Who would have thought the cashew could be such a versatile food item. Great to snack on it. But so many other possibilities too!
I have already posted a cashew cheese recipe that could be great as a dip. It also could be used as a topping for pasta too. https://www.nutritionandhealthworks.com/single-post/2019/10/14/Make-it-Monday---Cashew-cheese---homemade
Today's recipe is somewhat similar but is more "cheese" you could use for pizza, dips, and for a pasta "cheese."
For the preparation, it is less than 15 minutes in the kitchen, which I love!
Here is the link where I found the recipe - https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/melty-stretchy-gooey-vegan-mozarella/
Melty Stretchy Gooey Vegan Mozzarella
Calories: 123 kcal
Author: Sam Turnbull • It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken
Ingredients
1/2 cup raw cashews, softened (see step 1)
1 cup water
3 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
Softening the cashews:
Softening the cashews first helps them blender. If you have a high-powered blender you may be able to skip this step, but if not, this step is important to get a smooth cheese. You can either boil or soak the cashews. To boil the cashews (the fast method): add the cashews to a small pot, cover with water, and boil for about 10 minutes until the cashews are very tender. To soak the cashews: add the cashews to a bowl, and cover with water. Let soak for 4 hours or overnight until tender. Drain and rinse cashews before using.
To make the vegan mozzarella:
Add the cashews along with the 1 cup of water and all the remaining ingredients to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. It will be very watery.
Pour into a small saucepan and put over medium-high heat. Continually stir. The cheese will start forming clumps, keep stiring and it will continue clumping until the mixture turns from watery to a thicker melty cheese sauce. This takes about 5 minutes. Serve hot or allow to cool and store in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2 - 3 days. The cheese will get thicker as it cools but will stay in a melty state.
Recipe Notes
*Tapioca starch is essential for this recipe. It's what gives the cheese it’s gooey and stretchy texture. Any other starch or flour will not get the same result. *If you want to return the cold mozzarella back to dipping consistency, reheat over medium heat while stirring constantly so it doesn't burn. Once it is hot and bubbling it might have thickened up too much. You can thin it out by adding a splash of water at a time, stirring it in until desired consistency is reached. *To ensure a smooth cheese, you may also want to pour the liquid through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth before cooking to remove any cashew bits that didn't grind up. This will ensure a smooth cheese texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (1/4 of the recipe) | Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 295mg | Potassium: 143mg | Fiber: 1g | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1.
If you want the vegan cheese, but haven't found one in the store that tastes good, perhaps this one will work for you.
Juanita