Whip up a straightforward vegan sun-dried tomato and basil cheese that’s excellent for crackers, sandwiches, or a vegan cheeseboard. It’s filled with daring, savoury flavour with a gentle, sliceable texture.
This vegan sun-dried tomato and basil cheese seems critically spectacular, with the flecks of tomato and herbs making it look pretty much as good because it tastes.
It’s agency sufficient to slice neatly however gentle sufficient to smear onto a crusty baguette, and it’s so scrumptious you’ll wrestle to determine which you want greatest.
Floor almonds type the wealthy, creamy base of this vegan cheese recipe, whereas dietary yeast provides a tangy, savoury word.
However the sun-dried tomatoes are the true star of the present, bringing a strong double punch of sweetness and umami, whereas smoked paprika and basil add heat and aroma to this cheese.
It’s set with agar flakes, so there’s no fermentation or fancy gear wanted.
Serve it because the centrepiece of your subsequent cheeseboard, pair it with olives and crackers for a complicated picnic, or load slices onto a sandwich with recent inexperienced salad leaves.
What makes this recipe nice
- A scrumptious vegan different to gentle herbed cheese
- Fridge-set with agar, no culturing or specialist package wanted
- Fully vegan and gluten-free
- Filled with savoury sun-dried tomato flavour
- Makes use of store-cupboard components you most likely have already got
- This sun-dried tomato and basil cheese is ideal for picnics, sharing boards or make-ahead snacks
Learn how to make vegan sun-dried tomato and basil cheese
Begin by whisking collectively your dry components (floor almonds, dietary yeast, garlic and onion powder, smoked paprika and salt). That is your flavour base, and it smells wonderful even earlier than it’s combined with anything. Set that apart whilst you work on the gooey half.
In a small pan, whisk collectively the soya milk, tomato paste and oil till clean. Now sprinkle in your agar flakes and depart the combination to take a seat for 5 minutes. This helps the agar begin absorbing the liquid, so it units correctly later, form of like giving it a head begin.
After resting, deliver the combination to a boil over excessive warmth, whisking constantly to stop clumps and make sure the agar prompts correctly. As soon as it reaches a rolling boil, flip the warmth down and change to a picket spoon to stir. Simmer for a full 5 minutes to ensure the agar units because it ought to. It’ll begin to thicken barely.
Now for the magic second: pour the recent combination straight into your almond combine. Shortly stir all of it collectively, then add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and dried basil. Combine till it’s absolutely mixed and you’ll see these tomato bits evenly dotted via the cheese.
Scoop it right into a small ramekin or dish, and press the highest down gently with cling movie to clean it out. Wrap the entire thing and chill within the fridge for not less than two hours, till agency and sliceable. Then serve and revel in.
Components in vegan sun-dried tomato and basil cheese
Floor almonds: Add richness and provides the cheese a creamy, agency texture.
Dietary yeast: Provides a deep, tacky flavour – important for vegan cheese recipes.
Garlic and onion powders: Add savoury depth and spherical out the flavour.
Smoked paprika: Brings delicate smokiness and a touch of heat.
Agar flakes: A vegan setting agent comprised of seaweed, activated by boiling.
Unsweetened soya milk: Provides moisture with out sweetness – any gentle plant milk will work.
Tomato paste: Intensifies the tomato flavour and provides color.
Impartial oil: Helps bind and enhance texture; rapeseed works properly, however sunflower can be tremendous.
Solar-dried tomatoes: Filled with umami, they bring about chewy texture and concentrated tomato flavour.
Dried basil: Provides sweetness and a herby aroma that lifts the entire dish.
Recipe suggestions
Agar flakes want a correct boil to set, so don’t skip that five-minute simmer — it’s the distinction between a agency cheese and a gooey mess.
If you happen to solely have agar powder, use a couple of third of the quantity (it’s stronger).
As soon as made, the cheese retains properly within the fridge for as much as 5 days. For greatest outcomes, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes earlier than serving.
Nonetheless hungry? Improve your lunch with these inventive vegan sandwich recipes
Vegan Solar-Dried Tomato and Basil Cheese
Whip up a straightforward vegan sun-dried tomato and basil cheese that’s excellent for crackers, sandwiches or a vegan cheeseboard. It is filled with daring, savoury flavour with a gentle, sliceable texture.
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In a mixing bowl, whisk collectively the bottom almonds, dietary yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and salt. Put aside.
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In a small saucepan, whisk collectively the milk, tomato paste and oil. Sprinkle on the agar flakes and let it sit for five minutes (off the warmth). Whisk once more and switch the warmth to excessive. Convey the combination to a boil, whisking all of the whereas, then scale back to a simmer and change to a picket spoon to stir. Simmer the combination for five minutes on a low warmth, stirring usually.
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Flip off the warmth, and shortly pour the combination over the almond combination. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and basil and blend properly. Scrape into the ready ramekin dish, then gently press, utilizing a sheet of cling movie, till it is clean on high. Wrap the entire dish in cling movie and chill till set, which is normally inside two hours.
If you happen to solely have agar powder, use a couple of third of the quantity (it’s stronger).
As soon as made, the cheese retains properly within the fridge for as much as 5 days. For greatest outcomes, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes earlier than serving.
Serving: 50gEnergy: 140kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 6gFats: 10gSaturated Fats: 1gPolyunsaturated Fats: 3gMonounsaturated Fats: 1gSodium: 211mgPotassium: 306mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 381IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 82mgIron: 2mg
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