How to Make Vegan Cheese - Vegan Provolone

How to make a basic vegan cheese using coconut milk that is free of dairy, gluten, soy, and nuts. Vegan provolone-flavored cheese.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine cheese, gluten free, soy free, vegan

Keyword coconut cheese, garlic and herb vegan cheese, healthy vegan cheese sauce, how to make vegan cheese, nut free vegan cheese, nut free vegan cheese ball, vegan cheese, vegan cheese recipe

Diet Gluten-Free Option, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Vegan

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 8

Chill Time 2 15

Total Time 2 25

Servings

Calories 106kcal

Author Monica Davis

Equipment

glass storage containers

Ingredients

1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk full-fat
1/2 cup hot water
2 tablespoons agar agar powder (or 6 tablespoons of flakes if you can't find powdered agar agar)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

US - Metric

Instructions

Prepare cheese molds by spraying a glass bowl or container with spray oil or rubbing 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 saucepan.
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 (2 tbsp agar agar, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp garlic powder) to the saucepan and stir with a whisk.
Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until it boils.
Turn down the heat until the cheese sauce is just barely boiling and stir constantly for 6 minutes until it is very smooth. (It must boil for 6 minutes to activate the agar agar and set the cheese correctly.)
Immediately pour into the prepared cheese molds.
Let it cool with the lid off for about 15 minutes at room temperature, then cover and transfer to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to set firmly.

Video

Notes

How to make meltable vegan cheese

Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan, but use only 1/4 cup of water instead of 1/2 cup, and only 4 tsp of agar agar instead of 2 tbsp.
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 cold water and stir until it dissolves.
Add the starch and water mixture to the boiling cheese sauce, stirring with a whisk, and then cook for an 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.

Pro tips for perfect vegan cheese

Stir the cheese sauce very frequently. Do not walk away from it while cooking.
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Make sure to measure the ingredients carefully! Slight changes in the amount of liquid, agar agar, or tapioca starch can significantly affect the texture of your cheese!
For a cheesier flavor, add an extra tbsp of nutritional yeast.
If you want to grate the meltable version, pop it in the freezer for about 30 minutes after it has been set to make it firmer and easier to grate.
Use whatever shape you wish for a cheese mold - glass or ceramic works best. (Some people use a 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.

Troubleshooting

Use agar agar powder, not flakes, if you can, and measure carefully. Make sure to use 2 full tablespoons, not 2 teaspoons!
I use the Telephone brand agar agar since I can easily find it at my local Asian market. It comes in small packs, so it won’t go bad, and I know that it sets well every time. There are many other brands, and there seem to be different strengths of agar agar, especially in Europe.
If your cheese is too soft or jello-like, your agar agar is not strong enough. Increase the agar agar next time you make it. If it is very soft, you can add a tiny bit of water and remelt it, and add more agar agar and boil it for an additional 6 minutes.
If your agar agar is not working, swap it out in equal parts for Kappa carrageenan.

Nutrition