Thinking about cutting back on cheese and looking for delicious alternatives you can use in your recipes? Here is a guide to cheese substitutes, including easy homemade “cheese” recipes and some of the best store-bought vegan cheeses.
If you want creamy, saucy cheese, blended cashews are your go-to.
Cashew Cheese Sauce
This cheesy sauce recipe tastes like nacho cheese and is perfect on tacos, pasta, or as a dip.
Recipe:
1 1/2 cups raw cashews (soak in filtered water overnight)
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt, to taste
Directions:
1. Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender.
2. Blend until a thick sauce comes together. If you want a thinner sauce, add a bit more almond milk.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.
Sliced tofu is a great substitute for mozzarella or provolone on sandwiches or with crackers. It mimics the texture of cheese and is very satisfying.
Tofu-Based Mozzarella Cheese
Recipe:
1 block (396 grams) firm tofu, drained
1 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons tapioca starch
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 cup of water (adjust as needed to resemble thick cake batter)
Directions:
1. Blend all ingredients on high until creamy and smooth.
2. Pour into a non-stick saucepan and heat on medium heat.
3. Stir with a spatula for 3-4 minutes. The sauce will start to curdle and separate.
4. Keep stirring until the mixture looks like melted mozzarella cheese.
5. Serve immediately.
Potatoes are a favorite ingredient because they create a creamy, rich base with a flavor that can easily be manipulated by using other ingredients and spices.
Vegan Mac n’ Cheese
Recipe:
2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup cashews
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 lb. elbow macaroni, cooked, for serving
Directions:
1. Add the vegetables to a large pot of boiling water. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender. Remove the boiled vegetables and save about 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water.
2. Add the cashews, boiled vegetables, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, reserved cooking water, and nutritional yeast to a blender. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour the sauce over the macaroni and stir to coat.
4. Serve immediately.
If you are newly transitioning to plant-based cheeses, it might be easier to experiment with some store-bought vegan cheese to satisfy your cravings. Whether you follow a vegan diet or want to cut back on dairy, you can’t go wrong with these tried-and-true vegan cheeses.
Here are some of our favorites:
1. Follow Your Heart Cheese Mozzarella Shreds: delicious dairy-free mozzarella that is versatile and a must-have among vegans.
2. Tofutti’s Milk-Free Better Than Ricotta Cheese: if you are craving comfort food like lasagna, this nut-free ricotta alternative is delicious and is extremely similar to ricotta in texture.
3. Good Foods’ Plant-Based Queso Style Dip: with its cauliflower base, it can be used for everything from crackers and tortilla chips to sliced veggies.
4. Violife’s Just Like Mature Cheddar Slices: the perfect alternative to sliced cheese that melts. You can easily use it on your plant-based burgers or in your grilled cheese sandwiches.
5. Kite Hill’s Everything Almond Milk Cream Cheese Spread: perfect on your bagels or spread on crackers. It mimics the same creaminess in regular cream cheese.
Ayat Sleymann is a registered dietitian nutritionist whose passion lies in helping women live their healthiest life. Ayat works with women around the world, helping them achieve their weight-loss goals without diets and deprivation. With a “plants-most” and “self-love” approach, she has helped clients manage weight, improve their health, and increase energy and productivity.
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