Melty Stretchy Gooey Vegan Mozzarella

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup raw cashews (Soften first by boiling or soaking; drain and rinse before using.)
• 1 cup water (For blending.)
• 11 tsp tapioca starch (Also called tapioca flour; this ingredient is essential for the gooey, stretchy texture.)
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 0.25 tsp garlic powder

Steps

1. 1

   Soften the cashews before blending. For the fast method, place the cashews in a small pot, cover them with water, and boil for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Alternatively, place them in a bowl, cover with water, and soak for 4 hours or overnight, until tender. Drain and rinse the softened cashews before using. If you have a high-powered blender, you may be able to skip this step, but softening is important for a smooth cheese when using a less powerful blender.

2. 2

   Add the softened, drained cashews, 1 cup water, tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, salt, and garlic powder to a blender.

3. 3

   Blend until completely smooth. The mixture will be very watery at this stage.

4. 4

   Pour the blended mixture into a small saucepan and place it over medium-high heat.

5. 5

   Stir continually as the mixture heats. It will begin forming clumps; keep stirring until the clumps develop into a thicker, melty cheese sauce and the mixture has changed from watery to stretchy and gooey. This takes about 5 minutes.

6. 6

   Serve the vegan mozzarella hot, or allow it to cool and transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. It will become thicker as it cools while remaining melty.

Notes

Tapioca starch is essential; other starches or flours will not produce the same gooey, stretchy result. To return refrigerated mozzarella to a dipping consistency, reheat it over medium heat while stirring constantly so it does not burn. If it becomes too thick once hot and bubbling, stir in a splash of water at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Nutrition per serving

• sauce
• vegan
• dairy-free
• gluten-free
• oil-free
• stovetop
• dip
• 15-minute recipe