Easy Vegan Cheese Ball

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This super easy vegan cheese ball is the perfect appetizer. It's the quickest vegan cheeseball recipe I have ever made and perfect for your next friend and family gathering.

I feel like dairy-free cheese ball recipes can get a bit of a bad rap.

I mean let's be honest there are some pretty terrible vegan cheeses out there that don't even come close to tasting like real cheese.

However, things have been changing for the past few years and you can get some really great vegan cheese alternatives.

This vegan cheese ball tastes like a sharp cheddar cheese to me.

The first time I made this recipe and brought it to a family Christmas eve dinner as an appetizer everyone went crazy for this great recipe.

This was the first vegan cheese ball my non-vegan extended family have ever tried and they were hooked and thought this was a must holiday recipe.

I can't say this is a recipe that I came up with on my own, but I have tweaked it slightly over the years to how we like it.

Last year I made mini vegan cheese balls and handed them out as a little appetizer for some close family and friends and everyone loved them!

They are way better than what you can get at the grocery stores.

This vegan recipe is great for the holiday season, game day, potluck, as a gift, or just because it tastes SO good.

I've even used this recipe to make vegan grilled cheese sandwiches and they are tasty!

Both of my children, even the picky one loves this recipe.

As long as he doesn't see the nuts on the outside, because you know if it looks weird then it's a no-go in the world of an 8-year-old. I know I'm not alone in this.

We haven't even gone over the fact that this is gluten-free! heck yes, for those that need it, we've got you covered!

Just add some gluten free crackers and you will be good to go!

Unfortunately, it's definitely not nut-free. The base of this recipe is made with cashews, almonds, and coconut oil.

A great thing I love about this recipe is that it doesn't have any funky ingredients like not many people have agar-agar on hand (don't worry it's not in this)

The only out-of-ordinary ingredient it has is the miso paste which I've always been able to find at the grocery store.

The miso paste lasts a long time and you'd be surprised how often it's in recipes.

Recipe Q&A

Should I use refined or unrefined virgin coconut oil?

I would personally only use the refined coconut oil and here's why.

I do not want my cheesy flavor to be a cheesy coconut flavor.

How do I store this delicious vegan cheese ball?

I like to store it in an air-tight container in the fridge until ready to serve.

This can get soft if it's at room temperature for a long time due to the coconut oil, but overall it does pretty well and does keep its shape.

What should I use on the outside to make this a gorgeous vegan cheese ball?

Honestly, I think it's gorgeous just having the chopped pecans on it.

However, you can add all sorts of things, cranberries, chopped almonds, sunflower seeds, fresh herbs, or even dried herbs.

Whatever you do the finished product will be great for a vegan cheese platter.

What if I don't have a high-speed blender?

If you don't have a high-speed blender then soak your cashew/almond mixture for 8 hours up to 24 hours and either try to do it in your regular blender or a food processor.

You want the cheese mixture to be really smooth so you get that creamy texture.

Can I leave the coconut oil out?

I wouldn't the coconut oil is what makes a firmer cheese ball that holds shape and makes the texture spot on.

I have never tried it but I think you could lessen it a bit.

What is Miso Paste?

Miso paste is fermented soybeans, you can also get a chickpea-based one if you can't have soy.

This brings an umami flavor which you really want to make the cheesy flavor.

What do I serve with this vegan cheese recipe?

You can serve it with

• crackers
• tortilla chips
• vegetables
• apple slices
• olives
• whatever you want really.

It's great on a charcuterie board.

What do you need for this flavorful vegan cheese ball recipe?

• raw cashews
• raw blanched slivered almonds
• sundried tomatoes
• refined coconut oil
• onion powder
• apple cider vinegar
• sea salt
• ground mustard powder
• smoked paprika
• garlic powder
• turmeric
• cayenne pepper
• white miso paste
• nutritional yeast
• Any nuts or fresh herbs, green onions you want for topping, I used smashed pecans. 

How do I make this easy vegan cashew cheese ball?

Take a small bowl and combine the cashews, almonds, and sundried tomatoes.

Take very hot water you can even boil water and cover the nuts to soften them for at least 20 minutes.

Drain the water from the almond- cashew mixture /sundried tomato mixture and throw it in a high-speed blender.

Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

You will likely have to stop and scrape down the sides to make sure everything is blended well.

Now take your blended cheese ball and place it in a bowl, covered with plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or the next day.

When the cheeseball mixture is solid get your toppings ready.

I like to use pecans, chop the pecans up small place them on a plate or shallow bowl and then take your cheese ball, working quickly to form into a ball shape.

Now push the ball it into the nut mixture, moving the cheeseball around to make sure it's all coated.

Place back in the fridge in an air-tight container until ready to serve. 

This will last in the fridge for about a week before going bad.

Although, in this house, it's never thought about lasting a week.

This recipe was altered from the original recipe by Vedged Out where the original recipe is.

Check out some more delicious recipes.

Want other vegan appetizers recipes?

• Easy Vegan Vegetable Ranch Pizzas
• Gardners Salsa Dip
• Vegan Ham Sliders
• Blender Vegan Artichoke Dip

Want to check out some vegan holiday desserts?

• Pumpkin Vegan Pie Bars
• Apple Crumble Vegan Pie
• Vegan Chocolate Cream pie

If you loved this recipe then give it a 5 star rating and leave a comment! I love to chat with you all. Please feel free to share on social media and tag #courtneyshomestead. I would love to see you over on Instagram or Facebook.

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