Adapted from This Cheese is Nuts, by Julie Piatt. A great resource for vegan cheese recipes! “White beans make a mouthwatering delicious nut-free base for any cheese. The best part is that there is no need for aging the cheese. When using beans as a cheese base, you need to add more coconut oil so that it has enough healthy fat to set up.”
Makes 2 cups. Choose mold sizes and shapes based on capacity. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
*In my video I substituted 2 tablespoons of tahini for two of the coconut oil, and added an additional tablespoon of nutritional yeast for thickening. It worked well. It is most firm with the 3 tablespoons of coconut oil, but is high in saturated fat which I like to avoid.
NOTE: 2 CUPS of drained beans, NOT 2 FULL CANS OF BEANS or cheese as it will be too soft.
Dark color whole grain, seed, or nut crackers, crumbled, to coat the cheese as a garnish.
Easy Pre-pep: Rinse the sea moss well in a colander until the sand is removed and the smell of the ocean is gone. Place it in filtered water and cover in the refrigerator overnight.
• Lightly grease sides of mold of your choice, and line the bottom with parchment paper
• Drain the sea moss, rinse, and drain again. Place in the pitcher of a Vitamix with 1/2 cup filtered water. Blend on high for 1 minute or until it is emulsified. Measure out 2 tablespoons and reserve the rest. [I freeze 2 tablespoons in small container].
• In a clean pitcher of the Vitamix, place the emulsified sea moss, the beans, garlic powder, salt, miso, lemon juice, coconut oil, tahini (if using to replace part of coconut oil], and nutritional yeast [with the added tablespoon IF using tahini], & spices if using.
• Blend on medium speed, using the plunger to evenly distribute the mixture, until well incorporated and smooth. Scrape down the sides a few times as well.
• Transfer the cheese mixture to prepared cheese mold or molds. Level the top.
• Cover with a parchment round and refrigerate overnight or longer. To serve, run a knife around the sides and turn out onto a serving platter or board. Using your hands and smooth knife shape and smooth the cheese. Crush crackers and press them into the sides and top.
• Cracker Crust White Bean Cheese is tasty on crackers, but be sure to serve it with sliced vegetables like jicama, radish slices, even carrot and celery sticks.
I have kept this cheese for two to three weeks. The flavor deepens. I have also stirred it into a dish in which I wanted to increase the depth of flavor, such as ‘sauted’ (with broth) mushrooms, or a pasta sauce. You can be creative here.
Enjoy!
