Cultured Cashew Coconut Cheese two ways - fresh herb and classic cheddar. How to make the best dairy-free cultured cashew coconut cheese at home! This recipe is dairy-free, vegan, packed with probiotics and absolutely delicious!
I honestly can't believe that I now culture my own cashew cheese, in between making sourdough bread and everything else I cook from scratch! ... The next thing you know I'll be making my own dairy-free yogurt... which actually sounds delicious and I want to try!
To be honest, I love cheese - like the real dairy cheese. It's kind of a family tradition to love cheese when you have french heritage! But when I started to notice that it was not sitting well with my stomach and causing me a lot of bloating, I knew that I'd have to find an alternative that was just as yummy.
This Cultured Cashew Coconut Cheese is the result, and I can't get enough of these two delicious spreads! It's also incredibly easy, and packed with probiotics. I highly recommend enjoying on a slice of fresh sourdough bread, or with some delicious seed crackers.
I highly recommend trying this, even if you are able to enjoy dairy cheese - it's a great protein-packed healthy snack and a fun alternative to hummus and other dips. It really does taste like cheese though, and I think even the most cheese-loving of you will enjoy it. Next time you're planning a charcuterie board, you have to add this into the mix!
Is It Difficult To Make?
Honestly it couldn't be simpler. You're basically blending, mixing in a few ingredients, and mostly waiting for it to culture on your countertop. Don't be intimidated by the idea of culturing! Cultured food is something that is fermented, using a cultured starter - in this case probiotic capsules.
You Will Need:
- probiotic capsules
- raw cashews
- full fat coconut milk
- nutritional yeast
- fresh chives
- himalayan pink salt
Nutritional Info On Cashews
Cashews are rich in healthy unsaturated fatty acids, fibre, vitamin B6, and minerals such as magnesium, zinc, & copper. Unsaturated fatty acids are so important for maintaining healthy cognitive function, and for reducing any inflammation in the body. Cashews are also rich in the amino acid tryptophan, which is a precursor to serotonin. As you may know, serotonin is an anti-depressant hormone which is so important for helping us feel happy! Cashews are also frequently recommended to help lower risk of heart disease, and can be beneficial for reducing stress. This Cultured Cashew Coconut Cheese is a great way to incorporate cashews into your daily meals
Cultured Cashew Coconut Cheese
Equipment
- High speed blender
Ingredients
Cashew Coconut Cheese Base
- 1.5 cup Raw cashews
- ½ cup Unsweetened full fat coconut milk I used thai kitchen premium coconut milk
- ¼ tsp Himalayan pink salt
- 8 capsules Probiotic
Cheddar Cheese Flavour
- ¼ cup Nutritional Yeast
Herb Flavour
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Chives chopped
- 2 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
Instructions
- Soak the cashews for 2-3 hours in cold water, until they become soft. Drain and rinse.
- Using boiling hot water, sterilize everything that the cashews & cheese will come in contact with including: your blender, the lid, a small silicone spatula, a medium sized glass or pyrex bowl, as well as a silicone lid that you will place over the bowl while the cheese is culturing. This is an important step to ensure that you don't get any unwanted mold or bacteria growth.
- To a blender, add the soaked & drained raw cashews, full fat coconut milk, and himalayan pink salt. Blend on high until very smooth. You may need to use a tamper to push the mixture down as you blend. Depending on how much liquid your coconut milk contained (some cans seem to have more cream, while others have more coconut water!) you may need to add a tiny bit of water just to make sure the mixture can be fully blended.
- Once fully blended into a smooth paste, spoon it out into the bowl that you sterilized. Open up 8 probiotic capsules and add to the cashew/ coconut mixture. Stir in the probiotic powder until well combined. Add a sprinkle of salt to the top layer of the mixture - this helps to prevent mold or bacteria from forming on the top.
- Cover with the sterilized silicone lid, and let sit on your countertop at room temperature for 24 hours.
The Next Day
- Check on the Cashew cheese to see how it smells. It should begin to smell mildly fermented. Using a sterilized spatula give it a stir, then sprinkle the top again with a small amount of salt and cover with the silicone lid for another 12 - 24 hours.
The Next Day
- It's up to you how long you want to leave your cashew cheese to ferment. Check on it after the 12 hours, and see if you like the smell and taste. If you want it to taste a little more like classic cheese, then let it sit for the full 24 hours - so a total of 2 days from when you started.
Seasoning
- It's time to add in some flavour! If you want to try two different flavours, split the Cashew Coconut Cheese into two small sterilized dishes. I like to use pyrex food storage containers with lids! Divide the Cashew Cheese evenly between the two dishes.
- To one dish, add in ¼ cup nutritional yeast and stir to combine. You can add in more to flavour to your liking - nutritional yeast gives it a cheddar cheese type flavour.
- To the other, add in 2 tablespoon of fresh chopped chives, and 2 teaspoon herbs de provence seasoning. Stir well to combine.
- Store the cashew cheese in a sealed container in the fridge. It will harden more once refrigerated. Enjoy on crackers, on sourdough, and as a delicious addition to sandwiches!
Notes
I can't wait for you to try this recipe! I think you will love this Cultured Cashew Coconut Cheese if you've been looking for a delicious dairy-free swap. Honestly it's so tasty, it could pass for real cheese!
Please tag me @nourishmintkitchen and share on your IG stories if you make this recipe, I would love to see your creations!
For more cashew inspired recipes, check out my Chocolate Chia & Cashew Protein Bites, as well as my Chickpea + Cashew Cream Hummus recipe!
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