Pistachio Nut Cheese Recipe - Quick, Vegan and Dairy-free (2024)

Pistachio Nut Cheese Recipe - Quick, Vegan and Dairy-free (1)

This quick recipe for dairy-free Pistachio Nut Cheese is easy and foolproof. It slices, grates and will go golden brown when grilled. The only difficult part is not eating the pistachio nuts as they are!

It’s better to make this vegan cheese than just eating the pistachio nuts as they are sprouted, meaning the goodness and nutrients are more easily digested by the body.

Pistachio Nut Cheese Recipe - Quick, Vegan and Dairy-free (2)

The cheese is oil-free and contains heart healthy fats from the pistachionuts. Most vegan cheeses are dairy free but not healthy as they contain hard oils, flavourings an emulsifiers. This nut cheese recipe is made just from whole food ingredients and it tastes as good as it looks.

Also full of B vitamins and you can use a brand of nutritional yeast with B-12 to get that elusive vitamin. Suitable for vegan, dairy-free, paleo, plant-based, gluten-free. and general healthy diets.

This nut cheese will probably take other ingredients as flavours really well. Next time I may try it with dried apricots, rose essenceor dried cranberries.

I love vegan cheeses with my palm oil free oatcakes recipe. They are made from gluten-free oats and a mixture of five different seeds. However you can use whatever seeds you have in your cupboards.

Pistachio Nut Cheese Recipe - Quick, Vegan and Dairy-free (4)

This vegan cheese ended up more yellow than the bright green I was hoping for, but this isn’t really surprising as the pistachio nutsinside are mostly yellow and the nutritional yeast is yellow.

To make the pistachio cheese a bright green I would suggest adding 1/4 tsp of green powdersuch as spirulina, wheatgrass or barley grass. You won’t taste it but it will give a deepergreen colour and a nutrient boost.

Pistachio Nut Cheese Recipe - Quick, Vegan and Dairy-free (5)

I’ve found that this dairy free cheese is great to have with berries. The nutty green cheese looks and tastes great with tart raspberries.

I use pre-shelled unsalted pistachio nuts to make this. I believe this type of nuts has been lightly heated to help remove the shells, but at a lower temperature than normal shelled roasted and salted pistachios. So strictly they wouldn’t be considered raw but most people on a raw food diet would be fine with shelled nuts.

Pistachio Nut Cheese Recipe - Quick, Vegan and Dairy-free (6)

Yield: 10 servings

Pistachio Nut Cheese Recipe - Quick, Vegan and Dairy-free (7)

Vegan cheese that's made from pistachio nuts and is free of dairy. Quick and easy recipe for a plant based cheese that has no added oils. This nut cheese slices and grates.

Prep Time10 minutes

Additional Time30 minutes

Total Time40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup / 150g Pistachio Nuts, shelled
  • ½ cup / 40g Nutritional Yeast
  • 1 tbsp Maple syrup / any sweetener
  • 1 tbsp Agar agar powder
  • 2 cloves of Garlic
  • ½Lemon juiced
  • 1 tbspApple Cider Vinegar
  • 1½ cups / 350ml Water
  • 2 pinches of Salt

Instructions

  1. Soak the pistachio nuts in water with a pinch of salt for an hour or overnight.
  2. Place half the water and everything else apart from the agar agar into a blender.
  3. Blend nut mixture until smooth in a powerful blender.
  4. In a pan put in the remaining half of the water and the agar agar powder.
  5. Simmer for 5 mins stirringconstantly. Make sure no lumps of agar agar form at the bottom.
  6. Take off the heat and stir in the pistachio mixture until combined.
  7. Pour nut cheese mixture into a mould and then chill for 2 hours. Line with greaseproof paper to give a great look.
  8. Enjoy Pistachio Cheese within 3 days and keep chilled.

Notes

I use a 3" springform mould to make this but anything like a bown can be used instead. Check out my sunflower cheese recipe to see what it would look like set in a normal cereal bowl

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Nutrition Information

Yield

10

Serving Size

1

Amount Per ServingCalories 53Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 0mgSodium 48mgCarbohydrates 4gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 3g

    The pistachio nuts for this nut cheese are soaked in salted water to sprout them and make the nutrients more bioavailable. This is called activating nuts and apparently was part of several ancient cultures like the Aborigines. If you are short of time then just soak for 15 mins, but it’s best to soak for 8 hours or overnight.

    Think of this recipe as a base recipe to add different flavours to suit your tastes. Please do let me know how you get on in the comments or tagging me on social media @nestandglow on Instagram.

    If you like this recipe but are looking for a nut free vegan cheese check out my sunflower seed cheese. It’s another dairy free healthy cheese that can be sliced and grated!

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    Tags: nut cheese, Pistachio Cheese, vegan cheese

    Pistachio Nut Cheese Recipe - Quick, Vegan and Dairy-free (2024)

    FAQs

    What are the ingredients in dairy-free cheese? ›

    Vegan cheeses are 100% animal-free and made using vegetable proteins. Usually, they're made from soy; nuts, such as cashews and macadamias; and vegetable oils, such as coconut oil. You can also find cheeses that derive from agar, tapioca, peas and arrowroot.

    Can dairy-free people eat vegan cheese? ›

    Is vegan cheese lactose-free? Yes, vegan cheese is completely plant-based and does not contain the lactase enzyme, making it suitable and a great alternative for any with lactose intolerance.

    What cheese goes well with pistachios? ›

    Pistachios lend their lovely greenish-purple color and delicious flavor to cheese plates. The nut looks and tastes its best when paired with creamy, light-colored cheeses. Serve pistachios with ricotta, fresh goat cheese, feta, and triple crème cheeses.

    What cheese is OK but not milk? ›

    There are actually two reasons why cheese is safe for the lactose intolerant: The process of cheesemaking converts lactose into lactic acid. Once a cheese is cultured, the curds (milk solids) are drained of their whey milk liquid). The whey is what contains the lactose.

    What cheese is best for dairy intolerance? ›

    Most people with lactose intolerance or lactase non-persistence can also tolerate dairy products that are naturally low in lactose. Hard cheeses such as cheddar, colby, Swiss, mozzarella and Monterey Jack “are virtually lactose-free,” Cifelli explains.

    What cheese is not a dairy product? ›

    Violife cheese is the largest dairy-free cheese brand in the world, so wherever you are located, you are sure to find it at your local grocer. Violife is a creation all on its own, closely mimicking famous dairy cheeses like hard parmesan, manchego, always a cheese board favorite, and 'to die for' feta cheese crumbles.

    Are any cheeses naturally dairy-free? ›

    Other generally naturally lactose-free cheeses, or cheeses with low levels of lactose, include Mimolette, Gouda, Parmesan, and pecorino. If you're looking for a lactose-free cheese that melts well, stick with cheddar.

    Is there a non-dairy substitute for cheese? ›

    Coconut Yogurt, Soy Yoghurt or Almond Yoghurt

    All these dairy-free yogurts like soy yogurt will work as a soft cheese substitute – the texture will be runnier than most soft cheeses. For a closer match, try lining a sieve with kitchen paper and drain the yogurt for a few hours.

    What is a no-dairy diet called? ›

    A vegan diet excludes all animal products, including dairy, eggs, meat, and fish, whereas a dairy-free diet bans all milk products but not necessarily any other animal products.

    Is mayonnaise vegan? ›

    Is mayo vegan? Due to the presence of egg yolk, mayo typically isn't vegan friendly. This means that a lot of commonly-found mayo is not suitable for those on a plant-based diet. However, as more people are experimenting with plant-based diets, several brands have launched a vegan mayo to reflect the growing market.

    What pairs best with pistachio? ›

    Flavor pairings
    • Chocolate (dark, milk or white)
    • Citrus: orange, blood orange, lemon, Meyer lemon.
    • Candied orange.
    • Orange blossom water and rose water.
    • Wildflower or orange blossom honey.
    • Dried fruits: dates, apricots, raisins.
    • Spices: saffron, cardamom, clove, sea salt, pink peppercorns.

    What cheeses go with nuts? ›

    How to pair cheese with nuts
    • Soft/Fresh cheese - Mozarella, Feta, Cottage, Goat. Fresh cheese are soft and not aged at all. ...
    • Semi-hard/soft - Camembert, Brie, Edam, Emmental, Gouda. ...
    • Hard cheese - Cheddar, Parmesan, Gruyere. ...
    • Blue cheese.
    Jul 12, 2022

    What enhances pistachio Flavour? ›

    Orange flower water works as an aromatic to amplify the inherent flavors and aromas in pistachio. Roasted pistachio oil intensifies the overall flavor, and improves the texture of the paste.

    What is the healthiest cheese alternative? ›

    10 Healthy Alternatives to Cheese
    • Nutritional yeast. This savory seasoning provides a cheese-like flavor and can be sprinkled on dishes to mimic the taste of cheese. ...
    • Cottage cheese. ...
    • Greek yogurt. ...
    • Avocado. ...
    • Ricotta cheese. ...
    • Feta cheese. ...
    • Almond cheese. ...
    • Goat cheese.

    What is the healthiest non-dairy milk option? ›

    Soy Milk. Soy milk is the OG of non-dairy milk and is made by soaking soybeans (which have been hulled and ground) in water. Soybeans contain essential amino acids, high levels of protein, and iron, and soy milk has lower fat and cholesterol levels than cow's milk.

    Is Dairy Free Cheese better for you than regular cheese? ›

    At the present time, non-dairy cheese alternatives should not be considered as a nutritional replacement for dairy cheese. In our experience, the products based on cashews alone were found more commonly to have the highest protein levels and lowest sodium and saturated fat levels.

    References

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