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    Home > Recipes > How-Tos

    Vegan Cheese

    Published: May 12, 2022 · Modified: Oct 7, 2022 by Iosune · This post may contain affiliate links · 803 Comments

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    Photo of a bowl of vegan cheese with some letters
    Photo of a bowl of vegan cheese with a title

    This vegan cheese tastes like the real thing. It's a delicious and healthy alternative to cheese made with 9 ingredients in 30 minutes.

    Photo of a bowl of vegan cheese

    This wonderful vegan cheese will turn your world upside down! Hands down one of my top recipes! So creamy, cheesy, gooey, and its flavor will have you thinking that you're eating real cheese.

    This non-dairy cheese is made with 9 ingredients and 30 minutes and is perfect for lactose intolerants. It is also gluten-free and extremely easy to make. You'll be awed by its wonderful texture!

    Contents hide
    1. What is vegan cheese?
    2. Ingredient notes
    3. Dietary variations
    4. Pro tips
    5. How to make vegan cheese
    6. How to store
    7. What is vegan cheese made of?
    8. Serving suggestions
    9. Looking for more vegan cheese recipes?
    10. Did you make this vegan cheese recipe?
    11. Vegan Cheese

    What is vegan cheese?

    It is a dairy-free version of regular cheese. It is 100% plant-based and cholesterol-free, and I love making it at home to customize it with my favorite spices!

    Photo of some ingredients needed to make this recipe

    Ingredient notes

    • Potatoes: I've made this vegan cheese recipe using different types of potatoes and it always works, but Yukon gold potatoes work best. 
    • Water: it can be made with cold, hot, or room temperature water. You could even add the water you used to boil or steam the veggies. I prefer to use clean water at room temperature, though. You could also use vegetable stock instead.
    • Nutritional yeast: it gives this recipe the cheesy flavor, so it’s an important ingredient. If you can’t find it, you could use brewer’s yeast or even beer instead of water. However, nutritional yeast is the best choice.
    • Extra virgin olive oil: extra virgin olive oil is my favorite choice, but you could actually use any kind of vegetable oil.

    Dietary variations

    • Make it oil-free: use water or vegetable stock instead of oil.

    Pro tips

    • Not all brands of nutritional or brewer's yeast weigh the same, so I prefer to use a measuring cup. If you don't have one, add 8 tablespoons or 35 grams, and then add more if needed.
    • If you like your cheese spicy, just add a dash of cayenne powder as well. You can also customize it with pepper, paprika, or your favorite herbs.
    Step-by-step photos of how to make vegan cheese

    How to make vegan cheese

    • Boil or steam the potatoes and carrots for about 20 minutes or until they're soft.
    • Drain them and add them to a powerful blender. 
    • Add all the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
    • Serve your vegan cheese immediately.

    How to store

    • Fridge: keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
    • Freezer: keep it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
    • Reheat: it can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. Add a little water, vegetable stock, or unsweetened plant milk if needed, such as soy milk or almond milk.

    What is vegan cheese made of?

    There are a lot of different vegan cheese recipes. They can be made with nuts like cashews, nutritional yeast, tofu, soy protein, tapioca starch, and even agar-agar, but this version contains potatoes, carrots, and some spices.

    Serving suggestions

    This dairy-free cheese is as creamy as the classic cheese sauce, so you can have it as an appetizer or snack and dip some tortilla chips, crudités, pita bread, or crackers in it.

    Another option would be to spread it over a slice of vegan bread or use it to make a vegan grilled cheese sandwich, a pizza, or simply serve it with all your pasta recipes.

    Close-up photo of a bowl of vegan cheese

    Looking for more vegan cheese recipes?

    • Vegan Parmesan Cheese
    • Vegan Cream Cheese
    • Cashew Cheese
    • Vegan Ricotta
    • Vegan Mozzarella

    Did you make this vegan cheese recipe?

    Please leave a comment and rate it below. We’d love to hear from you!

    This post contains affiliate links so you can easily find some of the products that we used to make this recipe. If you buy any of them through the links provided (without any extra cost for you), we'll get a commission. We're so grateful for your support!

    Square photo of a bowl of vegan cheese

    Vegan Cheese

    This vegan cheese tastes like the real thing. It's a delicious and healthy alternative to cheese made with 9 ingredients in 30 minutes.
    4.83 from 224 votes
    PRINT PIN RATE
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Author: Iosune


    Ingredients 

    US Customary - Metric
    • 2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced, any type will do, but Yukon gold works best
    • 1 cup carrots, peeled and diced
    • ½ cup water
    • ½ cup nutritional yeast
    • â…“ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Boil or steam the potatoes and carrots for about 20 minutes or until soft.
    • Drain them and add them to a blender. 
    • Add all the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
    • Serve your vegan cheese immediately with tortilla chips, crudités, pita bread, or spread over a slice of vegan bread. You could also use it to make a vegan grilled cheese sandwich!
    • Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. I usually transfer the frozen container to the fridge the night before, that way it defrosts by itself. I reheat it in a saucepan and add some water, vegetable stock, or unsweetened plant milk if needed. It can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through.

    Notes

    • I've made this vegan cheese recipe using different types of potatoes and it always works, so please feel free to use any kind you have on hand.
    • It can be made with cold, hot, or room temperature water. You could even add the water you used to boil the veggies. I prefer to use clean water at room temperature, though.
    • Extra virgin olive oil is my favorite choice, but any oil will do.
    • If you can't find nutritional yeast in your area, use debittered brewer's yeast instead (the same amount) or you could also use beer instead of water. You may need to add a little less, though.
    • Not all brands of nutritional or brewer's yeast weigh the same, so I prefer to use a measuring cup. If you don't have one, add 8 tablespoons or 35 grams and add more if needed.
    • If you want your cheese spicy, just add a dash of cayenne powder.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.1g | Protein: 4.7g | Fat: 13.3g | Saturated Fat: 1.9g | Sodium: 404mg | Fiber: 2.5g | Sugar: 1.5g

    Update Notes: This post was originally published in September of 2019, but was republished with new photos, step-by-step instructions, and tips in May of 2022.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sayra says

      March 14, 2023 at 11:41 pm

      Wow, this is insanely good!!! I’m on my second bowl of pasta!🤤 So creamy and delicious. Best vegan cheese for mac & cheese. I even mixed some with a bit of sriracha just for fun, mind blowing!! Need to buy some chips to finish up the rest!

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        March 15, 2023 at 7:54 am

        Hi Sayra! So glad you enjoyed it so much 🙂

        Reply
    2. Beth says

      March 08, 2023 at 11:02 pm

      Is this cheese something that could be used in an egg bake?

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        March 14, 2023 at 10:13 am

        Hi Beth! I guess it should work, but I've never tried it myself, sorry!

        Reply
    3. Erin says

      February 26, 2023 at 9:41 pm

      5 stars
      We loved it. Tastes exactly like cheese even though there is nothing that should taste like cheese in there. Even the kids liked it!

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        February 27, 2023 at 10:16 am

        Hi Erin! So glad to hear that 🙂

        Reply
    4. Gage Coogan says

      February 24, 2023 at 11:52 pm

      Is the oil necessary? I don't eat oil. Thanks 😊

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        February 27, 2023 at 10:15 am

        Hi Gage! You can omit the oil and add other liquid, like for example unsweetened non-dairy milk, or more water 🙂

        Reply
    5. Darcie Unrau says

      February 12, 2023 at 5:37 pm

      OMG .this is the best thing since sliced bread. I am a dialysis patient and dairy is off my menu. But this🤪bonkers delicious. Thank you from a diehard cheese fanatic!

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        February 13, 2023 at 10:05 am

        Hi Darcie! So glad you liked it 🙂

        Reply
    6. JS says

      February 09, 2023 at 6:16 pm

      How much is a serving size?

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        February 10, 2023 at 7:27 am

        Hi JS! About 1/2 cup (120 ml) 🙂

        Reply
    7. Cheryl Hill says

      February 02, 2023 at 12:37 am

      3 stars
      It’s OK but does not taste like cheese.

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        February 02, 2023 at 9:32 am

        Hi Cheryl! Did you follow the recipe to the T? It does taste like real cheese, I've fooled non-vegans with this recipe. I'm sorry it didn't work for you. Have a nice day!

        Reply
    8. sarah says

      January 02, 2023 at 3:13 am

      AMAZING! Wow! Cant get over how good this is! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        January 09, 2023 at 9:13 pm

        Hi Sarah! Thank YOU 🙂 So glad you liked it!

        Reply
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