Recipes and food fun by Carolyn J. Braden

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PLEASE NOTE: We only test the recipes on this site with the listed ingredients and measurements. If you would like to try a substitution, Please share what you used and how it turned out in the comments section at the bottom of the recipe post. Carolyn loves to hear how others have experimented with her recipes!

I LOVE mozzarella cheese, however, the dairy it contains does not like my skin nor my husband’s tummy. Sooooo…..here’s an alternative! No, it doesn’t taste EXACTLY like the real deal, however, it comes very close and maybe even tastes better! It all comes together very fast and can be used on pizzas, crackers, salads and more!

Prep/cook time: 20 minutes (Chill time: approx. 60 minutes)

Yield: 4-6 servings

Suggested cooking tools: measuring cup, measuring spoons, large mixing bowl, small bowl, parchment paper or a form of grease/oil, sauce pan, blender (preferably a high-speed one, see tips and tricks below the recipe if you don’t have a high speed blender)

Ingredients:

1 cup cashews, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
2 small garlic cloves (peeled)
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast (I used Bragg’s…..this is what gives it a “cheesy” flavor and I purchased mine at Whole Foods though you can find it on Amazon.com)
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
1/2 cup almond milk, or your choice of plant based milk (unsweetened)
2 tablespoons tapioca starch/flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill and found it at Whole Foods)

How-to:

After soaking the cashews in the hot water for 10 minutes, drain and place them in a high-speed blender with the garlic cloves, nutritional yeast, salt, lemon juice, almond milk, and tapioca starch. Process all ingredients until mostly smooth, about 4 minutes. I recommend scraping down the sides a few times while blending.
Place the blended mixture into a saucepan on medium heat. Stir continuously until it starts to thicken and form a ball, about 3-5 minutes. (This happens fast so be ready!) See the photos below the recipe for a visual.
Remove from the saucepan. Round it out with your hands (kind of like shaping clay or play-doh) if it is cool enough. Place in a parchment lined (or greased) small bowl.
Place in the refrigerator to cool and firm up for about one hour.
After about an hour, remove from fridge, bowl, slice up, eat and enjoy!

Tips and Tricks:

If you don’t have a high speed blender (the Magic Bullet, Vitamix, etc) you can use a regular blender but should soak the cashews longer (about 1-2 hours).
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator
Serve on pizza, crackers, pasta and more!