Chop up 1/3 cup of red peppers and 1-2 jalapenos into very small pieces.
Saute the peppers in 1 tbsp of oil over low heat for about 3 minutes.
Add a 13.5 oz can of coconut milk, 1/2 cup of water, 2 tbsp agar agar, 3 tbsp of nutritional yeast, 1 1/4 tsp salt, a dash of cayenne, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and a 1/2 tsp lemon juice.
Heat the cheese sauce over medium heat until it begins to boil.
Turn down the heat until it is just barely bubbling and allow to boil for 6 minutes while stirring frequently.
Pour into a glass container and allow to cool uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
How to make meltable vegan pepper jack:
Chop up 1/3 cup of red peppers and 1-2 jalapenos into very small pieces.
Saute the peppers in 1 tbsp of oil over low heat for about 3 minutes.
Add a 13.5 oz can of coconut milk, 1/2 cup of water, 2 tbsp agar agar, 3 tbsp of nutritional yeast, 1 1/4 tsp salt, a dash of cayenne, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and a 1/2 tsp lemon juice.
Heat the cheese sauce over medium heat until it begins to boil.
Turn down the heat until it is just barely bubbling and allow to boil for 5 minutes while stirring frequently.
Add 2 tbsp plus 1 tsp of tapioca starch (7 tsp) to 1/4 cup of water and stir until it dissolves.
Add the starch and water mixture to the boiling cheese sauce and stir it in with a whisk. Cook for 1 additional minute (Your cheese will become very thick and stretchy).
Pour into a glass container and allow to cool uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before shredding.
Notes
Pro Tips for perfect vegan pepper jack!
Jalapeno peppers vary greatly in spiciness. Sometimes one is enough to make it spicy, sometimes I need a few dashes of cayenne to give it enough heat even after using 2 jalapenos.
Taste the cheese sauce before adding the cayenne and see if it's needed.
Make sure to measure the ingredients carefully! Slight changes in the amount of liquid, the agar agar, or the tapioca starch can change the texture of your cheese a lot!
For a cheesier flavor, add an additional tbsp of nutritional yeast and/or 1 tsp of miso paste to your cheese sauce.
Store the cheese in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
If you want to grate the meltable version, pop it in the freezer for about 30 minutes after it has set to make it firmer and easier to grate.
How to replace coconut milk:
If using cashews, you will need 1/3 cup cashew soaked and drained then blended with 1 3/4 cup water.
If using plant-based milk you will need 1 3/4 cup milk plus 1/3 cup any neutral-flavored oil.