Emulsifier Free Vegan Cashew Mozzarella
Most store-bought vegan cheeses lean heavily on emulsifiers and stabilizers to achieve that creamy, meltable texture — which makes finding a clean alternative genuinely tricky. This cashew-based mozzarella pulls it off with nothing but whole-food pantry staples: soaked raw cashews, tapioca starch, coconut oil, and a splash of apple cider vinegar for that subtle tang. The magic happens on the stovetop, where constant stirring transforms a thin, pourable blend into something glossy, stretchy, and deeply satisfying. It sets up firm enough to slice or shred after a couple of hours in the fridge, and then re-melts beautifully when it hits a hot pizza or warm dish. The garlic powder and lemon juice give it just enough savory depth that it doesn't taste like a compromise — it tastes like cheese. If you've been burned by ingredient labels before, making this at home means you know exactly what went into every bite.
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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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