This vegan cheddar cheese alternative recipe is a sampling from the cookbook, Artisan Vegan Cheese by Miyoko Schinner. This vegan cheddar is a good cheese to have on hand at all times because of its versatility. It’s great for adding to tacos and sandwiches, serving with crackers, and making cheese sauces (perhaps some vegan nachos for the big game?).
Rich and full flavored, this vegan cheddar continues to age and improve in the refrigerator for weeks or even months. What distinguishes it from store-bought vegan cheddar equivalents is that the sharpness is not feigned by adding acidic ingredients; it’s the result of an actual aging process. I often make this several weeks before I want to serve it because it just keeps getting better—deeper, sharper, and more complex in flavor.
You will note the recommendation for storage for up to 4 months. The only reason Miyoko has never aged this vegan cheddar for more than four months is because she hasn’t been able to keep it around longer than that! Although it continues to thicken as it ages, the texture remains more like Cheddar cheese left out on a hot day. (In other words, it’s not quite as firm as dairy-based Cheddar.)
Note that this recipe is a two-in-one. You will need to prepare the Rejuvelac in advance. The Rejuvelac is used in many of the recipes in Artisan Vegan Cheese, so it is a good recipe to master, even beyond this vegan cheddar.
Since Miyoko does use some ingredients that can be more difficult to find, I’ve included links to purchase them online within the recipe. Locally, you can look for the ingredients at natural food stores, but it isn’t likely that they will be stocked at conventional grocers.
Sharp Cheddar Vegan Cheese Alternative
Ingredients
Method
- Put the cashews, nutritional yeast, rejuvelac, optional oil, 1 tablespoon of the miso, and the salt in a blender.
- Process until smooth and creamy, occasionally stopping to scrape down the blender jar and move the mixture toward the blades.
- Taste and add more miso if desired.
- Transfer the mixture to a clean glass bowl or container, cover, and let rest at room temperature for 24 to 72 hours, depending on how sharp a flavor you want and the ambient temperature (fermentation will proceed more quickly at warmer temperatures).
- Transfer the cheese to a heavy medium saucepan and stir in the carrageenan and xanthan gum with a wooden spoon.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring almost constantly. The mixture will be very thick, grainy, and difficult to stir at first.
- Keep cooking and stirring until it is smooth and glossy and starts to pull away from the sides
- of the pan, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a glass or metal mold and smooth the top.
- Let cool completely at room temperature.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, until firm.
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
Ingredients
Method
- Put the grains in a 1-quart glass jar and add water to cover. Place a double layer of cheesecloth over the mouth of the jar and secure it with a rubber band. Let the grains soak for 8 to 12 hours.
- Drain, then add just enough water to moisten the grains but not so much that they are immersed in water. Put the jar in a warm place out of direct sunlight for 1 to 3 days and rinse the grains once or twice a day, each time draining well and then adding just enough fresh water to moisten them.
- Continue this process until the grains have begun to sprout (they will have little tails emerging).
- Divide the sprouted grains equally between two 1-quart glass jars. Pour 3 cups of the filtered water into each jar. Cover each jar with fresh cheesecloth and secure it with rubber bands. Put the jars in a warm place out of direct sunlight for 1 to 3 days. The water will turn cloudy and white, and the liquid will have a slightly tart flavor, somewhat like lemon juice.
- Strain the liquid into clean glass jars and discard the grains.
98 Comments
When the mix reaches the culturing stage and you say cover it, do you mean with a lid, so no oxygen, or with cheesecloth to allow it to breathe?
You would cover it with a lid.
I have made this twice now. Once using the recommended oil which seeped out of the cheese in an unpleasant way. The second time I tried it without adding oil and I found the Cashews had enough oil without it oozing out everywhere.
I was browsing the comments and noticed a question about using gelatin instead. I’m vegan myself so gelatin wouldn’t work but what about a fruit pectin? I know that can be used in place of gelatin for several vegan alternations as well as canning. Any thoughts on that?
It might work, but I’ve never seen pectin as an ingredient in any vegan cheeses, so I imagine there might be some preparation or texture issues.
This same thing is happening to me! What do I do? What did I mess up??
What thing is that? I can’t tell what you are commenting on Rachel.
I use quinoa for the rejuvelac. It works quickly and makes a nice, sharp cheese. Also, if you omit the thickeners, you get a nice cheese spread. My hub loves it on homemade gluten-free bagels. This also works wonders in a WF Mac and Cheese by making the cheese into a sauce with plant based milk, salt or salt substitute, nutritional yeast, and a bit of miso.
Scratch that, no miso, add cashews. Don’t know what I was thinking. 3 cups water, 3/4 cups cashews and blend well. Heat in saucepan. When hot, add 1 cup sharp cheddar (above), 2-3 tbsp nutritional yeast, and a dash of salt and cook on low until thick.
Thank you for your detailed feedback on this recipe Lisa!
can I use any other nut? i am not keen on cashews in vegan cheeses, i tried the basic agar version before and detest the taste. brazils maybe?
Hi Judy, I can’t guarantee how it will taste, but Brazil nuts, almonds, or macadamia should functionally work.
I just read that I was supposed to dissolve the the Agar in water first?!?!? And that that is explained in “Miyoko’s comments”. Where are these comments? I can’t find them in this thread. Also, I now have a 2 week old container full of grainy paste. Should I just toss it? Is it salvageable? Also, could you amend the recipe to include those instructions? I feel like I have wasted so much time and so many ingredients because this was not explained in the recipe.
Unfortunately, for some reason, Miyoko deleted her comments. I have no idea why or when that happened! She has directions for dissolving the agar in another recipe, so I’ve added this with a precaution. I’ve used agar for cheese recipe development, but never as a carrageenan substitute, so I have to defer to her method. When I researched, this seems to be the best option if you need to use agar.
In terms of the cheese, you should be able to melt it back down, and at the least, use it for a cheese sauce.
my cheddar has been in fridge 2 weeks and still seems like a paste. What have I done wrong?
After you mix everything in the blender, you say to cover the mixture and let it sit out to ferment for 24-72 hours. Should it be covered with a solid lid, or just covered with cheesecloth? I’m really excited to make this! I’m in the middle of fermenting the rejuvelac right now!
I would cover it with a cheesecloth or clean tea towel.
Thanks, Alisa! Can’t wait to see how it turns out!
This is so so yummy! I always make the crock style cheese– I don’t thicken it and let it age but use it after it has cultured on the counter for several days. I can find so many yummy ways to use it: in sandwiches, as a dip, really any reason! It doesn’t last very long here!!
I am not vegan or paleo or internet diet. I am only trying to avoid foods to which I have developed and intolerance to. Gluten is of no concern to me.
I cannot have dairy .
” ” ” yeast of any kind.
I cannot have sugar cane.
I cannot have chicken eggs…….duck and goose eggs are fine.
Nuts of any kind are okay.
Do you know a source of a recipe for (sorry….I call it “fake cheese”)
fake cheese that tastes like SHARP CHEDDAR? Please, I would like a recipe, as Daiya and all others are not worth the cost to me.
Thanks for your time and good consideration,
Mike S.
I don’t off hand. Nutritional yeast is what is usually used to give it that cheddar flavor.
The taste is great but I had to quick make the first batch and was wondering if I didn’t cook long enough or the fact I didn’t let it ferment long enough was the reason it didn’t get smooth when it was pulling away from the pan. So wondering if I didn’t cook long enough or was it because I didn’t ferment long enough.
I believe either reason is possible.
I made it today, followed the instructions exactly. What I’m noticing as the cheese cools to room temperature, is that I’m getting little pools of oil…like it’s separating. I’m reserving full judgment until tomorrow. But, I read a few other comments where this happened and they said their cheese was crumbly. Any thoughts as to what I may have done wrong??
It sounds like a problem with the emulsification. The oil should be emulsified in and then the gum and carrageenan would help to lock the emulsification. Otherwise, the oil can separate and leave behind a dry cheese alternative. This is Miyoko’s recipe, not mine, but from my experiences, this is what I’m guessing the problem is. I would whisk the mixture before adding the gum and carrageenan to ensure that it is emulsified, and then add the binders and ensure they are thoroughly mixed in before it gets too thick. I hope this helps!
Hmm that does sound like what maybe happened. I didn’t stir it again after curing it for three days, before putting it in the drive with the carrageen…. I’ll definitely try again until I get it. Thanks for the reply and suggestions!
Happy to help!
I have read the replies and my problem is when I go to thicken the sharp cheddar cheese. I put it in the sauce pan over medium heat with the carrageenan powder and the xanthan gum but the instructions say that it will begin to look like a smooth and glossy appearance and in my mind I’m thinking that that kind of looks like melted peanut butter. However, the instructions say 3 to 5 minutes. I stirred and stirred for 25 minutes and never saw a smooth and glossy appearance and so I thought well this must be it. So I packed it in my metal tin and I put it in the refrigerator the next day it came out very crumbly and almost like a gram cracker crust appearance. So what am I doing wrong? Is it supposed to have the appearance of melted peanut butter when I’m cooking in the sauce pan?
Hi Billie, if it dried out, then it was definitely cooked too long. I would stick to 5 minutes and not get too obsessed on the “smooth and glossy” descriptor. This isn’t one of my recipes, but based on what you have written, I think perhaps their wording is a little off – and based on my experience, I can say that it was cooked too long.
I used kamut and quinoa for the grains, and they never sprouted…even after four days, I used it anyway. Also, the mixture never did get “smooth” when cooking it, got a little shiny but not smooth….it tastes wonderful, and is now cooling before I put it in the refrigerator to age. Only makes about a pound of cheese, so I will maybe double it if we like this batch.
Thanks so much for sharing your notes Sharon – very helpful! And glad it worked out well for you.
As it’stands fermenting is it supposed to have a wine like odor?
That sounds odd, but I’m unfortunately not an expert on fermenting. Hopefully Miyoko can weigh in on her recipe here.
I used an organic miso which already smelled a bit like wine, it’seems best before date is 2019 so unless it’s a bad batch it should be good I’ll phone the company tomorrow but hopefully she does weigh in.
Miso can smell a little like wine, but it shouldn’t be overpowering. It does sound like you are heading in the right direction in contacting the company.
How long does it take for the grains for the rejuvelac to start sprouting?
1 to 3 days
Has anyone converted the recipe to Thermomix as yet?
Why do you use canola oil? Canola oil is one of the most genetically modified oils out there on the market. Surely there are better oils to use in your recipes.
Hi Den, I don’t use canola oil personally. This is Miyoko’s recipe and I believe she uses it for its neutral taste. You can either get a non-GMO canola oil (lots of great brands!) or use another neutral-tasting oil. I like rice bran oil for recipes like this.