Kamil Perry
Veganism is a lifestyle and dietary choice that is becoming increasingly popular. However, one of the hardest foods to give up when going vegan is cheese. Fortunately, there are now a variety of plant-based alternatives available, including vegan mozzarella. This type of cheese is usually made from ingredients like cashews, tapioca starch, coconut oil, and nutritional yeast, and aims to replicate the stretchy, melty texture and creamy flavour of regular mozzarella. Some popular brands offering vegan mozzarella include Daiya, Violife, and Miyoko's, but there are also recipes available online for making your own at home.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Taste | Super creamy, cheesy, delicious |
| Texture | Stretchy, melty, gooey, grate-able |
| Ingredients | Raw cashews, tapioca starch/flour, coconut oil, nutritional yeast, soft tofu, potato starch, corn starch, sea salt, organic sunflower oil, organic agar, mushroom extract |
| Nutrition | 100% nut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, non-GMO, kosher, soy-free, 10% calcium per serving, 280mg of sodium in 28g, 30% B12 per serving, 6g saturated fat per serving |
| Brands | Daiya, Violife, Miyoko's, Follow Your Heart |
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What You'll Learn
Making vegan mozzarella at home
Vegan mozzarella is easy to make at home, and only requires a few simple ingredients. It's also a lot cheaper than buying it at the store, and you get to control the ingredients. Plus, it's fresh and tasty!
Ingredients
- Raw cashews
- Tapioca starch/flour
- Nutritional yeast
- Soft tofu
- Coconut oil
- Lemon juice
- Soy milk
- Yogurt
- Kappa carrageenan
- Garlic powder
- Salt
Method
- Boil the cashews for 5 minutes or soak them in hot water for 15-20 minutes.
- Drain the cashews and add them to a high-powered blender with the rest of the ingredients.
- Blend until completely smooth.
- Pour the liquid cheese mixture into a small saucepan and stir constantly over medium heat until it thickens and looks like melted mozzarella.
- Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Tips
- If you want to make mozzarella balls, let the cheese firm up in the fridge for a couple of hours, then pull off pieces and roll them into balls.
- To make Buffalo Mozzarella, add 1-2 tablespoons of hot sauce to the liquid cheese mixture before cooking.
- For pizza, spread the sauce over the dough, spoon on the vegan mozzarella, add your toppings, and bake.
- If you want the cheese to brown in the oven, spray it with a little oil and broil for 5-10 minutes.
Other Options
If you don't want to make your own, there are some great store-bought options available. Some of the best vegan mozzarella cheeses include Violife, Follow Your Heart, and Daiya. These cheeses melt well and have a great flavor. However, some people prefer to mix different brands of cheese to get the perfect melt.
So, whether you make your own or buy it at the store, there are plenty of options for enjoying delicious, stretchy, and gooey vegan mozzarella.
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Kappa carrageenan vs agar
While there are many recipes for vegan mozzarella cheese available online, making it at home can be a tedious task. Some recipes for vegan mozzarella cheese include agar and kappa carrageenan as firming agents. Kappa carrageenan is preferred by some over agar due to its ability to create a creamier and meltier texture. However, agar can also be used to create a melty and stretchy vegan mozzarella cheese.
Kappa carrageenan and agar are both food gums extracted from seaweed. Kappa carrageenan is derived from the algae Euchema and Gigartina, while agar originates from the red algae species Gelidium and Gracilaria. Kappa carrageenan is soluble in water at about 80°C, forming a transparent or slightly milky solution, whereas agar does not dissolve into a solution below 85°C and can only form a gel when the heated solution is cooled down to below 40°C.
Kappa carrageenan is commonly used in the food industry as a thickener, gelling agent, suspending agent, emulsifier, and stabilizer. It has a very good whey-protein reactivity, preventing whey separation in drinks. It also boasts a long suspension time and shelf life, making it a valuable ingredient in the food industry.
On the other hand, agar has a unique property that is extremely useful in food applications: its coagulability. It can be used as a thickening agent, coagulant, suspending agent, emulsifier, preservative, and stabilizer. Agar is also commonly employed as a biological culture medium or as a carrier for certain drugs.
In terms of gelation, agar and kappa carrageenan differ. Agar forms gels through hydrogen bonds between agarose molecules, requiring no additional molecules. In contrast, kappa carrageenan needs the assistance of other molecules, such as sugars or salts, to gel. Consequently, kappa carrageenan may alter the colour, flavour, or odour of the food it is added to. Despite this difference, both agar and kappa carrageenan are valuable ingredients in the food industry, each offering unique advantages and applications.
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Store-bought vegan mozzarella options
There are several options for store-bought vegan mozzarella cheese. Here are some popular choices:
Daiya's Mozzarella Shreds have a stretchy, creamy flavour and are best melted over a veggie pizza or pasta. They also offer other flavours, such as Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Cheddar & Mozza Style Blend. Daiya's mozzarella shreds are made with coconut oil, potato starch, corn starch, and sea salt. They are a good option for those looking for a lower-sodium vegan cheese, as they have only 190mg of sodium per serving.
Violife's Mozzarella Shreds are also a popular choice and are made with coconut oil, potato starch, and tapioca starch. They are non-GMO and certified by the Vegan Society. Violife's shreds have a higher saturated fat content, with 6g per serving, but they also provide 30% of the recommended daily intake of B12.
Miyoko's Liquid Vegan Mozzarella is another great option, especially for pizza lovers. It is made with cultured organic cashew milk and provides a bubbly, melty, and stretchy layer for plant-based pizzas. It also includes organic coconut oil, organic tapioca starch, organic agar, and mushroom extract.
Follow Your Heart is another popular vegan brand that offers a variety of cheese alternatives, including mozzarella. Their products are known for using food-grade carrageenan, which provides a creamier meltier cheese texture.
In addition to these options, there are several other brands that offer vegan mozzarella cheese, such as Vevan and Moocho. These brands may be available in select stores or regions, so it's worth exploring different options to find the best vegan mozzarella for your taste and needs.
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The best vegan mozzarella for pizza
Vegan cheese has come a long way, and there are now many pizza-friendly options available. Whether you're vegan, lactose intolerant, or just looking for a healthier option, there's a vegan mozzarella to suit your needs.
Miyoko's Creamery Organic Cashew Milk Mozzarella
Miyoko's Creamery, a plant-based dairy company headquartered in Northern California, offers a cashew-based fresh "mozzarella" that comes in a pourable form. In blind taste tests, participants scored the cheese on flavor, texture, body, and meltability. While the cheese received high marks for its texture, which resembled that of fresh-pulled fior di latte, some found the flavor to be lacking. However, it is worth noting that neither of Miyoko's cheeses had any hint of fake vegan cheese flavor.
Homemade Cashew Mozzarella
If you prefer to make your own vegan mozzarella, there are several recipes available that use cashews as a base. These recipes often involve soaking cashews in hot water before blending them with other ingredients such as nutritional yeast, tapioca starch, and vegetable oil. The resulting cheese can be stretchy, tangy, and gooey, with a mild cheesy flavor that pairs well with pizza toppings.
Other Options
In addition to cashew-based cheeses, there are several other types of vegan mozzarella to consider. These include chickpea cheese, rice starch cheese, and oil- and starch-based cheeses. While the options can be bewildering, it's worth exploring to find the perfect vegan mozzarella for your pizza.
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The nutritional value of vegan mozzarella
While vegan mozzarella cheese is dairy-free, it is still a good source of calories and macronutrients. The nutritional value of vegan mozzarella varies depending on the recipe and the ingredients used.
One slice of vegan mozzarella (Emborg) contains 60 calories, with a macronutrient breakdown of 31% carbs, 69% fat, and 0% protein. Similarly, 1 ½ oz of vegan mozzarella (&pizza) contains 140 calories. However, it's important to note that these values may differ for homemade vegan mozzarella or recipes that use different ingredients.
Some common ingredients in vegan mozzarella recipes include raw cashews, tapioca flour or starch, extra virgin olive oil, water, salt, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast. These ingredients contribute to the overall nutritional profile of the cheese. For example, cashews provide healthy fats and protein, while nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavour and additional nutrients like vitamin B12.
When making vegan mozzarella at home, the type of firming agent used can also impact the nutritional value. Kappa carrageenan, agar, and soft tofu are commonly used firming agents, each yielding slightly different textures and melting properties. Coconut oil is another ingredient that helps with firming and melting, providing healthy saturated fats.
Overall, while the nutritional content of vegan mozzarella can vary, it typically contributes calories and healthy fats to the diet, along with some protein and carbohydrates. The specific recipe and ingredients used will determine the exact nutritional profile, but homemade vegan mozzarella can be a nutritious and delicious alternative to traditional cheese.
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Frequently asked questions
The best vegan mozzarella cheese for pizza is a matter of personal preference, but some popular options include Miyoko's Creamery, Violife, Follow Your Heart, and Mozzarisella.
You can buy vegan mozzarella cheese at most major supermarkets, including Whole Foods, Target, Sprouts, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Tesco, Ocado, and Morrisons. You can also find it at specialty stores like vegan shops or health food stores. Additionally, you can order it online if you're looking for a specific brand that isn't available in stores.
You can make your own vegan mozzarella cheese at home using cashews as the primary ingredient. Soak the cashews in water for 15-20 minutes to soften them, then blend them with other ingredients like coconut oil, nutritional yeast, and salt to create a cheese-like texture and flavor. You can also add food coloring to achieve the desired shade of yellow or white. Experiment with different recipes and adjust the ingredients to suit your taste.
