Cottage Cheese
We honestly couldn't believe how good this turned out the first time we made it. Plant-based cottage cheese that actually tastes like the real thing, creamy and a little tangy with that slightly grainy texture that makes cottage cheese so satisfying. The cashews do all the heavy lifting here, blending up into something genuinely rich and delicious. It's brilliant as a dip, dolloped on toast, or stirred into salads for a protein boost. Make a batch tonight and we promise you'll be finding excuses to put it on everything.
Before You Start
- Soak cashews in water for at least 30 minutes
- Blender
- Large bowl
Ingredients
- 140g cashews
- 1 lemon
- 15ml apple cider vinegar
- 5g nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp flakey salt
- 70ml unsweetened plant-based milk
- 280g firm tofu - crumbled
Method
Prepare the cashews
- Add the cashews to a bowl, cover with water, cover the bowl, place in the fridge and leave for at least 30 minutes
- Drain and rinse the soaked cashews
Prepare the cottage cheese
- Add the cashews, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, salt and plant-based milk to the blender and blend until smooth and creamy (If the mixture is too thick, add more plant-based milk, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach a creamy consistency)
- Crumble the firm tofu into small curd-like pieces using your hands or a fork (The texture should resemble cottage cheese curds)
Combine the cashew cream and tofu
- In a large bowl, combine the crumbled tofu with the cashew cream and mix well until the tofu is evenly coated with the cashew mixture
- Add salt to taste and mix well
Chill
- Refrigerate the vegan cottage cheese for at least an hour to allow the flavours to meld together. This also helps to firm up the texture
Serve
- Enjoy your homemade vegan cottage cheese on toast, in salads, or as a dip!
Tips & Variations
- Soak time matters: We know 30 minutes feels like the minimum and it is, but if you can leave the cashews overnight in the fridge you'll get an even creamier result. Worth the wait.
- Adjust the texture: If you want it closer to traditional cottage cheese, don't over-blend. Pulse a few times at the end to keep a little texture in there rather than going completely smooth.
- Season generously: Don't be shy with the salt. Give it a taste before you serve and add a little more if needed, it makes a real difference to how the flavours come alive.
Why This Works
The trick here is the combination of lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. Together they give you that signature tang that makes cottage cheese taste like cottage cheese, not just blended nuts. The nutritional yeast adds a subtle savoury depth that ties it all together, and soaking the cashews properly is what gets you that smooth, creamy base to work with.