Yogurt Monterey Jack

Firm but crumbly, somewhat meltable vegan monterey jack made from yogurt.

Yield: about a pound

Time: 15 minutes, plus time to culture

Tools

  • blender or large bowl and whisk
  • rubber spatula
  • glass container with lid
  • small bowl
  • medium saucepan
  • wooden spoon

Ingredients

  • 1 c cashew yogurt or your favorite non-dairy yogurt
  • ½ – ¾ c water, divided*
  • ½ c grapeseed, soy, or mild olive oil
  • 1½ t salt
  • 2 T carrageenan powder  or  agar powder*
  • 3 T tapioca flour

Directions

Blend or whisk the yogurt with ¼ c water, oil, and salt, until smooth.

Pour into container, cover, and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours. Longer culturing = sharper cheese.

At this point, the process is a little different depending on which thickener you use.

Carrageenan

  • Transfer cultured yogurt into the saucepan over medium heat and stir in remaining ¼ c water.
  • Whisk in the carageenan and tapioca and continue cooking and whisking until smooth and glossy, 5-10 minutes.

Agar

  • Place the reamining ½ c water in the saucepan over medium-low heat and slowly add the agar, whisking constantly until you have a thick paste, about 2 minutes. If it seems very dry, add a tiny bit more more water, 1 t at a time.
  • Slowly pour in the cultured yogurt, whisking constantly. When the mixture is hot and smooth, trade the whisk for the wooden spoon.
  • Gradually add the tapioca, stirring constantly. If the mixture starts to bubble, reduce the heat. You want it to be very hot without actually boiling.
  • Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture thickens and starts to look glossy, 5-10 minutes.

Use immediately as a sauce or spread into the container and let cool, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. It will last around 6 weeks in the refrigerator as long as it’s properly sealed.

Notes

* For a meltable cheese, use carageenan and ½ c water. If melty** but not meltable is ok, you can use agar and ¾ c water.

** Melty will soften but not melt in the oven. However, it melts beautifully in liquid. To make a pourable cheese sauce, combine 2-3 parts monterey jack with 1 part cashew milk over medium-low heat and whisk until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Use immediately.

VeganAdapted from the recipe for “Meltable monterey jack” in Artisan Vegan Cheeseread my review.

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More: Vegan cheese recipes

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Melty vegan monterey jack