Easy Vegan Cheese Ball (No Cashews)

if you haven’t tried making a vegan cheese ball yet take this as your sign to! it is easy, delicious, high in protein, and so great for summer gatherings. covered in everything bagel seasoning, fresh parsley, and fresh basil for a fun flavor.

Believe it or not I have never made a cheese ball before making this recipe and I am sad I waited so long to do this. Not only are they so easy to make, they are super easy to customize, and great for when you don’t feel like cooking. A lot of vegan cheese ball recipes are made with nuts usually cashews but this recipe is totally nut free because it uses tofu! It creates a high protein vegan cheese ball that even non-vegans will love.

the cheese ball ingredients

• Super Firm Tofu: this is the base of the vegan cheese ball. Super firm tofu is the most firm tofu which helps it to really keep and hold the shape of the ball well. I tried this with extra firm tofu at first and it didn’t work, so super firm tofu is a must!
• Refined Coconut Oil: this will help to keep the vegan cheese ball firm when it is chilled.
• Miso Paste: white mellow miso paste will add umami to the vegan cheese ball.
• Nutritional Yeast: will also add umami, cheesiness, and B12. If you can’t have nutritional yeast just leave it out.
• Non-Dairy Milk: you only need a little bit to help blend everything up.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: this will help add a little tang to the vegan cheese.
• Salt: to add saltiness.
• Garlic Powder: to add in flavor.

cheese ball history

In case you don’t know what a cheese ball is, it was a very popular American hors d’oeuvre in the 40s. It was used for parties and it was typically made by mixing cream cheese, with a harder shredded cheese, and then rolled in nuts or seeds. While the dish fell out of popularity for a bit it made a resurgence. They are so fun for parties. For this vegan version I opted not to put in any type of shredded vegan cheese. but you definitely can if you want!

the outside

There are a million ways you can make a vegan cheese ball. However, I felt like for some reason I really wanted to do everything bagel seasoning. I also wanted some fresh herbs so chopped fresh parsley and chopped fresh basil were the perfect addition. I really liked this combination and so did everyone who ate this. But feel free to play around and add whatever you want.

how to make vegan cheese ball

Making this vegan cheese ball is so easy. It is also great for hot days because there is no oven or cooking required. All you need to do is add the ingredients into a blender and begin to pulse until it forms a thick texture. It won’t be completely smooth but that is okay you want it to have a little bit of texture to it. In a bowl round it out into a ball and then chill the ball for an hour in the freezer. Remove it from the bowl, form it into a ball with your hands, and then roll it in the seasonings and herbs. Place it back in the fridge for a half hour or until you are ready to eat.

more vegan cheese recipes

how to enjoy

The best part of this vegan cheese ball is you can eat it with your favorite crackers, bread, or veggies. It is great for dipping but also great for spreading as well. It looks beautiful on a plate with pretty much anything. This would also be fun to make part of a cheese board. If you want to be really fancy get some edible flowers, they always look beautiful.

vegan cheese ball faq

• Is this recipe soy free? No, it is tofu based.
• Is this recipe gluten free? Yes.
• Is this recipe nut free? Yes.
• Can I leave out the coconut oil? I didn’t try it without the coconut oil. It helps to keep the ball firm and held together but it should be okay without it.
• How long will this last? Up to 3 days in the fridge.
• Can I freeze this? No.
• How far in advance can I make this? You can make it the day before an event, just wait to roll it in the seasonings before serving.

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Looking for more delicious vegan comfort recipes? Order my cookbook Plantiful: Over 75 Vibrant Vegan Comfort Foods! Filled with all types of recipe from bites, breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, desserts and more! Available on Barnes and Noble, Amazon, IndieBound, Walmart, also available in stores.

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