Vegan Cheese Ball

This vegan cheese ball is seriously delicious. It’s creamy, super cheesy and packed with flavor. Perfect as an appetizer!

This vegan cheese ball is so tasty and looks gorgeous too. It’s the perfect appetizer to serve at a dinner party or holiday get-together and it’s 100% approved by both vegans and non-vegans alike.

In fact if you want to make an example of how delicious vegan food can be to someone who is sceptical, you may want to consider leading with something like this.

It’s the kind of recipe that causes people to make a bit of a fuss. They’ll exclaim about how delicious it is while enthusiastically spreading another serving on a cracker and demanding that you give them the recipe right this minute! You may even become a bit of a legend. No really.

All this, and it’s so easy to make too. What’s not to love? And if you love putting together a good vegan cheese board then also check out our sliceable cashew cheese and our vegan cheddar cheese.

How To Make A Vegan Cheese Ball

You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.

• Place raw cashews into a bowl and pour over boiling hot water from the kettle. Leave them to soak for an hour.
• Drain the cashews and add to the blender along with lemon juice, coconut oil, miso paste, salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, crushed garlic and water and blend until smooth.
• Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and stir in fresh chopped basil and chives.

• Line a small bowl with plastic wrap and spoon the mixture into the bowl. Twist the plastic wrap to seal it, creating a ball shape.
• Place the bowl with your cheese ball into the freezer for 1 hour to set.
• While the cheese is setting, crush roasted and salted almonds and place them into a wide bowl.
• Add chopped chives and mix with the crushed almonds.
• After 1 hour remove the cheese ball from the freezer and gently remove the plastic wrap.
• Gently roll the cheese ball in the crushed almonds and chives, making sure the ball is evenly coated.
• Return the cheese ball to the small bowl that it set in and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until you’re ready to serve.

Recipe Tips

Soak the cashews: The reason you must soak the cashews for this recipe is because the cheese is very thick. We can’t add much water because we need a thick consistency so that it will set. Soaking the cashews makes it much easier to blend.

Fresh lemon juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor.

Coconut oil: You can use either virgin coconut oil or refined coconut oil (odorless). Don’t substitute a different oil, it must either be coconut oil or, if you have an allergy or avoid oils, then omit it entirely.

White miso paste: If you don’t have miso paste on hand then you can substitute this for tomato paste, tahini or soy sauce. Soy sauce provides similar umami flavors to miso paste.

Nutritional Yeast: This adds to the cheesy flavor but if you’re allergic or can’t get hold of it, then simply leave it out.

Recipe Q&A

Make Ahead, Storing and Freezing

This is a great recipe to make up ahead of time. Just make it and then keep it stored in the fridge for a day or two until you’re ready to serve.

Leftover cheese will keep in the fridge in a covered container for up to a week. It is also freezer friendly for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge.

More Delicious Vegan Cheese

1. Vegan Cream Cheese
2. Vegan Mozzarella
3. Vegan Feta
4. Vegan Ricotta
5. Vegan Queso
6. Vegan Nacho Cheese
7. Vegan Parmesan
8. Vegan Cottage Cheese

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