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).

Do you cut the rind off of smoked Gouda? ›

Most Gouda of any kind is 'waxed' and often this wax is a combination of paraffin and plastic… probably not a good idea to eat. There are, however, some artisan gouda makers that make a cheese with a natural rind, often aged on bare oak planks… that rind you not only CAN eat but you should! It's delicious.

Why does smoked Gouda not melt? ›

Cheese is cold smoked, under refrigeration. Smoke is pumped into the refrigerator with the cheese, circulated by fans and then exhausted. This allows the cheese to pick up a nice smokey flavor without melting.

Does vegan Gouda cheese melt? ›

Unlock the delectable flavor of homemade vegan cheese with our Plant-Based Smoked Gouda! This easy-to-follow recipe will guide you through making this scrumptious block of Gouda that slices, shreds, and melts just like the real thing.

Does vegan Gouda melt? ›

The Best Vegan Cheeses for Achieving That Perfect Melt

For those who enjoy homemade pizzas and grilled cheese sandwiches, Follow Your Heart Smoked Gouda is an excellent choice due to its remarkable meltability.

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 pairs with smoked Gouda? ›

While I'm normally not a fan of smoked cheeses, there's something irresistible about the combination of smoked Gouda and fruit. Pears, apples, berries, and even peaches and apricots pair beautifully with smoked Gouda.

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.

Do you eat the wax on smoked Gouda? ›

We appreciate the enthusiasm but unfortunately, the wax isn't meant to be eaten. The gift of cheese is best enjoyed unwrapped and free of wax. Don't sweat it if you ate some though. It's 100% food safe.

Does smoked Gouda need to be refrigerated? ›

Gouda cheeses remain perfectly fine outside the refrigerator. When the cheese is hot, 'sweaty' or soft at delivery, simply put the cheese in the refrigerator and you will see that the cheese becomes 'hard' again (the heat during transport will not compromise the quality and / or the taste of the cheese).

Can you eat the red wax on gouda cheese? ›

The thick, red wax of a gouda won't kill you if you eat it, but it's hardly appealing as something that enriches the cheese's flavor or texture. (You've probably ingested food grade wax more often than you think, however.

What are the white spots on smoked Gouda? ›

They're most likely calcium lactate crystals, also known as “cheese crystals.” They are completely safe to eat, and usually signify that a cheese is flavorful and well-aged. Calcium lactate crystals form naturally during the aging process and are most commonly found in aged cheddars, including Smoked Medium Cheddar.

Are Gruyère and Gouda similar? ›

Gouda is a semi-hard cow's milk cheese that has roots in the Netherlands. It's best known for its wide range of uses and flavors depending on how long it's been aged. If you're in a pinch, you can use younger gouda in place of Gruyère since it melts easily, but just know that it won't have the same flavor.

How do you serve smoked Gouda? ›

What accompaniments go well with gouda? Gouda is wonderful with many different accompaniments. We love it with a dollop of apricot or orange jam, piled high atop a crisp cracker. For a pairing that leans more savory, try mango chutney or a mustard.

What is vegan Gouda? ›

Vegan Smoked Gouda made with coconut milk may be the all-time best dairy-free cheese! It has a rich creamy texture with a subtle smoky flavor. This is a cheese that you just have to try to believe how good it really is.

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? ›

What Ingredients Are in Vegan Cheese? Vegan cheeses are 100% animal-free and made using vegetable proteins. 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? ›

Much like the processes used to make dairy cheese, artisan vegan cheesemaker Tyne Chease leaves fermented cashews to age for up to two weeks, depending on the product. Cream cheese, for example, isn't left to age at all.

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