Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe | Gluten Free | spabettie (2024)

Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe - incredibly flavorful and versatile, this cheese is straightforward, easy, and one you will make again and again!

Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe | Gluten Free | spabettie (1)

Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe

In the Vegan Fusion class earlier this summer, one of the components in the raw and live phase was culturing. We learned about, made and drank Rejuvelac. We made cultured plant cheeses, as well as rawelixirs, sauerkraut and kimchi. Everything was outstanding, and it was very exciting for me.

Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe | Gluten Free | spabettie (2)

I have always been nervous about attempting any culturing or fermenting at home. After some hands on learning and creating, a cultured cheese was one of the first things I knew I'd try at home - one with tangy flavors of goat cheese.

When cultured, a plant cheese will have a tangy flavor, as well as all the benefits of a live food - nutritionally rich and containing beneficial bacteria.

Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe | Gluten Free | spabettie (3)

I based my culturing process on the method we learned in class:

1) Soak nuts in water for several hours.
2) Blend nuts with liquid (in class we blended with water - for this recipe I used apple cider vinegar).
3) Transfer to a sanitized glass jar, covering and leaving in a dark warm cupboard overnight.

In class the next day, we added some fresh herbs to the cultured cheese - at this point you can add whatever flavors you want.

For my 'goat' cheese, I kept the flavor additions simple - some lemon juice for tart acidity, and a bit of salt.

This tastes surprisingly similar to traditional goat cheese, and the consistency is both creamy and crumbly. It is perfect on a beet salad, in a cherry tart, or simply spread on a crisp cracker. The pairings and the flavor possibilities are endless!

*update: A bunch of readers have successfully made and loved this recipe. a few have had varying results - great flavor with a creamy consistency, not crumbly. Sometimes my results are creamy too, more of a cream cheese, like this example here. I will then wrap in cheesecloth to strain another 12 hours or so - in the refrigerator - and can often achieve the crumbly consistency then. Literally piecing it apart with a fork is how I get it to crumble.

Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe | Gluten Free | spabettie (4)

Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe | Gluten Free | spabettie (5)

recipes using this Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe:

Maple Roasted Beet Salad with Vegan Goat Cheese

Cherry Goat Cheese Rustic Tarts

Vegan Goat Cheese Bacon Wrapped Dates

Lemon Caper Pasta with Goat Cheese Croutons

Roasted Red Pepper Goat Cheese Dip

Dijon Apricot Goat Cheese Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Lavender Date Goat Cheese Hand Pies

Apricot Goat Cheese on Fig Crisps

Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe | Gluten Free | spabettie (6)

printable Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe:

Yield: 1 cup

Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe

Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe | Gluten Free | spabettie (7)

Vegan goat cheese is incredibly flavorful and versatile. This recipe is straightforward, easy, and one you will make again and again!

Prep Time5 minutes

Additional Time2 hours

Total Time2 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In food processor or high speed blender, combine soaked cashews, vinegar, lemon juice, contents of probiotic capsule, and water. Blend until smooth.
  2. Transfer to a sterilized glass jar. Cover with plastic wrap and secure with rubber band.
  3. Cover/wrap jar in a kitchen towel and leave in a room temperature place overnight.
  4. Transfer to refrigerator.

See notes for variations

Notes

Basic culturing technique adapted from the Vegan Fusion Immersion Chef course I attended in 2011.

dairy, soy, oil, and gluten free, vegan, cultured recipe

Macadamia Nuts

My original recipe called for 1 cup cashews and ¾ cup macadamia nuts. This evolved to just cashews over time, as myself and many readers were omitting the macadamias for various reasons. Both recipes work well; the flavor and texture are excellent and similar.

Flavor additions

Plain goat cheese is delicious as is, and is a perfect vehicle for added flavors.

  • Savory: There are so many savory options to add to vegan goat cheese. Smoked paprika, dried onion, or garlic powder are some of my favorite spices. Roll a log or ball of goat cheese into chopped nuts or seeds. I love to make bite size appetizer goat cheese balls and roll them in sesame seeds or chopped pistachios. For a sweet and savory, combine chopped pistachios with dried cranberries. Chopped sun dried tomatoes are an excellent addition to vegan goat cheese.
  • Sweet: Add minced dates, figs, or dried apricots. Chopped candied pecans or walnuts add a nutty sweetness to the tangy vegan cheese. Stir in maple syrup or your favorite sweetener. Shape goat cheese into a disc or log and serve it with your favorite jam.

How to make crumbly vegan goat cheese

Wrap the cheese tightly in cheesecloth, or use a fine mesh strainer. I wrap in cheesecloth AND place that in a fine mesh strainer over another bowl, and place in the refrigerator. This method usually works to reduce / remove liquid; I also squeeze the wrapped cheese.

How to make vegan cheese sliceable

The easiest way to make any vegan cheese sliceable is to add kappa carrageenan. When you don't need stretchy meltability, an agar agar works to thicken vegan cheese into a more solid cheese you can slice.

How long does this recipe last?

My rule for maximum flavor and freshness is to enjoy this recipe within one week.

Refrigerate vegan goat cheese in a glass container with a tightly fitting lid.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

2 tablespoons

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 152Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 135mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 7g

nutrition calculations results vary by calculator, are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to replace medical advice or treatment.

Try AmazonFresh Free TrialVegan Goat Cheese Recipe | Gluten Free | spabettie (17) for Unlimited Grocery Delivery - add these recipe ingredients to your list and make your own Vegan Goat Cheese today!

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ABOUT KRISTINA: Kristina is spabettie! She founded spabettie in 2010 to share vegan recipes.As the sole recipe developer and photographer, Kristina turned her culinary training into the best way to spend her days - sharing just how flavorful and vibrant vegan food is!She loves dachshunds, Portland, Hawaii, drummers - well, one drummer - and travel.

spabettie / Kristina Sloggett is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe | Gluten Free | spabettie (2024)

FAQs

What is a non dairy substitute for goat cheese? ›

Olives. If you're looking for a salty burst of flavour, a handful of olives is the best dairy-free and vegan alternative to goats cheese.

What vegan cheese tastes like goat cheese? ›

Ricotta cheese or blue cheese we can use as Goat cheese substitutes because they have the same closeness in taste and texture as goat cheese. Other alternatives are Mascarpone and Tofu cheese.

Can you have goat cheese if dairy-free? ›

First of all, we need to clear up a common misunderstanding: goat cheese is not completely lactose-free. It still contains some amounts of lactose. Although it is considerably less than with cow's cheese. This often makes goat's cheese more digestible for people with lactose intolerance.

Will vegans eat goat cheese? ›

The options for dairy-free milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream are seemingly endless, and there are even vegan goat cheeses: Spero The Goat Plant-Based Goat Cheese. Heidi Ho Ne Chèvre.

Is there plant-based goat cheese? ›

Spero The Goat Plant-Based Goat Cheese

Spread it on crackers, spread it on bread, dip veggies, or you could add it to soups or pasta 🤯! The ideas are endless!

Why don t vegans eat goats cheese? ›

Since goat cheese is made from goat milk, an animal secretion/ by-product, it is not vegan and therefore vegans do not eat goat cheese.

What cheese is a good replacement for goat cheese? ›

Labneh is Mediterranean yogurt cheese, and is a great substitute for goat cheese when it's used as a spread. It has a thick texture and tangy flavor, much like goat cheese. Uses: Use labneh for spreads like Goat Cheese Bruschetta with Mushrooms or Cherry and Goat Cheese Crostini.

What is a vegan substitute for goat meat? ›

Seitan is a popular vegan goat alternative commonly used in curries that will give you a similar texture to meat—without contributing to the nightmarish system that tortures and kills sweet, social, silly, sentient goats.

Why do I like feta but not goat cheese? ›

When made entirely from sheep's milk, feta tends to be more buttery and creamy whereas the addition of goat's milk creates a more acidic and crumbly version. Goat cheese, on the other hand, does not have quite the saltiness that feta does.

Why don't we drink sheep milk? ›

As for sheep's milk, almost no one in the United States or anywhere else drinks it straight. It has twice the fat of cow's milk and human milk, making it too rich to be very appealing as a beverage.

What is vegan goats cheese made from? ›

This Vegan Goat Cheese is absolutely phenomenal, yet it's fairly simple to make still. The base of this cheese is tofu and soaked macadamia nuts. Just place them in a high-speed blender with coconut oil for extra creaminess.

Is feta goat cheese dairy-free? ›

Because feta cheese is traditionally made with sheep's milk, or sometimes a combination of sheep and goat's milk (and now, some versions are occasionally made with cow's milk), it is not vegan. That said, some who avoid dairy choose to make an exception for feta cheese.

Why not to eat cheese vegan? ›

Vegans do not eat cheese or any other dairy products because they are derived from animals. Dairy products involve the exploitation of animals for their milk, and so cheese made from animal milk is not considered part of a vegan diet.

Can vegans eat feta cheese? ›

The answer here is a pretty straightforward no. As feta cheese is made from the milk of sheep and sometimes goats it isn't suitable for anyone on a fully plant-based diet. Vegans will not only abstain from eating meat, but also all animal products or other foods that are made with the use of byproducts too.

Is Honey vegan? ›

In the strictest definition of the word, honey is not vegan. As the product of a living being –honeybees, though there are other some 20,000 bee species to be found around the world – honey falls into the same category of non-vegan food products as milk and eggs.

What can I use to substitute goat cheese? ›

Instead of soft goat cheese (also known as chevre), you can use the same amount of cream cheese or mascarpone cheese, both of which will give you a similar creamy texture. Neither has the tanginess of goat cheese however, so if you want a little punch, try softening the substitutes with a little plain yogurt.

What other cheese is similar to goat cheese? ›

Labneh is a type of yogurt cheese that comes from the Mediterranean region. Its texture is similar to goat cheese and a tangy flavor. Thanks to its creamy texture, labneh is best used as a substitute for goat cheese in dips and spreads. It is not as good of a substitute in pasta dishes or baked goods.

What is a good non dairy cheese substitute? ›

Nut-Based Vegan Cheeses: Cashew, almond, and macadamia nut-based cheeses are common. They can be spreadable or used for grating and melting. Soy-Based Vegan Cheeses: Soy-based cheeses come in various forms, including slices, shreds, and blocks. They are often used as a direct substitute for dairy cheese in recipes.

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