Pizza Cashew Cheese
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
This pizza cashew cheese may be your new favorite flavor! It's a great party snack when served warm with your favorite crackers or bread. Vegan & GF.
Author: Mary Ross Fowler | Daily Dose of Greens
Recipe type: Snack, Appetizer
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
- 1½ cups raw cashews
- 1 T. tahini
- 1 T. tomato paste
- ¼ cup water + 2 T. (plus more if needed)
- 1 T. lemon juice
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. dried oregano
- ½ tsp. dried basil
- ¾ tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste
- Few grinds black pepper
- Optional: more dried herbs and sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Place cashews in a bowl, cover with water, and allow to soak at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Drain cashews and add to a high-speed blender along with the rest of the ingredients (minus optional topping ingredients).
- Blend on high, scraping down the sides as necessary, until completely smooth. If the mixture does not blend well, try adding one Tablespoon of water at a time and continuing, keeping in mind that less water is better in the long run. Taste for seasoning.
- Place a small strainer over a mixing bowl and line the strainer with cheese cloth that is doubled or tripled to prevent the cheese from oozing through the mesh (see photos in basic cashew cheese recipe). Pour the cheese into the cheese cloth and gently fold the excess cloth over it to protect it. Allow the cheese to sit on the kitchen counter 4-5 hours to let any excess water drip into the bowl. (If you allow it to dry out too much, the cheese will dry into the cheese cloth, making a mess when transferring to a dish. It will still taste good, but won't be very pretty.)
- Preheat oven* to 190 degrees (or the lowest setting). Gently unwrap the top of the cheese ball, lift it out of the strainer, and flip it out into an oven-safe dish. Top the cheese ball with desired herbs, salt, etc.
- Bake until warmed and dry on the outside, 30-60 mins. It's OK if it cracks a little.
- Serve warm or cold (I prefer warm) with apple slices, crackers, bread, etc. Enjoy!
Notes
* I use a toaster oven because it saves energy and can be put on a low setting. If you don't have a toaster oven, you can use your regular oven on the lowest setting (may be labeled "Warm"). Just watch the cheese to make sure it's not getting too dry or cracked.
The leftovers should keep for about 4 days loosely covered in the fridge. I've found that the cheese is thicker and more slice-able the next day, which is great if you're planning on putting it on a sandwich.
If you're not sure where to buy cheese cloth, I've been able to find it at most grocery stores in the "kitchen essentials" section. I've also seen it in cooking stores, but a grocery store is your best bet.
The leftovers should keep for about 4 days loosely covered in the fridge. I've found that the cheese is thicker and more slice-able the next day, which is great if you're planning on putting it on a sandwich.
If you're not sure where to buy cheese cloth, I've been able to find it at most grocery stores in the "kitchen essentials" section. I've also seen it in cooking stores, but a grocery store is your best bet.
Recipe by Daily Dose of Greens at https://dailydoseofgreens.com/2017/06/13/pizza-cashew-cheese/