This recipe can be super simple compared to other almond cheese recipes and here's how!
It's by using ground almonds instead of whole almonds. :)
This recipe is also super minimal, using only a few other staple ingredients – It's also straightforward to make and doesn't require any cooking either!
You can of course, soak and peel your almonds for this recipe, or if like me you find it much more convenient, then buy them pre-ground.
You'll need a
high-powered blender
to make this vegan cheese since the nuts needs to blend smoothly for this to work, such as a Vitamix, Blendtec, or Ninja. These are very high-quality blenders, and I highly recommend investing in one if you are serious about making homemade vegan milk and cheese.
Once you've gathered all your ingredients, put them all in the blender and blend on high for several minutes until everything is completely smooth. You'll probably need to scrape down the sides of the blender a couple of times to make sure it blends evenly. The mixture will start thick but become smoother and more spreadable as it blends.
Once the almond cheese is completely smooth, it's ready to be drained in cheesecloth overnight; this removes the excess liquid and melds the flavours.
Then voila - you have soft and creamy vegan almond cheese with an incredible flavour!
This cheese can be enjoyed on its own with crackers as a snack or added to other recipes as a cheese replacement. It's also a great way to sneak in some extra plant-based protein, as the almond cheese is high in protein and healthy fats.
Instead of salt, I add
miso
to my cheese recipe; it's highly nutritious, salty, and flavoursome, but also miso contains probiotics, which are healthy microorganisms added to produce fermentation that is similar to those that live bacteria in your digestive tract.
Research
shows that the probiotics in this condiment may help reduce symptoms linked to digestive problems, including inflammatory bowel disease.
What gives this cheese that cheesy flavour is the addition of nutritional yeast; it's not necessary. I have made it without several times, and it's still delicious, but it adds an extra depth of flavour to the finished product.
Nutritional yeast
is a wonderful addition to any vegan diet as it has several beneficial nutrients in it. It boasts vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, C, and E and folic acid, selenium, zinc, and copper. It also has many minerals, such as iron, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus, as well as protein and fibre.
If you can't find nutritional yeast, don't worry - just omit it from the recipe, and the cheese will still taste amazing!
Serve it on crackers, bread, in salads, or in sandwiches! This will keep in the fridge for up to a week, so you can make a big batch and enjoy it all week long! Enjoy!
You will need for this recipe
- A high speed blender
- Some cheese cloth
- A sieve
- And a bowl
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS
- 250g ground almonds or 2 cup raw almonds, soaked, and skinned
- 1 lemons juice, swap for 2 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp miso, I use white miso
- 1/4 cup plant-based milk
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional but adds to flavour)
METHOD
- In a high-speed blender add your almonds and the other ingredients, blend on full power until fully incorporated, scrape down the sides as needed, add more plant-based milk if needed to blend, be careful not to add too much.
- Line a sieve with cheese cloth atop a bowl to catch the excess liquid. Add the cheese mixture to the cheesecloth, carefully fold over the cheese cloth, and you can weigh it down if you like with another bowl on top.
- Place the cheese in the sieve atop the bowl in the fridge overnight.
- The next day, take the cheesecloth out, tip away the excess water, and mould the cheese to your preferred shape as you are unraveling it from the cheese cloth. I like to turn it out onto a board and carefully remove the cheesecloth so it still leaves some pretty indentation marks.
Your cheese is now ready to serve, store remaining in the fridge for up a week.
Recipe by Rose Wyles - The Vegan Nutritionist
For professional assistance with adopting a healthy and nutritious plant-based diet, go to www.thevegannutritionist.co.uk/nutritionconsulting