Vegan Mozzarella that can be shredded or sliced! It melts and stretches beautifully just like the real thing and only takes minutes to make! Nut free option.
I have probably tested this vegan mozzarella 10-15 times in the last couple of months, trying to get it just right for you! I decided to keep the flavor very similar to my EASY Stretchy Mozzarella since it’s so well loved.
The difference with this recipe is that the mozzarella is SHREDDABLE and SLICEABLE. Total game changer!
Why this cheese is amazing
- You can make it in a matter of minutes, and it’s ready to eat in an hour or two.
- It shreds perfectly for pizza or quesadillas, and melts super well!
- It can be sliced for sandwiches, used either cold or for grilled cheese.
- You can make mozzarella sticks! (recipe is coming soon)
- It only requires 9 ingredients.
- It’s gluten free, dairy free (of course) and there is a nut free option that works so well!
- Plus it will satisfy your cheesy cravings with it’s deliciousness!!!
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Ingredients for Shreddable Vegan Cheese
- Raw cashews OR silken tofu – This is the base of your cheese. I prefer to use cashews for a slightly richer cheese, but silken tofu actually works well! If you have a nut allergy, or you don’t have a high powered blender, use the tofu version.
- Tapioca starch – Also known as tapioca flour, this provides a wonderful stretchy texture.
- Kappa Carrageenan – This is the magical ingredient that makes the cheese solid, and allows it to melt, and then go back to solid. I ordered mine from Amazon. *There is some controversy around carrageenan, but I feel totally safe using it after doing a lot of research. Do what you feel is right, I do include an option for using agar agar instead.
- Nutritional yeast – For that cheesy flavor, however if you don’t care for it you can leave it out or use white mellow miso paste instead. It makes the cheese wonderfully flavored!
- Salt
- Refined coconut oil – Refined is the key word here! Don’t use unrefined or your cheese will taste like coconut. Oil free? You can leave it out, the cheese just won’t be quite as rich or melty.
- Lemon juice
- Apple cider vinegar, or just more lemon juice
- Boiling hot water – This is what activates the kappa carrageenan.
How to make it
- Soak the cashews, unless you are using tofu. Also get out a clean container to hold the cheese. I used a glass container that holds 3 cups.
- To a blender, add all the ingredients except the boiling water.
- Carefully add the boiling hot water to the blender and then IMMEDIATELY put on the lid and blend. Use a towel for extra protection. You need to move quickly because the cheese will start to set almost right away.
- Pour into the prepared container, right away. Don’t let the mixture sit in the blender for any time at all!
Place the container, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours until set and solid throughout.
Then it’s ready to slice or shred!
If you aren’t going to eat it right away, pop it out of the container, wrap in paper towels and place in a large ziplock bag or container. This will make it drier, which I think makes it better.
How long will it keep?
It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about 1 week. It can also be frozen.
I made some simple pizzas on tortillas and OH MY GOODNESS they were amazing! This cheese melts better than any brand of vegan cheese I have bought at the store, and it tastes better, too.
I hope you love it as much as we do!
Want more Vegan Cheese recipes?
- EASY Stretchy Vegan Mozzarella
- Vegan Nacho Cheese
- 5 Ingredient Vegan Queso
- Vegan Cream Cheese
- Nut Free Vegan Cheese Sauce
Method adapted from Vegan Blueberry and recipe adapted from my Stretchy Mozzarella.
Shreddable Vegan Mozzarella
Vegan Mozzarella that can be shredded or sliced! It melts and stretches beautifully just like the real thing and only takes minutes to make!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw cashews OR 1/2 cup silken tofu
- 4 tablespoons tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons kappa carrageenan*
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 4 tablespoons refined coconut oil (make sure it's refined for no coconut flavor!)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, or more lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups boiling hot water
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil (I use my electric kettle.) Pour the hot water over the cashews and let soak for 5 minutes, then drain the cashews and discard the soaking water. Set aside.
- Get out a clean container that can hold about 3 cups. I prefer glass, but plastic will work. Have it ready before you start because you will need to move quickly once the cheese is blended.
- Heat up the 1 1/2 cups of water. It will need to be boiling when you add it to the blender. Again, I heat up water in my tea kettle, then measure 1 1/2 cups when I'm ready. You can also simply get it boiling in a small pan on the stovetop.
- To a high powered blender (if you use tofu instead you can use a regular blender), add the soaked and drained cashews, tapioca starch, kappa carrageenan, nutritional yeast, salt, coconut oil, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar.
- CAREFULLY pour in the boiling hot water, and immediately put the lid on and blend. Use a towel for extra protection so the hot water does not burn you! Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down once if needed. It will only take a minute or so, and the mixture will start to harden fast so you need to work quickly.
- Immediately pour the cheese into your prepared container. It will start to harden super fast, so do not wait.
- Move the container to the refrigerator, uncovered and let chill for 1-2 hours, until solid throughout and cooled.
- After a few hours, pop it out of the container, and either slice/shred right away or wrap in paper towels, then place in a large ziplock bag or container. This will help it be drier, which I think makes it better.
- Use anywhere you would real mozzarella, such as on pizza, grilled cheese, cold sandwiches, pasta dishes, Mexican dishes, on top of soups or just for snacking.
Notes
- I have tested this with both cashews and tofu and I can hardly tell the difference! If you have a nut allergy, or you don't have a high powered blender, use the tofu. I still prefer the cashews for a slightly richer cheese, but the tofu version is really good too.
- Kappa Carrageenan is a natural substance from red seaweed that helps thicken/gels. I feel completely safe using it, but if you have concerns you can use agar agar powder instead or simply stick to my Easy Stretchy Mozzarella.
- To use agar agar instead: Place all the ingredients except for the agar agar and water to the blender and set aside. In a small pot, stir together 3 tablespoons (instead of 1 1/2) agar agar and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly until it firms up and gels. Add this to the blender, blend, then transfer to the container and refrigerate. To use agar agar flakes, increase the amount to 9 tablespoons.
- If you don't like nutritional yeast, you can leave it out or sub a mellow white miso paste instead.
- Oil Free: You can leave out the coconut oil if needed. It won't be quite as melty or rich but it does work quite well.
- Storing: The cheese will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about 1 week. If you can't eat it all in that time, you can freeze it.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 437mg | Potassium: 91mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!
Can I use a different oil or vegan butter?
It hasn’t been tested but another butter or a neutral-tasting vegetable oil may work instead. Just keep in mind that the coconut oil helps the cheese harden, so the texture may be different if you make substitutions. I hope this helps!
This is cheese is so easy to make and my husband absolutely loves it! I gave the ingredients a short blend before adding the boiling water because the mixture immediately firms up. This resulted in an ultra-creamy cheese. After refrigeration, I sliced into three blocks, wrapped each in a paper towel and then Saran Wrap and placed them in a ziplock and froze them for future use.
I will definitely be making this in the future. Thank you!!!
I’m thrilled you and your husband loved the cheese! Thanks for your fabulous review and feedback!
Okay, so it’s been a few weeks since making this cheese and it has become a HUGE hit. My SIL is lactose intolerant, so I gave him a block from the freezer. He absolutely loves this. He made some pinwheel wraps with sliced cheese and passed it around for others to try. Everyone said it tasted great and they couldn’t tell the difference from a mild mozzerella.
We put it in burritos, quesadillas and twice baked potatoes. With its mild flavor, it’s incredibly versitile. Thank you SO MUCH!!!
Hi Nora,
I’ve made the recipe a few hours ago, but is stays a bit soft and definitly not hard enough to grate it… Do you have tips? The taste is still amazing!
Did you make it with agar agar? It typically makes for a softer cheese compared to kappa carrageenan. Otherwise, try letting it chill for a few more hours or overnight. Hopefully that will help it firm up!
If I use unrefined coconut oil, when it comes to the coconut taste in this recipe, how strong are we talking? I’m considering adding this with refried beans to pupusas.
Do I have to use coconut oil, or can any neutral tasting oil work?
Hi Kela. The coconut oil helps the cheese to become firm, but I think another oil could likely work. I haven’t tested it to know for sure though, sorry! If you use another oil, let me know how it turns out for you!
Do you see and downside to using a food processor or immersion blender?
Hi Ryan. I haven’t tried using a food processor or immersion blender. I’m not sure it’s safe to pour boiling hot water into a food processor. Also, at least with the cashew version, the nuts won’t become creamy like they need to without a high powered blender. I don’t think an immersion blender would be sufficient for this either, I hope this helps.
Hi Kela, I am also avoid coconut oil at the advice of my family physician owing to its ability to raise LDL quickly and significantly. Have you tried using another oil? My favorite is safflower these days. Thank you.
I haven’t tried it but it might work. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
I tried this last night on pizza and it was great! Very easy to make, too and wrapping it in paper towels made it like the mozzarella I’d buy before I became a vegan. Thank you!
When using the agar agar, is it flakes or powder?
I use agar agar powder.
I really want to try this for my dairy sensitive husband. I don’t have agar or carrageenan. How about xanthan gum? Has anyone tried that? Thank you.
I have tried this recipe 5 times now. It hasn’t worked once. I don’t get why others have such success with it. But I’ve wasted a lot of money and time on trying it (followed the recipe to a T, both with cashews and with tofu and it hasn’t worked the multiple times I’ve tried – the only thing I can think of is maybe it’s because I’m using a food processor? That or my kappa is not good).
Sorry this hasn’t worked for you! I haven’t tried using a food processor but I’m not sure it’s safe to pour boiling hot water into a food processor. Also, at least with the cashew version, the nuts won’t become creamy like they need to without a high powered blender. The magic ingredient here really is the kappa so if that is bad it’s not going to work. And it needs boiling hot water to activate. You will know it’s working because when combined with the hot water, it immediately starts to thicken. If that’s not happening, either your kappa is not good or your water is not hot enough.
Why would you give the recipe a 1 star? You didn’t use a high-speed blender like it called for on step #4. If you did use one you probably would have loved it.
Hello, I just tried making this recipe and I’m pretty sure the Kappa cCarrageenan is the problem. Mine won’t set either. I followed the recipe exactly as written but the mixture didn’t thicken to the setting point, got to a thick sauce consistency, but that’s it. The same thing happened to me while attempting to make a different mozzarella recipe. The suspect Kappa Carrageenan I bought on Amazon is “Druids Grove” from Modernist Pantry. Has anyone had success using this brand of Kappa Carrageenan? It is awfully expensive to be throwing away. I’m, Totally Bummed!
As for the recipe, the flavor is wonderful. I’m going to have to figure out how to get it to set so I can use it as firm cheese. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
That’s the brand I used too and it came out perfect. Indeed, the leftover mixture in the blender I basically peeled off while I was cleaning it like hardened cheese. Did you make sure the water was boiling when you added it to the blender? I think the kappa needs to be exposed to a certain temp in order for it to set.
So because you’re not using the right tools for the job, you give the recipe 1 star??? Unfair to Nora
I’ve tried this with both cashews and tofu and it won’t sent. With the tofu I even used 2 tsp of the Kappa Carrageenan and it’s not firming up. What am I doing wrong?
Are you using the boiling hot water and following the instructions exactly? The hot water is really what causes it to firm up (it starts happening immediately), so if you are leaving out this step the kappa carrageenan won’t activate.
Yes I am waiting til the kettle boils and then pouring it directly into my food processor. I’m so confused because I’m following it to a T. Maybe it’s the brand of kappa im using.
Help! I saw your note about using the agar agar powder in substitute for the other gelatin you recommended, I made it as the recipe stated, and then, after I just put it in the fridge, realized that it was supposed to be heated with the boiling water first, can I still eat this or do I need to start over?
I haven’t tried this without boiling the agar agar in water, but the results will surely be very different if you missed this step. It’s probably best to start from scratch!
Simply Amazing, you are my vegan hero! ❤️
I make this recipe all the time. I also use it as a base for Pepper Jack cheese. For that, I add a 4oz can of green chiles (with the liquid) and blend it with everything else. After blending, I quickly stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped jalapeno, 2 tablespoons of chopped red bell pepper, and 1 tablespoon of dried crushed red pepper. Love using it in your Skillet Enchiladas recipe. As always, thank you for your great recipes!
That sounds great, Shelly! Thank you for your wonderful feedback and review!
I made this to use on pizza. What a great find. I’ve tried so many vegan pizzas that were horrible, I decided to make my own. It was easy to make, shreddable and melted enough. I had to use crisco as I had no refined coconut oil. Love your recipes!!!!
Thanks for your wonderful feedback, Barb! I’m so glad you loved the mozzarella on your pizza! I appreciate you using my recipes!
OMG!! Made this for pizza. It was so easy and so delicious. I’ve tried different recipes but this was the best. Shredded easily, melted well, flavorful. I don’t expect real mozzarella, but this is a great alternate!!!
Hi Barb! I’m thrilled that you loved the mozzarella! I really appreciate you sharing your great feedback and review!
I used crisco vegetable shortening instead of refined coconut fat and the texture was just like a soft mozzarella. Thanks, Nora!
You are welcome! I’m glad the mozzarella turned out wonderful for you! Thank you for sharing your fantastic feedback!
Hi Nora
Thank you for All of your recipes. I have made this several times and it does shred beautifullu but does not melt as shown in your photos. I’m wondering at what temp you’re getting this to melt.
Hi Susan. The oven does need to be 425-450 degrees. I also find it doesn’t melt as well when there is a lot of other stuff, veggies, etc. on pizza. If you add a bunch of toppings, do sauce, then cheese, then the toppings. It melts better like that. Hope that helps!
Could this be cut into sticks for cheese sticks ? Or is it best for shreds ?
Hi Courtney. Yes you can make this into cheese sticks. I have instructions on this in my Vegan Mozzarella Cheesesticks recipe. Enjoy!
I cannot use boiling water in my Vitamix. Is it OK to mix kappa or agar in the boiling water and then let it cool to the recommended 170 degrees before adding to the mixture in the Vitamix?
If you can’t use boiling water to activate the kappa, then I’d suggest using agar agar instead. Follow the directions in the Notes section above. This method does require the agar and water to be boiled together but it shouldn’t be as hot as boiling water. I hope this helps!
Thanks for the quick reply. I saw that you use a Vitamx. Does it have a non-plastic container? Mine is plastic and has a heat limit of 170. Can I dissolve the kappa in a smaller amount of boiling water outside of the container then add it and remaining water to the Vitamix? If I do the Agar on the stove, can I let it cool prior to adding it? I am obviously new to this! I love your site and it’s fun to know you are from this area!
I do use a Vitamix and it has a plastic container. I think it technically does have a heat limit of 170, though it hasn’t done anything bad to my container and it’s been several years now. I haven’t tried dissolving it in a smaller amount, then blending, I’m not sure it will work as well but maybe. There are instructions for using agar agar in the Notes section. Definitely do what you feel comfortable! Hope that helps!
You can also use warm/hot water and blend until very creamy first; blend in the kappa last, then transfer it all to a pot and cook it on the stove, stirring constantly until it thickens. It’s an additional step but it works if you don’t have a heat safe blender. Since I often ferment my cashews first they already have some liquid added, so instead of letting the blender run long enough to get up to temperature, I’ll sometimes use this method anyway.
Ciao! Ti seguo dall’Italia ☺️ sto provando tutte le tue fantastiche ricette!! Complimenti 👏
Ho solo un problema con questa mozzarella perché non riesco a farla sciogliere in cottura…
Quanto deve cuocere sulla pizza per farla fondere completamente e a quale temperatura? Ti ringrazio moltissimo.
Buona serata.
Veronica
can i use vegan butter instead of coconut oil? Or another oil?
Hi Abbey. The coconut oil helps the cheese to become firm, but I think another oil could likely work. I haven’t tested it to know for sure though, sorry!
How many ounces of cheese does this make? Im trying to plan if I have enough for two 12 inch pizzas AND some of your breadsticks 🙂
Sorry I haven’t weighed it, but one batch is enough to cover probably one 12 inch pizza generously, two if you like a lighter cheese layer. I’d double it to be safe!
Hi unfortunately it did not thicken like you have described it. I made the original recipe. My consistency is rather jelly like – firm but not in a way that o could cut or shred the cheese.
?
Any piece of advice? I followed the measurement of your recipe and made 3 portions.
Sorry to hear it didn’t quite work out, Shaina! It sounds like maybe your water wasn’t hot enough to activate the kappa carrageenan or you need to try a different brand of kappa carrageenan. The chemical reaction can only occur when the water is boiling and the kappa is working properly.
Can you use fermented tofu?
I never have, so I’m not sure honestly. I don’t know how it would taste.
This is amazing! 1,5 teaspoons of salt was a bit much for my taste but it will still work great on pizza.
I blended everything with lukewarm water and melted coconut oil then poured it in a saucepan to eat up since my Blender doesn’t have détachable blades and clean up sounded like a pain. It still worked great. Thank you Nora for this great recipe!
You are who welcome! I’m glad you found the cheese amazing! Thank you for sharing your ideas and great feedback!
Wow! You answered ALL my questions in your notes. Thank you for the thorough description and recipe and notes! Going to make this today ❤️
How long can this keep in the freezer?