Vegan Cashew Mozzarella
Stretchy, glossy, and genuinely satisfying to pull apart, this cashew-based mozzarella is the kind of plant-based cheese that actually earns its name. Soaked raw cashews blended with tapioca starch and a splash of apple cider vinegar create a mixture that transforms on the stovetop into something remarkably close to the real thing — glossy, elastic, and beautifully meltable. The tapioca starch is the real workhorse here, giving the cheese that signature stretch that most dairy-free alternatives completely miss. Once it sets in the fridge, you can slice it, shred it, or tear it just like fresh mozzarella, and it re-melts beautifully on a hot pizza or baked dish. This recipe makes enough for six servings, so it's worth keeping a batch on hand for the week. Store-bought plant-based cheeses can be hit or miss with additives and odd aftertastes, but this one uses a short, clean ingredient list you can actually recognize. It's the kind of recipe that quietly converts skeptics at the dinner table.
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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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