Vegan Herb and Garlic Almond Cheese
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Plant Milk eg. almond, oat, rice, coconut, soy etc
- 1/2 cup Almonds blanched
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1/2 tsp White Pepper
- 2 tsps Sea Salt (Celtic or Himalayan)
- 2 large cloves Garlic
- 1 tbsp Mixed Herbs
- 1 tbsp Agar agar powder
- 2 tbsp Tapioca Starch
- 1/2 cup Hot boiled water
- Coating
- 1 tbs Paprika
- 1 tbs Mixed Italian Herbs
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
- Firstly, your going to need a medium sized saucepan, a blender and some cheese molds (I used mini spring form cake tins)
- Add all the ingredients (except the coating mix) into the blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a medium size saucepan and gradually bring to the boil before reducing heat to a simmer.
- After 5-10 minutes the mixture will become thick and creamy (see video). Quickly pour the mixture into your cheese moulds
- Place the cheese moulds into the fridge for 30 minutes or until set.
- Remove from moulds and carefully roll in the coating mix to coat the edges - this makes the cheese look great and taste even better!
Share this Recipe
Hi Anja – I think my husband would love this as he misses cheese sometimes. Could I use potato flour instead of the tapioca? I think they act in the same way, as a starchy thickener? What do you think? Thanks.
Potato starch should work. Or you can use corn starch or arrowroot.
Just FAILED at my 1st attempt!! Used TBSP for salt instead of TSP. 2nd attempt in the fridge……fingers crossed!!!
Many thanks! I happen to already have some potato flour, you see 🙂
Fabulous 🙂
Hi Anja,
by Tapioca Starch, do you mean the Agar Agar, that you mentioned in the Video?!
Sorry, I am just a bit confused, getting some ingredients translated into german to buy them here 😀
Best regards and thanks for all those wonderful recipes!
Tobi
Auf Deutsch ist das Tapiokastärke. Sie koennen aber auch Kornstärke oder Pfeilwurzelstärke benutzen. 🙂 Viel spass beim Kochen 🙂
Danke für die deutsche Übersetzung 🙂
Bitteschoen 🙂
Great recipe Anja, thank you. I used potato flour once and arrowroot another time. It worked out fine. Only the texture seemed less firm, more like a soft cheese, but the taste was great.
You can also try cornstarch 🙂
Hi Anja
I haven’t tried this cheese recipe yet but I have a general question. I have been eating plant based for about 5 months now and all that I read, along with your experience, it seemed people lost weight quite easily. I have gained around 10-12 pounds and wonder what I am doing wrong.
Any thoughts?
Were you underweight? If not, just add more greens 🙂
Hi Anja,
In order to get the cheesy flavour that you have talked about on other vegan cheese recipes, I wonder if you have tried adding Nutritional Yeast (?) to this particular recipe. I am about to add this ingredient to my weekly vegan cheese but I am a bit hesitant (?). I’d appreciate any comments at your earliest convenience. Ivana, from Norway
You can add nutritional yeast if you want to, but it is not needed.
Hi Anja, I was wondering can this or any of the other cheeses you make be put in the freezer because they make quite a bit for one person?
Yes, they can be frozen, but are best eaten fresh 🙂
Hi Anja, can I use flax milk?
I’ve never used flax milk. Not sure.
Hi Anja,
I’m anxious to try this recipe but was wondering what is the shelf life of it?
Thanks,
Wendy
About 5 days in the fridge.
I am so happy I stumbled by your site! I recently came to terms with the fact that most meat and all dairy really make me sick! I love cheese, so finding your recipes has made me so happy! My cheese is cooling in the fridge, but I already know it tastes amazing 🙂 I used a little less salt and more garlic. I can’t wait to fiddle with different spices in my next batch! Thanks for making recipes that are easy and yummy!
Glad you like it 🙂
Hello,
I was just wondering if there is a substitute for the tapioca starch? I can’t find the starch (and neither can I find any tapioca which I had thought I would blitz in the blender to make a flour)…….what could I use instead that would do the same job? Many thanks
Tapioca is what gives it the lovely stretch. I haven’t found anything that works as well.
Anja, when you use “mixed herbs” are these herbs that you have put together or is it like “Italian Seasoning” herbs?
It depends what I have on hand. Sometimes I just use a mixture of various herbs I have on hand, or if I have a premixed Italian blend then I will use that instead.
Fresh Thyme would be nice I feel Wanda/Anja. I buy a bunch of it, wash it, use what I need to use in any given recipe, and then dry it with a paper towel, and freeze it for later use! It doesn’t lose it’s flavour at all…
Would coating the finished cheese with chopped almonds work?
Yes 🙂
Hi! I was wondering if I could use rice flour or chickpea flour instead of tapioca starch/corn starch/potato starch? It’s just that I don’t want to use starch because of its very high GI. Anyway definitely going to try your recipes, so excited!
I don’t know if it will work the same. There is such a small amount in there, that I don’t think it would have much of an effect. Also, check out Dr Neal Bernard on extra GI info 🙂
Which agar agar powder do you use? I ordered one from Amazon but it was horrible. It had a strong chemical taste. Thanks for sharing your easy cheese recipes.
I just bought some at my local asian grocery store. No taste at all once cooked. You could try getting an organic one off amazon.
Hi Anja,
I came across some of your videos on youtube over the weekend and went through a bit of a binge watching stage! Really love your cooking. I am really keen to try out all your amazing cheese recipes but I’m curious if you can freeze them/ferment them longer to add flavour? I noticed in some of your comments that the shelf life is only 5 days so wanted to see if you had tips to prolong this etc?
So glad you like the recipes Steph and welcome 🙂 The vegan cheeses can be frozen but are best fresh 🙂 I don’t ferment mine.
Hello Anja,
I love your recipies, I’m not vegan but I really want to try new flavours and new recepies plant based.
In this recipie, I was wonder if I could use potato starch instead of tapioca starch. Because I only find tapioca flour in the supermarket or potato starch.
I haven’t tried it with potato starch. Tapioca flour should be ok.
This is a really appealing recipe. I have everything on hand except the Agar Agar. Is there a substitute for it?
There are no subs for the agar agar. This is what makes it firm.
No tapioca flour here in Belgium so I will use corn starch and see how it turns out
It worked for the “cheese” sauce though
I really want to make this but I only have almonds with their skins on. Can I use that instead of blanched almonds?
Yes you can… it will just taste a bit more earthy.
I tried this one and your smoked paprika one. The smoked paprika cheese came out great but this one didn’t “set”. That is, it didn’t get firm in the fridge. I’m not sure what I did wrong but I’m using it as a cheesy dip and it tastes good that way too.
Maybe you need to use a bit more agar agar. Also make sure that you cook the agar long enough so that it activates properly. Hope that helps 🙂
Hey Anja! I can’t find agar powder where I live, can I use agar flakes? If so, is there a different way to use it and should I put a different amount?
Love your videos!
You can grind the flakes down to powder if you have a coffee grinder. Otherwise, use about 4 to 5 times the amount of flakes as the measurement given for the powder.
Hey!!! Just wondering if I could use Cornflour instead of corn starch? Thanks 🙂
Yes 🙂
[…] found an AMAZING recipe for vegan Herb & Garlic Almond Cheese on the CookingWithPlants YouTube channel. I’ve […]
My cheese was very salty. Almost too salty to eat. Only added the 2 tsp, not sure where I went wrong. Also, has been in the fridge for almost 5 hours. Still not completely set. Is that normal? I made no substitutions as I have all ingredients on hand.
Did you use heaped teaspoons? I never heap mine. It could just be that you are more salt sensitive than I and need to use less. As for it not setting, you may need to use more agar agar powder – did you use the imperial conversion?
Hi Anja,
I just made this almond cheese recipe and I love it except it is not quite hard enough. I molded ot overnight. Dod I maybe need to cook it longer? Thank you.
Possibly cook it longer or use a bit more. The tablespoons I use are metric and hold 20ml.
I must have messed up somewhere along the line. Mine didn’t set. It’s gooey and won’t come out of the mold. I made the paprika one and felt like I messed up several times along the way but it still came out perfectly firm. This one… not so much. I’ll try it again someday with maybe a little more agar (or cooking the mixture a little longer). I did cook it for quite a while this time. Oh well. 🙂
These recipes are all so great.
Hi Amy, it sounds like you need to use a little more agar powder.
Thanks you for all your great recipes Anja. If you are making this in a vitamix or other high speed blender then what I do is to leave my ingredients in the blender until it gets really hot the agar is then being cooked so no need to put into a saucepan.
I also put hulled hemp seed around the sides and on top.
Hello Anja, How long will this cheese last? Can I freeze it and use it only when I need to?
It will last about one week in the fridge or you can freeze it but it tastes best fresh.
Hello.
Thank you for this great recipe but i don’t find agar agar powder even not agar flakes. What can be the substitute ?
Thank you in advance
This looks beautiful!! The rind with herbs and spices on this alone makes me want to give it a try 🙂 I’ll let you know how it goes!
Hi Anja, I just made this and I’m waiting for it to cool. After I unmold it and cost the sides, do I Store this uncovered – or covered in the refrigerator?
I’m all ready impressed with the flavor and how quickly it seems to be setting up. I’ve tried making two cheeses from the book, This Cheese is Nuts, and I’ve been disappointed in both the flavor and texture-way too soft! The first one tasted like cheese wiz, ugh!
Stay tuned….
Covered in the fridge is the perfect way to store it. Thank you for your lovely feedback… I really appreciate it 🙂
Hello! First attempt is in the fridge. I took a spoonful straight from the pan and noticed the texture is quite grainy… any idea on what I can try to smoothen it out? I used flaked almonds, as they were all I could find…. thanks 🙂
The flaked almonds is what would have made it grainy.Maybe try soaking them in hot water next time so soften them before blending. Enjoy!
How long does this cheese last in the refrigerator?
About 1 week 🙂