Smoked Cashew Cheese Recipe [easy healthy vegan cheese] (2024)

FAQs

Is vegan cashew cheese healthy? ›

The cashew-based cheese alternatives were the most likely products to be low in sodium (Table 1). Over 80% of the cheese alternatives were low in calories, while only 2% were high in fat.

A resounding yes, it sure does, not all of it, but vegan cheese does melt and melt well. Just like non-vegan cheese, there will be some that aren't created to melt, nor do it well, it's just the same. Make sure to cook vegan cheeses on a lower heat than you would normally and keep an eye on them.

Nuts were a game-changer for vegan cheese because they provide a lot of fat: 100 grams of cashews have 44 grams of fat, versus 6.4 grams of fat in the same amount of soybeans. This allows for richer flavor and texture that gets closer to imitating animal milk dairy.

Most importantly, our vegan cheezes have an average of ~19% LESS saturated fat across the lineup compared to the dairy versions, as well as ZERO cholesterol! Saturated fat and cholesterol play very large roles when it comes to heart disease and stroke. Minimizing their intake can help prevent many health issues.

Much like regular cheese, vegan cheeses can have a place at the table as part of a healthy diet — but they shouldn't be relied on as a sole source of nutrition. Too much of any single food could be unhealthy, especially if it's replacing other vital nutrients or food groups.

Vegan cheeses are typically lower in fat, protein and calcium than regular cheese and are likely gluten-free. Because vegan cheese is a processed food, it tends to be higher in sodium, so check your labels.

The main reason to try vegan cheese is if you are vegan or vegan-curious. Vegans choose not to eat foods made with animal products, for reasons both environmental and ethical, so by definition vegan cheese contains no such substances.

Because this is a fermented cheese, it will continue to stay good in your fridge for several weeks… if you can resist eating it! Wholesome but indulgent. Fermented cashew cheese has all the traditional dairy cheese flavors but it's made with wholesome plant-based ingredients.

What is a good substitute for cashews in vegan cheese? ›

Substitute for cashews: cashews are my preference as they are creamy and mild in flavor, but if you need to substitute them you can use macadamia nuts, blanched almonds, or raw sunflower seeds. All of these nuts and seeds will need to be boiled for about 15 minutes to ensure they have softened.

Labeling of vegan cheese, like other vegan dairy analogues, is controversial, with dairy industry groups pushing to prohibit the use of terms like "cheese" on non-dairy products. Labeling purely plant-based products as "cheese" is prohibited in the European Union and the United Kingdom.

Is vegan cheese inflammatory? The vegan cheeses produced on a large scale that we are most likely to find in grocery stores are processed foods. As is the case with all processed foods, they can cause some inflammation in some consumers.

Although extremely tasty on that cheese plate, soft cheeses such as Camembert, brie and triple-crème (cheese enriched with cream) fall into the “less healthy” category because of their saturated fat content.

The production of vegan cheese can be costlier than that of traditional dairy cheese due to the higher price of plant-based ingredients and the additional processing steps involved.

As a plant-based food, it's very low in saturated fat and has zero cholesterol (compared to 25 milligrams of cholesterol in an ounce of goat cheese). The short story is this: Cashew cheese can be a healthy option, depending on what you're trying to add or avoid in your diet.

Fermented foods offer a ton of health benefits, too. For instance, cultured cashew cheese is full of healthy probiotics (much more than you get from a standard supplement), which aid in digestion and improve overall gut health.

Nutritional Info: Per serving: 2 tablespoons, 180 calories (130 from fat), 14g total fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 125mg sodium, 9g carbohydrates (1g dietary fiber, 0g sugar), 6g protein.

It heavily depends on the other ingredients. If your cashew cheeses ingredients are: water, cashews, potato starch, coconut oil, preservatives, colourings, etc. Then it is healthier to buy a regular dairy cheese that is made with only milk.