If you're like me, you love feta cheese, but you're also vegan. Well, have I got some great news for you! You can make your own vegan feta cheese at home using macadamia nuts! It's seriously easy to make and turns out so smooth and creamy. And the best part? You only need a blender, a saucepan, and a container. Oh, and did I mention it's gluten-free? Trust me, you've got to try this recipe out for yourself. It's seriously delicious!
Overall, this vegan feta cheese recipe is truly a game-changer. It's 100% vegan, easy to create, and made from macadamia nuts. It's super smooth and creamy, cheesy, and absolutely delicious. You can use it in so many ways, like adding it to salad bowls or using it as a topping for pasta dishes. And you can also store it in your fridge with the marinade for up to a week. Trust me, you won't regret giving this recipe a try!
Jump to:
❤️ What's Great About this Recipe
- It's 100% vegan
- easy to make
- made from macadamia nuts
- super smooth and creamy
- naturally gluten-free
- requires only a blender, a saucepan and a container
- you can store it in the fridge for up to a week
- cheesy and delicious
- the vegan feta can be used in a variety of dishes such as salad bowls, pasta dishes - this delicious Vegan Baked Boursin Pasta! - and sandwiches
🌱 Ingredients & Notes
Here is everything you need for this recipe:
- Macadamia nuts - the base for the vegan feta cheese! For best results, buy organic and raw macadamia nuts, as these will taste better and be more nutritious.
- Water - use filtered water to blend the macadamia nuts into a smooth paste
- Agar Agar powder - make sure to get food grade agar agar powder
- Salt - I use sea salt flakes for this recipe
- Citric Acid - when purchasing citric acid for this recipe, ensure to get a food grade citric acid as not all are suitable for consumption. Get it on Amazon!
- Marinade - the marinade is optional but it adds a lot of additional flavor to the vegan feta when you marinate it for 2 days in the fridge. For the marinade you will need lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs and salt.
Note: If you don't have macadamia nuts, almonds can be used as an alternative, but make sure to remove the almond skins after the soaking process to create a smooth and light cheese.
Jump to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for measurements.
🔪 Equipment
Here is all the equipment you need to make this recipe:
- High-speed blender
- Saucepan
- container to set the vegan feta (e.g. Tupperware)
Note: If you're looking for a new blender, take a look at Greenis. They've got a whole range of fantastic blenders.
🧑🍳 Instructions (Step-by-Step)
Soak the macadamia nuts in clear water overnight or for 8 hours.
Drain and rinse once the soaking time elapses.
Place the nuts into a high-speed blender alongside the remainder of the ingredients: filtered water, agar agar, sea salt, and citric acid.
Blend on high-speed until smooth & creamy.
Transfer the nut mix into a non-stick saucepan and heat over low/medium heat and continuously stir (important!).
Heat the mix to about 60C (140F), you will realize that the mixture will begin to thicken up once the right temperature is reached.
Pour the content into a flat tray (I used a round springform) and smooth the top.
Place it into the fridge for a minimum of 1-2 hrs or until set and firm.
Carefully remove the feta 'cheese' from the tray and cut into thick slices.
Chop the slices into cubes.
If you like to keep your feta for later use, create a marinade using the suggested ingredients.
Store the vegan feta in a jar alongside the marinade and let it sit in the marinade for at least 2 days for a stronger flavor.
Bonus tip: Add some herbs to the cheese mixture before setting it in the fridge to create a flavored feta cheese.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Add your homemade vegan feta to delicious salad bowls - such as this refreshing Grilled Zucchini Salad - use it as a topping for pasta dishes or add it to your favorite sandwiches!
It's also delicious served alongside freshly baked Vegan Rosemary Focaccia or served on homemade Sweet Potato Crackers.
❄️ Storage
Store the feta in an air-tight container in your fridge with the marinade for up to 4-5 days. Make sure the marinade covers the feta entirely when storing.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can, but make sure to remove the almond skins after the soaking process to create a smooth and light cheese.
No, not all citric acids are suitable for consumption. Make sure to get a food grade citric acid.
You can store it in your fridge with the marinade for up to 4-5 days.
🔜 Related Recipes
Serve this macadamia nut feta alongside delicious pastas dishes such as Creamy Sun-dried Tomato Pasta or Roasted Red Pepper Pasta or enjoy it on top of crunchy Air Fryer Gnocchi or simply sprinkle it onto a tasty Grilled Zucchini Salad alongside vegan Oil-Free Salad Dressing.
📌 If you love Pinterest you can pin any of the images to your boards!
📝 Recipe
Here's a handy recipe card that you can print out and keep in your kitchen for easy reference:
Homemade Vegan Feta Cheese
Equipment
- 1 jar
- 1 sieve
- 1 high-speed blender
- 1 non-stick pan
- 1 spatula
- 1 small container
- 1 Knife
Ingredients
- 2.8 oz raw macadamia nuts (80g)
- 6.4 fl oz filtered water (190 ml)
- 1.5 tablespoons agar agar powder
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon citric acid
For the marinade (optional):
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (60 ml) or white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (60 ml)
- 1 garlic clove finely sliced
- 1 cup fresh herbs e.g. dill, parsley, basil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Soak the macadamia nuts in clear water overnight or for 8hrs. Drain and rinse once the soaking time elapses.
- Place the nuts into a high-speed blender alongside the. remainder of the ingredients: filtered water, agar agar sea salt and citric acid. Blend on a high-speed until smooth & creamy.
- Transfer the nut mix into a non-stick saucepan and heat over low/medium heat and continuously stir (important!). Heat the mix to about 60C (140F), you will realise that the mixture will begin to thicken up once the right temperature is reached.
- Stir thoroughly, then pour the content into a small container or flat tray - I used a small, round springform pan. Place it into the refrigerator for a minimum of 1-2 hours until set.
- Carefully remove the vegan cheese from the tray and cut it into cubes.
- Use your vegan feta immediately, or mix all ingredients for the marinade in a jar and store the vegan feta cheese cubes in the marinade in the fridge. If you marinate the vegan feta for 2 days, it will be more flavorful.
Notes
- Substitution - You can substitute almonds for macadamia nuts, but remove the skins after soaking for a smoother cheese
- Use food-grade citric acid if purchasing for this recipe.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results - A high-speed blender will ensure that your vegan feta cheese turns out smooth and creamy. If your blender is struggling, you might need to pause during the process and scrape down the sides of the blender so that everything can get combined.
- Continuously stir the mixture while heating it up in the saucepan - This step is crucial to ensure that the mixture does not stick to the bottom of the saucepan and burn. Make sure to continuously stir the mixture over low/medium heat until it thickens and reaches the right temperature.
- The vegan feta cheese can be used in salads or as a topping for pasta dishes - Once you've made your vegan feta cheese, there are plenty of ways you can use it in your cooking. Add it to salads such as this Roasted Cabbage & Lentil Salad or these Easy Mango Salsa Lettuce Tacos for a cheesy flavor, or use it as a topping for pasta dishes. It's a versatile ingredient that can add a lot of flavor to your meals.
- Store the vegan feta in the marinade in a jar in the fridge for up 4-5 days - If you're storing the feta for later use, create a marinade using vinegar (or lemon juice), olive oil, water, garlic powder, herbs, and salt and store your vegan feta in a jar covered with the marinade.
*Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links and sponsored links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you. You can find more information in my Privacy Policy.
© Romy London / Romina Callwitz | All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images and content without permission. If you wish to re-publish any recipes or images, please get in touch via email. Thanks for your support!
💭 Leave a Comment