I’ve never really liked vegan cheese purchased from a store. I’ve always wanted to make my own. When you make it yourself you can add any ingredients you like to make a cheese that suits your taste. I changed the original recipe and so can you. Just substitute any herbs you want to make it taste totally different. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup raw almonds
• 1 1/2 cups water, divided
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 4 teaspoons nutritional yeast flakes

You can change any of the the following ingredients

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin powder
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

• Begin by blanching the almonds: In a small saucepan, place 2 inches of water, and bring to a boil.
• Add the almonds and cook for 1 minute to blanch them.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside for 3 minutes to cool.
• Remove the almonds from the water, squeeze each almond between your thumb and forefinger to remove the skin, and set them aside for 5-10 minutes to dry and cool.
• Place the almonds in a blender or food processor and process for 1-2 minutes to finely grind them. Scrape down the sides of the container.
• Add 3/4 cup water and process for 1 minute to combine.
• Add the remaining water, cornstarch, lemon juice, safflower oil, nutritional yeast flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt, and continue to process the mixture an additional 1-2 minutes or until very smooth and creamy.
• Transfer the mixture back to the small saucepan and place it over medium heat.
• Cook the mixture, while whisking constantly, for 3-5 minutes or until the mixture becomes very thick.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the remaining ingredients, stir well to combine, and set the mixture aside to cool for 10 minutes.
• Pour the cheese mixture into a 2-cup (16 oz.) plastic container, cover, and chill the cheese for several hours or until firm.
• Un-mold the cheese and use slices on sandwiches or in place of commercially made cheese in your favorite recipes, or as a spread with crackers, breads, or fruit.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. Note that this is a semi-soft style cheese, not a brick style cheese, so it can not be shredded.