Tangy Vegan Cheddar Cheese is so easy to make with just 8 ingredients! It’s firm, sliceable and delicious on cold sandwiches, grilled cheese or as an addition to a snack platter with crackers and grapes. 

round block of cheese with a slice taken out

Making your own vegan cheese at home is surprisingly easy, and often tastes much better than anything you can buy at a store. Depending on where you live, quality vegan cheeses can be difficult to find and are usually expensive.

My favorite cheese used to be cheddar, and since giving up dairy, I have been searching for a vegan cheddar-type cheese that tastes good on a cold sandwich. There is one brand I really love (Violife Mature Cheddar Slices), but it’s pretty pricey and hard to find. So I set out to make my own.

Why this Vegan Cheddar Cheese Works

  • It tastes great cold! The flavor is incredible, mild and tangy and reminiscent of cheddar. The texture cold is firm but still soft, and can be spread on a cracker. But it’s firm enough to slice for a sandwich.
  • It melts well! Making my cheddar grilled cheese dreams come true.
  • It’s seriously easy to make and takes only about 15 minutes of prep time, then you just have to wait for it to firm up in the refrigerator.

piece of sliced cheddar on a cracker

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How to make it

*This is simply an overview of the recipe with photos. For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card.

  1. Soak raw cashews for about 5 minutes in hot water.
  2. Drain the cashews and add to a high powered blender along with the lemon juice, refined coconut oil, nutritional yeast, cornstarch, paprika, turmeric, salt and 1 cup of water.
  3. Blend until very smooth.
  4. In a small pot, combine the other cup of water and the agar agar powder. Don’t turn on the heat yet.
  5. Add the cashew mixture to the pot with the water/agar agar.
  6. Bring to a boil and whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes until it thickens.
  7. Pour into lightly oiled ramekins.
  8. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until firm.

collage of how to make cheddar

collage of how to make cheddar

Once refrigerated and firm, turn upside down over a plate to pop the cheese out of the dish. Slice and serve in cold sandwiches, make a grilled cheese, or eat with crackers. You are officially a vegan cheese maker!

Tips for the best cheese

  • Make sure to use REFINED coconut oil! This is so important, and nothing else will work. If you use unrefined, your cheese will taste like coconut.
  • High powered blender – You really need a high powered blender such as a Vitamix to get the cheese smooth and free of chunks.
  • Use raw cashews, not roasted. Raw cashews have a neutral, buttery taste that is perfect as a base for cheese.
  • Store wrapped in paper towels and plastic wrap (or in a container). Paper towels will help the cheese stay dry, which I think helps it taste even better.

block of cheese on a board

Want more vegan cheese?

spreading vegan cheddar on a cracker

square image of a block of vegan cheddar

Vegan Cheddar Cheese

Servings: 16 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Chilling time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Author: Nora Taylor
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Tangy Vegan Cheddar Cheese is so easy to make with just 8 ingredients! It's firm, sliceable and delicious on cold sandwiches, grilled cheese or as an addition to a snack platter with crackers and grapes. 
4.83 from 17 votes
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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Pour the hot water over the cashews and let soak for 5 minutes. Prepare 2 small ramekins or 1 larger dish by lightly spraying with oil.
  • Drain the cashews and discard the soaking water. Add them to a blender along with the lemon juice, refined coconut oil, nutritional yeast, cornstarch, paprika, turmeric, salt and 1 cup of fresh water (not the full 2 cups). Blend well, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed, until completely smooth.
  • In a small-medium pot, add the remaining cup of water and the agar agar powder. Stir until it dissolves (this only take a minute). Now add the cashew mixture from the blender to the pot.
  • Turn the heat on to high, bring to a boil and stir for 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly. It will thicken somewhat in the pot. *See the photos in the post above for reference.
  • Immediately pour the cheese into the prepared ramekins and smooth out the top with a spoon.
  • Refrigerate for 2-3 hours until firm, then turn upside down on a plate to remove the cheese from the container. Slice and serve in sandwiches, make a grilled cheese sandwich, spread on crackers and eat as a snack.
  • Storing: I like to wrap it in paper towels and then plastic wrap to keep it dry and firm. It will keep in the refrigerator for 5-6 days. I haven't tried freezing it but I think it will work okay.

Notes

  1. I can't stress enough that you use REFINED coconut oil, not unrefined. Refined coconut oil has no coconut taste whatsoever, and if you use anything else, it will not work.
  2. May sub tapioca starch for cornstarch if needed.
  3. I have only tested this using agar agar powder, but if you have flakes 3 tablespoons should work. You typically need more flakes than powder. 
  4. Kappa Carrageenan - If you would rather use this than agar agar, it will work but the process is a bit different. Simply add 1 1/2 tablespoons kappa carrageenan to the blender along with 2 full cups of boiling hot water and carefully blend. The cheese will be more firm, and I don't believe it tastes as good cold. But it will shred better.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 82kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 219mg, Potassium: 85mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 3mg, Iron: 1mg

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