Who doesn’t miss cheese sticks?! Half of my kids had never even had one, so I knew I needed to try and create a vegan cheese stick recipe so I could share this snack joy with them!.
These dairy free, vegan mozzarella cheese sticks are super simple to whip together.
They are made with coconut milk, making them more allergen friendly for kids to pack in their school lunches, because the last thing we want to do is exclude anyone with a nut allergy from this tasty treat!!!
They are also made with a vegan/plant based gelatin called agar agar powder. You can find agar at Asian markets or online at amazon. I prefer Living Jin brand but use whatever brand you can find or like.
Agar is activated when heated and will solidify pretty quickly once it begins to cool. So the result is a quick set vegan cheese. It only takes minutes for the mixture to come together, and a few hours for your cheese to set.
I am often asked if the oil can be left out, and in this recipe it can not. Agar solidifies and tends to have a gelatinous texture on its own. The filtered coconut oil helps get you a firmer cheese with a more palatable and cheese like texture. There are recipes out there for agar cheese without coconut oil, but they include extra starches and typically xanthan gum to help thicken and set the cheese.
If you are not into cheese sticks, you can mold this cheese in some small bowls and slice it for sandwiches or shred it for pizza.
So don’t be afraid to try and make your own vegan cheese at home. Its super easy, and really affordable. You know every ingredient that is going into it and can feel good about what you or your family is eating!
Happy cheese snacking, y'all!
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups of full fat coconut milk or cream in a can (make sure it's at room temp, and shake the can very well first. You need the liquid as well as the creamy part, and since they tend to separate, a good shake will help mix it back up)
1/3 cup vegan plain yogurt
2 tablespoon of lemon juice
2 teaspoons miso paste
1 teaspoons of salt
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 melted cup triple refined coconut oil
2 tablespoons agar powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
3 tablespoons tapioca starch
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
In a food processor or high speed blender, add all of the ingredients EXCEPT the milk, and agar.
Pulse a few times to mix it all up.
Now add the milk, and agar to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture thickens to the constancy of a thin pudding.
Add the milk mixture to the ingredients in the food processor, and mix for about a minute. The mixture will quickly begin to thicken as agar begins to solidify at room temperature.
Transfer the mixture to an 8x8 pan.
Allow the cheese to harden in the refrigerator uncovered for about 2 hours.
Once the cheese is set, remove from the pan and cut into sticks. Store in an air tight container for up to week.
*You can also pour the mixture into small bowls to mold if you just want a shreddable, sliceable mozzarella that will melt!
