Mozzarella is the soft, stretchy cheese perfect for making everything from pizza to salads. Dairy-free mozzarella contains only plant-based protein. It’s very easy to make and low in calories and fat.
How to make vegan mozzarella? It takes just a few minutes and a handful of ingredients to make a cheddar cheese that you can dip in, melt, or use in bakes. Recipes vary; some use plant-based milk, cashews, or both, and a coagulant. Read on to find out more about mozzarella and try different recipes.
Creamy Plant-Based Mozzarella
Substituting mozzarella with a store-bought vegan option may prove disappointing and pricey. These are often highly processed, something that most vegans want to avoid. Therefore, the easiest way is to learn how to make vegan mozzarella.
Here’s a recipe for a mozzarella from Ela Vegan that’s creamy and melty but not shreddable. However, if you want it to shred and slice, add 1 ½ tablespoons of kappa carrageenan to firm it up.
This flavorful and creamy plant-based mozzarella recipe includes cashews, dairy-free milk, and boiled potato to add body and thicken the mix. Tapioca starch is needed to thicken it, while nutritional yeast, white vinegar, seal salt, and onion powder provide the flavors.
Optional add-ons include miso paste for an extra umami flavor, spices, herbs, and garlic powder. You can even use liquid smoke to create a smoky-flavored cheese.
Preparing the mozzarella is super-easy. Soak the cashews in hot water for a few minutes while you chop up and boil the potato. However, you can cook the cashews with the potato because they will soften simultaneously.
Finally, blend all the ingredients until smooth, pour into a saucepan, and boil for a few minutes until thickened and stretchy. It’s best to use this mozzarella immediately, but refrigerate for up to 3 days if you have leftovers. It will get creamier with a texture like cream cheese.
Easy Vegan Mozzarella Recipe
To make an easy mozzarella that you can drizzle on pizza or layer into a lasagna, Francesca Bonadonna developed The Easiest Vegan Mozzarella, using five ingredients and taking 2 minutes to whisk.
The beauty of this mozzarella is that it’s gluten and nut-free, making it the ideal dairy-free cheese for people with allergies or who are avoiding these ingredients.
But how can you make vegan mozzarella without nuts? You will need tapioca starch, which Francesca stresses is not a substitute for if you want a cheeselike and stretchy texture. The remaining ingredients are non-dairy milk, cornstarch, nutritional yeast, and salt. The recipe yields 100 ml of vegan mozzarella, enough to cover one large pizza or to make a lasagne.
Some tips from the recipe’s developer include:
- The recipe only works with these ingredients.
- You must whisk the ingredients into a smooth and lump-less paste.
- Use it right away when it has the most spreadability.
- Pour it slowly, letting it spread out before adding more.
- The mozzarella needs about 9 minutes of cooking time on pizzas. Still, it will take longer to cook when used for a lasagne (it’s best to layer it in the lasagne and lower the oven temperature by about 25 degrees to give it enough time to cook).
Delicious Homemade Vegan Cheese
Luckily, a more extensive variety of shop-bought vegan cheeses is available now than ever before. However, mozzarella cheese is so easy and affordable to prepare at home that most people prefer to make their own.
Learn how to make a vegan mozzarella if you want a firmer version to serve with sliced tomatoes and a delicious pesto sauce (Caprese Salad). This Sarah’s Vegan Kitchen recipe requires no unique ingredients, so you won’t have to look for agar agar (made from seaweed) or kappa carrageenan (microalgae).
You will need cashew nuts soaked overnight or for at least four hours to help get a smooth blend. Vegan butter gives the mozzarella the structure required in combination with tapioca powder used as a thickening agent.
Furthermore, since this vegan mozzarella is not cultured, you need a bit of lemon juice and apple cider vinegar to give it its tartness. Finally, it’s optional to use garlic, but it elevates the flavor.
You blend the ingredients and cook them in a nonstick pan, stirring until they form a gluey blob. You can immediately use the delicious homemade vegan cheese on a pizza, lasagne, or grilled sandwich or transfer it to the refrigerator to set until firm enough to slice.
Dairy-Free Mozzarella in Minutes
Have you wondered if learning how to make vegan mozzarella is possible? So far, you will have realized that making a dairy-free mozzarella in minutes is possible and straightforward.
Here’s a quick recipe for vegan mozzarella cheese that yields eight servings with five ingredients in 15 minutes. The recipe comes from Nora Cooks, and she has mastered it to ensure it bubbles and browns as nicely in the oven as regular mozzarella when broiled in the oven for a few minutes.
The mozzarella requires soaked cashew nuts, water, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, and tapioca starch.
Nora suggests using this vegan mozzarella in grilled cheese sandwiches, dolloped onto pizza before cooking, spooned over a lasagne before baking, in wraps, for dips, and to grill in the oven. To brown it in the oven on a slice of bread, give the mozzarella a light oil spray before broiling for a few minutes, watching it to prevent it from burning.
Even though the recipe’s author says she has frozen this mozzarella, she suggests using it fresh for the best results.
Simple and Tasty Vegan Mozzarella
As you can see, making vegan mozzarella is quite simple. It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken provides a simple and tasty recipe for making vegan mozzarella in 15 minutes for pizza, lasagne, dips, or anywhere else you please.
Besides the usual cashew nuts, tapioca starch, and apple cider vinegar, you will also need nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and salt added to the water.
You cannot replace the tapioca starch with any other starch form in most of these recipes because it’s the best one to get the stretchy texture of mozzarella. You can keep it in the refrigerator for a few days, but this recipe does not firm up.
Quick Vegan Mozzarella Alternative
Another quick vegan mozzarella alternative requires coconut yogurt (unsweetened) for its tanginess. Try this recipe developed by Minimalist Baker if you want to learn how to make vegan mozzarella at home for your cooking.
Besides the coconut yogurt, you need raw cashews, lemon juice, unsweetened non-dairy milk (almond or rice), nutritional yeast, tapioca starch, and salt. The process remains the same as with the other recipes: soak the cashews, blend the ingredients, whisk over heat to get a smooth paste until it forms a loose ball, and cool to use.
You can add your fresh vegan mozzarella balls or curds to a brine bath, but it can make your vegan mozzarella more watery, so the recipe’s author does not recommend this step.
Versatile Vegan Mozzarella for Every Dish
Now that you know how to make vegan mozzarella, here’s how to use this versatile vegan cheese in your meals.
If you prefer the looser versions of vegan mozzarella, the best way to enjoy them is in dips, pizza, grilled cheese, sandwiches, and pasta dishes, including lasagnas.
When making a firmer mozzarella, you can use the cheese in all the ways mentioned above since you can slice or shred it. Its consistency makes it ideal for salads, including a Caprese salad with fresh basil or pesto.
Wholesome and Melty Vegan Mozzarella
If you want wholesome, melty vegan mozzarella with the perfect taste and texture, you may want to try this raw and gluten-free one from Green Evi. The moist, tangy vegan mozzarella is suitable for salad, pizza, and pasta, and it can be sliced or shred.
If you’re eager to learn how to make vegan mozzarella that requires no cooking, here are the ingredients needed:
Cashews – The creamy and soft flavor of the mozzarella comes from creating a base with raw cashews soaked until puffed.
Psyllium Husk – You don’t need any other gelatinous ingredient or cooking to turn your vegan mozzarella into a stretchy, gooey, melty ball because the dietary fiber psyllium husk in powder form works its magic.
Nutritional Yeast – This is the ingredient used for a cheesy taste. However, if you don’t want the added color that fortified nutritional yeast yields, you can omit it or reduce the quantity.
Lemon Juice – Lemon juice gives the cheese a sharp, tangy flavor. If you prefer, you can use white wine or apple cider vinegar instead.
Miso Paste – Use a small amount of miso paste for umami. White is best because it imparts no color, but that’s up to you. The ingredient is optional.
Salt – You must use salt, but you can either reduce the quantity if you want a low-sodium version or increase it if you want it more salty.
No cooking is needed; follow the steps and set the cheese according to the instructions. Once prepared, it’s best to enjoy fresh. However, if refrigerated, it will last for up to five days. You can also prepare a salt brine to preserve it a little longer.
Vegan mozzarella is delicious and practical. Make some today, and you’ll wonder why you haven’t tried it before!
How to Make Vegan Mozzarella: A Guide to Homemade Dairy-Free Cheese
Vegan mozzarella offers a fantastic way to enjoy the stretchy, melty joy of cheese without any animal products. It’s perfect for pizzas, salads, and other dishes where you might use traditional mozzarella. The process is surprisingly simple, involving just a few key ingredients and steps. Whether you’re a vegan, lactose intolerant, or simply looking to reduce your dairy intake, homemade vegan mozzarella is a delicious and healthful alternative.
Basic Ingredients for Vegan Mozzarella
Most vegan mozzarella recipes involve a combination of these core ingredients:
- Nuts: Cashews are most commonly used due to their creamy texture when blended.
- Plant-Based Milks: Unsweetened almond or soy milk provides the liquid base.
- Thickening Agents: Tapioca starch is crucial for that characteristic mozzarella stretch, while kappa carrageenan can be added for firmness.
- Acidic Components: Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice adds tangy flavor.
- Nutritional Yeast: This adds a cheesy flavor without any dairy.
- Seasonings: Salt, garlic powder, and onion enhance the overall taste.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Vegan Mozzarella
1. Preparing the Base:
- Soak the cashews in hot water for about an hour to soften them, which makes blending easier and the texture smoother.
2. Blending Ingredients:
- Drain the cashews and blend them with plant-based milk, tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, salt, and the acidic component until the mixture is completely smooth.
3. Cooking the Mixture:
- Pour the mixture into a saucepan and heat it over medium heat. Stir continuously to prevent sticking and to ensure the mixture becomes thick and stretchy.
4. Adding Firmness (Optional):
- Add kappa carrageenan to the blender with the initial mix for a firmer cheese you can slice. This ingredient needs to be activated by heat.
5. Cooling and Setting:
- Once cooked, pour the vegan mozzarella into a mold or a bowl. Let it cool at room temperature before refrigerating. Depending on the recipe, it may set enough to be sliced or remain spreadable.
Quick Vegan Mozzarella Recipe
For those short on time, here’s a rapid recipe that’s great for drizzling or as a soft cheese alternative:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
- 4 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
Instructions:
- Whisk all the ingredients in a saucepan until smooth.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and becomes stretchy.
- Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Using Vegan Mozzarella
Vegan mozzarella is incredibly versatile:
- Pizzas and Pastas: Dollop or spread it before baking for a gooey topping.
- Salads: Cool and cube for Caprese salads paired with tomatoes and basil.
- Sandwiches and Wraps: Use it as a creamy spread or melty addition.
Why Make Your Own Vegan Mozzarella?
Making your own vegan mozzarella allows you to control the ingredients to suit your taste and health preferences. It is also often more economical than store-bought alternatives. Plus, it’s a rewarding way to engage with your food, knowing exactly what’s going into your body.
Homemade vegan mozzarella is a fun, tasty, and satisfying way to enjoy all the dishes you love without any dairy. Give it a try; you might find it a staple in your vegan kitchen.
