If you miss being able to slice into a log of cheese and spread it on bread or crackers, this fermented cashew cheese will give you back that experience.
And if you’ve ever been disappointed by the vegan cheese options at the grocery store or don’t have access to them, this recipe will be a godsend.
First, a simple mixture of cashews, vinegar, lemon juice, coconut oil, nutritional yeast, and seasonings gets blended until smooth. Then, it ferments for a day or two. Finally, the cheese gets shaped into a log (think a log of goat cheese) and hangs out in the fridge for a few hours. Once sliced, it’s easy to slice and spread (and is SO very tasty).
Hungry for even more vegan cheese?
Check out my complete guide to vegan cheese! It covers the best vegan cheese recipes to use for every situation (like Vegan Feta and Vegan Queso) and reviews the best vegan cheeses you can buy at the supermarket.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Sliceable and spreadable. Homemade vegan cheese recipes that are sliceable and/or spreadable are hard to come by, and if you don’t have access to vegan cheeses at your grocery store, this is an amazing option to keep in your fridge. The addition of coconut oil and very little liquid makes the cheese solid enough to hold its shape and to slice.
Easy and minimal ingredients. This recipe requires just 10 to 15 minutes of hands-on work and a bit of patience while the cheese ferments. And just 7 pantry-friendly ingredients!
Gourmet and flavorful. Despite being so easy to make, this cheese feels fancier than most homemade cheeses and is packed with flavor. In addition to having subtle cheesy vibes from nutritional yeast, it has so much more tanginess and umami than your standard vegan cheese thanks to fermentation.
Make ahead. Because this is a fermented cheese, it will continue to stay good in your fridge for several weeks… if you can resist eating it!
Wholesome but indulgent. Fermented cashew cheese has all the traditional dairy cheese flavors but it’s made with wholesome plant-based ingredients. Plus, the live bacteria created in the fermentation process are good for your gut!
If you’re interested in some of the crazy cool things cashews can do to recreate your favorite comfort foods, check out my crazy good Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip or Vegan Moussaka!
How to make this recipe
Add the soaked cashews, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and coconut oil to a high-powered blender. Blend on medium to high speed for several minutes, scraping down the sides of the blender several times as you go, until relatively smooth.
Add the nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Blend again until completely smooth.
Transfer the cheese mixture to a clean mason jar (you can sterilize it if desired but it’s not necessary). Seal the jar and place in a warm spot to ferment for at least 16 hours, or up to 48 hours. (see “Tips” section for fermentation tips).
Stir the fermented cheese and transfer to the fridge for at least 4 hours to set.
Once the cheese has solidified, scoop out half of it onto a sheet of parchment paper. Use a spoon to push it into a log-like shape.
Roll up the parchment paper and your hands to mold and shape the cheese into a log shape. Repeat with the other half of the cheese. Refrigerate the cheese logs for 2 hours, or more, to set.
Once the cheese log is set, slice and spread as desired.
Tips for making this cheese
How to soften raw cashews.
I highly recommend soaking your cashews in cool water overnight, or boiling them on the stove for 20 minutes. Since there’s very little liquid, a proper soak or boil is necessary to fully soften the cashews.
Use a clean glass jar.
Wash your jar and lid with soapy warm water and dry well before adding your cheese and fermenting.
Use a high-powered blender.
Along the same lines, you’ll get the best, smoothest results with a high-powered blender, as you want a powerful machine to fully pulverize the cashews. Since there’s not much liquid, you’ll need to scrape down the sides several times as you go, especially if you have a large-sized blender container like me (I have the 64-ounce Vitamix container; it’s considerably easier with a smaller blender container).
Shake the apple cider vinegar.
It’s important to include a bit of the “mother” bacteria from the vinegar to start the fermentation process. Shaking the apple cider vinegar before pouring it ensures that the mother bacteria is evenly distributed.
Let it come to room temperature
If your cheese log has been in the fridge for quite awhile, let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften up. This will make it much easier to spread.
Where and how long to ferment the cheese.
One of the most important parts in the process is letting the cheese ferment in a warm place.
If it’s summertime, this could be your kitchen counter or pantry. If you live in a warm but not crazy hot climate like I do (Southern California), you can also ferment the cheese outside. Just make sure to not expose the jar to direct sunlight. I typically wrap the jar in ad dish towel during the day and set it outside; in the evening, I transfer it to the oven with the light bulb on (the warmth from the light is sufficiently warm for fermentation).
If it’s wintertime, you can just leave it in the oven as mentioned above. If that’s not an option, you’ll need to leave it out on a counter or in the pantry for at least a few days.
The warmer the temperature, the less time you should ferment it. The countertop when it’s not summer will take more time than in the oven with the light on. If the temperatuer is quite warm, consider fermenting for just 16 to 24 hours to avoid over-fermenting.
Frequently Asked Questions
The coconut oil is key for the texture of this cheese. As you might know, coconut oil has a high melting point compared to other oils (that’s why it’s solid at room temperature instead of liquid, like other oils). So when you refrigerate the cheese mixture, the coconut oil helps solidify it, leaving you with that sliceable texture.
If you are strictly oil-free, try my other oil-free cheese options (Vegan Queso and Nut-Free Cheese Sauce). If you are allergic to coconut products, you can try using olive oil, but I don’t know if you’ll get the same sliceable texture, as coconut oil is solid at room temperature.
NO! The combination of fresh garlic and oil at room temperature for more than a few hours can foster the growth of clostridium botulinum bacteria (aka botulism). It’s toxic and can cause bad severe food poisoning!
Roll it tightly in the parchment paper and store it in the fridge for at least 2 weeks. If the paper isn’t wrapped tightly, the edges dry out, so to avoid this, store the wrapped cheese in an airtight container.
Yes! Some flavor ideas are below. Just sprinkle them on after you’ve rolled the log and it’s hardened a bit. Use your hands to pat the mix-ins into the cheese. Then refrigerate again for 2 hours (or longer) to set.
– Sundried tomatoes + dried oregano
– Chopped dill + parsley
– Dried cranberries + crushed walnuts
– Pomegranate seeds + crushed pecans
How to use this cashew cheese
I have no doubt you’ll find countless uses for this delightful cheese, but here are a few to get you started:
- Spread it onto bread! My current favorite is a good crusty bread, a thick layer of fermented cheese, and heirloom tomatoes sprinkled with sea salt and pepper.
- Add some to a bowl as a dip for crudités or spread for crackers.
- Serve as part of a vegan charcuterie or cheese board with crackers, olives, and fruit.
- Use as a sandwich spread instead of mayo.
- Spread onto a pita round or flatbread and add your favorite toppings and bake in the oven for an easy pizza!
If you love this fermented cashew cheese, please leave a rating and review with your feedback and tag me on Instagram with your remakes :)
Fermented Cashew Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (200g) raw cashews, soaked in water overnight or for 8 hours or boiled in water on the stovetop for 15 minutes
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar with the “mother”, shake the bottle to evenly distribute
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1/3 cup 67g refined coconut oil
- 1/2 cup ~25-30g nutritional yeast
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder (do NOT use fresh garlic!)*
- 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt, more as needed
Instructions
- Drain the soaked cashews and rinse. Wash your glass jar and lid with warm soapy water and dry well.
- Add the cashews to a high-powered blender, along with the vinegar, lemon juice, water, and oil. Blend on medium or high speed, scraping down the sides as you go, until relatively smooth and creamy. Add the nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt, and blend again until well incorporated and completely smooth. If you have a large blender container, like a 64 ounce jar, this will take several minutes, as you will need to scrape down several times, as there is very little liquid.
- Pour the mixture into a glass jar with an airtight lid. Seal and let the jar ferment in a warm place, for a minimum of 16 hours, or up to 48 hours.**If it’s summer, your kitchen counter works great. You can also place it in the oven with just the lightbulb on (be sure to not preheat your oven during this time and don't place it right next to the light, as it might get a little too warm). You can also ferment it outside if you live in a warm but temperate climate (no direct exposure to sun; loosely wrap the jars in a dish towel).
- Once the cheese has fermented, give it a stir and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours to firm up.
- Once the cheese has solidified, spoon half of it onto a sheet of parchment paper. Use a spoon to push it into a log-like shape. Roll up the parchment paper and use your hands and the parchment paper itself to mold and shape the cheese into a log shape. Repeat with the other half of the cheese in a second log. Refrigerate the cheese logs for 2 hours, or more, to set. Store leftovers wrapped in parchment paper in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks.
Notes
The flavor is amazing…will be delicious…I used a cuisinart so it is pretty smooth as well but the cheese is already thick just from the first steps…you say stir it but it is really not a stir-able texture…what did I miss?
Thank you 🙏
Hi Keishya, I wouldn’t worry too much, since the cheese is supposed to be solidified! It’s possible you added slightly more coconut oil or cashews than the recipe called for. That could make it thicker than expected.
Thank you it did come out awesome…I divided into two logs did one sweet one savory….encrusted one with cracked black pepper and sundried tomato and the other with raisins and almond slices…love this recipe YUM
So glad you enjoyed the cashew cheese :) Cheers!
This is incredibly satisfying. It’s rich and tangy, and very hard to stop eating. I didn’t bother shaping the log. We keep it in a small, glass container and serve it like a spread. I thought it also could be thinned to be a good dip.
Kat, So glad to hear you loved this recipe!
I didn’t have any onion powder, so I substituted asafoetida (hing) for the garlic and onion powders. I just used less as hing is very strong imo. Worked great! I’ve got the jar fermenting now. The flavor was delicious. I can’t wait to taste it after the last couple steps tomorrow! Thanks Nisha!!
Thanks for sharing, Emma!
This recipe is awesome! The taste and texture reminds me of a classic cheese ball. It’s tangy like a cheddar and spreadable like cream cheese. If you want to zhuzh it up a bit (though it doesn’t need it), roll it in shaved almonds. Definitely putting this into rotation.
So glad you loved the cheese, Derek!
Az élesztőt mivel lehet pótolni?
Sounds great! Do you mean the regular oven light? As in the light bulb? A pilot light is a small flame, and even though I have a gas stove, it doesn’t have a pilot light that stays ignited. Thanks!
I’m pretty sure all gas ovens have pilot lights. Yours is probably just in a space that you can’t see, as mine is. No, she’s not talking about the lightbulb.
Hi Kathy. Yes, just the lightbulb in your oven should be sufficient. Sorry for the confusion!
Hi Nisha! I really want to try this recipe! Looks delicious, but I don´t have access to refined coconut oil here in my country. I know it isn´t the healthiest thing in the universe, but do you think this could work using margarine? It´s the closest thing I can get, vegan butter isn´t a thing here either.
Hey Carmi! I’d say it’s better to use olive oil instead rather than margarine!
From Nisha: “Hi there Carmi! I don’t use coconut oil necessarily for the “healthy” factor but because it has a high melting point (it is semi-solid at room temperature, which helps to solidify the cheese from a sauce into a solid mass). If your margarine is semi-solid at room temperature, I guess it could work but I haven’t tried it myself and am not entirely sure. If you have unrefined coconut oil, you could try that if you don’t mind a coconut taste in the background.”
I tried making this but I realized my vitamix had heated up the mixture while blending. Now I’m nervous that the fermenting bacteria were killed from heating. Wondering if I should bother keeping this in my cupboard for fermentation or just have it in the fridge (if it’s not fermenting, wouldn’t it go bad un-refrigerated?)
I understand your struggle, my vitamix unfortunately does that as well 😭
Hi there Liz! Sorry if we didn’t get to your question in time, but the bacteria don’t form until fermentation starts. So, I don’t think it should matter if there was heat during the initial blending of the cashews, just as long as the cheese (once its resting in your cupboard) isn’t exposed to too much heat.
I have a hard time getting cashews ground to a sufficiently small grain….cool to use blended cashew butter with a little water?
Hi Andrew, if the cashews are raw, it should be fine. If they’re roasted, it will carry the flavor of that into the cheese.
Your recipes are wonderful but I’ve not made this yet. I crave cheese on toast. Is it suitable & does it melt?
Hi Cathy, this cheese does spread but we aren’t sure how well it would melt. There are store bought vegan cheese slices that melt quite well, though: Field Roast, Follow Your Heart, and Violife. Enjoy!
This cheese is awesome!! It’s just as good, if not better, than the cashew cheese I have bought for way too much money. I appreciate the accessibility to delicious food like this! I do have a question- can I add fresh herbs to the cheese? Do you have recommendations?
Hi Carolyn, we’re glad you love the cashew cheese! Unfortunately because the cheese ferments at such a high temperature it will cause fresh garlic and herbs to go rancid. Feel free to add any additional dry seasonings you’d like, though!
We love this recipe. I just made a second batch!!!
Awesome, Celeste. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
Absolutely worth doing. Totally delicious, totally easy and with zero nasties, what’s not to love?
Cina, So glad to hear you loved this recipe!
Absolutely delicious and easy to make in a high powered blender. I fermented mine overnight in the Instant Pot using the low yogurt setting. Will definitely make it again!
Thanks for sharing, Louise!
Thank you Louise! I had the same idea with the Instantpot and wanted to ask if that was possible. It’s so great that you’ve tried it already and commented here! Very much appreciated!
Thank you for the delicious recipe. I have made this a few times. I had success twice but unfortunately when I doubled the recipe this week to make it for Christmas gifts and it didn’t set up. It’s goop. I am so disappointed. Any idea what could have gone wrong?
From Nisha: “Hmm, that’s so strange! I personally haven’t doubled the recipe myself, so I’m not entirely sure if there could be a potential change from that. When you finished blending it, did it seem to have the same consistency and texture as your past attempts? If so, then the only things I could think of is that perhaps it needs longer time to rest when the recipe is doubled or the temperature settings were different this time around when you let it rest.”
I made this for my daughter and she loved it. She didn’t finish it before going back to college so I stuck it in the freezer. Fingers crossed it comes out okin a few weeks.
Awesome, Seophie. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
I love the idea of this but am allergic to coconut (and soy), which makes it hard to follow a lot of “cheese” recipes. Could I use a different oil or a vegan butter for this?
Hi Susan, you can try using olive oil, but we don’t know if you’ll get the same sliceable texture, as coconut oil is solid at room temperature. Sorry about that!
I know it’s been over a month but I just wanted to share my experience w/o coconut oil. As I fermented I had it hanging in a tea strainer lined with cheese cloth. This let the liquid drain and the end product was nice and hard. Saucestache has a video demonstrating the method
Interesting, Jess. Thanks for sharing! How was the spreadability?
Susan, this was my question too, as I’m cooking for a friend with a coconut allergy… did you try it with another oil? Btw, I DID make this recipe as written before and it is the bomb. I actually can’t make it often as we can’t stop eating it 😄😄🙌🏼
Hi both, you can use
edible refined cacao butter or shea butter (refined to keep it odorless and take advantage of their textures) – tastes amazing!!!
Oh my goodness, it’s DELICIOUS!!!! Been trying several vegan cheese recipes, but this cheese is soooo good. This cheese is here to stay!
Awesome, Corine. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
Thank you creating this delicious recipe! I’ve been in search of a vegan cheese for a long while. After working in a cheese shop years ago and the recent transition to a dairy-free diet, I’ve been craving a flavorful cheese. Store bought brands leave an odd lingering taste that’s so unappealing. The end result of this recipe is truly satisfying with simple preparation and ingredients. I was a little concerned about being successful with the fermention process but it worked out beautifully! Enjoying my creamy, homemade vegan cheese!
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Leslie!
Delicious! Made this recipe and tried it today on toasted sourdough and it was excellent. Will definitely be making this in the future. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Vickie!