Homemade cashew mozzarella takes just a handful of ingredients and is delicious served chilled. Cashews, tapioca starch and agar-agar give it a soft yet sliceable texture, while nutritional yeast, a little garlic and a touch of acidity add savoury flavour.
Enjoy it with fresh tomatoes, basil, olives and a drizzle of balsamic glaze, or add it to a fresh salad. The method is straightforward, but you will need to plan ahead: the cashews soak in the fridge, and the finished mozzarella sets overnight.
Allergens
Contains tree nuts (cashews). Nutritional yeast may contain additional allergens depending on the product, such as gluten in varieties containing barley malt. Check the ingredients and allergen information on your chosen product.
At a glance
🍽️ Makes: 2 small mozzarella loaves
🕒 Preparation: approx. 10–15 minutes, excluding soaking
🔥 Cooking: approx. 10–15 minutes (a guide; depends on the agar-agar)
🌿 Soaking: 12–24 hours in the fridge
❄️ Chilling: overnight
Special feature: Small screw-top jars give the mozzarella its shape.
Ingredients for 2 mozzarella loaves
- 110 g plain, unroasted cashews
- 170 ml water
- 2 tbsp brine reserved from soaking
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp tapioca starch
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- A squeeze of lemon juice
- 1½ tsp salt (for the mozzarella mixture)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp agar-agar powder
For the soaking brine
- Enough water to cover the cashews completely
- 2 g salt per 100 ml water (2% brine)
How to make it
1. Soak the cashews
Place the cashews in a clean jar with a lid. For the brine, dissolve 2 g salt in every 100 ml water. Pour over the cashews until they are completely covered. Close the jar and refrigerate for 12–24 hours.
2. Drain and rinse
Drain the cashews, reserving 2 tbsp of the soaking brine. Rinse the cashews with fresh water and let them drain.
3. Blend the mixture
Put the cashews in a high-powered blender with the 170 ml water, 2 tbsp reserved brine, olive oil, tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, 1½ tsp salt and garlic powder. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, with no visible pieces of cashew. Add the agar-agar powder and blend briefly again to combine thoroughly.
4. Heat the mixture
Transfer to a saucepan or suitable frying pan. Heat vigorously, stirring continuously to prevent the mixture from catching on the bottom. It will become much thicker and stickier and begin to pull together. Continue heating and stirring until it forms a cohesive, firm and mouldable mass.
Important: Agar-agar needs sufficient heat to set reliably. Follow the cooking time and instructions on the packet. The mixture thickening from the tapioca starch alone does not show that the agar-agar has been heated sufficiently.
5. Cool slightly and fill the jars
Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly. Have two clean, heatproof screw-top jars ready, each holding about 270 ml, with straight sides right up to the opening. Divide the mixture evenly between them while it is still mouldable.
Once the mixture has cooled sufficiently, close the jars and transfer them to the fridge promptly. When I tested this method, the mozzarella came out easily without oiling the jars first.
6. Chill and remove from the jars
Leave the mozzarella to set in the fridge overnight. The next day, open the jars and carefully remove the loaves. Straight sides make this easier and help the mozzarella keep its shape. Slice as desired and serve chilled.
Serving suggestion
Serve the cashew mozzarella with fresh tomatoes and basil, a few olives and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. It also makes a lovely addition to a mixed salad or a leisurely brunch with fresh bread and other plant-based favourites.