This vegan cashew cheese spread is made with raw cashews cultured with rejuvelac without nutritional yeast or other flavorings! It has a mild, tangy flavor just like regular cheese, but is completely dairy free! It can be served as an appetizer as a spread or dip, or used as a base for other vegan cheese recipes.
Please note you will need to make or buy rejuvelac, a fermented liquid made from sprouted grains, in order to make this recipe. It takes 3-4 days to make rejuvelac from scratch. Learn how to make rejuvelac with quinoa here.
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If you're looking for more from your vegan cheese and haven't tried cultured cashew cheese yet, there's no time like the present! Because cultured vegan cheese is made using the same fermentation process as dairy cheese, it has the same sharp flavor typically lacking in most store bought vegan cheese.
While it may seem intimidating to culture cheese in your home kitchen, once you get the hang of it, you'll want to try all kinds of more advanced recipes. If you're new to vegan cheese making, this is an easy first recipe to try since it cultures quickly!
Once you've mastered this simple cashew cheese, you can experiment with all kinds of vegan cheeses! My Sunflower Cashew Cheese is another great variation to try (those raw cashews get expensive!).
I recommend the Artisan Vegan Cheese cookbook if you'd like to try all kinds of cheese recipes from aged cheddar to brie. The first step to many of the recipes in the book is making this cultured cashew cheese.
🧀 Ingredients
You only need two ingredients to make cashew cheese, but if you are making your own rejuvelac, allow at least 3-4 days to make it.
- Raw cashews
- Rejuvelac
See recipe card for quantities.
Raw Cashews
You can use whole raw cashews or pieces. We use raw cashews because they have a neutral flavor, but the cashews don't need to be raw for the recipe to work. If you like the flavor of roasted cashews or can't find raw, you can use them.
Rejuvelac
Rejuvelac is a probiotic liquid made from fermented sprouted grains or seeds. The easiest and fastest way to make rejuvelac is with quinoa, which will sprout in just 24-36 hours.
Get my recipe for Rejuvelac with Quinoa here, along with more information, tips, and troubleshooting.
🔪 Instructions
Soak the cashews to soften them. Place the cashews in a container filled with water, then place in the refrigerator and let soak overnight, or 8 hours.
The cashews will appear plump and softened after soaking.
Drain the cashews and place in a high speed blender with the rejuvelac and blend until completely smooth.
Transfer to a clean glass container.
Cover with cheesecloth, secure with a rubber band, and place in a dark, room temperature to warm location to culture for 24-48 hours.
Check on the cheese every 12 hours and give it a stir. If it smells tangy and has started expanding, it's culturing properly.
Once the cheese has reached your desired level of tanginess, cover with a lid and refrigerate until ready to eat. This typically takes 24-36 hours, but varies depending on the room temperature.
Quick Soak
If you don't have time to soak your cashews overnight or want to speed up the process, you can save time by softening the cashews in boiling water.
Place the cashews in a pot of water and bring to a boil on the stove. Turn off the heat, then let soak for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse the cashews until back to room temperature, then proceed with the recipe.
🍽 Equipment
High Speed Blender
Using a high speed blender such as a Blendtec will ensure your cashew cheese is nice and smooth.
If you don't have a high speed blender, a regular blender or food processor will work, but the cheese may be a little gritty. Just make sure you soak your cashews thoroughly so it's as smooth as possible.
Cheesecloth
Your cashew cheese needs to breathe as it cultures. Do not cover with a lid when culturing. This will trap in too much moisture and encourage mold growth.
You'll need to use cheesecloth when making rejuvelac and when culturing the cheese. I recommend cheesecloth that is loosely woven so it's easier to drain the rejuvelac.
🧊 Storage
Your cultured cashew cheese will keep for 2 weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Do not store at room temperature after the culturing process.
If you see mold growth or notice a strange smell, do not eat.
💭 Top Tip
- Make sure the container you use to culture the cheese has at least 2 inches of space on top since the mixture will expand as it cultures.
📋 Variations
This cashew cheese has a very neutral flavor. If you'd like to amp up the flavor, head over to my Sunflower Cashew Cheese recipe for some ideas from garlic and herb to sun-dried tomato variations, which make great appetizers!
You could use this cashew cheese spread as cream cheese for bagels, but the flavor will be slightly different. Typically cashew cream cheese is cultured with yogurt instead of rejuvelac, so if you want to make cream cheese, especially if using for desserts, try Cashew Cream Cheese instead!
⚠️ Food Safety
The cheese will have a tangy smell and taste after 12-24 hours of culturing, kind of like cream cheese, and some small air bubbles. If this does not happen, or if you see mold growth, discard and do not eat.
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
❓ FAQs
Yes, the culturing process gives the cashew cheese a flavor that is very similar to dairy cheese. It won't be exactly the same since it's made with cashews instead of dairy and the texture may vary, but cultured vegan cheese is the closest thing to dairy cheese.
Cashews are full of healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids, and rejuvelac contains probiotics, digestive enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. This recipe also contains no added oils or salt so it is very healthy eaten in moderation.
Yes, you can freeze cashew cheese and defrost in the refrigerator. The texture may be altered slightly, but it will still be good.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Cultured Cashew Cheese Spread without Nutritional Yeast
This vegan cashew cheese spread is made with raw cashews cultured with rejuvelac without nutritional yeast or other flavorings! It has a mild, tangy flavor just like regular cheese, but is completely dairy free! It can be served as an appetizer as a spread or dip, or used as a base for other vegan cheese recipes.
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cashews
- ½ cup rejuvelac (see note)
Instructions
- Soak the cashews to soften them. Place the cashews in a container filled with water, then place in the refrigerator and let soak overnight, or 8 hours. See the notes for a quick soak option to save time.
- Drain the cashews and place in a high speed blender with the rejuvelac and blend until completely smooth.
- Transfer to a clean glass container.
- Cover with cheesecloth, secure with a rubber band, and place in a dark, room temperature to warm location to culture for 24-48 hours.
- Check on the cheese every 12 hours and give it a stir. If it smells tangy and has started expanding, it's culturing properly.
- Once the cheese has reached your desired level of tanginess, cover with a lid and refrigerate until ready to eat. This typically takes 24-36 hours, but varies depending on the room temperature.
Notes
- You will need to buy or make rejuvelac, a fermented liquid made from grain sprouts, for this recipe to work. You can buy it at some specialty food shops, but it's cheaper and easy to make at home. Learn how to make rejuvelac with quinoa here.
- You can use whole raw cashews or pieces.
- We use raw cashews because they have a neutral flavor, but the cashews don't need to be raw for the recipe to work. If you like the flavor of roasted cashews or can't find raw, you can use them.
- Make sure the container you use to culture the cheese has at least 2 inches of space on top since the mixture will expand as it cultures.
- The cheese will have a tangy smell and taste after 12-24 hours of culturing, kind of like cream cheese, and some small air bubbles. If this does not happen, or if you seed mold growth, discard and do not eat.
Quick Soak
If you don't have time to soak your cashews overnight or want to speed up the process, you can save time by softening the cashews in boiling water.
Place the cashews in a pot of water and bring to a boil on the stove. Turn off the heat, then let soak for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse the cashews until back to room temperature, then proceed with the recipe.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 2 tablespoonsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 90Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 3g
All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on seitanbeatsyourmeat.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.
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