Print

The Best Vegan Cheddar Cheese Recipe

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 11 reviews

This creamy vegan cheddar cheese spread is made from healthy cashews and is perfect for crackers, vegan grilled cheese, and more! Made with just 7 simple ingredients, the dairy-free cheese is melty, full of smoky cheddar flavor, and so easy to make.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 1 medium carrot (peeled and chopped)
  • 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 cup of tapioca starch
  • 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
  • 1 cup of low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Begin by boiling the cashews and carrots for about 5 minutes in a pot with enough water to cover them. Once the cashews and carrots are soft, strain out the water and transfer the softened ingredients to a blender or food processor. Keep in mind that a food processor tends to leave small bits of cashews.
  2. Add the vegetable broth, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, tapioca flour, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, garlic powder, Dijon mustard, and sea salt to the blender. Blend until the texture is smooth and creamy.
  3. Once all the ingredients have been blended, pour the mixture into a saucepan and whisk or stir over medium heat. Cook until the vegan cheese sauce starts to thicken and takes on a more stretchy cheese-like consistency. It should be stringy and melty. Be sure to adjust the heat if necessary to prevent it from burning.
  4. Once you reach your desired thickness, remove the vegan cheddar cheese from the heat and use it immediately if you wish or allow it to cool and store it in the fridge.

 

Enjoy! You can use it in your favorite recipes that call for cheddar cheese.

Equipment

Notes

  • Use only tapioca starch to get that “melty” and “stringy” texture of regular cheese.
  • Be sure and whisk or stir the cheese sauce constantly so it doesn’t burn. It only takes a couple of minutes for the cheese to thicken. Don’t walk away, talk on the phone, or binge-watch anything while making this recipe.
  • FOLLOW THE INGREDIENTS! If you want to add some extra seasoning like onion powder, etc., that’s fine. But, make sure you use the exact measurement of the liquid and tapioca flour to get the best results. Now is not the time to get creative.
  • Refrigerator: Store the cheese in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
  • Freezing: You can freeze this for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before using.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://shaneandsimple.com/the-best-vegan-cheddar-cheese-spread/