The BEST Vegan Feta Cheese
This is the best vegan feta cheese recipe! It’s easy to make by blending tofu with refined coconut oil to create a texture that slices, crumbles, and cubes. Then, we blend in the perfect mix of vinegars and spices to pack this dairy free cheese full of that unmistakable feta flavor. Add this non dairy feta substitute to salads, serve it on a snack plate, crumble it on top of ALL the pitas and pastas and basically your entire life.
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I’m so happy to share this vegan cheese recipe today because my journey to find the best vegan feta felt like a struggle of epic proportions. But we have FINALLY cracked the code!
In my search to find the best vegan feta, I found no shortage of vegan feta recipes. However, the vast majority of them suggested marinating cubes of tofu in a feta-like brine, and friends, I just could NOT get on board with that.
I needed something crumbly and hard but not too hard, soft but not squishy, with that unmistakable tangy zip we all know and love. THIS is that dairy free feta recipe!
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Vegan Feta Inspiration
The inspiration for this vegan feta recipe comes from a method suggested by the awesome Skye Michael Conroy in his book, “The Non-Dairy Evolution”, using a base of firm tofu and refined coconut oil, blended and chilled.
And side note: This is a book I HIGHLY recommend purchasing if this whole vegan cheese-making thing is appealing to you. It’s life-changing, and I do not use that word lightly in this instance.
This method was a total game-changer for me and ultimately led to the recipe I’m sharing today.
No squishy cubes of tofu, no weird flavorless almond paste that falls apart when you try to slice it (yeah, that happened 😭). This is feta perfection.
How to Make Vegan Feta Cheese
So, how do you make this vegan feta cheese? It’s so much easier than you can imagine. Basically, if you can use a food processor, you’ve got this.
Step 1: Prepare the ingredients.
First, drain and press your tofu and melt some refined coconut oil.
This part is important: You’ll want to be sure you use a coconut oil labeled REFINED (like this) and not one labeled UNREFINED or VIRGIN.
This is a key element to nail, as you definitely don’t want a feta that tastes like coconut! You have been warned.
Step 2: Blend the vegan feta mix.
Next, you’ll blend the tofu, melted REFINED coconut oil, and several other flavorful ingredients to achieve that perfect feta flava:
- Kalamata Olive Brine – for the salty savory Mediterranean vibe
- Rice Wine Vinegar – For that aged flavor (Sub ACV or white vinegar if you’re low on pantry staples.)
- Lemon juice + zest – For that tangy zip
- Olive oil – for rich flavor AND texture (You’ll want to use the good stuff.)
- + some basic spices – like salt, garlic and onion powder to round it all out!
Blend it all up until the oil is emulsified and the texture goes from grainy to smooth and shiny.
Step 3: Chill the tofu cheese mix.
Finally, pour this mixture into a mold (anything you store leftovers in will do), and set it in the fridge to chill.
You will need to let the cheese set and firm up in the fridge for about 8 hours though, so be sure to give yourself some time.
A Note on Equipment
We used this Vitamix for this recipe. It has a deeper bowl than our other Vitamix and works great for this vegan cheese, but you can use any food processor you have!
Bonus points for a processor with a tamper because that helped us immensely with getting the mixture going. If you don’t have one, you’ll just need to stop and scrape down the sides really well and more often.
How to Use Vegan Feta Cheese
This recipe results in a beautiful block of vegan feta cheese that you can slice, cube, toss into salads and pasta dishes, top your sandwiches and pitas, and even eat right outta the fridge
That last one may be the most common way I’ve eaten this over the past few weeks if I’m being honest…just like my vegetarian days 😂. Dreams DO come true!
“The Freezer Trick”
This vegan feta freezes REALLY well. In fact, I often cube mine and store it in the freezer for salads because I find it stays a little firmer under all the dressing and veggies that way.
If you’re making this for an event where the feta will be in a salad or out of the fridge for several hours, this freezer trick is GOLD. Cube as desired, freeze it overnight, and add it to the salad or other dish right before you leave.
Done this way, the cheese will hold its shape for about 3-5 hours in a cool air-conditioned setting. If you’re outside on a hot day though, it’s more like 30 minutes – 1 hour.
In case you haven’t noticed from the alarming specificity in that paragraph, we have brought this vegan feta to a LOT of parties and family events. Vegans, vegetarians, omnivores, everyone loves this stuff!
Your friends and fam will love it too. And your life will be filled with fetaliciousness from now until eternity.
More Vegan Feta Recipes:
When you try this recipe (and I do mean when because, friend, you NEED this vegan feta cheese in your life), let us know about it!
Rate the recipe and leave a comment below or tag us in your SUPER EXCITING photos on Instagram. In case you’re not already following along, we’re @theplantpowercouple with the “the”.
Bonus points if you can capture the look on your face when you first try it. I love seeing people’s actual reactions to recipes, and I have a feeling this one is going to produce some great moments like that.
Cheers! 🍾
The BEST Vegan Feta Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 16-oz block extra firm tofu, drained and pressed well (NOT silken tofu)
- 2/3 cup refined coconut oil, melted
- 2 Tbsp kalamata olive brine (water from jar of kalamata olives, optional)
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar*
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning (optional, for a herbed feta)
Instructions
- First, make sure your tofu is completely drained. We drain it on paper towels until they're no longer soaking up water. A tofu press works too!
- Next, crumble your tofu into a food processor, add all the ingredients (except the Italian seasoning), and blend until smooth and creamy. This will take a few minutes, as you want the oil to emulsify. You may need to stop and scrape the sides of your processor a few times.Then, stir in your Italian seasoning.
- Grab your mold (We used a Pyrex-type container; anything you wrap leftovers in will do.) and line it with plastic wrap. This will help you lift your cheese from the mold when it firms. Pour the cheese mixture into the plastic-lined container and use a rubber spatula to smooth the top as best you can. Then, cover it and refrigerate for at least eight hours.
- When the time has come, use the plastic wrap to lift the cheese out of its mold, and enjoy! Slice it into cubes, throw it on salads + sandwiches or eat it right outta the fridge! Store this vegan feta cheese in an air-tight container in the fridge or freezer. The cheese will soften significantly the longer it's out (see notes**).
Notes
*If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can easily sub ACV or even white vinegar.
**FREEZING: This vegan feta freezes really well. In fact, I often cube mine and store it in the freezer for salads because I find it stays a little firmer under all the dressing and veggies that way. If you’re making this for an event where the feta will be in a salad or out of the fridge for several hours, this freezer trick is GOLD. Cube as desired, freeze it overnight, and add it to the salad or other dish right before you leave. Done this way, the cheese will hold its shape for about 3-5 hours in a cool air-conditioned setting. If you’re outside on a hot day though, it’s more like 30 minutes - 1 hour.
This recipe was adapted from the method in Skye Michael Conroy's book The Non-Dairy Evolution. If this stuff interests you, definitely check that book out. Your life will change!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8 servingsServing Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 233Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 598mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 6g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and may not always be accurate.
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