I am a lover of all things cheese. Cheese is life. When cheese and life begin to clash, in my world, this is quite a problem. I am 99% dairy free, as my body does not love me eating dairy. The 1% allows for me to sometimes, eat cheese. I save my cheese eating for special occasions, like when we are at a function, event or family gathering and someone brings out the cheeseboard! I allow myself some cheese, and my body seems to be ok with this (and so i sternly tell it). But at home, when life calls for cheese, i am totally happy for this replacement.
Sincerely Yours,
A fellow Cheese Lover
Recipe Notes
coconut free
Use light olive oil instead
Vegan
Replace gelatine with an equal measure of agar-agar
Cheesy Flavour
I brought nutritional yeast to try in there because apparently it tastes cheesy, i’m more than happy to leave this out, it is not to my taste! So if you like nutritional yeast then some of that too.
Half a teaspoon onion and / or garlic powder can also make this next level, or sometimes I use garlic salt instead of regular. But i don’t always have these and it’s fine without. A pinch of smoked paprika can give a subtle smokey depth and a more yellowy colour.
Gelatin
This ‘cheese’ is set with gelatin, make sure you choose a good quality, setting gelatin (I personally use Great Lakes Beef Gelatin) cheap supermarket gelatin can sometimes have a nasty flavour. I have tons of recipes on my blog that use good quality gelatin so you will have no trouble using it up!
Storage
It stores in a sealed container in the fridge for about 5 days to a week. You can Freeze, but on defrosting it can be a little watery, so is best used for melting and adding to meals after that, rather than snacking.
If you are after a delicious, cheesy dairy free meal, then my Mac and Cheese is inspired by this recipe, I highly recommend you check it out!
You could also use this cheese sauce recipe to make your cheese instead – (a few more ingredients but the flavour is next level!) Use 2 Tablespoons gelatin to every 1.5 cups of cheese sauce. Heat the sauce, sprinkle the gelatin on and whisk through (or blitz in blender) until melted. Then set, as below in the recipe.
Dairy Free Zucchini Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 generous cup peeled diced raw zuchinni 2 small – med sized ones
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil i use refined coconut oil here because i don’t want my ‘cheese’ to have lingering notes of coconut!*
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice this makes it quite lemony but i like it this way, you could reduce slightly
- 2 tablespoons gelatine**
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Good shake of white pepper
Instructions
- Steam the zucchini until tender (about 5 mins if its diced small) drain all water off, and keep in the hot pan.
- Add the coconut oil to melt. Sprinkle the gelatine over the top and let it melt and dissolve in while stirring.
- Add the rest of the ingredients.
- blend up everything in your blender, food processor or stick blender. I have a taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.
- I set ours in a mini silicone loaf pan so it make about 2 mini blocks of ‘cheese’. But set in a lined container of choice, that your are happy to store and slice your ‘cheese’ from that shape.
- Takes a couple hours to set in the fridge. Stores in there in a sealed container for about 5 days to a week.
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