Capsaicin Free Vegan Cashew Mozzarella
Stretchy, glossy, and genuinely satisfying to pull apart, this cashew-based mozzarella delivers the kind of melt you'd expect from the real thing — without any dairy or any heat-based ingredients that could cause problems for those avoiding capsaicin. So many store-bought vegan cheeses sneak in chili extracts or spiced flavorings, making label-reading a chore, but this one is made entirely from scratch with a short, transparent ingredient list. The magic happens in the saucepan: tapioca starch transforms the blended cashew cream into something genuinely stretchy and glossy, pulling away from the pan in a way that feels almost theatrical. Coconut oil adds richness, apple cider vinegar and lemon juice bring a subtle tang, and garlic powder rounds everything out into something that actually tastes like cheese. Once it sets in the fridge, you can slice it for a caprese-style plate, shred it over pasta, or lay it on a pizza where it will re-melt beautifully. Soaking the cashews ahead of time is the only real planning required, and the rest comes together quickly on the stovetop. It's the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever reached for a processed alternative.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in cold water for at least 2 hours, then drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup water
- 3 tbsp tapioca starch
- 1 tbsp refined coconut oil
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- 1
Drain and rinse the soaked cashews, then add them to a high-speed blender along with the water, tapioca starch, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and garlic powder. Blend on high for 60–90 seconds until completely smooth with no visible cashew pieces — the mixture should look like thin, pourable cream.
- 2
Pour the blended mixture into a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula, for 5–8 minutes until the mixture thickens dramatically, pulls away from the sides of the pan, and becomes glossy and stretchy — it will look like melted mozzarella and stretch when you lift the spatula.
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