Think you could never give up dairy cheese? Guess again. The year is 2016, and dairy is so out of vogue. There seems to be a new vegan brand or dairy-free fromagerie everyday. I’m allergic to cashews––the base ingredient for most vegan cheese––so I like to make my own using vitamin E rich sunflower seeds. Like cashews, sunflower seeds are creamy and rich when blended, and they provide a great backdrop for cheesy flavor additions. Unlike dairy cheese, vegan cheese is easy to digest, cruelty-free, cholesterol-free, and full of protective phytonutrients.
Like dairy cheese, vegan cheese can be cultured, aged, melted, hardened, molded, and spread. The flavor combinations are endless. This sunflower seed cheese is great for those with nut allergies and children. Eating vegan cheese is a terrific way to consume whole healthy fats, while satisfying your cheesy craving.
Pull out the crackers, pop open the wine, and indulge in some incredible vegan cheese.
Sunflower Seed Vegan Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups sunflower seeds soaked overnight, at least 6 hours
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp mellow miso or chickpea miso
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- Additional toppings add 1 at a time or all at once
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 jalepeño seeded (optional) and minced
- 2 tbsp dill chopped
Instructions
- Place ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy.
- Shape into a disk using a cookie cutter or plastic wrap.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 1 hour to firm.
- Serve with vegan crackers, bread, or veggies on a cheese plate.
What do you think about this sunflower cheese?! If you want to try another incredible plant cheese, try this miso-walnut parmesan. It’s perfect for topping pasta dishes or anything else you’d eat dairy with!
Rob XR / July 8, 2021 at 4:22 pm /
I will make this cheese tomorrow, the sunflower seeds are soaking right now.
However, the whole probiotic capsule thing is too complicated, possibly not vegan and expensive.
So I decided to do the rejuvilac for starting the fermentation, but I want to have an edible product in 5 days, this isn’t an option either.
But I will use soy yoghurt for the fermentation.
And I will try to harden the cheese in the dehydrator, so we can cut the cheese in 5 days, hopefully
Rob XR / July 8, 2021 at 4:28 pm /
With probiotics capsules being too complicated, I mean: which lactobacillus strains? How many million per capsule/cheese?
Keisha Houston / April 24, 2019 at 10:49 pm /
I have all your videos except paprika and smoked vegan cheese to make please do thoughs videos so i can save to make yor keisha email keishahouston21@yahoo.com
Faye / February 9, 2019 at 2:07 pm /
This looks really great! Is there a version that could be used with sweet recipes like cheesecake?
dean / October 5, 2019 at 8:53 am /
Creaming cashews is good for cheese cake
Kasey Dean Sikora / November 9, 2018 at 11:31 am /
Hi, did you use raw or roasted sunflower seeds for this? Excited to try and love your recipes!
Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / November 14, 2018 at 6:10 am /
Hi. I used raw sunflower seeds. Thank you!
Halloween “Halloween Good Soun / October 28, 2018 at 3:42 pm /
why do u call it chees? its a bread spread.. maybe.. pathe .. but its not much like chees.
Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / November 4, 2018 at 8:19 pm /
Hi! Because I’d like to make sure that when people are searching for vegan cheese they find my recipe 🙂
options1 / March 31, 2019 at 3:22 pm /
I love how when people get free articles of recipes or other things if they don’t like it instead of just making constructive criticism they’re rude like you were. Maybe you should start paying big bucks for all the things that interest you and then you can actually complain
Zann Brown / January 27, 2017 at 10:58 pm /
I love this stuff. It is so delicious, I have trouble stopping myself from eating it all the time. I spread it on crackers and when I make a sandwich I use it as a spread for the bread and it makes the sandwich so delish. Thanks for another amazing recipe.
Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / February 17, 2017 at 2:52 pm /
Lovely!! I’m so glad you enjoy it as much as I do 🙂
InIreland / January 26, 2017 at 2:36 pm /
Hi, do you know how long this will keep for and how it’s best stored?
Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / February 17, 2017 at 2:52 pm /
It will keep a few days. Best stored in the fridge 🙂
Style Bits & Bobs of ME / September 14, 2016 at 9:43 pm /
I got to try this!
Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / September 18, 2016 at 12:17 pm /
Yes! Let me know how you like it 🙂
Anna Santiago / August 1, 2016 at 1:59 am /
Just a word of advice – this recipe is DELICIOUS and simple, but a Ninja will not do the trick. The mixture is too thick for the blender, so it just throws it to the sides and will not cream-ify it! The texture comes out a bit grainy a la cheeseball if done this way. Like I said though – DELICIOUS!
Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / August 1, 2016 at 2:36 am /
Hey Anna! Glad you thought it was delicious. I agree, gotta use the food processor for this one (never tried the Ninja). Thank you!!!
Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul / May 22, 2016 at 6:21 pm /
Thank you for watching!! I hope this helps you move away from dairy cheese. There are so many amazing store bought brands too. Bon appétit!