Holiday Vegan Cheese Log
A creamy vegan cheese log coated in crunchy pecans and fresh herbs is perfect for holiday parties served with crackers and veggies. This recipe is super easy, delicious, and versatile! (gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free options)
Servings: 8
Ingredients
For the Cheese Log
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked for at least 15 minutes (preferably 1 hour)
- 2 teaspoons tapioca starch
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour or use more tapioca starch for gluten-free
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice or juice from ½ lemon
- 1 teaspoon white miso or chickpea miso for soy-free
- ½ teaspoon tomato paste
- ¼ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup water or stock
For the Coating
- ¼ cup pecans or more, to taste
- 2 to 3 sprigs green onion
- 3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- handful of fresh basil or other herbs of choice, such as parsley, cilantro, dill, oregano, etc.
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Soak the cashews, if you haven’t already. Drain the cashews and add them to a blender with all the cheese log ingredients. Blend for one minute, then let the mixture sit for five minutes. Blend again for 30 seconds, and check the texture. It should be creamy with no gritty cashew pieces. If it’s still grainy, blend again for another 30 seconds to a minute until completely smooth.
- Heat a medium to large skillet over medium heat, and add the blended cheese mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until it starts to bubble and thicken. It will get lumpy at first. Just keep stirring, and it will smooth out and thicken evenly. Once the mixture has thickened evenly, turn off the heat and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes in the skillet off of the stove.
- Scoop the cheese mixture into a bowl or shape it in the middle of the skillet into a rough log shape. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to help it firm up a little bit.
- Meanwhile, toast the pecans in a skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until they start to smell roasted. Remove from the heat and coarsely chop. Coarsely chop all the fresh herbs and green onions, as well. Mix the pecans and herbs on the cutting board, and chop them together, so they are evenly mixed. Then, add the paprika, and red pepper flakes and mix in.
- Remove the chilled vegan cheese log from the fridge. Grease your hands lightly, remove the cheese from the skillet or bowl, and shape it into a smooth log of your preferred size. Roll the log in the pecan-herb mixture until all sides are evenly coated.
- Transfer the vegan cheese log to a serving tray or board. Serve with crackers, crisps, carrots, celery, apple slices, cucumber, or other vegetables. It also pairs beautifully with nuts, spicy jams, or chutneys, if you want to use it on a vegan cheese board.
Video
Notes
Store the vegan cheese log in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Before serving, let it come to room temperature so it softens and becomes creamier.
To make this gluten-free, use extra tapioca starch instead of the flour. For soy-free, use chickpea miso in place of the white miso.
For nut-free, use tofu instead of cashews. Blend with ¼ cup of water and ½ cup of soy-based yogurt. Add 1 tablespoon of tapioca starch instead of 2 teaspoons. Tofu needs more herbs and flavoring, so adjust the seasonings while cooking. Use pumpkin seeds instead of pecans. Chill, shape, coat, and serve.
Almond flour version (no soaking or blending needed): Use the base from my almond flour cheese ball (like the jalapeño popper cheese ball), add herbs, and coat it with the pecan-herb mixture.
Flavor variations: Add cajun spice/fresh herbs/pepper flakes for different flavors
Nutrition
Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 109IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg