Vegan Feta Cheese (Tofu Feta!)

This vegan feta cheese recipe is creamy, salty, and so tasty (but no dairy or special ingredients are required!). It requires just seven ingredients and less than 30 minutes to make.

If you usually dislike vegan cheese because it’s supposed to have the tang of traditional cheese and just doesn’t, then I encourage you to try making your own!

Making your dairy-free feta is surprisingly simple to do at home. And this way, you can control just how much tanginess is added!

This recipe relies on tofu, which has a very similar texture to feta. Plus, this version is packed with all the good nutrients of tofu, like protein and vitamin A!

just 7 ingredients

Thankfully, tofu has a texture similar to that of feta, so we don’t need very many ingredients to make vegan feta. Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements!

• Tofu: Use extra firm tofu here to help replicate that firm texture of feta cheese.
• Olive Oil: Feta cheese is naturally high in fat. We’ll replicate that mouthfeel by using hearty, healthy extra virgin olive oil!
• Acidity: Bring a bit of acidity with a combination of apple juice and apple cider vinegar.
• Nutritional Yeast: This powerhouse ingredient adds a cheesy flavor and loads of nutrition.
• Salt: Feta cheese is naturally very salty, so we’ll salt our tofu to mimic that.
• Garlic: I like to add fresh garlic to my vegan feta to help round out all the flavors and give it a bit of zing.

How to make Vegan feta

This is a super easy process that doesn’t require any special tools! This is an overview. Jump to the recipe card for the full printable recipe.

Step 1: Press the Tofu
Cut the tofu into slabs (roughly ¼ inches thick). Press liquid out of the tofu using either a tofu press or by wrapping the tofu in a clean towel and setting a heavy pan on top. Let the tofu press for at least 30 minutes. You will be surprised at how much liquid comes out of the tofu! You can also add heavy books on top of the pan—just not so many that they break the tofu.

Step 2: Cut the Tofu
Cut the tofu into small cubes.

Step 3: Marinade
Stir together all remaining ingredients, then fold in the tofu cubes. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours, before serving. This helps to really lock in those tasty flavors!

storage

This vegan feta cheese will last in the fridge for up to 7 days in an airtight container.

Why this Recipe Works

This recipe is just set up for success! And if I haven’t convinced you on taste alone, I’ll just reiterate why you NEED this tofu feta in your life!

• Tofu’s texture is crumbly and creamy, just like feta’s, making it the perfect vessel for replicating feta.
• Nutritional yeast is a fermented product, and cheese is an aged product. Therefore, they share many of the same flavor profiles because they are created similarly. Nutritional yeast provides the necessary “cheesy” flavor to this vegan feta.
• Versatile flavors like lemon and garlic mean you can use this vegan feta in almost any way you would typically use feta! In a salad, in a sandwich, or just to snack on.

Let’s use the feta now!

Need some ways to use this tasty vegan feta? Try it in any of these recipes!

• Israeli Couscous Salad with Beet and Feta is a super refreshing and colorful salad that is delicious with salty feta or vegan feta!
• Sesame Crusted Baked Feta is one of my favorite ways to eat feta. It is sweet and salty and just so delicious. Plus, you can make a vegan version with this tofu feta; just leave the feta whole and leave out the lemon juice.
• Roasted Eggplant with Mint Sauce and Feta is a cozy Mediterranean-inspired dish. It meshes creamy eggplant with salty feta and fresh mint!

Or, for more options, check out our comprehensive list of feta cheese substitutes (ranked best to worst).