In the last few years, the commercialization of vegan cheeses has snowballed. And that’s not too surprising, given the increasing demand. Nowadays, you can find several types of plant-based cheeses – most often imitations of mozzarella, parmesan, gouda, and feta cheese. These cheeses aren’t only loved by vegans, but also by the ones who have a hard time digesting any type of dairy products. But did you know that you can also make vegan cheese yourself? Let’s find out what this cheese alternative is all about, and how you can make vegan cheese yourself at home.
How is vegan cheese made?
When it comes to the production of vegan cheese, it is significantly different from traditional cheese. That’s because the proteins from plant milk do not coagulate in the same way as milk proteins. The most common ingredients of commercial vegan cheeses are vegetable proteins (soy, nuts) and/or vegetable oils (mainly coconut), modified potato and corn starch, thickeners such as guar gum and carrageenan additives, various flavors (depending on the type) and acidity regulators. Thanks to the continuous improvement of production methods, vegan cheese is nowadays almost equally as meltable as regular cheese. Which makes it significantly easier to prepare meals such as pizza and pasta.
Plant-based cheeses that are made at home are a great and healthy addition to any vegan recipe. They can be made from various bases: nuts, vegetable milk, or vegetable yogurt (soy milk and yogurt give the best results because they have more protein). But instead of using the method of separating protein and liquid from the vegetable base, it’s significantly easier to just add a small amount of thickener such as agar-agar. The downside is that if you overdo it, the texture of the vegan cheese will be off. So don’t worry if you’re homemade vegan cheese doesn’t turn out perfect on your first try.
Everything you need to make vegan cheese
Enough of the talking, let’s get into the recipes. Here’s everything you need to make your own vegan cheese at home.
- a good blender (preferably high-speed)
- various molds and bowls made of glass, ceramic or stainless steel (for smaller, round cheeses)
- bread and cake molds (for larger blocks)
- a colander
- cloth bag
I usually make vegan cheese using a grain starter because it speeds up fermentation and adds enzymes.
For the starter:
- ¼ cup of spelled or wheat grains
- 2 cups of water
Put the grains in a jar and cover them with water. Cover the jar with a cloth bag or paper towels for 48 hours or until the liquid becomes sour. Drain, save the liquid, and throw the grains into the compost.
For the cheese:
- 2 cups of cashews, soaked overnight
- ¼ – ½ cup of grain starter
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
Drain the soaked nuts. Place them in your blender with the salt, garlic, and oil and start blending, adding only as much starter as necessary to get a smooth texture. Line the colander with a cloth, and then transfer the mixture with a spoon. Fold the cloth and leave it for 24 to 48 hours. Once this is done, place your cheese in a container. Let it cool in the refrigerator for another 24 hours. Finally, your cheese is done and can be enjoyed for 10 days.
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