Have you ever wondered how to make vegan cheese?
After nearly 2 decades of being vegan, I have been on a quest to make the perfect vegan cheese! I have finally done it and want to share it will you! This vegan cheese recipe made with coconut milk will blow you away!
Does homemade vegan cheese really taste good?
If you have been vegan for a while, like more than 2 days, you probably miss the taste of cheese. The store bought brands probably aren’t what you had hoped they would be, but this vegan cheese will amaze you! Even non-vegans love this stuff!
Vegan cheeses just don’t cut it for most people, but this recipe is as close as it comes to satisfying those cheese cravings! I’ve put out a cheese platter at many parties and family get-togethers and I’m always shocked with all the dairy eaters who are devouring my coconut cheese. (By the way, it’s rude to eat up all the vegan cheese at a party leaving the vegans hungry).
Is making your own vegan cheese worth the effort?
YES! It may seem overwhelming to make your own cheese, but I promise that it is very easy and worth every bit of your time!
Why make your own vegan cheese?
- The cheeses that you buy at the store have sat on the shelf for a few weeks, they’re wrapped in plastic and have preservatives that change the flavor.
- You will not be able to buy vegan cheese that tastes this good in a store!
- And… once you make it, you will see how simple it is to make your own!
Will it have a strong coconut flavor?
Surprisingly, this cheese doesn’t have as much of a coconut flavor as you may think. There is a slight coconut taste in the plain cheese, but it’s almost undetectable in the smoked Gouda or garlic herb versions. If you really hate the flavor of coconut, you may choose to use a different type of plant based milk, but your cheese will not be as rich and creamy as the coconut cheese.
How to make vegan cheese without coconut milk?
You can substitute the coconut milk with any plant-based milk that you choose and some oil.
Use 1 1/4 cup of plant milk and ½ cup oil instead of the coconut milk and water. This will work well, but it’s not be as rich and creamy as the coconut cheese.
You can leave out the oil as well, but it will not have the same texture and mouth feel as cheese if you make a low fat version.
What ingredients do I need to make vegan cheese and what do they do?
With just a few ingredients, you can make the most delicious vegan cheese you have ever had!
- Full fat coconut milk gives this dairy free cheese a rich creamy texture.
- Some salt and nutritional yeast gives it the cheesy flavor.
- A small squeeze of lemon juice gives it a little cheesy bite.
- Agar-agar is a white powder made from seaweed. It is like a vegan gelatin. It makes the cheese firm. (It comes in flakes or powder but use the powder. It is less expensive, you need less of it, and it blends easier and smoother. You can find great prices on it at most Asian markets or you can buy it on Amazon as well).
- Finally, tapioca flour gives the cheese a little stretch when it melts.
Put all together, and it makes the perfect vegan cheese!
What if I want the cheese firmer or softer?
You can adjust the amount of agar agar to make the cheese more or less firm. You can also increase the tapioca flour to make the cheese stretcher when it melts.
- If you want cheese that is good for slicing and eating cold or on a cracker, use only 1 tsp. or tapioca flour.
- For a very firm cheese eliminate the tapioca flour all together.
- If you want a melty vegan cheese for pizza or grilled cheese, increase the tapioca flour by 2 tbsp. (this will equal a total of 2 tbsp+1 tsp) for a stretchy vegan pizza cheese.
How to make vegan cheese from coconut milk?
- Simply put all the ingredients into a sauce pan and stir with a whisk.
- Heat to a slow boil stirring constantly for 6 minutes. This allows the agar-agar to melt completely and set properly. (It may seem ready after 3-4 minutes but keep it at a low boil for 6 minutes to make sure that it is completely smooth).
- It will get very thick and stretchy.
- Then pour into any shape container that you wish. (One batch makes almost 2 cups of cheese). I like to use these Snapware containers because they are made of glass and won’t affect the flavor and have lid with a good airtight lid to keep the cheese fresh longer.
- Allow the cheese to cool to room temperature without a lid.
- Then seal with a lid or cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours.
Pro Tips:
- Stir the cheese sauce very frequently. Do not walk away from it while cooking.
- Use what ever shape that you wish for a cheese mold – glass or ceramic work best. (Some people use silicone mold, but I think that it changes the taste of the cheese).
- Use a small amount of spray oil to keep it from sticking to the cheese mold.
- Keep in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 3 months.
How to make vegan cheese with different flavors?
You can make simple variations of this cheese recipe to suit your tastes and needs. These are some of my family’s favorites!
Be sure to check our my other cheesy vegan recipes too!
Did you make this? Leave a comment and rating and let us know how it went!
How to make a basic vegan cheese using coconut milk and free of dairy, gluten, soy and nuts. Vegan provolone flavored cheese.
- 1 can coconut milk full fat
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp agar agar powder
- 1 tsp tapioca flour (aka tapioca starch)
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Prepare cheese molds by spraying a glass bowl or container with spray oil or rub any neutral flavored oil on the molds to prevent sticking. (Recipe will make about 2 cups of cheese).
Pour the can of coconut milk into a sauce pan.
Put 1/2 cup of hot water into the empty coconut milk can to melt all the remaining coconut milk and add the water to the pan.
Add all remaining ingredients to the sauce pan and stir with a whisk.
Set heat on to medium and stir frequently until it boils.
Turn down heat until the cheese sauce is just barely boiling and stir constantly for 6 minutes until it is very smooth.
Immediately pour into the prepared cheese molds.
Let it cool with the lid off for about 15 minutes at room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to firmly set.
Once cheese is cooled completely cover and store in the refrigerator in a sealed for up to a week.
- To make this cheese able to melt and better for use on pizza or grilled cheese, add 2 additional tablespoons of tapioca starch. (this will equal a total of 2 tbsp+1 tsp)
- For firmer cheese, leave out the tapioca starch from the recipe.
- Make it cheesier by adding an additional tsp of nutritional yeast.
- You can substitute the coconut milk with any plant-based milk that you choose and some oil. Use 1 1/4 cup of plant milk and ½ cup oil instead of the coconut milk and water.
Excited to try it again using agar agar.
I tried subbing gelatin and well it was just gelatinous coconut milk haha. So I don’t recommend trying the gelatin!
Thanks Alicia! I have had the gelatin question a few times, but since I’m vegan, I have never tried it. Thanks for testing it out and getting back to me about it!
Thank you very much for the reciepe 🤩🤩I am from Sri Lanka.. I was so exited to findout that cheese is possible with coconut. I did so much reserach to findout making vegan cheese but using cashew is bit expensive.
Finally i made it today 🤩🤩🤩 so for the canned coconut i use natural coconut and scarped it and took the extract. And i did not use water in the beginning since coconut extract contain water compared to canned one. My sister sent me Agar agar poweder from Singapore since i could not found it in the local market. Also i could not found nutritional yeast so i did not add it. I did not had tapioca flour as well so i add some grind sago since it is made from tapioca. And the tasete was amazing ..
Also i did a spicy version of it adding pepper 😉. Again thank you for this
Wow Melanie! I’m so impressed that you made this recipe work for you! I’m so happy that you liked it! I hope that you are able to find nutritional yeast someday, but I’m happy that you liked the flavor even without the nutritional yeast! Do you have vegan cheese at stores in Sri Lanka or do you have to make things like this yourself?
No so far I have not found any vegan cheese in the market.
I’m glad that you can make this version! 🙂
Can u use can of coconut cream In place of coconut milk.
Yes you can use coconut cream in place of coconut milk. It works great with either one.
Hi there, im from Sri Lanka and have not heard of Nutritional yeast- Is it like yeast used in rising bread? Im afraid thats the only type we have here. Can I use that?
As for coconut milk- we have fresh coconut here and i can scrape the coconut and extract the milk from the pulp itself.
Hi Dhilma, Nutritional yeast if very different from the type of yeast that you use to make bread. It is a yellow flaky powder that has a cheesy flavor. You can just leave it out, but it will not taste as cheesy. You could try using a teaspoon of miso for a cheesy flavor if you have access to that. I have not used fresh coconut. I think that it would work if you blend the coconut water and pulp together in a blender to get a thick milk consistency. I hope that you are able to make it.
Hi Monica, Is there a sub that you could recommend for the oil when using another plant milk like soy milk or just leave it out? We are a no oil. no nut family and miss cheese. Any tips appreciated. Thanks Peggy
Hi Peggy, you can just leave out the oil. I would use a thick soy milk like Silk brand or an equivalent to give it a more full flavor. (Replace the oil with soy milk though so you are using the same ratio of liquid to agar agar). Hope that works! 🙂
Hi, I made this today – it’s the best vegan cheese I have ever made & is delicious, inexpensive & quick to make! Thank you – having it on pizza tonight 🙂
Gill, I’m so happy that you liked it! 🙂
Shut the door! This cheese is legit! I’m not a blog commenter usually, but I want to affirm you! Make more things this fantastic! I’m living in Laos. Cheese is a bit expensive here. But it was so easy to find the ingredients. Almost every convenience store carries them! Thanks again!
This is good to hear! It is hard to know what ingredients people have available to them in other countries. So glad you like it Rachel!
Could I use rice flour??
Tash – No, unfortunately, tapioca flour is the only thing that makes it stretchy. You can leave it out completely for a harder cheese that just won’t melt as easily.
This is great! Plus if you dip bread into it while it’s still hot it’s just like a fondue!! Lol, I love it.
Thanks Priscilla! I’m so happy that you like it as much as we do! Great idea for the fondue! 🙂
Made this last night. Very simple and sets beautifully. Tastes very coconut-y to me, which I don’t love, but might try extra nutritional yeast or the almond milk + oil next time, but a great foundation to play around with.
I’m glad that it worked for you! I have found that some brands of coconut milk have stronger coconut flavors than others too, so you may want to try a different brand. I use Chaokoh brand. It comes in a brown can. I find it for a good price at my local Asian Market.
Hey, there! I’ve got agar bricks that I pulsed into flakes. I know you said that the powder is ultra better, but will the flakes make a decent substitution?
I have never used the agar bricks before, but I have heard that you can pulse it down. Could you pulse it further into a more powdery substance? I used the flakes once, but it seemed harder to work with. I that is all you have, they will work, but just make sure you do the conversion correctly. You will need 10 Tbsp of flakes instead of 2 Tbsp of powder. I hope it works for you. Let me know.
Hi there! When you mention 1 can of coconut oil, how much is that in cups? I’m writing from Argentina, and I’m pretty sure our measurements aren’t the same. Can’t wait to try this, it looks so easy to make!
Hi Antonella.You need use coconut milk not coconut oil. The cans of coconut milk where I live are always 13.5 fluid ounces. (That is just a little more than 1 1/2 cups). I hope that you are able to find it! By the way, I’m so excited that someone from Argentina is reading my blog! It has such a special place in my heart. I was an exchange student in Argentina in high school. (I lived in the city of Resistencia). Where are you? 🙂
Hello! Could gelatin be substituted for agar agar? I realize it wouldn’t be vegan, but we’re more concerned about dairy in our house!
Hi Devin. You could probably substitute gelatin, but I am not sure if the gelling strength is the same. You may have to play around with the proportions. I wish I had the answer for you, but I never cook with gelatin, so I’m not sure. (If you are trying to find a cheaper source for agar agar, I find it really cheap at my local Asian market. Good luck. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
I tried with gelatin and the texture was much to be desired 🙃. Excited to try it with the agar agar.
Hope that you like the agar agar texture better. 🙂
Is it possible to substitute vinegar for the lemon juice? (I can’t have citrus).
Yes, you could add a little vinegar or even mustard instead or a little bit of flavor instead of the lemon juice. If you want a mild cheese, like more of a mozzarella taste, you can leave it out completely. Enjoy! 🙂
Hi there! In your recipe it says to use one teaspoon of tapioca starch, but in your recipe notes you say to make it stretchier to use 2 additional tablespoons of it. Did you mean to say teaspoons? Or is the recipe supposed to say a tablespoon instead? Confused. Thanks!
Sorry about the confusion. To make cheese that is good for slicing and eating cold, I add 1 teaspoon of tapioca starch. For stretchy cheese that melts, I add 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon of tapioca starch. (I know that is a weird measurement, but that is the exact amount that I have found that makes it soft and stretchy, but still firm enough to cut or grate. Hope that helps. Enjoy!
Sorry I’m still confused about the tapioca starch. In your recipe you put 1 tbsp + 1 tsp and in your comments you said only one tsp if you don’t want it stretchy.
Hi Heather, If you want firm cheese that is good for slicing add 1 teaspoon of tapioca starch. If you want it to melt and stretch, add 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon of tapioca starch. So, the stretchy cheese will have 2 tablespoons more tapioca starch than the slicing cheese. Enjoy! 🙂
I’m vey excited to try this. Question though, could I use corn starch instead of tapioca starch or is there some reason that tapioca starch would be better for this?
You can just leave the tapioca starch out all together if you want a firm cheese for slicing and eating cold. However, if you want the cheese to melt and stretch, you absolutely need to use the tapioca starch. There is nothing else that gives it that same stretch consistency when it melts. I hope that you enjoy it! 🙂
I never thought that I could make cheese…its sounds like it would take more time than I have.
It literally takes less time than going to the store and picking up a pack of vegan cheese.
Just be sure to follow the recipe.
And the taste! OMG!
I love the variations – hard cheese for crackers and stretchy cheese for melting on sandwiches and pizza.
Thank you!
You’re welcome Emily! It is surprisingly easy to make your own! Glad you tried it!
This cheese is AMAZING!!! Thanks so much for making this recipe so easy to follow! I never thought that I could make vegan cheese, but it was really easy and it’s delicious!
The cheese really isn’t as hard as you would think. I’m so glad you liked it! 🙂
Hi there,
You say to use 1/2 cup of hot water… is that from the tap or boiled water straight from the kettle?
Hot steaming water that has just been boiled ?
Thank you
You just need to use water hot enough to melt any of the coconut milk that is stuck inside of the can, so hot tap water is fine. Especially when it’s cold, the coconut cream sticks to the can. This is just how I make sure to get all of the coconut milk.
I hope that you enjoy the cheese as much as we do!
Let me know if you have any other questions.
So happy to hear that you like this in your tofu scramble!