This vegan cashew cheese is a tasty snack. Fermentation boosts the nutritional value of cashews and make them more digestible. It is a must-try if you are looking for a nutrient-dense, dairy-free cheese option.
You only need 4 ingredients and a little patience to make this savoury, herb-infused cheese. Watch the video below for how easy it is to make this recipe.
Cashew Cheese Ingredients
- Raw cashews
- Sea salt or Himalayan salt
- Plain kombucha
- Fresh oregano (or herbs of your choice)
Do I Need to Soak the Cashews?
Yes. Soaking raw cashews serves 2 purposes.
- It softens the cashews and adds moisture to the nuts. This makes it easier to blend the cashews later. Soaked cashews also require less added liquid for blending.
- It neutralizes anti-nutrients making the cashews more digestible. It also releases more nutrients to become available to our bodies.
Is Fermented Cashew Cheese Healthy?
Similar to soaking the nuts, fermentation continues to reduce anti-nutrients and increase the amount of minerals and proteins that can be absorbed by the body. Even if you are not on a vegan or dairy-free diet, fermented cashew cheese is a nutritious food for everyone.
Can I Use Other Nuts and Seeds?
Yes. You can use this recipe to make fermented vegan cheese from other raw nuts and seeds of your choice.
How to Ferment Cashew Cheese
You need a probiotic cultured liquid as a starter to help kick start the fermentation process. I like to use kombucha, because it has a neutral taste and I have it readily available at home. Follow this recipe to make your own kombucha. But you can also use other cultured liquid instead, such as sauerkraut juice and rejuvelac.
After blending all the ingredients together, place the cashew paste in a nut milk bag or wrapped in cheese cloth. This will allow the cheese to breath but not drying out quickly. Let the cheese ferment for 24 to 48 hours at room temperature.
I used a tofu press to shape the cashew cheese into a block (see video). This is completely optional. If you don’t have a tofu press, simply roll the cheese into a log in parchment paper once fermentation is completed.
Storing Cashew Cheese
Wrap your fermented cashew cheese block or log in parchment paper, and store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. The flavour will continue to develop as the cheese ages. After 2 weeks, the crust of the cheese to begin to dry out.
In case you can’t finish the cheese within 2 weeks, you can place the wrapped cashew cheese in a ziplock bag or airtight container to lock in the moisture. As long as you keep the cheese from drying out, they will last in the fridge for up to 3 months.
Related: More Fermentation Recipes You Will Love
- Homemade Fermented Sauerkraut /w Caraway Seeds
- Pineapple-Turmeric-Ginger Probiotic Sauerkraut
- Paleo Apple-Fermented Kimchi
- Keto Kimchi (Whole 30, GAPS, Paleo)
- Fermented Pickles /w Green Tea and Dill Flowers
- Wild Fermented Salsa (No Whey, Probiotic, Vegan)
- Probiotic Kefir Tzatziki Dip
- Raspberry Kefir Cream Cheese Spread
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Fermented Cashew Cheese (Vegan, Probiotic)
Equipment
- Cheesecloth optional
- Tofu Press optional
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 3 tablespoons plain kombucha
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano or herbs of your choice
Instructions
- Soak the cashew for a minimum of 8 hours.
- Add cashew, salt and kombucha into the food processor. Blend on high speed. Scrape down the side of the bowl and repeat a few times, until the mixture is completely smooth.
- Finely chop the oregano with a knife. Remove the blades from the the food processor, then mix the oregano into the cashew paste using a spoon.
- To use a tofu press to shape the cashew cheese, line the tofu press with a cheesecloth. Transfer the cashew paste into the tofu press, then fill in the corners and smooth out the surface. Cover the surface of the cashew cheese with rest of the cheese cloth, then place the cover of the tofu press on top. If you don't have a tofu press, you can simply hang the cashew paste in cheesecloth or a nut milk bag.
- Leave the cashew paste to ferment in room temperature for 24 to 48 hours. If you leave it out for too long, the cashew paste will start to dry out and get stuck to the cheesecloth.
- Remove the cashew cheese from the cheesecloth. Then wrap it in parchment paper. If you didn't press your cashew cheese into a block earlier using a tofu press, you can now roll the cashew cheese into a log in the parchment paper.
- Store the cashew cheese in the fridge. The flavour will continue to develop.
Video
Nutrition
I have a question: is there a reason why you (and so many others) recommend using homemade kombucha? I’d like to try making cheese (mostly because it’s so expensive), but I’d prefer to just buy any kombucha, since our local coop has a whole fridge full of them. Is there anything I should watch out for when picking one for cheese making? Thank you in advance!