HOW TO: PLANT-BASED CHEEZE
You can’t have pizza without cheese! This month we are featuring Pizza Rosa and Pizza Bianca. So, of course, we had to share our at-home vegan cheese recipes – specifically mozzarella balls and feta spread. Don’t worry; there is no specialty equipment needed.
One of the reasons some people say that they could never become vegan is because they cannot imagine life without cheese. Lol, I get that. Cheese is a wonderful thing. However, while we might have grown to like dairy-based cheese, the truth of the matter is that dairy-based cheese is not good for cows, the environment, or us. So, we knew we had to include at-home plant-based cheese recipes to top your pizza creations.
In this post, we are sharing easy how-tos for mozzarella balls and feta spread. There is no special equipment needed, just your tired and true non-stick saucepan and food processor! And even better, it doesn’t cost that much to make. Once the cashews are softened, all it takes is about 15 minutes to complete. Ready to get started?
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Plant-Based Mozzarella Balls
Soften 1 cup of raw, unsalted cashews. The cashews will swell slightly, so make sure that there is at least an inch of water over the cashews.
Add softened cashews to a highspeed blender with 4 teaspoons of tapioca flour, 1teaspoon of garlic powder, 4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast, ¾ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and ½ cup of water.
Blend until smooth. Make sure you scrape down the sides so that all the ingredients are incorporated.
Pour mixture into a non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon. The mixture will start thickening very quickly. Continue stirring until the dough forms a ball.
Remove from the heat. Allow the mixture to cool so you can handle the cheeze without burning your hand.
Scoop a golf ball-sized of the cheeze and place in a bowl of cold salt water (2 Cups cold water, ½ tsp salt). Once the cheeze balls are cool, drain the water.
Slice the mozzarella and add to the top of your favorite pizza, sandwich or pasta. It won’t melt but it tastes great.
Feta Cheeze Spread
Place 12oz. drained extra firm tofu, ½ cup of melted coconut oil, 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 1½ tablespoons of nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of onion powder, ½ teaspoon of dill weed, and 2 teaspoons of sea salt into a food processor.
Blend until smooth.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
Not in the mood for Pizza? Try These.
Feta Dip: Add feta spread to a nice dish. Serve with Pita bread chips, carrot and celery sticks, and cumber slices.
Bruschetta: Toast 1-inch slices of Italian bread. Once toasted, we rubbed one side with a clove of raw garlic. We then topped the toast with sliced cherry tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and slices of our fresh mozzarella. (see picture). Want even more flavor for your bruschetta? Drizzle with an infused olive oil or aged balsamic vinegar.
A FEW TIPS.
Soaking Cashews: The quick method: add Cashews to a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, boil for 10 min and drain the water. The overnight method: place cashews in a jar with a tight-fitting lid or a medium-sized bowl, cover with water, let soak overnight or about 12 hours, then drain the liquid.
Storing the Cheeze: The cheez balls and feta spread should be stored in the refrigerator in a container with a tight-fitting lid. The cheezes in the fridge for up to two weeks.