Vegan Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Just 9 easy ingredients and 15 minutes to make. So easy and totally delicious. Perfect for snacking, serving on a vegan cheese board, or adding to sandwiches.

Prep time: PT15M

Total time: PT15M

Rating

4.96 stars (74 reviews)

Keywords

best vegan cheddar cheese, easy chimichurri, quick, vegan cheddar cheese, vegan cheddar cheese recipe, vegan sharp cheddar cheese, vegan sharp cheddar cheese recipe

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews, (softened (see step 1))
1/4 cup refined coconut oil
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon white miso paste
1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika, ((use smoked paprika for a smoky cheese))
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

Cuisine

American
British-Inspired
Canadian

Steps

Softening the cashews makes them tender enough to blend smoothly. To soften them you can either boil or soak the cashews. To boil the cashews: add the cashews to a small pot, cover with water, and boil for about 10 minutes until the cashews are very tender. Drain and rinse before using. To soak the cashews: add the cashews to a bowl, and cover with water. Let soak for 4 hours or longer until tender. Drain and rinse before using.
Add the softened cashews, along with all the remaining ingredients to a small food processor*. Blend, stopping and scraping the sides as needed, until the cheese is as smooth as possible.
Scoop the cheese mixture into a dish lined with plastic wrap, or into a small silicon baking dish, and smooth out the cheese. Cover and then chill in the fridge until completely firm, about 3 hours or overnight.
Enjoy the cheese as you please! The cheese will be come softer the more it warms up, so for extra-firm cheese you could freeze it.

Nutitrion

Serving Size: 1 serving (recipe makes 6 servings)
Calories: 221 kcal
Carbohydrates: 10 g
Protein: 6 g
Fat: 19 g
Saturated Fat: 10 g
Sodium: 109 mg
Sugar: 2 g

Reviews

Debi on 2025-11-10 (5 stars):
By far, your recipe is the best for firm sharp cheddar cheese. Thank you for sharing it. Question: How long does it last in the fridge? Question: Best way to wrap and store it.
Lizzie on 2025-09-05 (5 stars):
My go-to cheese, I love this one.
Sue on 2025-08-31 (5 stars):
Hi Sam, thanks for the recipe. Just wondering if I can sub the lemon juice with lime juice? Re the White miso which I don't have, I noted the recommendation to use Chickpea miso as a sub. I also have Red miso - is that a good sub or should I stick with the Chickpea? Many thanks.
Hilly on 2025-06-01 (5 stars):
Hiya, I've just made this recipe, as I was craving something sharp and cheesy and I went searching! I didn't want to use coconut oil, as my hubby needs to watch his cholesterol, so I missed it out and just added some plant milk instead. What I ended up with was an ever so tasty Cheddary spread and it really hit the spot! We're in the UK and know the taste of a good Cheddar, but we obviously haven't had it for a very long time, so this is just FAB. Thanks so much. Hilly and Dave in Norfolk, UK. xxx