe! I am definitely hooked! I also used the cheese with a bit of vegan mayo, dill, and cracked black pepper to make a dip or ranch-like dressing. Today, I added the dill and cracked black pepper and mixed it with a can of chickpeas. YUM! I may need to smash it up and try it as a burger next. Thank you, Sam, for your outstanding recipes!
Sharon
Sat Prem says
I am just being introduced to your site and excited to explore it! I'm looking forward to making this sunflower seed cheese and have a question. Tumeric is a component that is high in oxalates, a strong contributor to kidney stones. How will it behave without using this spice.....is it a flavor component as well as contributing to the coloring of the cheese?
Miso is also high in oxalates and I might try it with 2 tsp instead of 4.....or sauerkraut as you suggested in another post.
Thank you
Michele says
Re: miso sub
You are looking for that umami, so maybe a dried mushroom powder? Also wondering if the oxalate trigger depends on the type of miso or the process? Not all miso comes from same base
Melissa James says
Could tahini possibly work instead of white miso paste?
Amy says
No. Tahini is basically an oil and miso is fermented soybeans which is to provide the aged, fermented flavor that you'd get with dairy cheese. These are two very different ingredients with totally different purposes.
Nikita says
Hey Sam
Just tried this recipe and I’m obsessed, my family devoured it before it had a chance to even leave the fridge. Since I’m allergic to nuts and not fond of the coconut cheddar version I was thrilled when I came past this recipe!
All your other cheeses, look amazing and I’ve made them for my family and they love them but I’ve always missed out because well “nuts” lol, was wondering would your other recipes also work with sunflower seeds ? Especially the blue cheese one
Thanks in advance
Side note your rice paper bacon is also is a big family favorite
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you loved it Nakita! I believe the other recipes should work well with sunflower seeds. They might add a bit of colour, and sunflower seeds have a stronger flavour than raw cashews so you might want to adjust the seasonings if needed. Enjoy!
Trishna says
Hi Sam!
I'm excited to try out this recipe (along with a bunch of your other ones) for a game night!
We try not to use disposable plastics so I never have plastic wrap at home. I also don't have mini springform pans 🙁 Do you have any suggestions for shaping the cheese another way to firm up?
Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
A silicon mold or lining a bowl with parchment paper will work great. 🙂
Chantel says
Hi Sam, thank you for all these wonderful vegan cheeses! I’m going to serve a whole bunch of them for my thanksgiving dinner coming up, and I’m super pumped that some like this one are freezable! Do you know whether roasted sunflower seeds work here?
Thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
You want to use raw sunflower seeds so they blend properly. Enjoy! 🙂
Cynthia says
I am allergic to coconut do you have a sub suggestion that will make it stay harder than a spread as I see in the comments you said you could leave it out but it would be a spread as it won't hold up without the coconut. Hopeful something can be subbed!
Lulu says
I was wondering the same thing, so I scrolled farther back and found her response from the same question back in December:
"Because coconut oil is solid at room temperature it helps this cheese hold shape. The only thing similar is vegetable shortening but it is a little softer. Hope that helps!"
Julie Ann Gardner says
I haven't tried any of the vegan cheese recipes and this was my first one. I used to adore blue cheeses, strong and intense flavours. I didnt know what to expect from this recipe. You and I Sam sing from the same hymn sheet, simple, strong, intense, dark and full bodied flavours. Loved it and still wondering which ingredient won it over for me!!!!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! That's wonderful, Julie! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much 🙂
Ethan says
Hi, would like to make this recipe tom - should the coconut oil be melted or no?
Anastasia says
I made this cheese yesterday, let it set overnight. I tried it this afternoon and it's very bitter, any suggestions on how I might be able to fix it? I can put it back in the food processor and add things if need be. I'd hate for it to go to waste.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Anastasia, did you change any of the ingredients? You can definitely put it back in the food processor and add seasonings to taste, then just reshape and set. Enjoy!
Aurelia says
Would this work with pumpkin seeds?
Sam Turnbull says
I haven't tried it, but I imagine it would 🙂
Chantel says
Did you try it? If so, did it turn out well?
Love Being Vegan says
Can this be used as pizza cheese while making vegan pizza? I like how nutritious this cheese is, with two cups of sunflower seeds and free of tapioca flour (which some deem empty calories).
Sam Turnbull says
This won't really melt or get gooey so it might be a bit weird on pizza.
Becki says
I don't have miso, but do have Korean soy bean paste (doenjang). I'm going to try it and report back. Really excited to have found this recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
hope you love it!