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Vegan feta cheese with almonds

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Text overlay: Vegan feta almond cheese. Mezze platter on table.

Vegan feta cheese adds creamy, tangy flavor to salads, mezze platters, and wraps. Made with blanched almonds and baked, it has the perfect dense but creamy texture. Vegan, soy-free, and gluten-free.

Almond cheese on board with cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives.

I love a good vegan feta cheese. It sets off garlicky and briny flavors just right.

I often have store-bought non-dairy feta in the refrigerator. And I’ve even been known to make quick, feta-inspired marinated cashews when the urge strikes.

But a couple months ago, I started making my own vegan feta cheese with almonds. And I haven’t stopped since. Now I always have this staple in the refrigerator or freezer, ready at a moment’s notice.

This recipe was originally inspired by one from Vegetarian Times circa 2017. I’ve changed the amounts, ingredients, cooking temperature, and methods significantly. Their version included a lot more water, a nut milk bag, and required considerably more time since it had to sit & condense for 12 hours.

My version takes very little time on task, especially if you have almonds that are already blanched and a high-speed blender.

(If you don’t have a high-speed blender, no worries. I give workarounds in the recipe box below.)

Thumb pressing on almond to remove skin.

For the best creamy texture and bright white color, blanched almonds are a must. You can find them in grocery stores, like Natural Grocers.

Or you can skin raw almonds yourself. That’s not hard to do. I recently shared instructions in this post, how to blanch almonds.

Olive brine adds tanginess

There’s a secret ingredient in my almond feta, and it’s olive brine! Feta already goes so well with olives, so this is a match made in heaven.

I use the brine from Castelvetrano olives, which are my favorite. (Then you can use the olives from the jar in this warmed Castelvetrano olives appetizer.) They have a light, bright quality that works especially well here. However, any kind of olive brine will do.

If you’re not a fan of olives, don’t worry. It doesn’t take over at all. It just adds a tangy background tone.

How to make vegan feta cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put the following in a high-speed blender:

  • Blanched almonds – store-bought or skinned by hand
  • Lemon juice
  • Olive brine
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Water
  • Garlic clove

Blend until smooth.

Softened almond cheese in Le Creuset cocotte.

Put a square piece of parchment paper into an 8-ounce mini cocotte or ramekin. (This is the same size cocotte I use for my mini vegetable pot pie.)

Smash the parchment down into the container to line it fully. Then cut off any excess from around the top.

Pour the creamy almond cheese mixture into it, and smooth the top with a knife.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

Baked almond feta in cocotte on table.

You’ll know it’s done with the top is cracked and lightly brown around the edges.

Allow it to cool slightly before removing from the cocotte or ramekin.

Baked almond feta with crackers on board.

You can serve this feta warm with crackers as-is. The exterior reminds me a little of puff pastry. However, for best results, put it into the refrigerator to cool & firm further.

When you’re ready to use it, crumble it into uneven pieces with your hands.

Crumbled almond feta in bowl by mezze platter.

Make it your own

You can make this cheese your own by varying/adding certain ingredients.

Instead of olive brine, use the juice from a sauerkraut jar

Sauerkraut juice is similarly salty and nuanced with an umami quality.

You could also try the liquid from other briny things like the juice from a jar of pepperoncini.

Vary the amounts/types of oil

For a more pronounced olive oil flavor, add an additional Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.

Or swap out one of the Tablespoons with a flavored oil, like the oil from a jar of grilled artichoke hearts or truffle oil.

I don’t recommend replacing the olive oil entirely with a flavored oil, because this cheese is mild. It’s easy for a flavored oil to completely take over if given the chance.

Add your favorite herbs and spices

After blending the cheese until smooth, stir in a pinch or two of your preferred complimentary herbs like dried oregano, dried basil, or dried rosemary. For an even brighter flavor, add some lemon zest.

What to do with almond feta

There are so many options for this vegan feta cheese.

You can eat it right out of the blender like a spread. (Although, I recommend halving the salt if you’re going to enjoy it that way. Once baked, the salt is less pronounced, especially in small bites in a salad or wrap.) It’s great with vegan caviar!

You can enjoy it warm, hot out of the oven with crackers.

Vegan feta on board with olives, tomatoes, and cucumbers.

Put refrigerated crumbled feta on a mezze platter or grazing board with olive tapenade, artichoke hearts, hummus, baba ganoush, and pita chips.

Hand dipping pita into kalamata olive hummus.

Use it as a topping on olive hummus along with a sprinkling of chives.

Hand pouring balsamic vinaigrette onto salad.

Lean into the summer vibes, and add it to a spinach salad with strawberries or tomato cucumber salad.

Close-up roasted apple salad with candied pecans and vegan feta.

Get festive with a fall salad. It’s topped with vegan feta cheese, candied pecans, and apple cider vinaigrette.

Hand holding feta cheese stuffed olive.

Use it as a filling for pitted Castelvetrano olives & enjoy them just like that.

Fried stuffed olives on plate with dipping sauce.

Or use the cheese-stuffed olives to make fried olives!

Here are a few more ideas:

  • Stir it into Mediterranean pasta with olives and roasted grape tomatoes.
  • Sprinkle it in a veggie wrap with vegan chick’n strips and tahini dressing.
  • Sprinkle it on vegan shakshuka for breakfast.
  • Put it in zucchini lasagna instead of or in addition to tofu ricotta.
  • Crumble it in Israeli couscous salad just before serving.
  • Add it to a baguette pizza with artichoke hearts, olives, and seitan pepperoni slices.
  • Put it on black bean tacos or refried beans, like a vegan cotija cheese

How long does it last?

Store this almond cheese in a covered container in the refrigerator. It will last for two weeks.

Does it freeze well?

Yes! Freezing does change the texture slightly, but it’s not enough to make an enormous difference. After freezing it’s slightly more dense.

To really make this last, I like to freeze it in crumbles. It’s easier to grab just a few pieces if it’s already crumbled.

To freeze it, put the crumbled cheese in a freezer safe container. Then when you want some, use a butter knife to break it up in the container to free it loose.

Let it thaw in the refrigerator.

Or you can use the defrost function on the microwave. But be careful! You don’t want to microwave it for long and make it hard. Simply use the defrost function, and stay close. It typically needs less than 30 seconds. You don’t want the cheese to get warm – just softened.

Mezze platter with cucumbers, tomatoes, vegan feta, and hummus.

Almond cheese on board with cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives.

Vegan feta cheese

This tangy vegan feta can be used on salads, in wraps, or on a mezze platter with olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, hummus, artichoke hearts, and pita.
5 from 7 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Greek, Vegan
Keyword: almond cheese, nut spread
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 100kcal
Author: Cadry Nelson

Ingredients

  • 1 cup blanched almonds soaked if necessary
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 Tablespoons olive brine or sauerkraut juice
  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 clove garlic

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Put all of the ingredients in a high speed blender. Blend until smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides for even blending, if necessary.
  • Line an 8-ounce mini cocotte or ramekin with parchment paper. Use scissors to cut off any excess paper from around the edges.
    Then pour in all of the almond cheese mixture from the blender. Use a spoon to smooth the top of the spread.
  • Put the cocotte or ramekin into the oven. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. You'll know it's done when the top starts to crack and brown slightly, like a perfectly done toasted marshmallow.
  • Remove from oven and allow it to cool slightly before removing the cheese from the cocotte or ramekin.
    You can serve the cheese warm. But for the most feta-like experience, put it into the refrigerator to cool in a covered container. It will continue to firm.
  • When you're ready to use it, crumble the almond cheese in your hands into rough feta shapes.

Video

Notes

For the almonds, you can either use store-bought blanched almonds, or remove the skin from raw almonds before adding them to the blender. For more information, check out this post on how to blanch almonds.
There is enough liquid in this recipe that if you have a high speed blender & shorter blender container, you don't have to soak the almonds first.
However, if you have a standard blender or if your high-speed blender container is tall, I recommend soaking the almonds in hot water for about 15 minutes before blending. Then drain and continue with the recipe as written. Or you can grind the dry blanched almonds in a clean coffee grinder until it has the texture of flour. Then add it to the blender & continue with the recipe.
(I don't recommend replacing the almonds with store-bought almond flour, however, because the amounts won't translate the same. A cup of dry almonds don't equal a cup of almond flour.)
Some people with tall Vitamix containers have opted to make a double batch instead in the blender container, since there's not a ton of liquid in this recipe and once it starts blending, it falls below the blade. If you make a double batch, I recommend evenly dividing the mixture between two 8-ounce cocottes or ramekins for baking.
For a more pronounced olive oil flavor, add an additional Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
If you're short on time, the almond cheese can be served straight out of the blender, like a spread. However, I recommend halving the amount of salt if serving it that way. Crumbled out of the oven, the 1/2 teaspoon amount of salt tastes like you'd expect feta to taste. However, when it's a creamy spread, the salt is more pronounced, so you can use less.
For the olive brine, use the liquid that's right in the jar of olives. I used Castelvetrano olives, which have a lighter, brighter flavor. However, any olive juice can be used. Or use the juice from a jar of sauerkraut for a more neutral flavor that still adds cheesiness through its umami.
The feta will keep in the refrigerator in a covered container for over a week. 
This almond cheese also freezes well. To freeze it, put the crumbled cheese in a freezer safe container. Then whenever you want some of it, you can use a butter knife to break it up in the container to free it loose.
Let it thaw in the refrigerator, or use the defrost function on the microwave. It won't need much time at all (usually less than 30 seconds). You don't want the cheese to get warm - just softened. The texture will be slightly more dense after freezing; however, it's barely noticeable.
Recipe inspired by Vegetarian Times recipe for almond feta cheese with herb oil.

Nutrition

Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 119mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Tag @cadryskitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #cadryskitchen!
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Posted On: June 22, 2020
Comment: Leave a Comment

About Cadry

Cadry Nelson is the writer, photographer, and recipe creator behind Cadry’s Kitchen, a vegan food & lifestyle blog started in 2009. Through approachable recipes, vegan travel guides, and down-to-earth discussions on the social aspects of being vegan, Cadry shows that living a vegan lifestyle is deliciously uncomplicated. Cadry has been featured on NBC News, Mashable, Today, Reader's Digest, Yahoo, Delish, Shape, and Huffington Post.

Comments

  1. Shell says

    June 23, 2020 at 10:26 am

    5 stars
    Yum! It looks so good when it is warm! I would have a hard time not gobbling it up right away.

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      June 23, 2020 at 10:38 am

      That’s understandable! I always have to snag some of the exterior when it’s warm out of the oven. It reminds me of eating the puff pastry from brie en croute before I went vegan.

      Reply
  2. simon andrew says

    June 25, 2020 at 12:32 am

    5 stars
    This recipe is full of fibers and vitamins thanks for sharing I will try it at home

    Reply
  3. Lucy says

    June 25, 2020 at 5:18 am

    5 stars
    This stuff is great! I have to admit that I got lazy and didn’t blanch my almonds and it tasted wonderful nonetheless (I always think almond skins sort of taste like mushrooms–is that crazy?). Also added some lemon zest because I can’t bear to cut open a new lemon without using the zest in something!
    Will try it with the blanched almonds next time to compare!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      June 25, 2020 at 10:23 am

      That’s great, Lucy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. It’s good to know that it tasted wonderful, even without blanching the almonds. And excellent idea adding lemon zest! I added that to the modification ideas. Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  4. Melissa says

    June 25, 2020 at 4:39 pm

    5 stars
    This is SO GOOD!! I realized halfway in that we didn’t have any olives, so I subbed dill pickle brine instead. It has a faint pickle flavor, but I don’t think you’d notice it if you didn’t know the pickle brine was in there. Regardless, I could not stop eating this while I was crumbling it. Will definitely make again.

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      July 2, 2020 at 3:02 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Melissa! Thanks for the great feedback and the insight on subbing dill pickle juice.

      Reply
  5. Mandy says

    July 7, 2020 at 9:48 pm

    5 stars
    Cadry, this feta is incredible!!!! I’ve never made my own before, and I’ve never blanched almonds…so thanks for the guidance! I couldn’t believe how easily the skins came off of the almonds – I will definitely use this method again. We doubled the recipe and I’m so glad we did! Not only was it delicious right out of the blender, but even better baked…can’t wait to try it once it’s chilled and set in the fridge. So far, Josh and I enjoyed some with crackers and crumbled some on top of our veggie bowls. Definitely making this again and adding it to our list of holiday recipes!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      July 28, 2020 at 4:16 pm

      Yay!! I’m so delighted to hear that, Mandy. Thank you for letting me know!!

      Reply
  6. Yvonne says

    October 1, 2020 at 5:41 pm

    Do you know have a weight measurement for the almonds? I found blanched slivered almonds at the store, but couldn’t find whole blanched almonds, and want to make sure I’m not using too many. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      October 1, 2020 at 6:03 pm

      Sure, I just weighed them. It’s 5.4 ounces. Let me know how it goes with the slivered almonds! I’ve never tried it that way.

      Reply
      • Yvonne says

        October 2, 2020 at 8:06 am

        5 stars
        Thanks! I made a double batch as per the tall Vitamix recommendation, and it turned out beautifully. My husband tasted the leftovers in the blender container just after I popped the cocottes in the oven, and I had to pull out one of the cocottes upon his request so he could demolish the spread on crackers. Needless to say, it was a great success, and I foresee many more batches of this feta in our future! 🙂

        Reply
        • Cadry says

          October 6, 2020 at 2:50 pm

          I’m so pleased to hear that, Yvonne! Thank you for the great feedback. I’m delighted that you and your husband enjoyed it!

          Reply

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Welcome

Hi, I'm Cadry Nelson. I'm the recipe creator, writer, and photographer behind Cadry's Kitchen.

Cadry's Kitchen is a vegan food blog featuring comfort food classics. Most recipes are ready in about 30 minutes.

Contact me at cadryskitchen@gmail.com.

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