This nut-free vegan hemp cheese is a delicious plant-based alternative that’s perfect for grilled cheese, lasagna, or pizza. Once chilled, it also works as a cream cheese-style spread on bagels or toast. Give it a try if you’re looking for homemade swaps for animal-based dishes you’ve been craving, like this vegan smoked salmon, which is another one of my favorites.
Key Ingredients
Hemp hearts add a nutty, earthy flavor to this delicious nut-free vegan cheese. They’re also called shelled hemp seeds. If they’re not available at your local grocery or health food stores, they’re easy to find online.
Tapioca starch is what gives this plant-based cheese its gooey, melty, stretchy texture. You can omit it if necessary, in which case it won’t have the same texture, but still works well as a creamy sauce in dishes like mac and cheese or lasagna.
Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy, umami flavor to this recipe. It’s usually available at health food stores, or you can order it online.
How to Make Hemp Cheese
Start by adding the hemp hearts, unsweetened plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, tapioca starch, lemon juice, salt, and garlic powder to a high-powered blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Pour the mixture into a pot on the stove set to medium heat. Whisk frequently while cooking for 3-6 minutes or until it becomes thick and stretchy, then immediately remove from the heat.
Use right away by spreading on bread for grilled cheese, dolloping on pizza, layering in lasagna, or using in other dishes where a melty, gooey cheese works well. Or transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate for at least two hours, then use it as a cream cheese-style spread on bagels or toast.
Hemp Cheese Recipe (Vegan and Nut Free)
Equipment
- High-powered blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup hemp hearts (also called shelled hemp seeds)
- 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk (I used soy milk)
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt (I like my cheese on the salty side, but you can reduce to 3/4 teaspoon for a lower-sodium version)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Add 1 cup hemp hearts, 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk, 1/2 cup nutritional yeast, 2 tablespoons tapioca starch, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder to a high-powered blender.
- Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the mixture into a pot on the stove set to medium heat.
- Whisk frequently while cooking for 3-6 minutes or until it becomes thick and stretchy, then immediately remove from the heat.
- Use right away by spreading on bread for grilled cheese, dolloping on pizza, layering in lasagna, or using in other dishes where a melty, gooey cheese works well.
- Or transfer the mixture to a container and refrigerate for at least two hours, then use it as a cream cheese-style spread on bagels or toast.
Notes
- Optional addition: for a smoked cheese flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika.
Nutrition
Did You Try This Recipe?
Let me know how it turned out in the comments!
