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This Nut Free Vegan Nacho Cheese is simple, makes wonderful slices and does not use any agar to set. Find the secret ingredient and make some today. Jump to Recipe
Another crazy creation your way! After using up my almond milk pepper jack, I was wondering about changing up the whole thickening game. Agar and starches and all 🙂 I was also making some Chickpea tofu that week and the texture and setting capability of chickpea flour was staring me in the face.
So in comes Chickpea flour to the rescue once again! Chickpea flour has great thickening and setting properties. With all the added flavors for the nacho cheese, this cheese works out perfectly. You can also use it to make other cheese flavors that have sharper or complex taste profiles that compliment the custard-y chickpea flour taste. It might not work for the simpler mozzarella or ricotta, as the stronger flavors help dumb down the chickpea flour taste.
Also, this cheese is not going to melt into a puddle. It becomes custard like at high heat and sets again quickly as it cools. You can make slices or make a block of cheese and shred it and use. There is no oil in the cheese either. You can add some for greasy-ness if you like.
The ingredient list might look long, but its mostly spices and flavors. You can try make a less ingredient cheddar with nooch, sundried tomato, garlic, miso and prepared mustard. As with any recipe, if you do not like it, do not throw it away :). Shred and add to my chickpea omelet.
These Nut Free Vegan Nacho Cheese Slices, have no nuts, no oil, no agar, no thickener, no seed, no gluten, no grain. Below sandwich grilled with the slices, recipe coming shortly.
More cheeses to try from the blog
On another note, here is a picture of how easy it is to be vegan these days.
Hubbs to me yesterday: We have a BBQ team picnic tomorrow. Me: you should take something along. Hubbs: the admin(organizer) knows that I am vegan, there will be many options. The last time I ate and went and she was very upset. Me: Rolls eyes. (also he works in a larger tech company. so that makes it even easier).
Steps:
Blend everything and add to pan. Keep cooking and stirring until the mixture becomes a thick even custard.
Transfer mixture to a greased pan. Pat down using a parchment. Cool, slice.
Slice and use.
You can make a block and let it set atleast for an hour in the fridge before shredding. It shreds!
Nut Free Vegan Nacho Cheese Slices. Gluten-free Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chickpea flour
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 tsp each of garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder
- 1/4 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 Whole pickled jalapeno, or 2 slices
- 2 Tbsp roasted red pepper , or roasted pimento pepper
- 2 Tbsp chopped tomato
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 to 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, use 1/2 tsp chipotle powder if you cannot find gf canned peppers
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 to 1.5 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vinegar, apple cider or white
- 3/4 to 1 cup water
- chopped Jalapeno and pepper flakes
Instructions
- Put everything in a blender and blend until fully combined. Use 3/4 cup water for shredd-able block, 1 cup water for slices.
- Add to thick bottom pan, and heat at medium-low heat. Keep stirring frequently.
- The mixture will start to thicken and get lumpy, then smooth out. The mixture will eventually become custard-like and evenly thick. After the mixture has become a thick even custard, Cook for another 2 -3 minutes to cook the chickpea flour. Stir continuously. You can carefully taste at this point and add salt, spice and tang if needed. * Cook a bit longer if not sure. You want to cook the chickpea flour really well, else it can taste raw (bitter and bad) in the slices later.
- Add the chopped jalapeno and pepper flakes if using and mix in.
- Transfer the hot mixture to a greased brownie pan or parchment.
- Spray oil on top. Place another parchment on top and press to a thin square. or use rolling pin.
- Chill for an hour. Slice and use or store refrigerated for upto 5 days.
- Or transfer the mixture to a greased deep small container. Chill for an hour or more before shredding.
- * You can make nacho cheese sauce with the recipe as well. Use a 1/4 cup chickpea flour with 1 cup of water or non dairy milk. Cook to thicken (about 5 to 6 minutes so chickpea flour gets cooked through, taste and adjust. Use to top nachos!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
* If you plan to add more moisture like salsa or more juicy tomatoes etc, use 3/4 cup water to ensure that the cheese sets. The cheese keeps setting as it sits, so keep it refrigerated for for a few hours for sturdier cheese.
* you can change out a few spices or ingredients here and there without affecting the cheese much. Add miso for umami. Use mild peppers etc.
* depending on your stove and pan, you can cook at medium heat, but keep an eye so that the mixture does not stick and burn at the bottom. The cooking time is about 7 to 9 minutes total.
I love this idea! I never thought you could make your own cheese at home, let alone non-dairy cheese!
I seriously love you. Thank you so much for sharing your brilliance with the world!
I made the cheese today and served it on an open faced sandwich with avacado, tomatoes, and a cilanto lime garlic spread. All on gluten free toast. It was heavenly! Thanks forthe recipe!
Its just delicious. Here in Germany is pratically impossible to find fresh Jalapeños, but I did with canned ones and the result was awesome, texture just perfect for slicing. Love your website, thank you for this recipe. My vegan co workers loved it and immediately asked for the recipe. <3
I’m a fan of the chickpea omeltte (thank you for bringing that eggy salt into my life), so I thought I would give this a whirl. Didn’t have pepper and pimento, but it turned out awesome! And now I get to thank you for introducing me to chipotle peppers in adobo sauce… they went in everything I cooked yesterday. I mean EVERYTHING! I put whacks of cheese on some burgers I made with mushrooms and leftover almond meal. Delish.
Totally creative and guilt-free cheese? Right here! Thank you!
Would this still set well if a double-batch is made? I know some recipes don’t work well when doubled.
Also, if using chipotle powder instead of peppers in sauce, how much should be used? Thank you!
Has there been an update on the questions about freezing the nacho cheese? I’m going to make slices this afternoon, but I’d like to make shreds and freeze them to use on tacos and chili.
Looks amazing. Going to try making it this weekend! Do you think a little coconut oil would work? It stays solid at room temperaure and so might help give a bit of that smooth oiled texture (not too much though); might enhance the grating ability after refrigeration too? The men in my household get all weird about oil-free everything…so adding a tiny bit of healthy fat here and there seems to keep them happy!
Thanks again for your inspiring recipes and continuous innovation. I’ve been recommending your site to all my friends and family here in New Zealand. You’re a star!
thanks for the recommendations!! coconut oil would alter the taste, vegan butter would be a better option. the butter/oil will get absorbed into the cheese though and might not really show up on the slices. brush the slices with oil 🙂
grating of this cheese is dependent on the chickpea flour, so oil or not will not matter. for a harder cheese use more chickpea flour.
the recipe will work fine without the nutritional yeast. nutritional yeast is inactive yeast. it is not active like baking yeast.
the cheese might not taste as cheesy thats all.
Thank you for such a prompt reply. I will try and let you know.
I also applaud you for your kindness to animal life– take a bow!
Hi Richa,
Would this recipe work without the yeast? We have yeast allergies in the family and therefore cannot use any type of yeast.