Vegan Feta Cheese

Our vegan feta cheese is a white cheese with great consistency, very similar in taste to the real Greek delight. Feta cheese is used as a table cheese or in salads, especially the authentic Greek salad. You can also use this vegan feta cheese in various pasties, and it goes really well with the phyllo-based Greek classics.

We especially love vegan feta cheese for breakfast because it comes with the right saltiness and tanginess to elevate an otherwise simple sandwich.

If you also love cheeses, much like us, then you will love this vegan feta cheese and you will want it part of all your vegan cheese boards. We recommend serving it with vegan sausages, vegan steak or vegan chicken. It works wonderfully.

What is vegan feta cheese

Vegan feta cheese is a plant-based version of the original Greek white cheese. It has no holes and it feels slightly crumbly in texture. It is compact to the touch and you can eat it with your fingers, toothpick or with a fork. In fact, the texture of this vegan feta is what makes it so spectacular. You can submerge it in brine once it's done or you can just eat it right away, that's entirely up to you.

Our vegan feta cheese is slightly salty and tangy. It's a fairly mild feta cheese but you can add more lemon juice to sharpen the taste. While you might find soft feta cheese on the market, our vegan feta is firm enough to be cut with a cheese knife. In fact, in Greece, the firmer and tangier the feta, the better the quality so our vegan feta cheese is meant to replicate a high-quality cheese.

How does vegan feta cheese taste like

The moment you sample this vegan feta cheese you will notice that although firm, it does have a creamy texture. Since there is no butter or milk in it, the first aroma will be fairly neutral, with a hint of herb. Once you put it in your mouth, will be tangy, salty and a little sour.

If you use sweetened non dairy milk in making vegan feta, you will get a hint of sweetness at the very end of your tasting.

What is the consistency of the vegan feta cheese like

We aimed for a firm, slightly crumbly consistency. Of course, since there is no natural coagulator in vegan feta, we had to use agar agar. Agar agar is a seaweed extract with similar properties of gelatine. Many gourmet chefs use agar agar and this is especially popular in Japan where they make gorgeous cakes with. We also use it to make a blueberry cheesecake with.

It's a magical product and one ingredient which should always be in a vegan kitchen. Thanks to the firm tofu, the vegan feta cheese is firm enough to be cut with a knife. However, add the cashews and you obtain creamier vegan feta, with a lovelier consistency, a lot more similar to the real thing.

It can be bitten into or left to melt in your mouth. It is a block of great vegan cheese.

How to make vegan feta cheese

Making vegan feta cheese is super quick and easy. We recommend starting by soaking the cashew nuts in booking water for 15-20 minutes. This will soften the cashew nuts and will make it easier to blend. We tried without soaking the nuts first, and sadly, there were still some bits left.

Prepare a rectangular tray and brush it with a little olive oil so it becomes non-stick. Set aside.

To make the vegan feta cheese, mix the tofu, cashew, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic powder, dairy-free milk, nutritional yeast, oregano, basil, salt and olive oil. Blend until you get a smooth cream. It can take a few minutes depending on how strong your blender is. Just keep at it until smooth and nice.

Please make sure you do everything pretty quickly from here onwards. Agar agar sets fast so you will need to make sure it doesn't set before you finish with your vegan feta.

In a saucepan, mix the water and the agar agar. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 30-60 seconds while mixing continuously. Quickly add the agar agar mixture to your blender, over the rest of the ingredients. Blend at full speed until the mixture is fully incorporated (30-60 seconds).

Super quickly, pour the mixture in your prepared tray. Even out the surface if you desire smoother vegan feta. Cool in the fridge for an hour or until fully set.

Gently remove the vegan feta cheese from the tray and cut into desired shapes. Serve with olive oil, fresh herbs and crusty bread on the side.

Note: If you have time to leave it overnight, the vegan feta cheese will taste super in the morning! It will be cold and refreshing as well, a lot tastier and more mature in flavours.

This recipe has been developed entirely by Yuzu Bakes. Any resemblance with other recipes is purely coincidental.

Vegan Feta Cheese

5

Average: 5 (8 votes)

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 1 min
• Total: 11 mins
• Serves 6 people

Categories: Appetizer, Breakfast, Sides, Snacks Cusine: Greek, Mediterranean

Description

Our vegan feta cheese tastes salty and tangy much like the real thing, it has a similar consistency to feta cheese and it's made with fantastic Mediterranean herbs for an even more authentic taste. It's fantastic on its own or in a traditional Greek salad.

Ingredients

(USA / Metric)

• 1 1/2 cup, halves and whole cashew
• 7 wt. oz tofu
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup oat milk*
• 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp, ground oregano
• 1 tbsp, chopped basil
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp agar agar

Instructions

• 1. Soak the cashews in boiling water for around 15-20 minutes. Prepare a rectangular tray and brush it with a little olive oil so it becomes non stick. Set aside.
  2. In a blender, mix the tofu, cashew, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic powder, dairy-free milk, nutritional yeast, oregano, basil, salt and olive oil. Blend until you get a smooth cream.
  3. In a saucepan, mix the water and the agar agar. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 30-60 seconds while mixing continuously. Quickly add the agar agar mixture to your blender, over the rest of the ingredients. Blend at full speed until the mixture is fully incorporated (30-60 seconds).
  4. Super quickly, pour the mixture in your prepared tray. You can even out the surface so your vegan feta cheese is nice and uniform. Put the tray in the fridge for around an hour until the vegan feta cheese is hard and set.
  5. Gently remove the vegan feta cheese from the tray and cut into desired shapes. Serve with olive oil, fresh herbs and crusty bread on the side.

Notes

* We used unsweetened oat milk but you can use any type of non-dairy milk. We recommend unsweetened soy, cashew or almost if you prefer. Coconut milk will be a little too strong in taste and will overpower the vegan feta cheese.

Nutritional Information

Total Nutrition Facts

Serves 6 people

Amount Per Serving
Calories 293
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23 g			29%
	Saturated Fat 4 g		20%
	Trans Fat 0 g		0%
	Polyunsaturated Fat 4 g
	Monounsaturated Fat 13 g
Cholesterol 0 mg			0%
Sodium 1004 mg			44%
Total Carbs 16 g			6%
	Dietary Fiber 3 g		11%
	Sugar 3 g		6%
Protein 11 g			23%
Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 1% Calcium 10% Iron 17% Vitamin D 0% Magnesium 27% Potassium 7% Zinc 26% Phosphorus 36% Thiamin (B1) 48% Riboflavin (B2) 18% Niacin (B3) 16% Vitamin B6 9% Folic Acid (B9) 0% Vitamin B12 1% Vitamin E 6% Vitamin K 18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice

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