Xanthan Gum Free Vegan Cashew Mozzarella

Total time2 hr 20 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time10 min

Xanthan Gum Free Vegan Cashew Mozzarella

Stretchy, glossy, and genuinely meltable, this plant-based mozzarella is the kind of thing that makes you do a double-take when it comes out of the pan. Many store-bought dairy-free cheeses rely on xanthan gum or other binders to achieve that pull, but here tapioca starch does all the heavy lifting — creating a texture that stretches, slices, and re-melts beautifully without any gums in sight. Soaked raw cashews blended until silky smooth form the creamy base, while apple cider vinegar and lemon juice bring just enough tang to make it taste like the real thing. The magic happens on the stovetop, where constant stirring transforms the thin, pourable mixture into something glossy and elastic right before your eyes. Once chilled, it firms up enough to slice cleanly or tear into rustic chunks for a caprese-style plate. Lay it over a hot pizza and watch it bubble and melt — it genuinely delivers on that promise. Whether you're dairy-free by choice or necessity, this is the homemade cheese recipe worth keeping in your regular rotation.

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Ingredients

6 servings

1 cup raw cashews, soaked in cold water for at least 2 hours, then drained and rinsed
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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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