Description
This Shreddable Vegan Mozzarella is a creamy, dairy-free cheese alternative made from cashews, tapioca starch, and kappa carrageenan. It melts and stretches just like traditional mozzarella, perfect for pizzas, grilled sandwiches, pasta dishes, and more. Ready in just over 2 hours, this recipe delivers a delicious, plant-based cheese with a smooth, pliable texture that’s easy to shred and slice.
Ingredients
Cheese Base
- 1/2 cup raw cashews (OR 1/2 cup silken tofu)
- 4 tablespoons tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons kappa carrageenan*
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 4 tablespoons refined coconut oil (ensure it is refined to avoid coconut flavor)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, or more lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups boiling hot water
Instructions
- Soak Cashews: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil using an electric kettle or stovetop. Pour the hot water over the cashews and let them soak for 5 minutes. After soaking, drain and discard the water, then set the cashews aside.
- Prepare Container: Select a clean container that can hold about 3 cups of mixture. Glass is preferred but plastic will also work. Have this container ready before blending as you need to pour the mixture quickly.
- Heat Water: Heat 1 1/2 cups of water until boiling. Use a kettle or stovetop to ensure the water is boiling hot when added to the blender.
- Add Ingredients to Blender: In a high-powered blender, combine the soaked and drained cashews, tapioca starch, kappa carrageenan, nutritional yeast, salt, refined coconut oil, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar.
- Blend with Hot Water: Carefully pour the boiling hot water into the blender over the ingredients. Secure the lid immediately, using a towel for safety to avoid burns. Blend until smooth, stopping once to scrape down the sides if necessary. The mixture will begin to thicken quickly, so blend thoroughly but swiftly.
- Pour and Set: Immediately pour the blended cheese mixture into the prepared container. It will start to harden rapidly, so do not delay in transferring it.
- Chill Cheese: Place the container uncovered in the refrigerator and chill for 1-2 hours until the cheese is fully set and firm throughout.
- Final Preparation: After chilling, remove the cheese from the container. You may slice or shred it immediately or wrap it in paper towels and store it in a large ziplock bag or airtight container to reduce moisture for improved texture.
- Use: Enjoy this vegan mozzarella as a substitute for traditional mozzarella in pizzas, grilled cheese, cold sandwiches, pasta, Mexican dishes, soups, or simply as a snack.
Notes
- Use refined coconut oil to avoid imparting a coconut flavor to the cheese.
- Kappa carrageenan is essential for achieving the proper stretchy and firm texture; it can be found in specialty health food stores or online.
- If using silken tofu instead of cashews, a regular blender can be used instead of a high-powered blender.
- Blend quickly after adding hot water as the mixture begins to thicken fast.
- Storing the cheese wrapped in paper towels inside a sealed container helps improve firmness by reducing moisture.
- This cheese is best kept refrigerated and consumed within 5 days.
