High-Protein Vegan Cheese Recipe: Delicious & Dairy-Free | Impress Your Guests at the Dinner Table!…
Meal times can be made more magical with homemade vegan cheese, as it is extremely flavorful and will leave the whole family in awe. You can use it to enrich an appetizer, add some to sandwiches, bruschettas, or paninis, or simply enjoy a piece of it naturally during meals.
Homemade peanut-based vegan cheese offers various nutritional and health benefits. Peanuts are a good source of plant-based proteins, which can help meet protein needs, especially in a vegan diet. They contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are beneficial for heart health. These fats can help reduce LDL cholesterol (the “bad” kind).
Since it’s vegan, this cheese doesn’t contain lactose, making it suitable for those with lactose intolerance or those who choose to avoid dairy products. You can add spices and ingredients to your liking, making this cheese adaptable to your taste and nutritional needs. Making vegan cheese at home allows you to control the ingredients and portion sizes, reducing the risk of preservatives and additives often found in commercial products.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of raw, unsalted, and shelled peanuts (250 ml)
- 3 tablespoons of tapioca starch (or potato starch)
- 1 tablespoon of corn starch (or potato starch)
- 2 cups of water
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- A pinch of turmeric
- A bit of sweet paprika (optional)
For seasoning the cheese:
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
- A handful of chopped parsley
- Pepper to taste
How to make High-Protein Vegan Cheese Recipe: Delicious & Dairy-Free
- First, place the peanuts in a small bowl, cover them with 1 cup of water, and soak them for 12 hours to soften them. Start this the evening before you plan to make the cheese!
- The next day, place the parsley and minced garlic cloves in a small bowl, add the pepper and extra-virgin olive oil, mix well with a spoon, and allow them to soak up the flavors.
- Now, drain the peanuts, rinse under running water, transfer them to a blender, add 1 cup of water, turmeric, and salt, and blend until smooth.
- Incorporate the tapioca starch and corn starch, and blend again to obtain a liquid mixture, then pour it into a saucepan without straining.
- Turn on the stove and, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, cook on high heat for 20 minutes to thicken, then turn off the heat, add 3 tablespoons of the prepared garlic, parsley, and oil mixture, and stir.
- Finally, grease a round glass mold with a diameter of 12 cm and a height of 6 cm with extra-virgin olive oil, spread a generous tablespoon of the garlic, parsley, and oil mixture on the bottom, then distribute the cheese on top.
- You can eat the cheese immediately or refrigerate it for a while before consuming.
Bon Appetit !
