Many vegetarians fail to become vegans because they don’t want to give up cheese. We completely understand that because there’s something magical about the many varieties in existence. Fortunately, there are many recipes and vegan cheese on the market that are just as flavorful and addicting. You may not even realize that some of these creations are dairy-free!
One of the great things about a homemade, raw vegan cheese is how creamy it is. The creaminess allows it to double as a dip or a spread, making it great for raw celery sticks or dehydrated raw flax crackers. It also has an elevated flavor profile, giving off herbaceous notes from the time with a cheesy undertone from the nutritional yeast. The garlic and lemon make this cheese reminiscent of chevre, which is a spreadable cheese made from goat’s milk. It’s a very popular cheese variety among people who have an intolerance to cow’s milk.
It is important to note that you should go easy with raw vegan cheeses like this recipe. The reason for that is because each serving tends to be very high in calories, due to the nuts. They tend to be a double-edged sword in that way, because nuts contain healthy fats, protein, fiber, and other essential nutrients, but they increase your caloric intake. Just be mindful of this when you snack with this tasty cashew cheese.
- Prep Time:10m
- Total Time:10m
- Serves: 8 servings
- Category: Full Body Cleanse Approved, Dips & Spreads, Appetizers & Snacks, Raw, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 2 c raw cashew nuts (soaked in water for 2 hours then drained)
- 1/3 c filtered water
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 1 tbsp. fresh thyme
Instructions
- Make sure to discard the soaking liquid before you blend the cashews with the rest of the ingredients.
- Add the soaked cashews and the rest of the ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth. You may need to stop blending, scrape down the sides, and continue blending to evenly blend all of the ingredients.
- Pour the mixture into your desired mold or container and place in the fridge for at least two hours so that it has time to set.
- Once the cashew cheese has set, remove it from the fridge and serve with carrot or celery sticks.
- You can store leftover cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
