Name: Vegan Cheddar Cheese
Prep time: 6 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 1 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup raw cashews (unsoaked); 0.33 cup water (for blending); 5 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed); 2 tbsp coconut oil (refined); 0.25 cup tahini (smooth); 1 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free); 1 tbsp tomato paste (concentrated); 2 tsp apple cider vinegar (raw); 1 null red bell pepper (chopped and deseeded); 2.5 tsp salt (fine sea salt); 0.5 tsp smoked paprika (for color and smoke); 0.125 tsp cayenne pepper (optional heat); 1 tbsp dijon mustard (creamy); 0.25 cup nutritional yeast (for cheesy flavor); 1 tsp garlic powder (dehydrated); 2 tsp onion powder (dehydrated); 1 cup water (cold); 1 tbsp agar agar powder (must be powder, not flakes); 1 to_serve non stick spray (for the mold)

Instructions

Show units in method

1

Place the raw cashews (1 cup), water (0.33 cup), lemon juice (5 tbsp), coconut oil (2 tbsp), tahini (0.25 cup), soy sauce (1 tbsp), tomato paste (1 tbsp), apple cider vinegar (2 tsp), red bell pepper (1 medium), salt (2.5 tsp), smoked paprika (0.5 tsp), cayenne pepper (0.125 tsp), dijon mustard (1 tbsp), nutritional yeast (0.25 cup), garlic powder (1 tsp), and onion powder (2 tsp) into a high-speed blender. Blend until perfectly smooth and set aside in the blender.
2

Add water (1 cup) and agar agar powder (1 tbsp) to a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute until the mixture becomes thick and gelatinous.
3

Immediately pour the boiling agar mixture into the blender on top of the cheese base. Blend quickly until uniform.
4

Working fast, pour the cheese into a round dish lightly coated with non stick spray (1 spray). Smooth the surface and refrigerate until set and firm.
5

Once firm, turn the dish upside down onto a plate to release the cheese wheel. Slice and serve as desired.