Vegan Goat Cheese Substitute
This vegan goat cheese recipe is made in your food processor and tastes as legit as the real thing! It’s the best substitute for soft goats cheese in all your favorite vegan recipes. Similar to our vegan feta cheese recipe, this dairy free goat’s cheese uses extra firm tofu and refined coconut oil for the smooth and creamy base that’s also somehow crumbly. It also utilizes apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and miso paste for that tangy flavor. You’re going to love this creamy vegan cheese and how easy it is to make!
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Dairy free goat cheese is very hot right now. At Natural Products Expo East last year, we were able to try 2 vegan goat cheeses from brands like Treeline and Spero which were so, so good! Tasting their delicious goat cheese substitutes got me excited to try and make my own at home!
This recipe is based on one of our other popular recipes, our vegan feta recipe. But we switched up the flavoring ingredients to make it taste more like a traditional goat cheese.
This dairy-free, tofu cheese is made with simple ingredients and requires very little time to make. The result is a creamy cheese with a crumbly texture that tastes tangy and fresh. It’s ready to be sliced and spread on crostini, flatbread, crackers, and just licked off the spoon.
Why We Love This Dairy Free Goat Cheese
- Uses tofu instead of cashews, making it a more cost-effective option than cashew nut cheese! In my opinion, tofu is also easier to work with than raw cashews because you don’t need to soak anything ahead of time. And no tofu press needed!
- Spectacular flavor and texture. Tangy but smooth and fresh flavor. Soft and creamy texture. I really think we hit on something magical here!
- Easy to make. Blend and let it set in the fridge overnight.
- A great base for veganizing recipes that call for soft goat cheese.
Ingredients in Tofu Goat Cheese
You’ll need 2 ingredients for the base of this vegan goat cheese:
- Extra firm tofu – This is regular extra firm tofu and not silken tofu. Just drain the water from the package. There’s not even any need to press it like you would when you’re making something like tofu scramble!
- Refined coconut oil – Make sure you’re using coconut oil that’s labeled “refined” and NOT one labeled “unrefined” or “virgin”. Refined coconut oil has no flavor of smell.
You’ll need 8 ingredients to create the perfect flavor:
- Lemon juice – Fresh or bottled, both work well!
- Apple cider vinegar
- White miso paste – We love the mellow white miso paste from Miso Master. It’s our favorite miso for pretty much everything!
- Extra virgin olive oil – Use something high-quality. We love Botticelli.
- Fresh garlic
- Sea salt + ground black pepper
And to thin things out, you’ll need:
- Plain unsweetened non-dairy milk – It’s important you use as neutral-flavored milk as possible for this. Dairy substitutes like Chobani Zero Sugar oat milk, Elmhurst unsweetened cashew milk, and Califia unsweetened almond milk are three of our favorites.
Substitution Options
For the block of extra-firm tofu: Firm tofu or even medium firm can be used too but may yield a softer more spread-like texture. Stay away from soft or silken tofu.
For the refined coconut oil: I wouldn’t replace this because it’s key to the final texture. Coconut oil begins to firm up at temperatures below 75F which is what makes the cheese mixture firm up enough to slice and mold. Unfortunately, because of this, there is no oil-free sub for most of our tofu recipes. Vegetable shortening might work, but it’s not something we’ve tried before.
For the lemon juice: Lemon zest or lemon pepper seasoning may be used for a lemony flavor, but you would have to play with the amounts.
For the ACV: White vinegar, rice vinegar, or white wine vinegar will all work as a good substitute in this recipe. I don’t think balsamic or thicker red vinegars would work too well, and would alter the color.
For the miso paste: You can try subbing half as much sauerkraut brine for fermented flavor. You can also skip this and increase lemon juice + acv slightly.
For the olive oil: You can skip it entirely or replace it with more refined coconut oil. The fats help with the final texture, and the flavor adds savoriness.
For the non-dairy milk: You could sub non-dairy milk with silken tofu, unsweetened dairy free heavy cream (We like the non-dairy heavy cream from Silk), or unsweetened coconut cream (We like Native Forest.)
How to Make Plant Based Goat Cheese
This tofu cheese recipe is so easy to make. You can go the extra mile and turn it into one of those cute goat cheese logs for serving or leave it in its spreadable form!
Step 1 – Blend: You’ll start by adding all ingredients to your food processor and processing on a low speed for about 4-5 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides as needed. The mixture will get really smooth and shiny towards the end which is what we want! If it’s grainy, keep blending until it’s a nice creamy consistency.
Step 2 – Set: Next, transfer this mixture to a large airtight container. If you want to mold this goat cheese once it’s set (like a cheese ball, log, or wheel, you can use a silicone cheese mold or just line the container you’re using with plastic or parchment paper, so you can easily lift the cheese out after it has set. Cover and place it in the fridge for at least 3-5 hours to fully set. It will firm up to be a spreadable and sliceable texture.
Step 3 – Shaping (optional): To make this vegan goat cheese substitute look as legit as possible, you can also mold it into those classic cheese logs once it’s set. Just pop the cheese out of the silicone mold or lift it out of the plastic-lined container. Then, use gloved hands to form the mixture into 2-4 tubes. Wrap these tubes in plastic and place them back in the fridge for at least another 60-90 minutes before serving.
How to Use This Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe
When you’re ready, remove the cheese from the fridge and unwrap it or pull it out of the silicone mold as needed. Serve as a spread with a cheese knife onto crostini, crackers, bread, cucumbers, or all your favorite veggies. It’s the best way to veganize all your favorite recipes that call for soft goat cheese!
Some of our favorite ways to use it:
- Strawberry Baguette Sandwich
- Vegan Goat Cheese and Blueberry Basil Sandwich toped with fresh herbs
- On crostini with fresh tomatoes, sea salt, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar
- On a vegan pizza with caramelized onions and thinly sliced seitan ham
- As part of a vegan charcuterie board or cheese board with some fresh fruit and crackers
How to Store Leftover Dairy Free Goat Cheese
In the fridge: Store leftover dairy free goat cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5-7 days. Use quickly for best results.
In the freezer: You can freeze this creamy vegan cheese in an airtight container for up to 8 weeks. To defrost, transfer only what you’ll need to the fridge until thawed through. This takes about 3-4 hours depending on the size of the serving you’re defrosting.
More Vegan Cheese Recipes:
- Classic Vegan Cheese Ball
- The BEST Vegan Feta Cheese
- Vegan Veggie Cream Cheese
- Vegan Pub Cheese Spread
- Learn more about tofu-based cheeses in our Tofu Cheese Guide
I’ve really fallen in love with this easy tofu cheese recipe over the past few weeks, and I hope you’ll try it and feel the same! I can’t wait to hear all the delicious ways in which you find to use this.
When you try it, don’t forget to leave a star rating and review on the recipe below. It helps more people like yourself find our recipes and it’s a free and easy way for you to support our small business!
We also just love it when you tag us in photos of your beautiful vegan creations on Instagram (we’re @theplantpowercouple with the ‘the’). Until next time!
Dairy Free Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 16-oz block extra firm tofu
- 1/2 cup refined coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp mellow white miso paste
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup plain unsweetened non-dairy milk
Instructions
- BLEND: Add all ingredients to your food processor and process starting on a low speed and slowly increasing to high. Blend on high for about 4-5 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides down as needed. The mixture will get really smooth and shiny towards the end which is exactly what we want! If it’s not shiny yet, keep blending.
- SET: If you just want to use this cheese as a spread, transfer the mixture to a large airtight container. If you want a cheese that holds its shape on a platter or can be molded into a log, transfer the mixture to a silicone mold or plastic-lined airtight container. Cover and place it in the fridge for at least 3-5 hours to fully set. If you’re shaping the vegan goat cheese, I would let it set in the fridge for at least 6-8 hours.
- SHAPING (optional): To make this vegan goat cheese substitute look as legit as possible, you can also mold it into those classic goat cheese logs once it’s set. Just pop the cheese out of the silicone mold or lift it out of the plastic-lined container. Then, use your hands to form the mixture into 2-4 tubes. Wrap these tubes in plastic and place them back in the fridge for at least another 60-90 minutes before serving.
- SERVE: When you're ready and the tofu cheese has firmed up, remove it from the fridge and unwrap it or pull it out of the silicone mold as needed. Serve as a spread with a cheese knife onto crostini, crackers, bread, cucumbers, or all your favorite veggies. Use it to veganize all your favorite recipes that call for soft goat cheese!
- STORE: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days. You can also freeze leftover cheese in an airtight container for up to 8 weeks. Defrost in the fridge until thawed through. This takes about 3-4 hours depending on the size of the serving you’re defrosting.
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