If you’re looking for something that will bust cravings, this cashew pepper jack will do the job! The texture is just like that of a semi soft, mild cheese. It’s sliceable and doesn’t need to be aged, so if you like instant gratification, this recipe is for you! You can change up the flavor too by adding spicier peppers, herbs or even garlic!
This cheese was so good-only a few ingredients, super quick to prepare and sets up in under an hour. It’s great on a holiday cheeseboard with pickles, olives, nuts, dried fruit, grapes and figs! Use crostini, crackers or rice crackers and sliced cucumbers if you want to keep it GF. Party on!
Cashew Pepper Jack Cheese
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Rachel Carr
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons agar agar flakes
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup cashews, soaked if possible 2 hours and drained and rinsed
- ½ cup water
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh peppers (jalapeño or bell pepper), seeded
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, for dusting at the end
Instructions
- First add the agar agar flakes to a sauce pan with ½ cup water and set aside.
- Add the cashews, the other ½ cup of water, lemon juice, salt, garlic, nutritional yeast and arrowroot powder. Blend until smooth and add to the saucepan with the agar agar.
- Whisk well and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to the lowest possible setting and cook for 5 minutes. It will have the consistency of thick pancake batter.
- At the last minute, fold in the finely chopped peppers and stir well.
- Prepare your mold (I used a 3" diameter ramikin) by cutting a piece of parchment paper the exact size of the bottom of your mold to help it release when it's cooled. Place the paper in the mold and set aside.
- Pour into whatever mold you are using and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. It should be about the firmness of extra firm tofu or a soft cheese, and will be sliceable!
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Sounds yummy. Where can I get agar agar flakes?
You can buy agar agar in the asian section of your local health food store, with all the other seaweeds, or you can buy it online here.