Vegan cooking, unlike what we may think, offers loads of possibilities to prepare interesting and delightful meals. The example we are suggesting today is a cashew nut-based cheese, a variant of regular cheese without using dairy or any other animal-based product.
After a year of experiment to create a vegan cheese made out of cashew nuts, the Italian chef Daniela Cicioni renamed it “fermentini” (i.e. fermented) because of the Italian law that prevents to call products made without dairy “cheese”. As the chef explains, plant-based alternatives are quite versatile: “You can use those plant-based cream cheeses to cook pasta or rice. The ones that are seasoned can be served with jam or mustard.” Nevertheless, let’s not forget that “Those concoctions are made out of nuts, therefore we should not use more than 30 or 40g per portion. That being said, the fact that they are fermented makes them way easier to digest.”
This plant-based option is perfect for someone who is looking for the taste and the consistency of a regular cream cheese.
Vegan Fermented Cream Cheese:
Prep time: 1 day
Portions: 8 portions
Difficulty: Average
Nutritional values: Per portion 116 kcal, 9.3g fat, 6.7g carbohydrates, 3.1g of proteins.
Ingredients:
1 heaping cup of cashews (160g)
2 Vegavero Organic probiotic capsules
1/3 – ½ cup filtered water (+ more for soaking)
¼ - ½ tsp salt
2 tbsp thinly sliced chives
1 tbsp minced red onion
Instructions:
- Soak the cashews in filtered water for at least 4 hours (or overnight).
- Drain the cashews and blend together with the water and the content of two probiotic capsules until creamy.
- Transfer the mixture to a clean glass, cover with a clean cloth/towel, secure with a rubber band and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours.
- Fold in the salt, chives and red onion. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Recipe Card to Print:
