If you’re new to vegan cheese-making or fermentation, this easy recipe is a great place to start. The ingredients are common grocery items and the method is mostly hands-off. In a few days you’ll have a creamy, tangy wheel of cashew cheese ready to enjoy.
This spreadable cashew cheese makes a beautiful centerpiece for a vegan charcuterie board. Serve with gluten-free crackers, fresh fruit, raw vegetables, or a piece of vegan dark chocolate for contrast.
The Herbs de Provence coating pairs nicely with the bright tang of the fermented cashew base. You can easily swap the coating for your favorite spice blend, seeds, edible flowers, or chopped nuts to vary texture and flavor.
This cheese pairs well with simple accompaniments like flax or seed crackers, fruit preserves, and roasted or raw nuts. Its creamy texture also works as a spread on sourdough or gluten-free bread.
Herbed Cashew Cheese
This spreadable, herbed cashew cheese is dairy-free and ideal for a vegan cheese board. Enjoy it with crackers, fruit, raw vegetables, or a square of vegan chocolate.
- Author: Janel @ Unconventional Baker
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Passive Prep Time: 1 to 3 days
- Total Time: Varies (mostly passive)
- Yield: 1 – 5″ cheese wheel
- Category: Cheese, Savory
- Method: no-bake
- Cuisine: vegan
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cashews, soaked 8 hours and strained*
- ½ cup sauerkraut juice
- 1 Tbsp gluten-free white miso
- ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
- 4 tsp Herbs de Provence (for coating)
Instructions
Place the soaked and drained cashews, sauerkraut juice, white miso, and sea salt in a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides so the mixture is evenly combined.
Spoon the blended mixture into a clean glass container and cover. Leave at room temperature (about 68–77°F / 20–25°C) for 1–3 days to ferment. Taste daily with a clean spoon and stop the fermentation when the tang reaches your preference—about three days yields a pronounced flavor.
Chill the fermented cheese in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Cooling firms the mixture and makes it easier to shape.
Lay out a large square of parchment. Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of Herbs de Provence across the paper. Scoop the chilled cheese onto the herbs, roll it gently to form a roughly 5-inch wheel, and press to coat evenly. Add the remaining herbs as needed, wrap the wheel in parchment, and return it to the refrigerator to set before serving.
Serve with a small knife or spreader alongside crackers, breads, fruit, or vegetables. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks, or freeze for longer storage.
Notes
*To pre-soak nuts: place raw cashews in a glass bowl, cover with water, and soak for about 8 hours. Drain and discard the soaking water before using. Soaking rehydrates and softens the nuts for a smoother, creamier texture and may improve digestibility.
Room temperature affects fermentation speed—cool kitchens will slow the process and warm kitchens will speed it up. If needed, place the covered container in an oven with just the light on to maintain a modest warmth around 68–77°F.
Leftover cheese keeps in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two weeks and can be frozen to preserve it longer.