Amazing oil free vegan mozzarella cheese that slices, grates, and melts! Perfect for pizza, pasta dishes, sandwiches, quesadillas, and more! The possibilities are endless!
You guys are going to really love this Vegan Mozzarella Cheese! It’s absolutely amazing!
One of the hardest things for me about going vegan was giving up cheese. I used to put cheese on just about everything!
The vegan cheese products available in the stores are getting better all the time. And I’ve had some delicious ones! Unfortunately, the better options out there are not only expensive, but most of them have quite a bit of added oil.
I’ve been on a mission for quite some time to create a vegan cheese without oil that is firm enough to slice and grate, but still melts.
I was told that you have to use coconut oil for a vegan cheese that has these properties. But I knew there had to be a way to make it without the oil.
And I was right! I finally did it! I’m so excited!
It firms up perfectly! Slices and grates like other cheeses. And it melts! (I have found that while this cheese melts beautifully inside sandwiches and in the microwave, it doesn’t melt quite as well on top of a pizza. This is likely due to the oven temperature.)
Oh, and, most importantly, it tastes great!
Oh, the possibilities!
Ingredients for this vegan mozzarella
I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Some product links on some posts are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This cheese is made from only 10 ingredients, and one of them is water!
- Raw cashews – if you don’t have a high speed blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec, you will want to soak these for at least four hours or overnight before making this recipe.
- Tapioca Starch – this is one of the binding ingredients in the cheese
- Nutritional Yeast – for a mild cheesy flavor
- Lemon Juice and Apple Cider Vinegar – for a mild tang
- Kappa Carrageenan – this is an ingredient derived from a red seaweed, and is used to firm up the cheese. It can be ordered from Modernist Pantry or from Amazon.
- White Miso, Salt, and Onion Powder – for flavor. The amount of salt can be reduced, if desired.
How to make this vegan cheese
- If you don’t have a high speed blender like a Vitamix or a Blendtec, soak your cashews in boiling water for about an hour before using. Rinse and drain them.
- Place all the ingredients in a blender, and blend until completely smooth.
- Pour the contents into a medium saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. As the mixture cooks, it will begin to thicken, and some lumps may form. Just keep stirring vigorously and the mixture will all come together.
- After the mixture comes to a boil, continue cooking and stirring for about two more minutes.
- Pour the mixture into one or two glass bowls, and refrigerate for a few hours until it is set.
- The mozzarella is now ready to slice or grate and enjoy!
Can I use agar agar instead of kappa carrageen?
I have read that you can substitute agar agar for the kappa carrageenan. (I have not tested this substitution.) To use agar, you will need to use twice as much as the amount of carrageenan, so that would be 2 tablespoons for this recipe.
The cheese made with agar will not melt as well as the cheese made with kappa carrageenan.
Ways to use vegan mozzarella cheese
There are so many possibilities for this vegan mozzarella cheese!
- Slice it up and place it on a cheese board with some seitan (like my Easy Oil Free Vegan Pepperoni), some fresh fruit, and some whole grain crackers and breads.
- Grate it on to your pizza
- Place some between a couple slices of my Multigrain Bread and make a delicious melty grilled cheese to go with your soup
- Use it as a topping for lasagna, stuffed shells, or baked penne
- Add slices to your sandwiches
- Add some to your burritos or quesadillas
How to store this vegan cheese
Wrap the cheese in plastic wrap, or place it in an air tight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.
For longer storage, you can freeze this cheese. (Although, mine has never lasted long enough to freeze!) The cheese will likely be a bit softer after freezing and thawing.
Pin to save for later
Here are more recipes with vegan cheese:
- Vegan Chili Cheese Fries
- Baked Vegan Mac & Cheese
- Vegan Loaded Queso Dip
- Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes (Vegan)
- Vegan Twice Baked Potatoes
- Pepperoni Pizza Panini
- Vegan Stromboli
- Vegan Lasagna
- Vegan Cheddar Cheese
- Cashew Cheese Sauce
- Vegan Pepper Jack Cheese
- Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
- Vegan Stuffed Shells
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a rating and feedback below. It only takes a few seconds, but helps other visitors to my site and helps my site gain other readers. Thank you for taking the time to leave your comment!
And come join my Oil Free Vegan Recipes and Support Facebook group, where you can share your favorite oil free vegan recipes, and give and receive support on your plant based journey.
Oil Free Vegan Mozzarella That Melts
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups water
- ¾ cup raw cashews
- 4 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon food grade kappa carrageenan
- 1 tsp white miso
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp onion powder
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. If you don’t have a high speed blender, soak the cashews in boiling water for at least an hour. Drain the cashews and proceed with the recipe.
- Pour the contents of the blender into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. As the mixture cooks, it will thicken and become somewhat stretchy. When the mixture comes to a boil, turn down the heat to medium low and continue cooking and stirring for about two more minutes.
- Pour the mixture into a bowl or container and refrigerate for at least three hours to allow it to fully set.
