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    Home » Vegan Cheese

    Sliceable Cashew Cheese

    Published: Feb 6, 2018 Updated: Oct 31, 2021 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

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    Cashew Cheese

    Vegan cashew cheese that is sliceable and perfect for a vegan cheese board! Full flavored, authentic looking and quick and easy to make too!

    Wheel of vegan cashew cheese on a cheeseboard with crackers, grapes and jam.

    Hard, sliceable cashew cheese. It’s here! And I couldn’t be more excited!

    We have guests coming next week and I have a full on cheese board planned, with this as the main event!

    I have to admit it took me a fair few goes to get this one right. If you follow us on instagram then you might have seen in our instastories where I was proudly showing off each new attempt.

    From the start though I was delighted with this.

    To think it can be so easy to make a super impressive block of vegan cheese!

    And it is simply fabulous! You can slice it into perfect slices and put them on crackers or bread or wherever you would eat a slice of cheese.

    And you can mash it up too. It’s sliceable and hard enough to cut perfect slices, but you can also still smash it on a cracker if you want to.

    If you love making your own homemade vegan cheese then also check out our vegan brie, vegan camembert and vegan blue cheese.

    Vegan cheese on a cheese board with red grapes and crackers.

    How To Make Cashew Cheese

    I started off with just a basic recipe and then quickly saw that I needed to add more cashews to make it really rich and lots more spices to make that cheese flavor really stand out.

    Some recipes recommend you cook it all up with the agar agar powder (which is what makes it set) on the stove and then pour it out into your dish to set, but this doesn’t work at all when you use more cashews to make a thicker/more robust cheese, because then it’s too thick to stir up properly with the agar agar.

    And since the agar agar needs to boil for at least a minute for that agar powder to set up properly I found it a much better plan to do it separately.

    So basically, you make up a batch of cashew cheese sauce in the blender, but you spice it up more strongly than you would usually, to the point that if you taste it, you’ll be thinking: this is too strong!

    But then you boil up a cup of water with agar agar powder on the stove, let that boil for a minute and then pour that mix into your cashew cheese sauce (conveniently still in the blender) blend it up again and then pour it all out into your dish to set.

    The water and agar powder dilute the spiciness of the cheese and while setting it also dilutes it a bit so you have to start off strong to end up with perfectly spiced cashew cheese.

    Sliced wheel of cashew cheese on a cheese board with crackers and grapes.

    A Vegan Cheese Board

    It’s perfect for a vegan cheese board with some red grapes, jams, maybe some mixed salted nuts and a selection of crackers (and maybe some wine too).

    And let me just say, a slice of this on a cracker with some mixed fruit jam on top – but any jam would be awesome – was like the best thing ever. Jaye and I were in heaven. And we can’t wait to show it off to our guests next week.

    Cashew Cheese on a wooden board with crackers.

    Ingredient Notes

    The Cashews:

    This recipe is quick and easy and one of the things that makes it so quick is that you don’t need to soak the cashews first. You can just go right in and blend them up.

    The reason it’s possible to do this is because you’re making a sauce to start off with, it’s not a super thick cheese right off the bat so it’s more easily blendable (I do have a vitamix though so that helps!).

    Provided your blender is strong enough I don’t really see any reason to soak them first in this recipe but I am not an expert on your blender. If you know your blender will have trouble with this, then you can soak them briefly in boiling water. Just place the nuts into a bowl, pour boiling water over the top and then leave them to soak for 15 minutes, then drain and use as normal. 

    The Agar Agar:

    The crucial ingredient in this recipe is the agar agar powder. It is what makes the cheese set. 

    You get two types of agar agar, you get the powder version and the flakes. Use agar agar powder. The agar agar powder is much stronger than the flakes and is what we used in this recipe. 

    If you have no other option but to use flakes, then you will have to use 3 times as much of it. 

    Large wedge of vegan cheese on a cheese board with grapes and crackers.

    Cashew Cheese Q&A

    Can you grate it? This cheese can also be grated, the firmer it is the easier it will grate, and the longer it’s in the fridge the firmer it gets, so if it’s not ideally firm for grating on the first day it will likely be grate-able by the second day.

    Does it melt? I put a slice on a cracker and put it in the microwave for 15-seconds to see if it melted and it did! So it does melt.

    Can you put it on pizza? We tried it on pizza. And it was very tasty and it melted! But let me be clear, when I say ‘melted’ I do NOT mean that it spreads like dairy cheese. No it definitely doesn’t. It softens though and gets melty.

    We tried it grated on pizza and sliced, and either way was fantastic. We put it on the pizza before going in the oven, so it melted along with everything else, and it was really good.

    A slice of vegan cashew cheese on a cracker.

    Storing and Freezing

    Keep it stored in the fridge (covered) where it will last up to a week.

    It’s also freezer friendly for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge.

    Vegan cheese mashed up on a cracker.

    More Delicious Vegan Cheese Recipes

    1. Since this recipe was published, we’ve made another firm sliceable cheese, a delicious vegan cheddar cheese, so you definitely want to check that out.
    2. We also have a totally divine vegan cream cheese that is everything you want spread on your breads and bagels! Also check out our vegan cottage cheese and vegan feta.
    3. Our cashew cheese sauce is perfect drizzled over pizza or baked potatoes and our vegan parmesan cheese is wonderful sprinkled over anything and everything.
    4. Our vegan mozzarella is divine on some pizza and our vegan nacho cheese is divine on… you guessed it, some vegan nachos! 
    5. And then there’s our vegan ricotta which is incredible just as is, but can also be baked into a vegan lasagna recipe or some vegan stuffed shells!

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

    Thick slice of cashew cheese on a wooden board.

    Hard Sliceable Cashew Cheese

    Vegan cashew cheese that is sliceable and perfect for a vegan cheese board! It's delicious on crackers and you can slice it into perfect slices and you can mash it up on a cracker if you like. Full flavored, authentic looking and quick and easy to make too!
    4.80 from 174 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Side
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 20
    Calories: 71kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup Raw Cashews (150g)
    • ⅓ cup Water (80ml)
    • 5 Tbsp Lemon Juice Freshly Squeezed
    • 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
    • ¼ cup Tahini (60g)
    • ½ Medium Raw Carrot (~30g) peeled and sliced
    • 2 ½ tsp Salt
    • ¼ tsp Paprika
    • ⅛ tsp Cayenne Pepper
    • 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
    • ¼ cup Nutritional Yeast
    • 1 tsp Garlic Powder or flakes
    • 1 cup Water (240ml)
    • 1 Tbsp Agar Agar Powder must be powder and not flakes*
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Add the cashews, ⅓ cup water, lemon juice, coconut oil, tahini, carrot, salt, paprika, cayenne, dijon mustard, nutritional yeast and garlic powder to the blender and blend until very smooth. Leave the mix in the blender and set aside.
    • Add 1 cup of water and the agar agar powder to a saucepan and heat, stirring regularly until boiling.  Boil it for 1 minute (time it), stirring regularly and after 1 minute remove it from the heat and pour it into the blender on top of the cheese mix.
    • Blend until smooth.
    • Moving quickly, as it will start setting up very fast, pour the mix out into a round dish sprayed with non-stick spray.
    • Refrigerate until set. To remove from the bowl, turn upside down onto a plate.

    Video

    Notes

    1. It is crucial for the success of this recipe that you use agar agar powder and not flakes. Flakes are much less powerful and if you DO use flakes you will need to use 3 times as much (3 tablespoons).
    2. This might seem like a lot of salt, but it works perfectly in this recipe.
    3. I used a regular round bowl, it was 5 inches round and 2 inches deep. I chose it because it was quite straight up the sides so created a nicer shape for the cheese. But you can really use any bowl or ramekin, and if your bowls are smaller, then just use 2 bowls for 2 smaller blocks of cheese.
    4. This cheese can be grated but it tends to get firmer the longer it’s in the fridge. So it’s better for grating on the second day than on the day it’s made. 
    5. It does also melt. We put a slice on a cracker and put it in the microwave for 15 seconds and it melted. So yes it does melt! 
    6. We have also tried it on pizza. We tried it grated onto a pizza and sliced. Either way was great. We put it on with all our other toppings before going into the oven and it got nice and soft and melty along with the other toppings. It doesn’t spread or anything, but it’s very good.
    7. This recipe makes one 21 ounce (600g) round of vegan cheese. 
    8. Serving size is 4 slices which is approximately 1 ounce. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 4Slices | Calories: 71kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 303mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag #lovingitvegan
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    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Michael says

      September 08, 2022 at 3:38 pm

      Hello can you use almonds instead of cashews? Would it taste just as good? Please let me know thanks! Also can you skip tahini?

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        September 09, 2022 at 10:33 am

        You can try slivered or blanched almonds. The texture is not as smooth as with cashews though. You can skip the tahini if you prefer.

        Reply
    2. Peggy says

      September 08, 2022 at 3:39 am

      I just made this cheese, I can’t believe how delicious it is. This is my first attempt at vegan cheese, again, I can’t believe how delicious it is, I gave my friend a taste and she was amazed. Dairy doesn’t agree with me anymore and I thought I would have to just give up cheese but I don’t, thank you so much for sharing this recipe5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        September 08, 2022 at 8:18 am

        So happy to hear it was delicious Peggy! Thanks so much for the great comment and review.

        Reply
    3. Jackie says

      September 05, 2022 at 5:29 pm

      I can’t wait to try this!! I’d like to use something other than non-stick spray, and I did a quick google search and found a variety of oils, parchment paper, flour, etc. But I think the focus was on cakes, muffins, etc. No one probably considered cheese! Wondering what would be the best alternative? Thanks for sharing your recipe with us, Alison!

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        September 06, 2022 at 12:49 pm

        You could definitely use some coconut oil to grease the bowl and/or line with parchment paper.

        Reply
    4. RuthAnn Wyma says

      August 18, 2022 at 9:01 pm

      This was a wonderful recipe but way too salty for our tastes….but that’s easily remedied–will probably decrease to 1 tsp. salt next time. Thanks for sharing!!! 😋😋😋

      Reply
    5. Ronit Lev Ari says

      July 21, 2022 at 11:00 pm

      Dear Alison, we chose you as our home chef and main vegan cooking inspiration! We “met” online a week ago, and I already made three kinds of cheese and the tuna salad. Your enthusiasm and passion for the food create a leading blog with your simple and precise explanation, the best photos, and a variety of vegan foodies. All the dishes I made were the same as in the blog. I highly recommend it!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        July 22, 2022 at 9:41 am

        That’s so wonderful to hear! Thanks so much for the wonderful comment and review!

        Reply
    6. Tanya says

      June 19, 2022 at 1:59 am

      Hello again, Alison! Riddle for you: do you know when this cheese can’t be sliced? It’s when someone forgets to add the cashews!!! So, “cheese” + the cashews (found in the microwave) + another tablespoon of oil into the food processor, process until smooth. Just in case you wanted to know….. : ) Tomorrow morning I will have cheese spread on my toast! Hoo, boy!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 20, 2022 at 2:08 pm

        Oh hahaha! Well cheese spread is great too! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Tanya says

      June 16, 2022 at 1:33 am

      Hi Alison – I have made this “cheese” often since first finding your recipe, which is beyond 5*, as is the resulting food! I always end up with such a mess. I’m wondering if mixing everything in the blender, pouring into molds, and then baking it, rather than cooking the agar agar on the stove (my blender doesn’t mix it very well or fast enough!). bake at 350 degrees, maybe, until it reaches a little over 212 degrees. Think that might work? Thanks.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 16, 2022 at 11:28 am

        Hi Tanya, so glad you like the recipe! I have not tried baking it and as far as I know agar agar won’t set up properly that way, it has to be boiled to ‘activate’ it. However, we do have some other vegan cheese recipes that are baked and don’t use agar agar like our vegan brie and vegan camembert, and they are also totally delicious.

        Reply
        • Tanya says

          June 17, 2022 at 5:30 pm

          Thanks, Alison!5 stars

          Reply
    8. Amanda Mason says

      June 13, 2022 at 12:00 pm

      Oh my, this is a fabulous sheese! I made it for the first time at the weekend. My brother tasted it – he’s been vegan for about 20 years and he cannot find many sheeses he likes but he would have eaten the lot if he’d been left alone with it! I’ve been nibbling away at it today while making something for my family’s supper – it is so moreish!!! Thank you for your recipe.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 13, 2022 at 12:41 pm

        Thanks so much for the great review Amanda, so happy you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    9. Angie Andrews says

      June 06, 2022 at 1:28 pm

      Can I substitute corn starch for agar agar?

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 06, 2022 at 3:16 pm

        Unfortunately no, it doesn’t work the same way.

        Reply
    10. Sandra says

      June 04, 2022 at 10:41 pm

      Love this recipe. Turned out great.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 06, 2022 at 12:37 pm

        Thanks Sandra!

        Reply
    11. Razieh says

      May 28, 2022 at 9:56 am

      Hello Alison ❤️. Thanks a lot for your great recipes. May I use sunflower seeds instead of cashews and another plant oil instead of coconut oil?

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 30, 2022 at 12:33 pm

        You can try it!

        Reply
    12. Dawn T says

      May 26, 2022 at 7:31 pm

      I’ve always wanted to try cashew cheese. Well I finally did when I bravely followed this recipe. It was absolutely delicious! I expected it to be firmer but realized that it should’ve remained in the refrigerator longer. I couldn’t stop sampling this wonder. I’m about to prepare it again, mindful to exercise self control.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 27, 2022 at 9:59 am

        So glad you enjoyed it Dawn! Thanks for the awesome review!

        Reply
    13. Italy says

      May 23, 2022 at 11:51 pm

      I made this yesterday following the recipe precisely and although it tasted great, it had a soft consistency more akin to that of cream cheese. So, I thought I’d put it in a Food Dehydrator to harden it up a bit and see what the results were like. After about eight hours it dries up and has a kind of ‘aged’ cheese texture/taste and will probably keep a little longer. Interesting! Thanks4 stars

      Reply
    14. Melina says

      March 30, 2022 at 10:18 am

      Turned out perfect. I omitted mustard, tahini, paprika, but as for the rest I stuck to the recipe. If I would change something next time, to improve, I’d reduce the garlic powder. Perhaps I’ll improvise with truffle oil for some more umami taste. Thank you so much!4 stars

      Reply
    15. Emma Thomas says

      March 25, 2022 at 8:26 pm

      Can I omit the tahini paste, carrot and mustard? My children have allergies to all of these. I’m struggling to find them a cheese alternative as they can’t tolerate coconut either. And advice appreciated.

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 28, 2022 at 10:58 am

        Yes you can. 🙂

        Reply
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