A delicious vegan mozzarella recipe that is made with coconut milk. It melts and stretches and is perfect for vegan pizza, grilled cheese, quesadillas, lasagnas, and casseroles.
Prepare a glass, ceramic, or silicone mold and have it ready to pour the cheese into when you are done. (I spray mine with a little oil to help it come out easier, but it's not necessary).
Add a 13.5 oz can of coconut milk (or another cheese base), 1/4 cup of warm water, 1 1/4 tsp salt, 2 tbsp of nutritional yeast, 4 tsp agar agar, 1/2 tsp garlic.
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 (or 7 tsp.) 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 and stir it in with a whisk and cook for an additional 1 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.
Store covered in an air-tight container for 5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Video
Notes
Tips for making great vegan cheese
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!
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.
Store the cheese in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
If it is too soft to shred, put it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before shredding.
Tips for melting the cheese
Allow the cheese to warm up to room temperature before putting it in a sandwich or casserole.
Cook the food with the cheese at a lower temperature for longer to allow heat to travel into the center of the food.
Grilled cheese or Quesadillas - heat it in a microwave for about 45 seconds before grilling it so the cheese in the center melts.
Lasagna, Stuffed Shells, or any other Casserole - cover it with foil so the trapped steam will melt the cheese.
Vegan Pizza - put the pizza on the top rack and use the broil setting for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking watching it carefully. You can also cover it with non-stick foil for the last few minutes of cooking.