This Vegan Feta Cheese is crumbly, salty, and creamy. Most dairy free feta recipes are basically just tofu, but this easy homemade version tastes so close to the real thing, it will blow your mind!
One of the things I missed most when I went vegan was feta cheese. The salty, briny, crumbly cheese was something I didn’t know how to replace for a long time. No more!
For so long I thought the only option was basically marinated tofu (this is what most recipes online look like). It just didn’t do it for me. I wanted something that tasted more like the real stuff. After much trial and error, I have found the best recipe!
Made with cashews and a handful of simple ingredients, this dairy free feta tastes, feels, and looks just like the real thing. Just like Pickled Red Onions and Vegan Butter, this is sure to become a favorite staple in your fridge.
This vegan feta recipe has it all! It’s:
- Creamy
- Salty
- Tangy
- Flavorful
- Crumbly
- Briny
- Mouthwatering!
I especially love it on salads and vegan pasta salads to give both dishes that extra “oomph”. It’s also great on a vegan cheese board with olives, crackers, bread, and fruit for the holidays! Or spread on toast with apricot jam, my favorite. This vegan cheese is such a crowd pleaser and a real treat that everyone will love.
What is vegan feta made of?
Most vegan feta recipes are made using tofu, which has always left me disappointed. I made this recipe using a cashew cream base seasoned with olive brine, vinegar, lemon juice, and savory seasonings. The key ingredient, agar agar powder, is the secret to this tangy feta holding its shape and texture.
How to make vegan feta
Start by soaking your cashews in hot water. Drain, then add them and the rest of the ingredients (except the agar agar powder) to a blender. Blend until smooth.
Add the agar agar powder to the mixture in the blender and blend to incorporate.
Transfer the cheese mixture to a small pot. Cook it on the stove, stirring constantly, until it simmers. After about 2 minutes, it should thicken. Take it off the heat and place the cheese in a bowl, ramekin, or the mold of your choice.
Let the vegan feta chill on the kitchen counter before leaving it in the fridge for a few hours. When it’s firm, crumble it up or slice it into cubes and enjoy!
Tips and substitutions
- Agar agar – I’m using agar agar powder here, not flakes. If you only have flakes, use 6 teaspoons instead of 2.
- Nuts – I only tested this recipe using cashews. You can try making it with raw slivered almonds if that’s all you have, but the results may vary.
- Brine – Olive brine is best but the brine from a jar of capers is the next best option.
Serving suggestions
This is one of the best vegan cheeses to keep in your fridge at all times to use as a topping, spread, or tangy flavor-enhancer on endless meals, like:
- In Greek, cobb, watermelon, or chickpea salads
- As a spread with crackers, bread, and veggies
- In pasta salad
- Crumbled on top of roasted vegetables
- On tempeh tacos
- In a vegan omelette
- Crumbled over pizza
- On a snack plate with vegan cheddar cheese, crackers, olives, fruit, marinated artichokes, and bread
- With falafel and naan.
Frequently asked questions
- What does cashew feta taste like? Just like authentic feta cheese, cashew feta tastes salty, tangy, and delicious!
- How long does it last? It will stay fresh for up to 1 week when kept in a sealed jar in the fridge.
- Can I freeze vegan feta? Yes! Just chop the feta into cubes and store them in a sealed container. They freeze well for up to 3 months.
Looking for more vegan cheese recipes?
- Shreddable Vegan Mozzarella
- Parmesan Cheese 3 Ways
- Vegan Cheddar Cheese
- Nacho Cheese Sauce
- Stretchy Mozzarella Cheese
Vegan Feta Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup brine from a jar of green olives
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt or 2 teaspoons for more saltiness!
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons agar agar powder
Instructions
- Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Pour the hot water over the cashews and let soak for 5 minutes.
- Drain the cashews, discard the soaking water and add the cashews, 3/4 cup fresh water and all other ingredients to a high powered blender EXCEPT the agar agar powder. Blend until smooth.
- Add agar agar powder to the blender and blend to incorporate.
- Transfer to a small pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it begins to simmer. Cook for about 2 minutes until it thickens, then remove from heat and place in a mold (I used a round glass bowl).
- Chill at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator, uncovered for at least 3 hours until firm.
- That's it! The cheese is semi-soft and spreadable, but you can also slice or crumble it. Enjoy!
Notes
- I haven’t tried it with anything other than cashews, but raw slivered almonds might work.
- Make sure to use agar agar powder, not flakes. If you only have flakes, they should work, but use 6 teaspoons instead of 2.
- The feta cheese will last for about 1 week in the refrigerator and it can be frozen for longer if needed.
Nota, wonder what blender you have. Ours is nearing the end of its life. They no longer make it either. So searching for ideas.
I have a Vitamix. They last for years and years without issue! I’m on my second one in 15 years, and that’s not because my old one stopped working; I wanted to upgrade and I gave my old one away to a friend. 🙂
This was great but mine turned out more like a spread. What can I do to avoid that next time?
Excited to try this recipe. Can tapioca flour or Xanthan be used instead of agar agar. It is what we have in the house.
Not really; those just don’t do the same thing as agar agar. Your cheese won’t firm up without it.
Hello, before I dive into this, I’m curious what the onion and garlic powders bring to the flavor profile. Those are not in dairy feta recipes. I’m dubious about them as I picture those flavors dominating. Have you mixed it all up without them? Could they be added in very small increments to the mixture as it’s cooking? Thanks in advance
You can leave them out if you want, no problem!
My second time making it, and not the last time, I am certain. Thank you Nora for all your wonderful recipes, I am following you and saving pretty much all the recipes you are posting. I even have separate folders for them. You are my absolut favourite vegan food blogger ever.
Aw that’s so great, thank you for letting me know! I’m so happy you’re enjoying my recipes!
A great recipe! It was easy to make and we shared it in a cooking class this past week with someone else who overheard us telling the chef’s assistant that we brought some cashew-based feta that we made at home. We also shared the URL for this recipe. For now, there is still some left here in the house and we are finding every darned thing we can to use it with, and loving it.
One note: our vegan feta looks very white, perhaps not pure, bleached white, but very white. We use raw, organic cashews only and even when we make our cashew based mayo, it turns out quite white. Not that it would matter to us much, when it tastes so good.
Thanks for the lovely recipe.
How wonderful you love the cheese, and shared it in a cooking class! That sounds so fun! I appreciate your wonderful feedback and review! Thank you! Happy cooking!
Lovely feta flavor. The consistency threw me off, I thought I messed up b/c it was a little more ‘moist’ than the regular feta cheese but as Nora said, it’s supposed to be that way and tastes incredible. Thank you!!!
Yay, I’m so glad it worked out for you! Thank you for your wonderful feedback and review!
This is one of the most amazingly delicous recipes that I’ve tried lately. Non-vegan friends like it too. However for me the flavor and texture came out like pimento flavored cream cheese (perhaps because I boiled the cashews for a while and they soaked up more water?). I plan to make this regularly now, and experiment with adding chopped green olives or chilli peppers, etc., for spreading on crackers or bread.
Hi Sheri. I’m glad you love the flavor of the cheese! The vegan feta is semi soft and spreadable, not super dry and crumbly like regular feta. The crumbles I made were still very moist. I hope this helps!
Hi Nora! I’m curious how you got your cheese to be white. I just made a batch and it is very very beige haha. I haven’t tasted it yet but it smells delicious! Thank you.
Hi Sydney. Did you change any of the ingredients or quantities? Regardless, I don’t believe it’s possible for the feta to look truly white (even mine is a bit beige) because the cashews and seasonings are already beige.
This is absolutely brilliant. The first ‘feta’ I’ve tasted since going vegan that actually tastes anything like the real thing. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Hi Zoe. You are welcome! I am so thrilled you love the feta! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback!
Thanks for this great recipe! My wife’s family is Greek and we are vegetarian/vegan/ whole foods plant-based.
I left out the agar-agar and substituted a tablespoon of arrowroot powder which I mixed in with all the other ingredients. The intent being for use in filling for spanikopita to make up for the eggs which bind the ingredients together. It turned out really well, perfectly thickened and held together for serving.
Thanks so much for making yet another great recipe! I used mine to make a red pepper spread and it was excellent.
Hi Meagan. You are welcome! Your spread sounds really delicious! I’m glad the cheese could be a great addition to it! Thank you for sharing your fantastic feedback and idea!