Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese Recipe (2024)

Published on by Kate, Updated on - 49 Comments

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Creamy, sliceable, shreddable and meltable, this Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese recipe is completely irresistible and can be created in your very own kitchen in just minutes!

Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese Recipe (1)

I'm so excited to be sharing with you another rendition of my blender-based, no 'cook' vegan cheese!! Today we're going to go over how to make a sumptuous block-style Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese. But first, some questions and answers....

Can you make Vegan Cheese?

That is a million dollar question and I'm here today to tell you YES YOU CAN! A thousand times YES! Don't let the whole idea scare you. You are going to feel like a master chef in minutes!! This cheese is such a confidence booster and a game changer!

This cashew cheese can be used in any recipe because it is sliceable, meltable, shreddable like regular cheese. It is also fantastic as part of a vegan charcuterie board.

What does this Vegan Cheese taste like?

Obviously, it's not quite like dairy cheese - BUT the texture, flavor, richness, and creaminess of this vegan cheese will literally knock your socks off! It satisfies a major cheese craving for me, and it even meets the expectations of my non-vegan friends!

Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese Recipe (2)

Why would you makevegan cheese?

  • it's non-dairy
  • it tastes amazing
  • it's cheap
  • it's easy to make
  • it cooperates (will slice, shred, melt)
  • it is low in fat compared to dairy-cheese
  • it is low in fat compared to non-dairy store-bought cheese
  • it's also soy-free and gluten-free

Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese Recipe (3)

What's in this Smoked Gouda Vegan cheese??

The one challenge of making this cheese is that it takes a few unusual ingredients that not everyone has on hand - but please believe me - it is SO worth the effort!! Really, only #3 is harder to find. Here's the short list:

  1. REFINEDCoconut Oil -(Please don’t miss the word refined.)Refined coconut oildoesn’t taste like coconut but it still turns solid at cooler temps, thus adding firmness and richness. It's available at many local grocery stores in the health food section.
  2. Tapioca Flour -a thickener with a slightly 'stretchy' texture. I usually buy online but many local health food stores sell this.
  3. Kappa Carrageenan -This is the most unusual ingredient and somewhat difficult to obtain. A derivative of sea weed, this ingredient is vital because it is what makes the cheese able to go from liquid to solid and back to melted state. It’s a wonder ingredient and not widely sold.
  4. Wright's Hickory Smoke Flavor- It adds a lovely smoke flavor and can be widely obtained.
  5. Seasoned Salt - I use Johnny's that I buy at Costco, but you can also get it here!

Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese Recipe (4)

Steps to Make Vegan Smoked Gouda:

Assemble all your ingredients (Photo above). Rinse Cashews under hot running water for several minutes. (Photo 1 below)

Add all the ingredients to the blender except for the water. (Photo 2)

Add boiling water to blender and blend until smooth. (Photo 3)

Pour immediately into heat safe dish (your mold) and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to harden. (Photo 4)

Slice or grate, and enjoy!

Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese Recipe (5)

Cooking tip:

Don't skip the 'rinse your cashews under HOT tap water for several minutes' step. Not only does this soften the cashews for blending, but it removes that 'cashewy' flavor so the final cheese doesn't taste nutty.

Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese Recipe (6)

Super excited for you guys to experience the joys of making awesome vegan cheese at home! Let me know how it goes, and if you have any questions, leave a comment and I'll try to help out!! (For a video tutorial of making this style cheese, please see the links for my vegan mozzarella cheese recipe below. )

Check out these other vegan cheese recipes:

  • Vegan mozzarella cheese
  • Vegan cheddar cheese
  • Vegan herb cheese
  • Vegan cheese ball
  • Vegan feta cheese
  • Vegan pepper Jack
  • Best vegan cream cheese
  • Vegan parmesan cheese
  • Vegan nacho sauce

If you’ve tried this Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese recipe or any other recipe on my blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I LOVE hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME onFACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food!!!

Recipe

Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese Recipe (7)

Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese

Creamy, sliceable, shreddable and meltable, this Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese recipe is completely irresistible and can be created in your very own kitchen in just minutes!

4.55 from 72 votes

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Course: Appetizer, cheese

Cuisine: American, French

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 people

Calories: 97kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Select a heat-safe preferably glass dish that can hold approx 3C and set aside. (This is your cheese mold.)

  • Rinse the c¼ashews under HOT water for several minutes.

  • Put your water in a small pot on the stove to boil.

  • Add all ingredients (except the water!) to the blender. Add the cashews first and then everything else on top of the cashews.

  • Carefully add (so you don't burn yourself!!!) the boiling hot water into your blender. Put the blender lid on! And blend immediately until completely smooth.

  • Stop blending once if need be to quickly scrape sides of blender and resume blending right after.

  • Immediately transfer your cheese to your chosen dish/mold as it will start to solidify quickly as it cools.

  • Place in refrigerator to chill. No need to cover yet.

  • After 2-3 hours or when fully chilled, remove cheese block from dish/mold and wrap in paper towels and then tightly plastic wrap. The flavor gets better over a day or two but it’s great as soon as it’s hardened, too. Yeay! You are officially a cheese-maker!

Notes

This Cheese recipe is one of my saltier options. If you're not a salt-lover you may want to scale back on the salt by a ¼ tsp. I often use Himalayan salt, although not "Kala Namak" or "black salt" in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 457mg | Potassium: 61mg | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Vegan Smoked Gouda Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan smoked gouda made of? ›

Filtered Water, Coconut Oil, Modified Potato and Corn Starches, Potato Starch, Sea Salt, Natural Smoke Flavor, Olive Extract, Beta Carotene for Color.

Is there a big difference between Gouda and smoked gouda? ›

Fully aged gouda (aged for more than 10 months) has a rich taste with strong sweet undertones reminiscent of butterscotch. Smoked gouda cheese has a more buttery, nuttier, and sweeter flavor with distinct smoky undertones (no surprise there).

Why does smoked gouda taste like meat? ›

Most smoked cheeses makers use a hot smoke—produced by an ongoing fire—which means the cheese is, in effect, cooked twice. That causes the cheese to crack and dry out and the flavor that results is more of a beef jerky than a cheese flavor.

Is smoked gouda a healthy cheese? ›

The answer is yes! Smoked Gouda contains protein, calcium, and healthy fats that make it a great addition to a balanced diet. One ounce of smoked Gouda cheese contains about 8 grams of fat, which is a reasonable amount for a serving of cheese.

What jam pairs well with smoked gouda? ›

Sweet with a slight tartness that only adds to the flavor depth, plum jam is an excellent pairing for milder blue cheese varieties like Gorgonzola Dolce and Danablu, as well as smoked cheese, particularly smoked Scamorza and Gouda, highlighting the smokiness rather than overpowering it.

What jam goes with smoked gouda? ›

Plum Jam
  • Chevre.
  • Cream Cheese.
  • Gouda/Smoked Gouda.

What crackers go well with smoked Gouda cheese? ›

Aged cheeses (like Parmigiano Reggiano, Gouda, and Manchego) → Multigrain and/or whole wheat crackers, seeded crackers, flatbreads, olive oil crackers.

What vegan cheese actually tastes like cheese? ›

Parmela Shreds

Parmela nailed it (don't ask us how). These cashew-based shreds not only taste like cheese, but they also melt perfectly. Varieties include Mild Cheddar, Sharp Cheddar, Mozzarella, and Fiery Jack.

Will vegan cheese ever taste like real cheese? ›

It's important to understand that vegan cheese, being made with different ingredients, typically does not taste exactly like traditional dairy cheese. However, it does replicate some of the flavors and textures that you might remember from dairy cheese and tastes great in its own right.

What makes vegan cheese taste like cheese? ›

Nuts, such as cashews or almonds, are often used as they contain a lot of natural fat that gives a creamy texture once blended. Many brands also use a vegan lactic acid to add the tang and umami that gives that quintessential cheese flavour.

Why does smoked gouda not melt? ›

While the process of smoking is the same- you put what you are smoking in a area full of smoke until it tastes like smoke- there is a longer separation of the hot smoky part and the area where the cheese sits. Basically the smoke cools down and the area where is cheese is stays much cooler than the melting point.

What is the closest cheese to smoked gouda? ›

Edam, or Havarti would come close. A queso Chihuahua might also work if you can get Mexican cheeses. If it was an old (oud) cheese then I would say more along the lines of a sharp cheddar. Edam cheese works pretty well for me.

What fruit goes with gouda cheese? ›

Pairing gouda

Especially on a cheese board, we suggest mixing fresh fruit—like apples, peaches, or pears—alongside dried fruit—dried apricots and cherries—for extra variety. If you have an aged gouda on hand, which is sweeter and more complex, opt for a sweet pairing with chocolate or even a brownie.

What are the ingredients in smoked Gouda cheese? ›

Artfully crafted, this creamy, smoky favorite is ideal for game day and party-worthy cheeseboards. Ingredients: Cultured pasturized milk, salt, enzymes, annatto (color).

What was vegan cheese made out of? ›

Usually, they're made from soy; nuts, such as cashews and macadamias; and vegetable oils, such as coconut oil. You can also find cheeses that derive from agar, tapioca, peas and arrowroot.

Are vegan cheeses fermented? ›

"A lot of smaller and artisanal brands use similar processes to dairy – fermenting, smoking, ageing and adding herbs and spices.

What is plant based vegan cheese? ›

Vegan cheese is usually made from soy, nuts, vegetable oils, and various other natural ingredients like peas or arrowroot. Vegan cheese is seen as a healthier alternative to cheese by some, and may reduce your risk of heart disease due to its lower content of fat.

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