One of the few things I missed when transitioning to a vegan diet was cheese! The salty, sweet, and sometimes astringent flavors all balled up into one bite, especially when paired with fruit or savory crackers, was one of my most favorite food indulgences. Luckily, very soon after experimenting and exploring a variety of vegan recipes, I stumbled upon vegan cheese! I was very delighted!
Soon after my gold mine discovery, while walking the aisles of my local organic grocery store, I found a variety of vegan cheeses made of very familiar ingredients such as potatoes, cashews, and almonds. Some were meltable and others not so much. But this didn’t matter as much because there was so much that I could choose from. There was vegan cheese for every cooking season! It was an instant celebration for me, and this is how it has been every time I cook with a recipe that calls for cheese or when I make sandwiches for my daughters.
Now what makes this plant-based journey even more spectacular is the fact that I can make my own vegan cheese at home and from scratch! This may not matter as much to you but equates to a win every single time in my book because I have control over the ingredients, the flavor, the salt content, and the freshness! Having this level of flexibility and sway over what you consume is truly priceless.
So, when do I typically use vegan cheese, essentially when I am working with a recipe that calls for any and everything cheese, vegan lasagna being one of the most popular. Does vegan cheese change the taste of the dish? In my opinion, certainly not! If anything, it enhances the flavor, adds dimension, and elevates your culinary experience.
Come take a peek into my world of vegan cheese! Here are two of my favorite cheese recipes that are sure to please every tummy. They are versatile, require the freshest ingredients that are familiar and will serve as excellent cheese substitutes every time. Explore, give them a try, and let me know what you think. Happy cooking!
Vegan Herb Ricotta
Ingredients
• 1½ cups raw cashews, soaked
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 1 large lemon, juiced
• 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 small garlic cloves
• 1 Teaspoon onion powder
• Fresh thyme leaves. from 4 sprigs
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh chives
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh oregano leaves
• Himalayan sea salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Directions
• Soak cashew nuts for 5-10 minutes in hot water.
• Drain cashews and place coconut milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder, thyme and oregano into a blender or food processor.
• Process until mixture is creamy
• Add salt and cracked black pepper to taste as needed.
• Incorporate in your favorite pasta dish
• Enjoy!
Spicy Vegan Cheese Dip
Ingredients
• ¾ cup Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
• ½ cup sweet potato, peeled and diced
• ½ cup carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 garlic cloves
• ¼ cup raw cashews
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ to 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup water
Directions
• Place the potatoes and carrots in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Add about 2 teaspoons of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until fork-tender, about 8 to 12 minutes.
• Drain liquid and transfer to a high-speed blender. Add the garlic, cashews, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, olive oil, Scotch Bonnet pepper and water. Blend until smooth.
• Serve with your favorite chips (plantain or tortilla) for dipping or enjoy smothered with pasta.
Previously published on the Monitortribune.com on December 18, 2023.