Skip to main content

    Back to Plant-Based
    Plant based cheese on a board.
    ARTICLE

    Your introduction to plant-based cheese alternatives

    A platter just isn’t the same without a selection of one, two (or even three) types of cheeses. Cheese is the perfect accompaniment to your Saturday night glass of wine, or popped in your lunchbox with crackers to stave off the afternoon munchies.

    There are a variety of options on the market that will allow you to enjoy cheese without dairy.

    Plant-based cheese alternatives are becoming popular amongst Australians who have decided to turn to a plant-based diet.

    How are plant-based cheese alternatives made?

    Plant-based cheese alternatives are made in a variety of different ways depending on the ingredients used. These can be made from the following:

    • Proteins such as soy, pea, nuts (including cashews, macadamias and almonds)
    • Vegetable oils (such as coconut or canola oil)
    • Starches and thickeners
    • Nutritional yeast
    • Cultures

    One plant-based cheese alternative you can easily make at home is made using cashews and is shown below.

    How to make homemade vegan cheese

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups raw cashews
    • 3 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
    • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 large lemon, zested, juiced
    • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
    • 2 tsp herb seasoning; plus 1 tsp extra
    • white pepper

    Method:

    1. Place cashews in a bowl and cover with hot water. Stand for at least 2 hours or overnight to soak.
    2. Preheat oven to 180°c. Place garlic on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes or until soft. Squeeze garlic from skins into a blender.
    3. Drain cashews and place into blender with garlic, oil, zest, lemon juice, vinegar, seasoning and white pepper to taste. Blend until smooth and thick. Transfer to a bowl. Using damp hands, shape cashew mixture into a ball and coat with pepitas and thyme. Gently press into a disc, place on a serving platter and chill. Store cheese, covered, in the fridge for 4 days.

    Shop Plant-Based Cheese

    Shop Bio Cheese Dairy Free

    You may also like

    Vegan Chocolate Spotlight

    We pride ourselves on having a large range of alternative options for vegans. Top of the list of essentials is, of course, chocolate!

    Read full article >

    Plant-Based Meats Spotlight

    Recent headlines have told us of certain international fast food chains’ plant-based meat burgers taking the world by storm

    Read full article >

    Plant-Based Proteins

    When we think of protein we often picture meat or other animal-based foods.

    Read full article >