These rich and creamy vegan mozzarella slices are perfect for sandwiches, veggie burgers, crackers, and vegan Caprese salads. These homemade vegan cheese slices taste better than store-bought vegan cheese and you won’t believe how easy they are to make.

Round slices of vegan mozzarella cheese on a cutting board with grapes and parsley around them.

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Why make vegan cheese slices

I love to make these vegan cheese slices to have in the fridge for use in my kids’ school lunches. They’re great for sandwiches or simply served with crackers. I also love using them on vegan breakfast sandwiches, seitan burgers, vegan Caprese salads, and vegan Caprese sandwiches.

I have been making vegan mozzarella cheese for years, but my original recipe is softer and more meltable to use on pizza or in grilled cheese sandwiches. This sliced mozzarella recipe keeps the cheese firmer and better for slicing yet still has the creamy mild flavor of mozzarella cheese.

A top view of a vegan Caprese salad with tomatoes, basil, and balsamic glaze.

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Vegan Milk Base – this will be the base of your cheese. 
  • Coconut Milk – a 13.5 oz can of coconut milk or coconut cream works best. (This is not the coconut milk that comes in cartons in the refrigerated section of the store).
  • Water – to give the right moisture content.
  • Nutritional Yeast – to give it the cheesy umami flavor.
  • Agar-agar Powder – to make it firm so you can slice and grate it. Agar agar is a white powder made from seaweed, and it acts as a vegan gelatin to make the cheese firm. (It comes in flakes or powder but be sure to use the powder if you can. 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). You can also use kappa carrageenan instead in equal amounts.
  • Tapioca flour – to give the cheese a stretchy texture when it melts. (Nothing else works like tapioca for this. Without it you will not get the same melt and stretch). You can use potato starch to thicken the cheese, but it won’t give you the same stretchiness.
  • Salt – for flavor
  • Garlic Powder – for flavor.

Helpful tools

How to make vegan cheese slices

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

Step 1 – In a small saucepan, add a 13.5 oz can of coconut milk (or another plant-based milk listed below), 1/4 cup of hot water, 2 tbsp of nutritional yeast, 4 tsp agar agar powder, 1 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp garlic powder.

Step 2 – Heat the cheese sauce over medium heat until it begins to boil.

Step 3 – Turn down the heat until it is just barely bubbling and allow it to boil for 5 minutes while stirring frequently.

Step 4 – Add 1 tbsp tapioca starch to 1/4 cup of cold water and stir until it dissolves.

The process of mixing the cheese sauce for making homemade sliceable vegan cheese.
Heat cheese sauce for 5 minutes then add tapioca starch slurry.
A tall glass cylinder with homemade vegan cheese to set for round slices.
Pour into a heat safe container that has been sprayed with oil.

Step 5 – Add the starch and water mixture to the boiling cheese sauce, stir it in with a whisk, and cook for an additional 1 minute. (Your cheese sauce will now become stretchy).

Step 6 – Pour the hot cheese sauce into the prepared glass cylinder and allow to cool uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before slicing.

Pro Tips

  • Make sure to measure the ingredients carefully!  Slight changes in the amount of liquid, the agar agar, or tapioca starch can change the texture of your cheese a lot!
  • After you put in the coconut milk, add the warm water to the can and swish it around for a minute to get all the coconut milk out.
  • For a cheesier flavor, add an additional tbsp of nutritional yeast to your cheese sauce.

What other milk can I use?

I highly recommend canned coconut milk. (Full-fat canned coconut milk will give you the richest and creamiest texture). If you can’t use coconut milk you can choose 1 of the following to replace it…

  • Cashews – you will need 1/3 cup cashews soaked and drained then blended with 1 3/4 cup water).
  • Other Plant-Based Milk – like soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, or hemp milk you will need 1 3/4 cups of milk plus 1/3 cup of any neutral-flavored oil.
An open faced sandwich with vegan cheese slices on top.

Storage

Refrigerate: These vegan cheese slices will keep well in the fridge for about 5 days in a sealed sandwich bag or an airtight container.

Freeze: The cheese slices also freeze well and can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Someone making a vegan sandwich with vegan cheese slices.

More vegan cheeses

I have a ton of vegan cheese recipes on my site, and I have a free vegan cheese mini guide for subscribers, but you can find my full collection of vegan cheese recipes in my cookbook The Ultimate Guide to Easy Vegan Cheese Making.

📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!

Vegan mozzarella slices on a cutting board with grapes around it.
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5 from 2 rating

Vegan Cheese Slices

Yield: 8
Prep: 4 minutes
Cook: 6 minutes
Chill Time: 3 hours
Total: 3 hours 10 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A rich and creamy vegan mozzarella cheese style sliced cheese for sandwiches, crackers, and snacking.
Print Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 13.5 oz can coconut milk, full fat or coconut cream (13.5 oz can)
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 4 teaspoons agar agar, powder
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon tapioca flour
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • 1 spray spay oil, to help the cheese slide out of the mold

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Prepare your cheese mold by spraying it with some spray oil for easy removal.
  • In a small saucepan, add a 13.5 oz can of coconut milk (or another plant-based milk listed below), 1/4 cup of hot water, 2 tbsp of nutritional yeast, 4 tsp agar agar powder, 1 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp garlic powder.
  • Heat the cheese sauce over medium heat until it begins to boil.
  • Turn down the heat until it is just barely bubbling and allow it to boil for 5 minutes while stirring frequently.
  • Add 1 tbsp tapioca starch to 1/4 cup of cold water and stir until it dissolves.
  • Add the starch and water mixture to the boiling cheese sauce, stir it in with a whisk, and cook for an additional 1 minute. (Your cheese sauce will now become stretchy).
  • Pour the hot cheese sauce into the prepared glass cylinder and allow to cool uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before slicing.

Notes

  • Make sure to measure the ingredients carefully!  Slight changes in the amount of liquid, the agar agar, or tapioca starch can change the texture of your cheese a lot!
  • After you put in the coconut milk, add the warm water to the can and swish it around for a minute to get all the coconut milk out.
  • For a cheesier flavor, add an additional tbsp of nutritional yeast to your cheese sauce.
If you don’t want to use coconut milk you can use…
Cashews – you will need 1/3 cup cashews soaked and drained then blended with 1 3/4 cup water).
Other Plant-Based Milk – like soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, or hemp milk you will need 1 3/4 cups of milk plus 1/3 cup of any neutral-flavored oil.
  •  
Serving: 0.25cup, Calories: 111kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Sodium: 371mg, Potassium: 157mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 16mg, Iron: 2mg
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