This is how you make Basic Vegan Cashew Cheese

Date:

15 October 2025

Category:

Dairy Free

Gluten Free

Difficulty:

Easy

Servings:

1 x 500g jar

This is the same method and ingredients as the cashew yoghurt but is used as a cheese base. The difference? This version is thicker and lends itself well to making cashew cheese. It can be flavoured with herbs, spices and anything else you think of. My favourite is truffle oil.

Ingredients

280g cashews
125ml water
1/2 probiotic capsule

Directions

Start by soaking the cashew nuts for 2 hours. All you need to do is add them into a bowl and cover with water.
Drain the soaked nuts and tip them into a blender. Discard the soaking water, add the fresh water and blitz until you get a smooth texture.
Once blended, and the probiotic capsule and mix through well.
Transfer to a glass or plastic container. Do not use a metal one as the mixture won’t ferment. Leave the container outside the fridge for 24 hours with a tea towel or muslin cloth on top so that the mixture can breathe, and to keep out any insects or flies.
After 24 hours the mixture will be slightly aerated, which means it has fermented, so give it a good mix.
Place a proper top on the glass container and leave it in the fridge for later use.
The cheese will last for up to 5 days in the fridge ready to use.
Tip: If you’re in a hurry, soften the cashews by pouring hot water on them and soak them for 15 minutes. Make sure you cool them off in cold water before blending. I would recommend soaking them for 2 hours, but I understand that we are all busy bees!
If you are allergic to nuts, the cashews can be substituted with sunflower seeds. Just follow the same measurements and method.