Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe - incredibly flavorful and versatile, this cheese is straightforward, easy, and one you will make again and again!
Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe
In the Vegan Fusion class earlier this summer, one of the components in the raw and live phase was culturing. We learned about, made and drank Rejuvelac. We made cultured plant cheeses, as well as raw elixirs, sauerkraut and kimchi. Everything was outstanding, and it was very exciting for me.
I have always been nervous about attempting any culturing or fermenting at home. After some hands on learning and creating, a cultured cheese was one of the first things I knew I'd try at home - one with tangy flavors of goat cheese.
When cultured, a plant cheese will have a tangy flavor, as well as all the benefits of a live food - nutritionally rich and containing beneficial bacteria.
I based my culturing process on the method we learned in class:
1) Soak nuts in water for several hours.
2) Blend nuts with liquid (in class we blended with water - for this recipe I used apple cider vinegar).
3) Transfer to a sanitized glass jar, covering and leaving in a dark warm cupboard overnight.
In class the next day, we added some fresh herbs to the cultured cheese - at this point you can add whatever flavors you want.
For my 'goat' cheese, I kept the flavor additions simple - some lemon juice for tart acidity, and a bit of salt.
This tastes surprisingly similar to traditional goat cheese, and the consistency is both creamy and crumbly. It is perfect on a beet salad, in a cherry tart, or simply spread on a crisp cracker. The pairings and the flavor possibilities are endless!
*update: A bunch of readers have successfully made and loved this recipe. a few have had varying results - great flavor with a creamy consistency, not crumbly. Sometimes my results are creamy too, more of a cream cheese, like this example here. I will then wrap in cheesecloth to strain another 12 hours or so - in the refrigerator - and can often achieve the crumbly consistency then. Literally piecing it apart with a fork is how I get it to crumble.
recipes using this Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe:
Maple Roasted Beet Salad with Vegan Goat Cheese
Cherry Goat Cheese Rustic Tarts
Vegan Goat Cheese Bacon Wrapped Dates
Lemon Caper Pasta with Goat Cheese Croutons
Roasted Red Pepper Goat Cheese Dip
Dijon Apricot Goat Cheese Stuffed Squash Blossoms
Lavender Date Goat Cheese Hand Pies
Apricot Goat Cheese on Fig Crisps
printable Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe:
Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe
Vegan goat cheese is incredibly flavorful and versatile. This recipe is straightforward, easy, and one you will make again and again!
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups raw cashews, soaked several hours / over night
- ¼ cup filtered water
- 1 tablespoon organic apple cider vinegar
- juice of 1 lemon (about one tablespoon)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- contents of 1 probiotic capsule (optional)
Instructions
- In food processor or high speed blender, combine soaked cashews, vinegar, lemon juice, contents of probiotic capsule, and water. Blend until smooth.
- Transfer to a sterilized glass jar. Cover with plastic wrap and secure with rubber band.
- Cover/wrap jar in a kitchen towel and leave in a room temperature place overnight.
- Transfer to refrigerator.
See notes for variations
Notes
Basic culturing technique adapted from the Vegan Fusion Immersion Chef course I attended in 2011.
dairy, soy, oil, and gluten free, vegan, cultured recipe
Macadamia Nuts
My original recipe called for 1 cup cashews and ¾ cup macadamia nuts. This evolved to just cashews over time, as myself and many readers were omitting the macadamias for various reasons. Both recipes work well; the flavor and texture are excellent and similar.
Flavor additions
Plain goat cheese is delicious as is, and is a perfect vehicle for added flavors.
- Savory: There are so many savory options to add to vegan goat cheese. Smoked paprika, dried onion, or garlic powder are some of my favorite spices. Roll a log or ball of goat cheese into chopped nuts or seeds. I love to make bite size appetizer goat cheese balls and roll them in sesame seeds or chopped pistachios. For a sweet and savory, combine chopped pistachios with dried cranberries. Chopped sun dried tomatoes are an excellent addition to vegan goat cheese.
- Sweet: Add minced dates, figs, or dried apricots. Chopped candied pecans or walnuts add a nutty sweetness to the tangy vegan cheese. Stir in maple syrup or your favorite sweetener. Shape goat cheese into a disc or log and serve it with your favorite jam.
How to make crumbly vegan goat cheese
Wrap the cheese tightly in cheesecloth, or use a fine mesh strainer. I wrap in cheesecloth AND place that in a fine mesh strainer over another bowl, and place in the refrigerator. This method usually works to reduce / remove liquid; I also squeeze the wrapped cheese.
How to make vegan cheese sliceable
The easiest way to make any vegan cheese sliceable is to add kappa carrageenan. When you don't need stretchy meltability, an agar agar works to thicken vegan cheese into a more solid cheese you can slice.
How long does this recipe last?
My rule for maximum flavor and freshness is to enjoy this recipe within one week.
Refrigerate vegan goat cheese in a glass container with a tightly fitting lid.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
2 tablespoonsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 152Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 135mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 7g
nutrition calculations results vary by calculator, are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to replace medical advice or treatment.
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ABOUT KRISTINA: Kristina is spabettie! She founded spabettie in 2010 to share vegan recipes. As the sole recipe developer and photographer, Kristina turned her culinary training into the best way to spend her days - sharing just how flavorful and vibrant vegan food is! She loves dachshunds, Portland, Hawaii, drummers - well, one drummer - and travel.
spabettie / Kristina Sloggett is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Susie says
Can I use rejuvelac instead of the probiotic capsule? I already have extra rejuvelac that I froze from a batch that I made last time, so it would be nice if I could use that instead of having to buy the capsules.
Kristina Sloggett says
yes you can! I love that you make rejuvelac and keep extra. Rejuvelac adds GREAT funky flavor to this goat cheese. Enjoy!
Mackenzie says
Hello, I see that some older comments mention the use of macadamia nuts in addition to cashews, but the current recipe only shows cashews. Why were macadamias taken out and what were the previous ratios if I'd like to try it with macadmias?
Recipe looks delicious, I'm excited to try it.
Thanks!
Kristina Sloggett says
hi Mackenzie, The original ratio was 1 cup cashews to 3/4 cup macadamia, and it definitely works. Many readers were asking if they could use just cashews, for several reasons from cost to inaccessibility of macadamias. Cashews only absolutely works, and over the years, I found myself using just cashews also, so I modified the recipe.
Using both nuts gives a great result, they are very similar. I have updated the notes section to address this as well. I hope you enjoy this vegan goat cheese!
Sarah Lessing says
Do you have any good pointers for making the rejuvelac? This seems to be my stumbling block, because I can never find it in stores, so I don't have a clue how it should taste or even look.
I make your soy free cream cheese all the time, and now I am ready to try this chevre. Your blog is always so rich with tips and tricks, and this recipe is different. Any quidance is appreciated.
Tamara Gabai says
Can I do this without macadamia nuts? They're super hard to find where I live.
Kristina Sloggett says
absolutely, Tamara! I have made this with only cashews before, it is just as rich in flavor and the texture is the same.
Rachel Stultz says
I always try to review a recipe when I’ve actually tried it, because those are the reviews I’m always looking for. So. I made this as a desperate attempt to finally be able to have something resembling cheese again - lactose intolerant is an understatement. That being said, I’m not vegan and I do remember what cheese tastes like, and I’ve never tasted a vegan cheese product that really did taste like cheese. Until this one. This tastes EXACTLY like chèvre. I fermented cor about 30 hours, and didn’t use any add ins. I cannot believe how good this is, I’ll probably make this once a week for the rest of my life.
Kristina Sloggett says
thank you for sharing this, Rachel! positive reviews always make my day. (we make this often too - maybe not every week, but close!)
Becca says
I discovered you because if this goat cheese! I have made this three times so far, and today I’m back to make it again and add herbs. Thank you for making this easy for us.
Monica Davis says
This cheese looks so interesting! I can't wait to try it! I love that you use probiotic!