I’m so excited to share this recipe with you guys, I have been making this cheese since over a year and kept it to myself, until now.
I can’t find words powerful enough to express how much I love this cheese. Honestly, I love it even more than my camembert and blue cheeses, even if they take more time and effort to make. There is just something about it, maybe the comforting smoky smell, the strong umami flavor, or its golden brown color, but this cheese just hit me. And I’m sure you will love it too if you give it a try.
It’s the kind of cheese that brings back memories of smoked cheddar or even bacon. This smoked cheese is seriously delicious. The natural smoking process gives it a warm, comforting flavor you can’t get with flavorings like liquid smoke or smoked salt for example. It is aged for a total of 3 weeks, smoked after two and edible one week after the smoking process. If you can wait for one-two additional weeks it will be worth it as the flavors gain in complexity as time passes.
The advantage of this recipe is that it doesn’t require any specific mold. Just 4 ingredients: cashews, white miso, nutritional yeast and acidophilus (or mesophilic culture). You don’t even have to take care of the temperature or humidity that much compared to my previous cheese recipes.
It starts just like any basic cashew cheese, you let the cashews soak overnight and then blend them with the cultures until smooth. I also added some nutritional yeast and white miso, it gives them a more pronounced nutty flavor. My first tries didn’t include them and something was missing, so don’t omit those two ingredients.
Once your cheeses are formed, you let them age for at least 2 weeks. They will firm up, flavors will develop and they will become sharper. After two weeks they should be firm enough to handle and smoke.
To smoke this cheese, I used a Camerons stovetop smoker, I was hesitating to buy one at first but I don’t regret it at all because you can smoke many things in it. Stay tuned for a post on how to use a stovetop smoker!
The smoking process is super easy. You sprinkle a tablespoon of wood chips in the bottom of the smoker, add the grid and place the cheeses on top. Then close the lid and heat over medium heat for about 12 minutes. That’s it.
After 10-12 minutes, they should be golden brown. At this step they will be very soft because of the heat, let them sit at least 30 minutes before transferring to a clean grid or bamboo mat.
They are not edible right after the smoking process, the smoky taste would be too strong, that’s why you need to let them age for at least another 7 days. It will allow the smoke to penetrate the interior of the cheeses and let the flavors merge. I like to wait 2-3 weeks after smoking, they become firmer and taste even better.
You can serve it on its own, or with roasted nuts, a drizzle of maple syrup, jam or apple slices. It goes very well with whole wheat bread, crackers, and you can even use it in other recipes like burgers, sandwiches, dressing, and more!
Everyone who tried it loved it, non-vegans included so I urge you to try it now, you won’t be disappointed! As always, let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!
Hickory Smoked Vegan Cheese
Aged cashew cheese that is real smoked over hickory wood chips. Smoky, buttery and full of complex flavors.
Yield: 3 Cheeses 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeIngredients
- 4 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight
- 3 tbsp sweet white miso
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 4 tbsp filtered water
- 8 capsules acidophilus (or 1/8 tsp mesophilic culture)
- sea salt
- 2 tbsp hickory wood chips
Instructions
Making the cheeses
- Drain the soaked cashews and place them in a large glass bowl. Bring a pot of water to a boil and pour over the cashews. Let sit 1 minute, and drain. This step is not essential but will kill possible bad bacterias.
- Transfer the cashews to a blender, or food processor. Add the white miso, nutritional yeast, and filtered water. Blend on high speed, scraping down the sides from time to time, until you get a very smooth, yet thick texture. If needed, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until smooth. Do not add too much water, you want to use as least as possible otherwise the cheese will be too soft.
- Stir in the acidophilus powder from the capsules (or use mesophilic culture) and blend again for a few seconds.
- Transfer the cashew mixture into a cheesecloth and pull it tight. Add a weight above it and let sit at room temperature for about 24 hours. I placed the cheesecloth in a colander on top of a bowl. This step is important to start the fermentation of the cashew cream and drain possible excess water.
- After one day, the cashew cream should have a slightly sour, lemony taste, like fresh cream cheese. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover with plastic film to touch and place in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.
- Cut strips of parchment paper and lay them in 3 4-inch springform pans. You want to cover the sides and bottom of the springform pans, you can also use plastic film if you prefer. The goal is to prevent the cheese from sticking to the metal. Fill the pans with the mixture and press it down using plastic film so it doesn’t stick to your hands. Cover the pans with plastic film to touch and place in the refrigerator for 2 days.
- Then, carefully remove the cheeses from the springform pans and place them on a plate or small baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Salt both sides with about 1/4 tsp of salt. Do the same for the sides. Use your finger to gently spread the salt on the surface of the cheese.
- Place the cheeses in your refrigerator.
Aging
- The next day, your cheeses will have lost some water thanks to the salt. Pat them dry with a paper towel if they are too wet, and replace the parchment paper with a new one.
- For the next 2 weeks, flip the cheeses every day and change the parchment paper regularly if it becomes wet. Note: Cheeses should always be aged in your refrigerator, not at room temperature. At first, the cheeses will be very soft but as they age they will become firmer. If you see some mold appearing, just scrape it off and re-salt the area.
Smoking
- After two weeks, your cheeses should be firm enough to handle, if they are not I recommend you let them age another week.
- Place one tablespoon of hickory wood chips in the bottom of the stovetop smoker. Place the drip and cooking trays on top of the wood chips. You can now place two cheeses on the cooking rack.
- Heat the smoker over low-medium heat on a stovetop burner. Once smoke starts to appear, close the lid of the smoker completely and smoke the cheese for about 12 minutes. Some smoke will escape from the smoker, that’s normal. I usually carefully flip the cheeses halfway through smoking but it’s not essential.
- After 12 minutes, the cheeses should be golden brown. Remove the smoker from heat and let cool for at least 30 minutes. The cheeses will be very soft because of the heat, so be careful when handling them.
- Transfer to a bamboo mat or clean grid and place in the refrigerator. Let it age for one more week, flipping every 2-3 days. If you are patient enough, I recommend you let the cheeses age for 2-3 weeks after the smoking process, the flavors will merge and the cheese will become even firmer.
- This smoked cheese is delicious on its own, or with crackers, whole-wheat bread, a drizzle of maple syrup, jam, nuts, or fruits. It can also be used in other recipes like grilled cheese sandwiches, risotto, hamburgers, etc.
Notes
To make this recipe, you will need a stovetop smoker. I recommend the Gourmet Mini from Camerons.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 oz (29g)
- Calories: 125
- Sugar: 1g
- Fat: 10g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 4.4g
Thanks so much for sharing this! I (1) have a smoker that i don’t use nearly enough and (2) have always adored the smoked flavors of Miyoko’s cheeses (aged vegan cheese brand that I purchase here in the USA) so this recipe seems totally perfect for me. It looks great!
Thanks Shannon! Let me know if you try it! 😉
Thomas;
I just smoked my first batch of Hickory cheese……it is making the fridge smell a little smoky.
Can I place in sealed plastic container for the remainder of aging to keep smoky smell down?
Also, I making all of your cheeses and will have a large amount at once….what luck have you had with freezing for future use on the three types of cheese…..any suggestions?
Hi Mike,
I hear you, I usually age my cheeses in another fridge, not my main one, and even after a few weeks it still smells very smoky! Not that I’m complaining but I understand it can be annoying if it’s in your main fridge. So, yes you can place them in a plastic container to finish the aging, no problem with that. Just make sure to wipe off any moisture in the container every 2-3 days.
I never had to freeze the cheeses so I can’t really help you with that. Be aware the longer you let them age (wrapper in cheese paper), the better they will taste. Blue and Smoked ones will keep for at least 4-6 additional weeks, and probably more. Camembert also ages well but if you let it age too long it will lose its creaminess, the taste will still be great though. I hope this helps!
Oh my, thank for this recipe, I so need to try this !
Do you know if I can replace the capsules with homemade sauerkraut juice ( or another lacto-fermentation juice) ?
Thanks again for your work it’s amazing 😉
Yes, you can use rejuvelac or any other fermented juice. Use it in replacement of the 4 tbsp water 😉
If you use brine from red cabbage kraut the cheese will have a purple hue. Ask me how I know
I do not have a smoker – I’ve avoided it because my smoke detectors are very sensitive. Can anyone who has one tell me if these tend to leak smoke enough to set detectors off?
I can’t speak about this particular smoker, but when I roast chillies,eggplant etc on the stovetop I wrap the smoke detector in plastic until I’m done. Anything to avoid that ear piercing noise!
It really depends on where your smoke detectors are located. There is obviously some smoke escaping from the smoker but if you have a kitchen hood you should be okay. According to some reviews on Amazon, it doesn’t trigger the detectors.
Amazing!!! Have to try this recipe. Thank you for such dedication & sharing!
Thanks Jolisa!
Thanks so much Thomas for sharing a new cheese recipe! I’ve successfully made many batches of Camembert and Blue, they are the best! Quick question….. when you put this cheese in the refrigerator at step 8 of “Making the Cheeses”, are they in a container or covered like the other cheeses or are the open? Also, did you experiment with other wood chips before deciding on hickory?
You’re welcome Sandy!
I keep the cheeses uncovered in the refrigerator so they become firmer more quickly. It’s the opposite of what you do for the camembert and blue cheese.
Yes, I tried with apple and oak wood, there is a slight difference between each one. In the end, my preference went to Hickory. Probably because it’s the flavor we are the most used to (used in BBQ sauces, bacon, smoked almonds, etc).
I am allergic to cashews any idea what would work for this instead?
I guess it would work with almonds but the texture might be a little bit grainy.
Where do you find a vegan mesophilic culture? I was a home cheesemaker prior to going vegan, and all the cultures were dairy based. I have found and used a vegan yogurt culture, but I would really like to have a broader range of the cultures I used to use. Rejuvelac is not acceptable to me because 1) I have celiac disease and can’t make it from wheat, 2) non-wheat versions (I’ve tried millet and quinoa) are not the same and 3) even the wheat versions are not going to produce the same flavors I’m seeking in my vegan cheese.
I get mine from Cashewbert.com, but you can also use acidophilus probiotics. It works great too and they are vegan.
Some websites have aromatic blends that are vegan, in case you want to give your cheeses more complex flavors (I’m thinking Flora Danica, etc).
Is there no actual salt in the recipe — just the saltiness of the miso?
Thank you for your wonderfule recipes!!!
Oh there is! I added the salting step in the recipe instructions but forgot to add it in the ingredients.
For those of us without smokers, do you think using liquid smoke could be a good substitute?
It can be a substitute, yes. I would recommend using 2 teaspoons. The taste will be different though, you can’t really replicate the flavors you get with a real smoking process.
Thomas! The smoke cheese is absolutely awesome! I made 2 batches at once and tried hickory, maple and apple smoke. I’ve tried the hickory and apple; both are wonderful! Many, many thanks for sharing your recipes! Makes “dairy free” tolerable.
You’re welcome Sandy! So glad to hear you liked it! 🙂
Thanks for the feedback!
I don’t have a smoker, but do you thinking forgoing the smoking would result in a nice cheddar?
The cheese would not be as flavorful but it should still be tasty!
Can you use liquid smoke instead???
Yes as I replied to Ashley, you can add 2 teaspoons of liquid smoke while blending the cashews. It will taste great but you won’t get the same smoky flavor you would with real smoking.
is there a way to smoke the cheese if one doesn’t have a proper smoker please?
★★★★★
There is! You can use your wok with a grid and some aluminum foil, check out this guide: http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/07/wok-skills-101-indoor-smoking-how-to-smoke-in-a-wok-slideshow.html
Hello Thomas,
I’m making two batches of your cheese, and I’ve got three quick questions.
1) Can I substitute the Dark Aged Miso for the Sweet White?
2) In one batch, can I substitute Jack Daniel’s for the water? (It’s for my birthday dinner)
3) In the first day, can I stick it in a dehydrator instead of leaving it out? How does this effect the process?
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!
Hi Brian,
I would not recommend using brown/dark miso, the cheeses would be too salty and lack the subtle sweetness you get with sweet white miso. The natural sweetness of white miso pairs very well with the smoky flavor, but if you can’t get your hands on white miso, try using only 1 tsp of dark miso.
Yes, you can use alcohol instead of water, no problem at all with that! I would love to hear how it turns out!
Regarding the first day, don’t use a dehydrator. You want to leave the cashew cream at room temperature (80°F maximum), acidophilus will do its work and the cream will ferment, giving it a tangy flavor. I guess a dehydrator would dry the cashew cream too much, and/or the temperature would be too high.
I hope this helps!
I actually bought bother the sweet white and the dark aged. I think what I’ll try is one batch with your recipe as is. One I will split in half and add a little dark miso, then marble the two together to give dark streaks. That’s the batch that I’m adding the Jack Daniel’s too. For smoking it, I already have some alder chips for one batch, and Jack Daniels Oak Barrel wood chips for the Jack batch. I’ll let you know how it all turns out.
I’m curious about your results!
Thomas,
I just found your blog and have to say I am very impressed. I am a brand new vegan and still finding my way around all of the delicious recipes I can find. My biggest challenge is that I am deathly allergic to soy and must avoid it at all costs.
So you have probably guessed what my question will be, but is there anything you would recommend replacing the miso with?
Thanks,
Keith
Hi Keith,
Thanks for the kind words! You are right, miso can also be made from chickpeas 🙂 I never had the chance to get my hands on it, but if you live in a big city you shouldn’t have trouble finding it.
As a quick follow up, I was not aware that they made miso from anything other than soy but did a quick search after my initial post. To my surprise I learned that they make it from chickpeas and azuki as well. I think I’ll give this recipe a try with the chickpea miso and see how it turns out.
Keith
Amazed by the detailing in your blog and it isn’t just “fluff.” One request…more recipes, specifically cheeze recipes. I’m still working on this one but it sounds like it’s going to work and be delicious! Thank you
Thank you Heather! I am trying to post twice a week, usually on Wednesdays and Sundays. Posting more would be difficult for me and the quality of the recipes would suffer.
Hope you will like the cheese!
Hi thomas
Really Good site. One of the best so far in terms of explanations and detailing.
Can you please tell me if this cheese melts well (gooey effect) ?
I am looking into using it in a burger.
Well done again.
★★★★★
Hi Nicolas,
Thanks for the kind words! This cheese doesn’t melt but gets slightly softer when warm. Real aged cashew cheeses are awesome in term of taste and texture but unfortunately don’t become stretchy or gooey.
Hi Thomas.
Can I use natural special liquid smoke for cheese? If so, when and how to add it?
Thanks a lot,
Vita
You can, but as I stated in the article you won’t get the same depth of flavor. I would recommend adding about 1 tsp liquid smoke when blending the cashews.
Tried it as the recipe states and looks great, still aging so thank you so much for this recipe! I’m wondering if raw walnuts could be subbed next time for the raw cashews? I prefer walnut in my “Parmesan” just wondering if you think they would work and if I’d need to follow same instructions with soaking and then boiling water to get rid of bacteria?
I have never used other nuts to make vegan cheese (except almonds for curd based cheeses) so I can’t say. But I’m afraid walnuts will turn rancid if aged for over 2 weeks. I’m also not sure about the texture since walnuts contain more fat the mixture would probably be a bit more oily and not as smooth. These are just thoughts and maybe I’m wrong!
I recommend boiling the nuts for all vegan cheese you make, it’s an extra step but it kills most bad bacterias.
Hi,this cheese sounds delicious, my query is this, do I have to use filtered water?
I don’t have a filter jug and don’t really want to buy one, can I use cooled boiled water? Is it to prevent bacteria from the water?
Thank you
Hi Angela,
You don’t have to! Just use bottled water, or as you said cooled boiled water, it will work just as well! That is correct, it is to prevent possible bacteria that would make the cheese turn bad, it’s not very common though, but it can happen.
I thought that the problem with bottled water is that it’s not tested for bacteria? There are reports of people bottling water in their garages and selling it as “spring water.”
Never heard about that, but just boil some tap water and let it cool down 😉
Great. Thank you!
You’ve done it again! I finally got out my homemade smoker (recycled a rectangular turkey roaster and modified a cookie pan to fit the interior, piercing the bottom with punched holes.) We smoked this cheese, and since the smoker was fired up, smoked almonds, cashews and tofu, per your recipes. And a bunch of garlic, too. WOW! The cheese is fantastic! Even though it needs to rest for another week or two, we just had to sample a bit. So delicious! Same with the other foods.
If anyone is interested to know, we use our Coleman camping stove outside to smoke food. No worries about smoke alarms or a smoky house.
Thank you Thomas!
★★★★★
Thanks again for the feedback Beverly! The first time I tried smoking food I also relied on a homemade smoker 🙂
So glad to hear you liked this recipe! It’s easier to make than the camembert or blue but it’s still my favorite. After 7-10 days the cheeses will be even more delicious as the smoke will have blended with the other flavors.
Enjoy your cheeses! 🙂
I am wondering if a little oil in the mixture may help it melt,I will try with & without & post the results.
Marmite can be substituted for miso.
Unfortunately it won’t work, it will only make the cheeses more greasy.
Thank you for your prompt reply
I am very pleased to have found your recipes,& will be trying as many as I can
When you mix in the mesophilic culture it is important that the temperature of the cashews is less than 40 degrees C,or blood heat,otherwise the culture won’t work,also if you are adding rejuvelac or sauerkraut liquid instead of water then the cashews have to be cool.
I am trying to make a meltable grateable cheese with flavour,this one may go half way there
★★★★★
Hiya, reading and learning !
So far I only made cheeses with rejuvelac. What does acidophilius do ? Is it just tot get the tangy, slightly sour taste in there, or does it do more ?
If the effect is the same I would rather use rejuvelac cause much cheaper and way less processed 🙂
If so, how much would i use in this recipe ?
Thanks, Monique
Hi Monique,
Acidophilus helps the cheese ferment, giving them that tangy, slightly lemony taste.
Sure, you can use rejuvelac in this recipe! Just use it in place of the filtered water (4 tbsp).
Dear Thomas,
I have made this cheese several times and it is fantastic. I am on batch five right now. All of your recipes are excellent. I cannot thank you enough for all of your hard work
★★★★★
Thank you so much for the feedback Yvonne! Glad to hear you liked the smoked cheeses! 🙂
How would you smoke this in a gas smoker?
I have absolutely no idea, sorry! I only used a stovetop smoker so I don’t know how long you should smoked it in a gas smoker.
Hiya, recipe is on it’s way. Time to get them out of the molds and into the fridge again. You say you use parchment paper. Is it an idea to use cheese mats, to better get rid of the moisture; or woud they dry too quick?
Hey Monique,
Yes you can use cheese mats, but I would recommend to use them after at least a week, otherwise, the cashew cream might stick to it and it won’t be easy to flip.
For this cheese, you definitely want to dry them, as opposed to the camembert and blue cheese.
Do they freeze well ?
I never tried freezing them since they keep for a very long time in the refrigerator. Once they are smoked, it creates some kind of hard rind that protects them from getting mold. You can probably keep them for up to 3 months wrapped in cheese paper, in the refrigerator. They will firm up even more and if you are patient enough you will be able to grate them like parmesan 🙂
Hi, just want to clarify do you rub salt only once or do you have to do it more often than that ?
Hi, yes you only salt the cheeses once.
I was going to ask the same question! Thanks for this amazing recipe!
I found about your site recently, I’m amazed!
😀 thank you!
Glad to hear you like it Alejandra! 🙂
Hiya Thomas,
Just had a tast of my first cheese after it has been sitting in the fridge for 3 weeks after smoking. And it tastes wonderful !!
Although I have 3 more cheeses, I think I will start on a new batch again tomorrow. Love it.
★★★★★
Hey Monique,
Awesome!! It’s highly recommended to have batches in the making at all times, this way you never run out of smoky vegan cheese 🙂
Hi Thomas.
Should I cool down the cashews after draining from the boiling water? I think it may kill the culture of the cashew batter is too hot.
Hi Rich, you can cool down the cashews 5 minutes if you want but it’s not necessary. I almost always blend the cashews right after draining and it never killed the culture.
So there’s no mention regarding the salt, between the aging and smoking process. Do you smoke it with the salt still on? wipe ot off? will it fall off as it ages?
I’m not sure what you mean exactly. Once the cheeses have been salted once they will just absorb the salt, it won’t stay on the outside or fall, so you don’t have any visible salt when you have to smoke them. I hope this helps!
Good enough. That answers my question, thank you
Do you prefer acidophilus over rejvelac? If so, why? Is it a matter of convenience or do you find that the cheese turns out better with acidophilus? This recipe looks incredible! So excited to try it.
Yes, it’s mostly a matter of convenience, I made rejuvelac in the past but you have to make it like 3 days ahead and it doesn’t always work. Plus it’s not as “clean” as using filtered water + dry culture, rejuvelac can contain more bacterias.
Most of the time I use mesophilic culture because it’s cheaper than acidophilus since you only need to use a pinch. The difference between mesophilic and acidophilus is that acidophilus yields a slightly tangier flavor (great for camemberts for example). I guess it’s a matter of personal taste.
Hi Thomas!
Thanks for this amazing recipe! Wow!
my question:
On step 2 of AGING you say to always age our cheeses in the fridge. What temperature should it be – inside the refrigerator?!
Is it possible to set or know?! Please! Thanks
Hi Alejandra,
That is correct. Regarding the temperature, I would recommend aging the cheeses at 48-53°F (9-12°F). I usually increase the temperature of my refrigerator a bit or age the cheeses in a cellar/cold room.
Thanks Thomas, like you have a cellar/cold room for aging! Figuring out how to re-create one! Thanks for sharing! Love your food photography! 🙂
It depends on the season, during summer I usually age the cheeses in the refrigerator 😉
Thanks!
ola, tudo bem?
Genial seu blog, sou do BRASIL.
TENHO UMA DUVIDA. QUANDO SALGAMOS OS QUEIJOS, TIRAMOS DOS AROS DE INOX,PARA ENVELECER NA GELADEIRA, ELES VOLTAM PARA OS AROS OU ENVELECEMOS SEM OS AROS
DESDE JÁ GRATIDÃO
★★★★★
Hi Niele,
Sorry but I don’t speak Spanish…
Hello, how are you?
Great blog, I’m from BRAZIL.
I HAVE A DOUBT. WHEN WE LEAVE THE CHEESES, WE TAKE OFF THE STAINLESS STEEL RINGS, TO SLEEP IN THE FRENCH, THEY RETURN TO THE RINGS, OR WE ARE ENVELOPED WITHOUT THE RINGS
FROM ALL GRATITUDE
ola, tudo bem?
Genial seu blog, sou do BRASIL.
TENHO UMA DUVIDA. QUANDO SALGAMOS OS QUEIJOS, TIRAMOS DOS AROS DE INOX,PARA ENVELECER NA GELADEIRA, ELES VOLTAM PARA OS AROS OU ENVELECEMOS SEM OS AROS
DESDE JÁ GRATIDÃO.
★★★★★
Hola Niele, No hablo portugués, pero ambas opciones son válidas. Puedes retirar los aros y dejarlos añejar sin ellos en el refrigerador. 🙂
Hello Niele, I do not speak Portuguese, but both options are valid. You can remove the rings and aged without them in the refrigerator. 🙂
Google translate:
Olá Niele, eu não falo português, mas ambas as opções são válidas. Você pode remover os aros de inox e deixá-los envelhecer sem eles na geladeira. 🙂
Alejandra
ola
adorei seu site. Sou do brasil
qual seria a proporção de probioticos em pó? ou seja , para cada 1 xicara de castanhas , qual a quantidade de probióticos utilizados em pó?
desde já
obrigado
I don’t have a stovetop smoker, but I have access to an outdoor smoker. What’s the approximate temperature range (in Fahrenheit) for the smoking process? Is it less than 100 degrees? More? I don’t want to melt the cheese while smoking it!
I have never used an outdoor smoker, or ever saw one actually! Regarding the temperature, I’m not sure how high it goes, I would say between 150 and 190°F since I put it on low. Once it’s done smoking I have to let the cheeses cool a bit before transferring to a rack as they are usually softer.
If you can set the temperature I would recommend going lower than that and smoke for a bit longer. Maybe test on one cheese first and then see how it goes.
I asked the same question elsewhere before I saw your answer here, so feel free to disregard my other question! I plan to try to smoke them longer at lower temperatures, and if I have success, I will let you know.
Great, let me know how it goes!
Hi Thomas,
After 2 months of waiting for our smoky vegan cheese to firm up, we made our first slice into the creamy round chunk of yumminess. This was our first attempt at making nut cheese and boy did it exceed our expectations. Your recipes have all turned out great. We are new to being plant based and sites like yours have helped us through the transition. Keep up the good work! thanks
★★★★★
Hi Geoff,
Thank you so much for the feedback! This recipe requires patience but I believe it’s definitely worth it! So glad to hear you liked the cheeses 😉
Hi, Thomas
This recipe is brilliant,thank you.I have tried it using sunflower seeds & cashews,& it works very well.
Also, for the last one I made I added sweet smokey red pepper powder & red pepper flakes,which has added another dimension to the cheese.
We don’t have a stove top smoker,so we use a cold smoker which takes about 12 hours,but it does have to be used outdoors.
I have enjoyed making your recipes,if you can figure out a truly meltable cheese, that would be wonderful.
Thank you
★★★★★
You’re welcome Jackie 😉
Thanks for sharing your tweaks, especially how you used an outdoor smoker. I’m sure this information will be very useful for people who don’t have access to a stovetop smoker.
What is the proportion of probiotics used in powder?
I would recommend using about 1/4 tsp of powder.
What is the proportion of proWhat is the proportion of probiotics used in powder?biotics used in powder?
good afternoon,
I made the cheese, but the result was very indigestible, or too acidic.
I used 8g of probiotics (4 envelopes of 2g) for 4 cups of cashew and a spoon of brown miso.
That would be the problem. What proportion to use for each 1 cup of cashew
gratitude.
Hummm, I can’t guarantee results if you make substitutions or don’t use the same ingredients. I’m not sure how many grams a capsule of acidophilus contains but please make sure you use the one I’m recommending. Some probiotics are too strong and will make the cheese turn bad. Mesophilic is a culture that gives the cheeses their fresh “cheesy” flavor, it makes them ferment, just like acidophilus.
‘m sorry, I’m from Brazil and I do not have that brand here, I could, please give me a light
1 MESOFILA, AFINAL. AND SO A FUNGO, WHICH THEIR FUNCTION IN THE CHEESE
2 PROBIOTICS HAVE THE SAME FUNCTION, WHICH THE FUNCTION OF THE SAME
3 MESOFILADESCULPE , NA RECEITA O SENHOR INDICA PROBIOTICOS OU MESOFILAS, UTILIZEI PROBIOTICOS E NOTEI QUE MEU QUEIJO APARECEU UMA PELICULA ESBRANQUICADA COMO UMA NUVEM BRANCA. sERÁ QUE ESTA PERDIDO E ISSE SERIA UM MOFO?
A DUVIDA SERIA ESSA AND PROBIOTICOS, WHAT IS THE FINAL DIFFERENCE?
I don’t speak Spanish, this is not very explicit to me. Please check the links I give in the recipe or try finding similar products in Brazil, I’m sure you can get your hands on Acidophilus or mesophilic cultures. Both will work.
good afternoon,
What is the difference between MESOFILIC and PROBIOTIC cultures?
THANKS
Very excited to try this recipe. One question, since my smoker is different from yours (I have an outdoor cold smoker that maintains ambient air temperature). Do you have an approximate temperature that you smoked the cheeses at, and is it important (apart from the browning, of course) to reach a particular temperature while smoking? Thanks!
hi Thomas
perfect recipe!
i am a fan of your work 🙂
i made this without the stove, using the liquid and now againg it in the fridge..
would like your advise how to make it brown in the end of the process..
thanks
Orit
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Hi Orit,
Thank you so much! I’m not sure what you mean by “make it brown” though. It’s not really possible to get a golden brown color without smoking, if you used liquid smoke then it will be lighter in color.
it s lighter.. true.. but what if i will put in the stove on high temp by the end of the procces.. will it make it brown and sexy or will it go to waste
Humm…I have no idea, I’m not sure it will become golden brown. Maybe try with one first and see how it goes. I think if you bake it you will have to let it cool completely before trying to remove it from the baking sheet otherwise it will be too soft and might break. Another option for your next batch may be to add some annatto powder that will give your cheeses an orange color. To be honest, if you really want it to look rustic and golden brown the only solution is to use a smoker.
I have two little wheels of cheese forming up on my fridge. Five days to go before I can smoke it and give it a try!!!
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Awesome! Let me know how it goes!
Hello Thomas,
I just want to start off and say THANK YOU for evolutionizing plant based cheeses. I have so many dear friends who have been able to craft such wonderful creations and created a lot of joy in their life after dealing with so many inferior products on the market (even here in the Bay Area).
I’m curious to know if you’ve ever thought about making a coconut-based cheese? There is a very large community of people on the Auto-immune protocol (AIP), many of whom are vegan but we can’t eat true tree nuts and seeds.
If you could spend some time make a cheese we could eat people would be forever grateful, I don’t know if you do patreon but I would totally donate to you for your time!
Best,
Levi
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Helle Levi,
You’re welcome! I have never tried making coconut-based cheeses as I’m always going for a true cheese flavor. I believe coconut would affect the flavor too much, unfortunately. Not saying it won’t happen but for now, I’m focusing on nut cheeses. I’m sorry to hear you can’t eat nuts and seeds, that must be a difficult task when being vegan!
This looks like a great recipe. I’m going to start making it this week. Let you know how it goes.
😉 Hope you will like it as much as I do!
If smoked for less time, would this be edible sooner? Also have you ever played around with smoking the cashews first? I’m new to vegan cheese making so am wanting to start out with something quicker but this is definitely on my “to-make” list. This looks amazing btw. You’ve convinced me to buy a smoker.
The smoking time is not related to the aging time, sorry. If you smoke the cashews first, especially with a stovetop smoker, you will also roast them. Doing this will bring out the cashew flavor, and it’s not something you want. Unfortunately, there is no way to make this quicker, you have to be patient with cheese making to get great results 🙂 It’s worth it though, trust me!
Thomas, you’re a genius! These recipes look brilliant! I am so excited to try them 🙂
Quick question regarding this cheese. I have a Breville smoking gun (instead of the smoker you use). Any idea how long I should infuse this? With the gun it’s a quicker process and unsure of overall timing.
Also – regarding the Probiotic – should it be only acidophilus or wondering if a combination (ie/ Genestra HMF Forte) would work? I”m new to artisinal cheese making, so appreciate the help.
So excited I discovered your site! 🙂
Thanks for the kind words Stefanie!
To be honest I have absolutely no idea of the smoking time if using a smoking gun. I would try smoking it for 5 minutes on one cheese, wait a few days, taste it and adjust the smoking time for the next cheeses. Be aware they won’t take a golden brown color as they will be cold smoked.
Regarding the probiotics, I can’t say for sure but the one you mentioned should work (by checking the bacteria strains). The one I use has 500M microorganisms by capsule so you might want to use only one capsule as yours has more microorganisms. It’s a bit tricky to say if a brand of probiotic will work, it depends on many things and the best way to find out is to try it, or you can get your hands on mesophilic culture and use about 1/16 tsp instead of the probiotic.
Thank you so much! I ordered a bunch of supplies and they will be arriving by next week. I did find the probiotic you had recommended on another site that shipped quicker than Amazon (scheduled delivery was for July! from Amazon??!), and I also ordered the mesophilic, as you’d recommended, from a local company.. I am super excited to try your cheese recipes -it’s opened up a whole new world for me! 🙂
Hi! When placing the. Heeses in the refrigerator, should they be in a air tight container? I have a wine fridge, would they benwfit from being in a warmer temperature or normal fridge is better? And, if i have them on a bamboo or grid matt, do I still need to flip them every day? I was gonna leave them for the first 2 weeks in the fridge as I go on holidays… so not sure If I should risk it or not?
Thanks
Mirko
Hi,
For this particular cheese, a wine fridge works great, and no you don’t have to keep them covered as you want them to dry. It’s always better to be here the first week or two to handle possible bad mold and flip them every day. The cheeses are pretty soft at the beginning and will stick to the bamboo mat. I recommend placing them on parchment paper until they become firmer and then transfer to a grid (usually after 7-10 days). Once on the grid, you can flip them once or twice a week.
Hello! Im really loving this recepie, thank you so much for sharing it. I have a wine fridge just for the cheeses. If inleave them aging in the fridge at 13 degrees celcium, do instill need to cover them insidnancontainer or can i leave the uncovered from day one over a cheese mat?
Thank you!
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Hi Mirko,
For this specific cheese, you don’t need to keep it covered (except if you have other cheeses with molds in your wine fridge) as you want it to dry. I wouldn’t recommend leaving it on a mat from day one as it will be too soft and might stick to it. If you have a plastic mat or grid, then no problem. Make sure to flip it regularly and remove bad mold if needed. Good luck 😉
Hi Thomas, thank you for your reaponce. All makes sense. I bought a small cold smoker and smoked the cheese after 2 weeks. I had to leave it for 2 hrs at least, is this right? Cheese seems to taste fine and smokey. You mentioned 12min but i suppose this was for a heating smoker? Oh, and how do I get the eind to be firmer than the inside?
One other thing, does smoking food produce any toxins that get absorbed by the cheese?
Thanks
Mirko
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Hi Mirko,
I have never used a cold smoker so I can’t tell for sure, but I know that it takes a lot more time to smoke cheese compared to a stovetop smoker. Regarding the rind, usually the smoking process creates a thin firm rind (if using a stovetop smoker), then you let it age for 2-3 more weeks uncovered and the cheeses will firm up even more while still being creaming on the inside.
I am so trying this.
Thank you.
I am glad you are using a smoker. I thought I was the only vegan using one of these.
I left feedback aimed at other vegans on their webpage.
Massive fan of your website.
Maxine
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Thanks Maxine for the kind words! Yes, a stovetop smoker is awesome for vegans, I use it several times a month.
Hi Thomas,
I’ve read all your amazing cheese recipes. I want to keep things simple and make a firm fermented cheese, but without smoking or adding the penicillin. Could I follow this recipe, but skip the smoking and then keep turning the cheese as you’ve instructed for a while until it seems firm?
Hi Sue,
Definitely! If you do that, after about 9-10 weeks it should already be firmer. Just make sure you don’t keep it covered so it dries quicker. Also, remove mold and resalt the area if you see bad mold growing.
This may sound silly but is this the same Acidophilus Bifidusyou can buy in a chemist?
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It’s different, this acidophilus doesn’t contain bifidus.
Can this recipe be made with almonds? I’m allergic to cashews. Thanks!
I have never tried, I would say you won’t get it as smooth with almonds.
This looks awesome! Definitely going to try it this week.
A couple questions:
1) Would Chickpea Miso work for this? I want to avoid soy.
2) If I did use liquid smoke instead of using a smoker, do you know how long it would last if wrapped in cheese paper in the fridge? I want to use these as gifts! Also asking because I want to use this recipe as the base for a cheddar flavor so I can make other kinds like Black Truffle White Cheddar, etc!
Thank you so much 😀
Thanks!
1) Yes, chickpea miso will definitely work!
2) My guess is that it will last for up to 1 month if wrapped in cheese paper. Make sure to let it dry for a few weeks before wrapping, if it’s too moist you have more chances of getting mold.
Hi Thomas. Thank you so much for all your experiments and sharing of your recipes! I’ve never used acidophilus before, but I have used rejuvelac. Can you tell me what the difference is, and why your prefer acidophilus over rejuvelac? Thanks so much!
Hi Louisa,
The flavor of the final cheese is different. I’m now using mesophilic culture as it’s easier, I don’t have to make my own rejuvelac so it’s less time-consuming. Rejuvelac results in slightly sharper (tangier) cheeses.
That’s good to know, thank you. So perhaps rejuvelac would be good for a sharp cheddar cheese? Anyway, I’ve always used kamut for rejuvelac because it was what I had on hand the first time I tried, and it worked. But now I’m reading in Karen McAthy’s book that wheat berries produce the strongest-tasting rejuvelac, so I might try that to compare them. Also, I’m sorry to hear that people ripped off your cheese recipes. I can’t even imagine how much time and work would go into your cheese recipes. I know Vegan Dad put his recipes into an e-cookbook, which is way cheaper than an actual cookbook. But then I’m reading that some people rip off recipes in cookbooks and include them in their own cookbooks. So is there any solution to this? Because otherwise, you’re just creating cheese recipes for yourself, which I’m guessing was not your intention when creating your blog. Is there any way to encourage people to try making vegan cheeses and moving this trend forward without feeling like you’re being ripped off? Take care and THANK YOU!
It might be, you will have to experiment with rejuvelac 🙂
An ebook is coming soon, stay tuned! I’m glad you like the recipes!
I’m sorry I posted my question before going through the comments section. Just disregard it. But I have another question: I too, have very sensitive smoke detectors in my apartment. I realize it’s called STOVETOP smoker for a reason, but do you think there’s any chance it could be heated in the oven where much of the smoke could be contained? Thank you!
That’s a good question, I have never used my smoker in an oven so I can’t tell. I know it’s possible though for some kind of food. For cheese I’m not sure, I think it will heat the cheeses too much.
Okay, thanks. I think I might try using the outdoor grill before it snows!
Hi,I have made this recipe several times,& it is always tasty.I use 4 tablespoons of my homemade sauerkraut brine, with an 1/8 the of a teaspoon of mesophilic culture,this works very well, & the flavour is sharp & tangy.
Thank you again for the great recipes
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You’re welcome! Thanks for your feedback! 🙂
Hi Thomas
Excited to try this recipe. Have you experimented at all with adding aromatics to your smoker? I was wondering if some rosemary might be good, or would that just get lostin the smokiness?
Liz
Hi Liz, I haven’t yet!
I tried to smoke tempeh with rosemary though, the smell was nice but it was hard to taste the rosemary. I think it would still be worth trying with cheeses 😉
Hi Thomas
Is there a way of making this cheese without the nutritional yeast? My partner cannot take yeast. You mentioned that without it it lacks flavour?
Just to confirm, no salt should be added to the mix? Its just for the rind?
Thank you!
★★★★★
Hi Mirko,
It won’t lack in flavor, it should still taste great, just a bit less “cheesy”. Yes salt is only used on the rind.
eu estou apaixonada por tudo que você posta,eu juro que assim que eu conseguir fazer os queijo vou postar com todo orgulho.
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So far I am loving this recipe!! I’m making the bleu cheese too!! How do I store this specific cheese after it’s done aging?
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Thanks for your feedback Alyssa! I recommend wrapping the cheeses in cheese paper or parchment paper and keep in the refrigerator at a lower temperature.
Hi Thomas
I’m starting this recipe in a minute and am really looking forward to tasting the cheese. I truly love your recipes – my 5th batch of blue vein cheese is developing a blue tinge and after a shaky start with camembert (because I was told that an alternative mould type would work) my sundried tomato cheese is developing a lovely white coat. I live in NZ and had to purchased my moulds from 2 suppliers based in Australia, I’m hoping that NZ retailers will come on board soon and start selling plant based moulds.
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Hi Helen,
I’m glad the blue cheese has became a regular! Let me know what you think about the sundried tomato one!
Yes it can be a bit difficult to find vegan molds sometimes but with the right research it’s doable 😉
Hello.
I am making this for the first time and the mixture is sticky. It stuck to the cheese cloth. And it is sticking to the bowl. I am curious if I should wait until it firms up to transfer it to the parchment paper lined spring form pans? Or should I transfer them but wait for them to firm up before flipping them? There is no way I’ll be able to flip the cheeses without it sticking to the parchment paper in the cheeses current state.
To clarify I substituted the probiotic powder for 4 tbsp rejuvalac. My vitamix gets hot but I waited for the mixture to cool down before putting it in the cheese cloth. It wasn’t “wet” at all just sticky.
Thank you.
Hi Ivy,
At first, it’s always kind of sticky.
Have you salted the cheeses? Salt helps remove some moisture and they usually become a bit firmer after that.
It seems you added 1/4 cup of additional water, that is probably why they are a bit too soft.
Guess who just ordered a mini Cameron’s smoker?! I’m going to try this recipe as well as try smoking what I call my Alouette style cashew cheese. I can hardly wait
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Awesome! Smoked cheese is my favorite 🙂
Let me know how it goes!
I’m not doubting the recipe but why is the smoke time so short? Foods including cheeses are usually smoked for several hours.
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I think you are referring to cold smoke, here it’s smoked in a stovetop smoker over a flame.
Hi Thomas. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I’ve bought all the ingredients, but I’m a little confused by your directions to place a weight on top of the cheesecloth. I can’t picture this in my head and you don’t have any photo illustrating this. What type of weight could you put on a hanging piece of cheesecloth? Thanks so much!
Hi Louisa,
Actually you can skip this step if you don’t add too much water when blending the cashews. I’m going to update the recipe as this step is not essential.