Vegan Mozzarella Cheese a cashew cheese that stretches, melts, and grates!
April 26, 2021
This vegan mozzarella stretches almost like real cheese, but it's also firm enough to grate into mozzarella shreds (after freezing for a bit). And it has the perfect tangy, salty mozzarella taste! This cheese is amazing for pizzas, pasta dishes like my baked ziti or lasagna, Caprese salad, or even mozzarella sticks!
You'll want to plan ahead when making this vegan mozzarella recipe. Start making it at least two hours in advance if you plan to slice it. If you will be grating it, it's best to prepare the cheese the day before so you can freeze it overnight.
For this recipe, you'll need tapioca flour (tapioca starch), and agar agar flakes. Tapioca flour gives your cheese the stretchy, stringy texture that holds it all together. Arrowroot powder may work also, but it may not be as stretchy. Agar agar helps the cheese to solidify once it cools. You could make the cheese without agar, but it would be more difficult to work with. You should be able to find all the ingredients for this recipe in grocery stores, but if you can't, click the links above to find them on Amazon.
If you're going to make 2 or more batches at the same time, I recommend cooking and cooling them separately for faster cooling. You can blend everything together, then divide the cream and cook each batch separately. I wouldn't divide the cheese after it's been heated, because the cheese tends to lose some of its smooth texture if you break it up at that stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use agar agar powder instead of flakes? Yes! Use 1/2 tbsp. of agar agar powder instead of 1 1/2 tbsp. of flakes. The cheese may also need less time to cook if you're using powder. It might start to solidify before it boils. If this happens, add your tapioca starch and water immediately, don't wait for it to boil.
Is this vegan mozzarella stretchy like regular mozzarella? While this "cheese" does have a fair amount of stretch to it, it's not exactly the same as the stretchy texture you'll get from dairy cheese. If you pull at it while it's melted, it will stretch, but it will break more easily than regular mozzarella. It's also a little lighter, or less dense, than the real thing.
Can I use a different oil instead of coconut oil? I don't recommend it. Refined coconut oil is flavorless and odorless, and coconut oil has a different texture and higher melting point than other oils.
Vegan Mozzarella Cheese
Yield6 oz.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup raw, unsalted cashews, soaked
- 1/2 cup water, cold, divided
- 2 tbsp. refined coconut oil (taste- and odor-free)
- 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tbsp. agar agar flakes*
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. tapioca flour (tapioca starch)
Instructions
Blend soaked cashews, 3/8 cup of water (6 tablespoons), coconut oil, lemon juice, agar agar flakes, and salt in a blender until smooth.
Transfer the cream to a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat. Bring to a slow boil, stirring constantly, and cook for about 3 minutes.
Mix 2 tbsp. of water with the tapioca starch and add to the cream mixture. Stir it immediately and continue stirring until the cheese forms a stretchy ball. Remove from heat.
![vegan mozzarella in pan after tapioca starch has been added, forming a ball]()
After you add the tapioca starch, the cheese will start to stick together and form a ball.Allow your cheese to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes, until it can be handled. Then shape it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and secure with a twist tie, and refrigerate for one hour. At this point, it should be firm enough to slice. If you need to grate it, move it to the freezer and chill another 4 hours (or preferably overnight).
![two batches of vegan mozzarella wrapped in plastic wrap]()
If you're making two batches of mozzarella, cook and wrap them in two separate mozzarella balls.
Notes & Hints
Soak your cashews in water for 2 hours, or boil for 10 minutes before using.
You can use 1/2 tbsp. of agar agar powder instead of flakes. See the FAQ above for more details.
If you need more than one batch, I recommend making them separately, otherwise they will take longer to cool. If you divide the batch in half after cooking, you may lose some stretchiness.
Nutrition Data
Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe; Calories: 80; Fat: 7 g.; Saturated Fat: 5 g.; Cholesterol: 0 mg.; Sodium: 160 mg.; Carbohydrates: 4 g.; Fiber: 0 g.; Sugar: 0 g.; Protein: 1 g.; Vitamin A: 0 mcg. RAE; Vitamin B12: 0 mcg.; Vitamin C: 1 mg.; Vitamin D: 0 mcg.; Calcium: 1 mg.; Iron: 0 mg.; Potassium: 33 mg.; Zinc: 0 mg.Note: This data should be used only as an estimate. Please see the nutrition section of my terms and conditions for more information on how this data is calculated.
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