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Made with just 7 ingredients, this liquid vegan mozzarella is a homemade recipe for the popular store-bought version. The “cheese” is made in a blender from soaked cashews that turn into this creamy and bakable mozzarella. It can be enjoyed on your favorite pizza crust, used for lasagnas, and so much more; see reviews for yummy ideas!
save this recipe!If you love Miyokos liquid mozzarella but hate the price tag, I’m right there with you! There’s no question that it’s the best vegan mozzarella substitute out there, but I knew I could make it at home. I mean, I am a trained food scientist, after all.
It took a few iterations, but I finally nailed down this easy and delicious homemade version that pours like Miyoko’s vegan cheese but tastes and melts like traditional mozzarella. This recipe is the perfect vegan addition to your favorite Italian recipe!
Why you’ll love it
- Simple ingredients combine with a little magic to make this gooey, cheesy vegan mozzarella.
- Cheaper than buying the store-bought version (and pretty dang easy, too)!
- Stretchy and gooey, just like traditional mozzarella!
Reader rating
“I was really impressed by the look on my pizza, just like real mozzarella.. The taste was nice with no after taste. Thank you for making that affordable and delicious vegan cheese.” —Christine
grab these ingredients
The base of this cheese sauce is cashews (like many vegan recipes), but in order to create a truly next-level cheesy experience, we need a few other ingredients. Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Cashews: Soak unsalted raw cashews in water. Other nuts can be used, but cashews have the mildest taste and create the creamiest texture.
- Tapioca Starch: This creates the stringy, melty cheese pull effect and helps the cheese solidify when baked.
- Miso Paste: White miso paste contributes to the cheese flavor. It keeps the color light, like mozzarella, but you can also use nutritional yeast for a more cheesy flavor and a yellower color.
- White Vinegar: The mimics the tang of fermented cheese. Any neutral-ish acid will work, like lemon juice or rice vinegar.
- The Basics: To combine the mozzarella cheese, you will need oil, salt, and water. Any neutral oil will work!
what is tapioca starch?
Tapioca starch is the same thing that makes chewy little boba pearls. It comes from the extracted starch from the root of the cassava plant. Because it is so starchy, it acts as a binder and thickener, helping to hold together baked goods and thicken fruit fillings, soups, and more.
How to make vegan mozzarella
While this might seem like a daunting recipe, this liquid cheese is super simple. Here’s what you do. This is an overview of the recipe. Jump to the recipe card for the full printable recipe.
- Soak the cashews to soften them.
- Blend everything together until smooth and creamy.
- Use as you would mozzarella or store in the fridge.
a high-powered blender
To get that super smooth texture, it’s important to soak the cashews fully submerged overnight and use a high-powered blender. I love my Vitamix, but other similar ones will work, too.
Storage
This vegan cheese can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. It’s awesome to have on hand for the week ahead because it can be used right out of the fridge!
You can also freeze it in an ice cube tray and then transfer it to a freezer-safe container. When you want to use it, let it thaw overnight in the fridge. You might need to mix it up a bit to re-emulsify it.
Why this Recipe Works
- It’s simple, made with only what is really necessary. The beauty of this is that you can add other flavors and spices, like garlic or onion powder, if you want.
- It looks like mozzarella thanks to the white miso paste. I tested it with nutritional yeast, and it was delicious, but it was yellower than mozzarella.
- It melts like cheese, meaning the applications are endless!
VITAMIX BLENDER
This is the blender I use and adore!
how to use this mozzarella
You can use this “cheese” in almost any way you would traditional mozzarella. Here are a few of our favorite tasty ways to use it.
- Rotini Pasta Bake is cheesy and gooey, making it a perfect application for this vegan mozzarella.
- Vegetarian Baked Ziti is packed with veggies, and if you add this liquid mozzarella, it will also have a little more protein from the cashews.
- Bruschetta Pizza is made with burrata, but you can also make it with mozzarella.
5-Minute Liquid Vegan Mozzarella
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted raw cashews
- 2 Tbsp tapioca starch
- 2 Tbsp oil
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar*
- 2 tsp white miso paste*
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Soak Cashews: Submerge ½ cup unsalted raw cashews in water and let soak overnight (to make it quicker, submerge cashews in very hot water for 30 minutes).
- Blend: Add drained cashews, 2 Tbsp tapioca starch, 2 Tbsp oil, 1 Tbsp white vinegar*, 2 tsp white miso paste*, ¼ tsp salt, and ½ cup water to a high-powered blender. Blend on high for 3 to 5 minutes, until very smooth.
- Store: Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.
- Cook: When ready to use, pour cheese onto pizza (or lasagna or nachos or wherever you want cheese flavor) then bake! For pizza, I like to bake it at 500°F for 4 to 5 minutes, until "cheese" is firm and just beginning to brown.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist, and should be taken as an estimate. For the most accurate nutritional information, calculate it using the actual ingredients in your recipe.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
I was really impressed by the look on my pizza, just like real mozzarella.. The taste was nice with no after taste. Thank you for making that affordable and delicious vegan cheese
I’m so happy to hear you loved it, Christine! Thanks so much for letting us know how it went! 😀
Can arrow root flour sub for tapioca?
I would recommend tapioca if possible, which will give the cheese better texture and stretch!
Ok. What about corn starch instead of tapioca?
Tapioca is unique in the stretchy character it brings this cheese. If you absolutely can’t use tapioca, arrow root would be the best bet! Would love to hear how it goes.
Can’t wait to try this! Can arrowroot be used in place of tapioca starch?
I would recommend using tapioca starch if possible, which will give the cheese better texture and stretch!
Does this recipe make enough for just ONE pizza? Or should I double or triple recipe for multiple pizzas?
It’s enough for 1 large liberally cheesed pizza! 🙂
This is a fantastic idea! I’ve just ordered some tapioca starch today so I can give it a try. I’ll use nooch instead of miso as I have a soy allergy. I’ve tried wonderful chickpea miso in the past but I haven’t seen it available for a while 🤔
I can’t wait to hear how it goes! 😀
This is delicious and easy to make. The uses are endless. I’ll be keeping a batch in my fridge at all times.
I’m so happy to hear it, Kim! That’s such a great idea!
I would love to know if anyone has ever tried a different nut than cashews. we have cashew allergies…been thinking of trying pignolis , since they have a high fat content…any suggestions?
I make a cheese with raw sun seeds 🙂
made this today with sunflower seeds, since they are local (Austria) and less complicated to harvest than cashews, and put it in stuffed cabbage. I had made a pizza previously following the original recipe. It worked great with raw, organic sunflower seeds–and I only soaked them about two hours. Used both nooch and miso paste, btw–very cheesy in flavour and texture. Thanks for the perfect mozzarella substitute!
Thanks so much for letting us know how it went with sunflower seeds, Dennis! That’s super helpful. Enjoy!!
I made a double batch and used it to top a big lasagna. It was perfect!! I will definitely be making it again. Thank you so much for the recipe 🙂
So happy to hear it was a success! Thanks for letting us know how it went! 😀
Thanks, we loved it raw as much or more than cooked!
Can I use the water I soak the cashews in instead of ½ cup fresh water to blend?
Yes that should work!
Sorry but no. I made it and it came together quickly (a star for that) but it really tasted awful. I followed the recipe exactly but the white vinegar is astringent and overpowering. It was irritating my throat. Maybe if I tried it with waaaay less vinegar, it might be ok. But besides that, when I baked with it on a pasta bake, there was no stretch at all.