i came up with recipe back in 2017 and it has been one of my most popular ever since! this amazing melty vegan mozzarella deserves a post all of its own!
When I first went vegan in 2016 I thought I had to say goodbye to cheese forever. However, I was wrong! There were a few vegan cheese recipes I tried and really enjoyed. So many of them were cashew or potato based and then I thought to myself how can I replace those? I remember mashed cauliflower was all the craze and I thought, “Well, maybe I can use cauliflower to replace the potato and since it is white it would be great for mozzarella!” And that is how this amazing melty vegan mozzarella was born.
The Ingredients
You only need a few things to make this recipe, however, all of them are essential. One of the MOST commonly asked questions is about skipping or substituting the tapioca flour. Unfortunately, you can’t as that is what gives the melty vegan mozzarella its stretchiness.
- Cauliflower: the main base of our recipe. Adds in nutrients and don’t worry I promise you don’t taste the cauliflower.
- Tapioca Flour/Starch: this is made from tapioca. which is the starch extracted from the cassava plant. It should be easy to find in the natural foods section or health foods section of most stores. Otherwise, you can also order it online! This is what will give the proper texture.
- Non-Dairy Milk: you can really use any non-dairy milk you like. Just make sure it is unsweetened and unflavored. I prefer Ripple.
- Nutritional yeast: adds umami and cheesiness, plus lots of B vitamins!
- Salt: to make it salty 🙂
How Do I Use This?
The amazing vegan melty mozzarella can be used anywhere you want! Once it comes off the stove from cooking and activating the tapioca flour it is ready to be used. You can bake with it (pizzas, lasagna, etc). In my cookbook Plantiful I use it a lot! It is used in the Mozzarella in Carozza, the Deep Dish Pizza, Homemade Manicotti, and more! You can even use this for enchiladas or macaroni and cheese. It is a very versatile recipe.
More Cheesy Recipes
Amazing Melty Vegan Mozzarella FAQ
- Is this recipe gluten free? Yes.
- Is this recipe soy free? Yes.
- Is this recipe nut free? Yes.
- How long does it last in the fridge? Up to 3 days, the longer it sits the more the cauliflower smell will come out so it is best to use this fresh.
- Can this be frozen? Yes, just thaw before using.
- Can this be shredded? Unfortunately, no.
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Amazing Melty Vegan Mozzarella
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ head of cauliflower (10.5 ounces/300g)
- ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour
- 1 tablespoon (5g) nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt add to taste
- ½ cup (120ml) non-dairy milk unsweetened and unflavored
Instructions
- Clean and trim the cauliflower. Cut into tiny florets. *I highly suggest you use a kitchen scale if you have one to get an accurate amount of cauliflower.
- Boil the cauliflower for 30 minutes on medium high heat. Until is very soft and mushy.
- Drain the water and place in a blender along with the remaining ingredients. Blend for about 30 seconds until everything is smooth. Taste and see if you want it to be saltier.
- Pour into a medium pot and whisk over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Until it thickens and becomes gooey.
- Use immediately however you like.
Video
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Your wonderful..thank you enjoying watching all your recipes
thank you so much i truly appreciate that!
I was so excited to try this melty vegan mozzarella in a Vegan Mushroom Pasta dish and it didn’t disappoint! The recipe called for shredded non-dairy Mozz and the ones I’ve tried in the past have been awful and are unhealthy & processed. I knew it would ruin the dish so instead took the extra time to make this sauce. It looked just like Mozzarella and had that awesome stretch that makes cheese, well.. cheese! The only change I made was adding a little lemon juice for some acidity. So good! My husband is a cheese lover and it passed the taste test with flying colors! 😋
hi Jean! I am so so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you so much for trying it and so glad it worked out well for you and your husband!
This recipe looks great! Have you tried Myokos vegan mozzarella? It is made from cashews and it is healthy .. It is excellent on pizza or lasagna or grilled cheese…
This is an easy and amazing recipe! I’ve made it several times for pizza and tonight will be making a casserole.
Hi Debra!! oh yay I am so so happy to hear you enjoy it, thank you for taking the time leave a comment means so much xoxo
Hi, can I use any other gf flour?
hi Leaha, no the tapioca starch is essential for this recipe.
I absolutely love this recipe!
I am so happy to hear that Sara! thank you for making it and leaving a comment/review!! xo
Does the cheez store? Why do I have to use it right away?
Hi Glenda, please review the FAQ above the recipe. It does store but it really is best when using it fresh.
If using this for a pizza can you put it on the base then back in the oven? E.g with toppings on it?
Correct! just like you would with any other cheese 🙂
Absolutely AWESOME! And very easy to make. I did weigh everything, texture and taste are both phenomenal! Thanks SO MUCH!
Hi Mireille! I am so so glad you like it. Thank you so much for trying it and leaving a comment/review!
Wonderful recipe! A cheese recipe that is totally 0 guilt. I feel bad using cashews, one never knows how they are sourced.. so, I was excited to try this and I really liked it, It is very healthy too, This time I used it just to accompany the other half of the cauliflower, which I oven baked while making this recipe. This was a test, next time I will try using it on a pasta recipe. Yummy!
Hi Lorenza! Oh yay I am so happy to hear how much you enjoyed it. Thank you for trying the recipe and taking the time to leave a comment/review!
Easy to make. Tastes great. Used it for my zucchini lasagna.
Hi Carol, oh yay! thank you so much for trying it. I am so glad you enjoyed it! I appreciate you leaving a comment and review 🙂
Can I use frozen cauliflower florets? or will the weight be off?
Hi Sara, while I have never done it with frozen cauliflower I know others in the past have and has said it works fine!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I made it the other day when I decided to make plant based eggplant parmesan and wanted to use a cheese that was also plant-based and not commercial. The texture and flavour are outstanding. I love that it’s made with simple easy ingredients and it’s quick and easy to prepare. I will definitely be making this on repeat. I checked out your other plant based cheeze videos and look forward to making all of them. I have been plant-based, organic for 8 years and I’m excited about the new recipes I’m discovering to create delicious meals.
Hi Carolyn! Oh great. I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the vegan mozzarella. Thank you so much for trying it out and taking the time to leave a comment and review. It means a lot 🙂
Great recipe! How is that a whole head of cauliflower is only 300 grams? Mine weighed a little over 1000 grams. Is my scale way off? I did end up using the 300 grams, as suggested, and it really hits the spot! Chefs kiss! : )
Hi Steve, so glad you enjoyed it! For veggies it is hard because they all weigh different amounts! So, my head of cauliflower was just smaller than yours. That is why I do always encourage people to use the gram measurements over something like “1 potato” or “1 head of cauliflower” so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for trying and taking the time to leave a comment/review!!
To use this with pizza, would you add the cheese before or after cooking? Can’t wait to try it!!
Hi Lola! I am excited for you to try it! I like to add the prepared cooked vegan mozzarella on top of the sauce prior to baking. You can see how I use it when making homemade pizza in this recipe https://plantifullybasedblog.com/2019/06/13/homemade-vegan-pizza-and-vegan-mozzarella/
This looks great; thanks for sharing. Do you think I could roast the cauliflower instead of boiling it?
God bless,
Marcy
Hi Marcy! So, we boil the cauliflower to make it very soft and to tone down some of the flavor. If you roast it I personally think the cauliflower flavor will be too strong and the result won’t be as intended. Of course, you can always play around and experiment just know that I personally am not advising roasting it!
This looks wonderful. I especially like it that it has no nuts and no coconut oil. I have to test a quinoa crust and am going to make this to go on top. Thank you so much. I make an alfredo sauce from Oh She Glows all the time, so I was excited to see this mozzarella version!
Hi Mary, awesome I hope you enjoy! let me know how it goes 🙂
Amazing, delicious, versatile — thank you so much for this recipe! I made it for my pizza tonight, but can easily see how it would be incredible with pasta, rice, veggies, etc. It opens up so many possibilities with my vegan cooking!
Hi Mila!! Yay I am so so happy to hear how much you enjoyed it. Thank you for trying it and taking the time to leave a comment/review. Means a lot!!
How would I use this cheese to make the grilled cheese sandwich pictured?
that is actually a recipe called mozzarella in carozza from my cookbook Plantiful! but you would just spread it onto the bread
So easy and tastes great!! I’ve been struggling to find good vegan cheese and didn’t think it would be this easy to make!
Yay I am so glad you enjoyed it Mimi! thank you for trying it!! xoxo