Publised on 31/05/2019. Last Updated on 31/05/2019 by Richard
Vegan mozzarella cheese that melts, browns and stretches like the real thing! Revolutionise your vegan pizza game in minutes!
Heads up: this recipe was updated on 7th Nov 2022. If you'd like to follow the original recipe, skip to the "Variations" section of this blog post.
This is the updated, more affordable, easier to make and arguably even better tasting version of my vegan mozzarella recipe. It's ideal for pizzas, grilled cheese sandwiches, pasta bakes - YOU NAME IT!
It takes literally minutes to make and stores in the fridge until you're ready to use it! And guess what? It uses even fewer specialist ingredients than before! Too gouda to be true? Read on and find out!
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🥫Vegan Mozzarella Ingredients
Here's a run-down of everything you'll need to make my vegan mozzarella! I've simplified this recipe and done away with as many difficult to source ingredients as I can without sacrificing the quality of the cheese! Hopefully, this means you'll have most of these ingredients in your pantry anyway!
- Silken tofu - Use a soft variety if you can find it. Got a soy allergy? See the notes under the "Substitutions" section below!
- Rice vinegar - To give our cheese just a little extra tang! If you don't have rice vinegar, see the "Substitutions" section below!
- Agave syrup - Sugar also works fine! Agave just blends more easily because it's already a liquid.
- Nutritional yeast flakes - For that cheesy umami kick.
- Tapioca starch - This is what makes the vegan mozzarella melty and stretchy!
- Sea salt
- Vegetable oil - Cheese is mostly fat, so for authenticity we need a little oil! Any neutral vegetable oil will do.
- Water
As always, full quantities are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page!
🔪 Method!
Let's take a look at the processes involved in making homemade vegan mozzarella! It's insanely easy and I just know you're gonna breeze through it!
1. Assemble your ingredients! Everything can all go in the same cup or blender together at this stage. No need to separate wet and dry ingredients! Just throw em all in!
2. Blend everything! To get super smooth vegan mozzarella you'll want to blend as well as you can. If you have a high-speed blender, use it! If you don't, use a food processor or immersion blender!
3. Cook the mixture! You'll now need to transfer the mixture to a saucepan and place over a medium/low heat. You'll need to keep whisking constantly as the mixture will catch and burn if you're not careful!
4. Bingo! The sauce will thicken and become very stretchy. It'll happen quite suddenly and usually after a good few minutes of nothing at all happening, so be prepared! Your vegan mozzarella is now ready to use!
Hint: Once cooked in the saucepan, your vegan mozzarella is ready to use on pizza, pasta you name it! But remember, for perfect results I'd advise grilling/broiling or baking your cheese before serving. This will improve the texture and the flavour, plus you'll get to see it melt and brown!
🔄 Substitutions
Got some dietary requirements but still wanna make the best vegan mozzarella on the planet?? No problemo! This recipe is naturally:
- Gluten free - No elements of this recipe contain gluten! So go wild!
- Soy - The recipe includes tofu, which is obvs soy-based but this can easily be replaced for your favourite soy-free plant milk!
- Dairy - Not a huge surprise, but this vegan mozzarella is FREE FROM DAIRY! Oh, you already knew that? Ok, cool. Glad we're on the same page..
If you've made this recipe with some swaps, let me know how it worked out on my instagram!
🍽 Vegan Mozzarella Variations
Look, this recipe is magic, but you may want to take things a step further! Here's how!
- Too Gouda To Be True?! - Make your own melty smoky vegan gouda instead of mozzarella! In the recipe card at the bottom of the page, just add the "Smoked Gouda" variation ingredients before blending!
- Original recipe - This recipe is an update, but if you're loyal to the original, you can find the former ingredients list in the notes section of the recipe card!
Looking to try some other vegan cheeses? Why not whip up some grateable vegan cheese, for use in your sandwiches! You might also be a fan of my vegan Philly cheesesteak recipe or my vegan cauliflower cheese!
🫕 Equipment!
You won't need much to get cracking - just a few bits of essential vegan mozzarella kit!
- Blender, Immersion blender or Food processor
- Small saucepan
- Whisk
❄️ Make Ahead!
My vegan mozzarella will store for a few days in a sealed container in the fridge. Just spoon it over whatever and grill/broil until golden and bubbling. Alternatively one of my fave things to do is to chill until spoonable then freeze until firm. The vegan mozzarella will keep for good few months in the freezer and can be grated more easily over pasta and pizza!
🙋♀️ Vegan Mozzarella FAQs
A: Vegan mozzarella is made from a blend of vegetable oil, tapioca starch and cheesy flavoured ingredients like nutritional yeast. The tapioca starch helps it to melt and stretch like real mozzarella!
A: Dairy mozzarella is not vegan, since it's made from animal products. You can easily make your oven vegan mozzarella though, using the recipe below!
Vegan Mozzarella
Equipment
- Blender, Immersion blender or Food processor
- Small saucepan
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 50 g silken tofu OR sub for 60ml of any plant milk
- 2 teaspoon rice vinegar OR sub for any neutral flavoured white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon agave syrup OR sub for 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
- 5 tablespoon tapioca starch
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 90 ml vegetable oil OR sub for any neutral oil
- 300 ml water
FOR SMOKED GOUDA VARIATION ADD:
- 3 teaspoon liquid smoke
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon extra salt
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in the cup of a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively blend with an immersion blender or food processor until smooth.50 g silken tofu, 2 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon agave syrup, 3 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes, 5 tablespoon tapioca starch, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 90 ml vegetable oil, 300 ml water
- Transfer to a small saucepan and place over a medium low heat. Whisk constantly until the mixture is thick and stringy. The liquid will start to thicken suddenly so do not leave unattended. The thickened vegan cheese should resemble fondue or melted stringy cheese. Remove from the heat.
- Use immediately or transfer to a container and store in the fridge until you're ready. The cheese will not set but will become thicker and more spoonable when chilled. For best results, cook this vegan cheese under the grill or broiler for a few minutes - this way it'll melt, bubble and brown to its full potential.
Jamari Chin
Hi, this recipe looks really good! I was wondering if the Agar can be substituted for Carrageenan. Thank you in advance and I cannot wait to try it!
Richard Makin
Hey, I've never tried using carrageenan and I tend not to recommend subs which I've not tested personally - otherwise it's technically not my recipe any more and I don't want you to encounter any unforseen issues. But if you do choose to try it and feel happy to share your results, please do let us know how you get on! Big love xx
Mary
I'm finally getting around to thanking you for this recipe. It was very easy to make and truly delicious. My husband thought it was great too. So thank you kindly for your culinary creativity.
jonajim
I love this recipe, I make it all the time for pizza night. This is great stuff, I highly recommend it! The salt, cheesiness, consistency it’s all perfect. It’s surprised my vegetarian mom with how close it is to dairy mozz. Thank you!
Kat D
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are absolutely incredible. This recipe is mind blowing. Hands down best vegan cheese I have ever had. I have tried a few other of your recipes and I just cannot believe how incredible they are. Absolutely no reason we need to use animal products when we can have our food taste better than the real deal...and for many other reasons beyond flavor!! You will be my go to for recipes from now on..please keep making magic!
Kat D
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are absolutely incredible. This recipe is mind blowing. Hands down best vegan cheese I have ever had. I have tried a few other of your recipes and I just cannot believe how incredible they are. Absolutely no reason we need to use animal products when we can have our food taste better than the real deal...and for many other reasons beyond flavor!! You will be my go to for recipes from now on..please keep making magic!
Mary
Hi, I'm looking forward to trying this recipe. One thing I'm not sure of, though, in the instructions you say to measure the psyllium husks before grinding them but the psyllium husk product you linked to on Amazon is already ground. So is it better to purchase the unground or ground psyllium husks and if I do buy it already ground is the measurement a little different? Thank you in advance!
Richard Makin
Hi Mary! Sorry about the confusion! This is supposed to link to the husks rather than the ground powder - I think the product changes depending on what's available in your country. However, either ingredient works fine! I'd recommend if you're using the powder, just use half the amount called for. It's very strong stuff! Good luck and hope you love it! xR
Mary
Hi Richard,
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly.
I would have thought that if I was using the ground psyllium husks, that I'd be using more rather than less since it seems like when you grind up things such as whole seeds and spices they fluff up and it creates more volume. Maybe it's different with husks, though? Sorry if I'm being so particular but I don't want to mess up your recipe which looks amazing! Thank you!
Richard
Hi,
Nope, it’s the opposite. Think of it this way - it takes considerably more pecans to fill a cup when they’re chopped as opposed to when they’re whole. Same goes for psyllium husks.
Mary
Ah, okay. That makes sense. Thanks again for getting back to me so quickly. I can't wait to try out your recipe.
Mary
I'm finally getting around to thanking you for this recipe. It was very easy to make and truly delicious. My husband thought it was great too. So thank you kindly for your culinary creativity.
Jackie
Hi
Can I ask a question about the psyllium husk.
I only have the powder at home, and when I added the water it became very solid.
Do you think I need more water for that amount of powder?
Thanks
Jackie
Melissa
Hi Jackie!
I know this is a late reply, but from one of Richards earlier comments he mentioned that since the psyllium powder is much stronger than psyllium husks to only use half the recommended amount x
Cheryl
If you are allergic to cashews, is there something you’d recommend to substitute?
Richard Makin
Hey Cheryl,
I've been told the recipe works really well with sunflower seeds! Give that a try!
xR
Jessica wilson
Can i use refined coconut oil that is liquid rather than the firmer deodorizer coconut oil?
Richard Makin
Hey Jessica,
I don't know. I've never tried the recipe with that ingredient (see my note on subs and swaps just above the recipe). Do let us know how you get on.
Si Bon
Thank you for asking! I am allergic to cashews as well.
Lyall
I made this recipe with sunflower seeds, instead of cashews. comes out fine. In fact, any recipe that calls for cashews, you can use sunflower seeds instead, 1 to 1 ratio. I used to buy cashews, but they are too expensive.
Betty
OMG you’re a genius! This.is.so.good. Thank you so much for the recipe 💚
One question though, do you think it would be beneficial to substitute the water for a plant milk like oatlys barista?
warm regards!
Richard Makin
Hey Betty! So glad you loved it! I think because you've got the fat from the coconut oil and the cashews, there's really no need to use a plant milk. You're sort of making a cashew milk simply by following this recipe. So I wouldn't worry (since that stuff is so pricey!)
Nuffy
Good point!!
Marianne Gordon
I hope I didnt mess this up, can you make it but not use it immediately? It really isn't setting up, can it be grated ? It isn't white psyllium powder was brown is that why the color.
Nuffy
I wouldn't think it's a setting cheese, I may be wrong, it seems the Author hasn't answered your question...I'd keep it in the fridge and scoop it out onto the Pizza. Reply to someone who made it, and they may be able to confirm my thoughts, or your question...
Good luck Marion....
Richard Makin
Hi Marianne, don't panic! This recipe doesn't set. It's designed to be used on pizzas and pasta or on toast, like in the photos. As such it's not grateable. I recommend using psyllium husks rather than the powder. They're weaker but don't affect the colour. Have a read through the post and you'll see i've linked to my amazon store where you can grab the same ones I use.
Dori
I’ve made this sort of cheese for pizza before, and I always wonder if I froze it a little bit, if a could grate it and put it back in the freezer.
MamaSky
I made it, froze it in ~2 T quantities, then grated it when I used it later, rather than waiting for it to thaw. Worked wonderfully!
I have tried multiple vegan cheese recipes, as well as store-bought, and this beats them all for taste and nutrition! Thanks so much!!