Fermented Cashew Cheese
Making your own fermented cashew cheese may seem intimidating, but I guarantee it is worth it. There are several short steps, so make sure you read through the instructions first to get the timing right. Once you make fermented cashew cheese once, the process will seem much easier the next time – so just do it!
The beauty of this recipe is that it makes three nice cheese wheels that you can flavour different ways (that part is up to your imagination). You can also play with the firmness of the cheese by letting it dehydrate longer. I’ve never had an issue with mold with this ferment because the fermentation time is so short, but remember, when in doubt, throw it out!
Check out this reel for some visual instructions!
Ingredients
Cheese base
- 2 cups cashews (before soaking)
- Around ½ cup sauerkraut juice or other starter culture (like whey)
- 4-5 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp salt
Cheese flavourings (optional)
Here are some suggestions:
Spicy cheese
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp miso paste
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp paprika
Herb cheese
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp miso paste
- 2 tbsp mixed herbs like oregano, sage, rosemary
Curry cheese
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp miso paste
- 1-2 tbsp curry powder
Cheese crust (optional)
Here are some suggestions:
Spicy crust:
- Chile powder
- Paprika
Herbed crust
- Thyme
- Sage
- Rosemary
- Peppercorns
Curry crust
- Curry powder
- Turmeric
- Nutritional yeast
Instructions
Step 1: Creating the Base
- Soak the cashews in water overnight (or at least 8 hours)
- Strain and rinse
- Put the cashews in a bowl and pour boiled water over them. Leave it for a couple of minutes (the idea is to kill any unwanted bacteria)
- Strain and rinse
- Place the cashews in a high-powered blender
- Pour in ¼ cup of the starter culture and blend on low. Slowly increase the speed.
- Use a tamper to push the mixture down. You will need to stop the blender and do this several times.
- Add a bit more of the starter culture until is it all mixed in. You really want to keep it under ½ cup.
- Blend it until it is really smooth
- Using a spatula, place cashew mix into a bowl
- Add the nutritional yeast, salt, and your flavourings
At this point, you can eat it as is! But I recommend following the steps below to make a firmer, tastier cheese.
Step 2: Remove the Moisture
- Place the cheese mixture in some cheese cloth or a mesh strainer bag
- Hang it over the sink or, engineer a way to hang it and let it drip into something
- Let it drip for at least 8 hours
- Remove the cheese from the cloth or bag and roughly shape it into a wheel
- Place a few layers of paper towl or folded cotton at the bottom of a bowl. Use at least eight layers. Add layers on top.
- Place a heavy container or some kind of weight on top. This can even be a plastic container with rocks in it. The weight will help squeeze out any excessive moisture.
- Let it ferment for at least 24 hours. You can leave it longer for a more sour and firmer cheese. I usually leave mine for at least 72 hours in colder weather.
- Check your layers of paper towel and replace them throughout the process if they become too moist.
- Taste a little of it after 24 hours and judge. If it is fermenting well, it will smell cheesy and taste tangy. For a firmer cheese, you will want to let it ferment until it resembles a solid cream cheese.
- Remove it when it is “ready.” Place it into a bowl.
Step 3: Crusting Your Cheese
You can skip this step, but it adds extra flavour and makes your cheese look aesthetically pleasing!
- Form the cheese into cheese wheels or logs that are no more than 2.5 in in diameter. It is important not to make them too large.
- Place the ingredients for your cheese crust in a bowl
- Roll your cheese in the crust ingredients, enough to cover the whole surface
Step 4: Dehydrating your Cheese
- Place the shaped cheese in a dehydrator or in front of a fan (make sure it is protected against flies)
- Dehydrate at room temperature for 12-24 hours. Be sure to turn the cheese part way through. You’re aiming for a dry crust around the cheese. Your cheese will continue fermenting during this time.
Step 5: Refrigerate and Enjoy! It is best to eat the cheese within 4-5 days.
