Vegan Feta Cheese that actually tastes like feta cheese and crumbles like real feta cheese and is cheap, nut-free and easy to make!
💌 SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email and I'll send the link straight to your inbox.
Watch out for more tasty treats coming your way too! Unsubscribe at any time.
Vegan Feta Cheese that is creamy, crumbly if you want it to be, or spreadable if you don't. It's protein-packed, super yum, truly multi-purpose and sent from vegan cheese heaven!
I've worked on vegan cheese recipes on and off for ages and ages but am rarely happy enough with any of my efforts to share them.
I totally respect people who get all science-y and make real vegan cheese by growing cultures and all that but it's not for me. I just want it to be easy and relatively quick. Are you with me?
And what's with all of the vegan tofu feta cheese recipes that are literally just cubes of tofu marinaded in oil? You might get something that looks kind of like feta to throw in your salads, but the flavour and the texture is nothing like real feta cheese.
You know me. If it's not really like the non-vegan version, then it's not making it to the blog. I'm all about authentic tasting vegan dairy alternatives like my Vegan Butter and my Vegan Ricotta.
So I made Vegan Feta Cheese for lazy people, that is made with tofu, but actually tastes like real feta cheese and crumbles like real feta cheese and doesn't include any hard to find ingredients or cost a small fortune to make.
Heck, if you're feeling extra lazy (hands up me on at least 6 out of 7 days a week), you can skip the baking step and make it into a spreadable vegan cheese with all the flavour of feta.
In its soft state, it is amazing in my Vegan Spanakopita, or spread on crackers or even melted into pasta.
Tofu really is magic stuff. It is so transformed in this recipe that you would never know it's actually tofu and I love that. Hurrah for fantastic vegan tofu recipes!
What is feta cheese?
Feta cheese is one of Greece's most popular cheeses. It is made from either sheep or goat's milk, or a combination of the two, and it is brined, giving it that unique tangy, rich and salty flavour.
Feta is quite firm to the touch, but it crumbles when cut and has a creamy, but slightly grainy mouth feel. It is best known as the cheese used in Greek salads, spanakopita and tyropita.
What do you need to make it?
This vegan cheese recipe has pretty basic, store cupboard ingredients. There's nothing fancy. You will be needing :
- extra firm tofu
- refined coconut oil
- nutritional yeast
- lemon juice
- apple cider vinegar
- salt
- nutritional yeast
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- dried dill
The only piece of equipment you will need to make this recipe and my vegan parmesan cheese recipe, is a food processor.
Please note that I recommend using a food processor rather than a blender for this recipe. Even a high powered blender will struggle once the coconut oil comes into contact with the cold tofu and everything sets. It will more than likely just seize up and the blades won't turn. A food processor is a way better tool for the job and will save you the hassle of starting it in the blender and then having to transfer it all to your food processor.
Why do I have to use refined coconut oil?
I know I will get questions about the refined coconut oil, just like I do with my vegan butter recipe, so I am going to pre-empt them now.
For this recipe, you must use refined coconut oil. You cannot use virgin or unrefined coconut oil. If you use virgin or un-refined coconut oil your cheese will taste and smell of coconut not feta.
If you are worried about the refining process, there are plenty of brands out there that refine their coconut oil with steam only and do not use chemicals. Nutiva is one of them and is the brand I tend to use.
How to make vegan feta cheese
Vegan Feta Cheese is super simple to make but please take note of the different directions depending on whether you want smooth and creamy results, or firm and crumbly results.
Step 1 - Add all of the ingredients to a food processor.
Step 2 - Process until smooth but with a little graininess for that authentic feta texture.
Step 3 - Now comes the part where you have to make a choice.
You can eat it as it straight out of the food processor. It is so good spread on all the things!
Or, you can spoon it into a lined container, pack it in well, then refrigerate until it has set, then turn out and serve. That way it will have a slightly firmer cream cheese texture, but will get softer as it comes to room temperature.
Or, the best way ...You can spoon it into a baking parchment lined oven proof container, set then bake as directed in the recipe card below.
Step 4 - Then allow to chill completely for at least 4 to 5 hours. That will yield the perfect, authentic feta texture.
Perfect for cubing:
Or crumbling:
It might take a bit of waiting around while making, but the hands on time is really minimal and it really is so worth it!
I struggled a little with the colour of the baked feta at first. I know traditional feta isn't usually golden around the edges. I tried other methods of cooking it to reduce the colouration, but, I loved the taste of the slightly crusty golden bits so much, that I decided they should stay. I hope you love them too. If you would prefer them gone so that your feta looks perfectly white, it's really easy to shave the golden bits off with a sharp knife. Be sure to eat the shaved off bits as you go though!
Success Tips
- Be sure to use refined coconut oil.
- Blend the cheese thoroughly
- Don't skip any of the ingredients. Every single one works together to make this cheese special.
- Be sure to read my directions carefully and take note of the differences between the soft and baked versions.
- Do not forget or skip the refrigeration step before baking or after baking.
How to serve
This Vegan Feta is a really versatile cheese, especially as it can be made in two ways: soft and spreadable or firm and crumbly.
Serve your vegan feta cheese:
- In Vegan Spanakopita
- In my Vegan Baked Pears with Feta & Hot "Honey"
- With bread or crackers
- With olives
- In salads like my Strawberry Spinach Salad or my Watermelon Mint Salad
- Crumbled on soup like my Vegan Tortilla Soup
- As part of an antipasto platter
- Drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with oregano
- Crumbled or cubed in salads
- Crumbled on tacos
- On pizza ( the soft unbaked version of this cheese melts beautifully when baked)
- With pasta. (the soft version of this cheese melts into hot pasta so well and the baked, firm version is amazing crumbled or cubed into pasta dishes or pasta salads)
- With potatoes. Try it on a baked potato or melted into mashed potato
How to store
This Vegan Feta Cheese will keep, in a sealed container in the fridge for 5 to 7 days. You can cube the firmer, baked version, pop it into a jar and cover with olive oil and some herbs and keep that in the fridge for up to 7 days.
The baked version of this Vegan Feta Cheese freezes very well. Cube it up and put in a sealed container and freeze for up to 3 months. The cubes will defrost in about 30 minutes so you don't need to wait long for them, and if you are making something like a vegan feta salad for your packed lunch, you can throw in the feta cubes while they are still frozen. Freezing makes the cheese a little drier and crumblier but it still holds together well and tastes great.
So if you're looking for a convenient, cheap, no fuss vegan substitute for feta cheese, that as an added bonus just happens to be loaded up with vegan protein, low carb and completely nut-free, you know what? I got you. This is your vegan feta recipe.
When you're craving a crumbly vegan cheese that's tangy, salty, cheesy (or tangy, salty and spreadable), knocks dairy out of the park and tastes like dreams have come true, the search stops right here with this feta recipe!
And please, do not miss my recommendation for melting the soft version of this feta into freshly cooked and drained pasta. Dollop it in, stir it up and it will coat the pasta beautifully. Add some freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of chili flakes and you've got a super special dinner in no time at all! And you really must try it on pizza too!
Recipe
Vegan Feta Cheese
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- 350 g / 12 oz extra firm tofu , no need to press
- ½ cup / 120 ml melted refined coconut oil (measured after melting) , it MUST be refined and not unrefined or virgin
- 45 ml / 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 30 ml / 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill (leaves not seeds) , please note the finished feta does not taste of dill at all - Strangely, it helps the feta flavour so please don't omit it.
- 1½ - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt , or to taste (not table salt)
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor (this recipe does not work well in a blender, even a high powered one), starting off with only half of the salt. Blend it all up until smooth then taste and add more salt as needed. Blend to incorporate it after each addition. Remember that this is feta so it should have quite a salty edge. I like to use a full 2 teaspoons in mine.
For softer meltable vegan feta
- Serve straight from the blender, or pack into a container and refrigerate for a few hours for a firmer, spreadable cheese. If you want to be able to turn it out for use on a cheese board, line the container with cling-wrap so that you can easily remove it once it's set.
For firm, cube-able vegan feta
- Line an oven proof pan/dish with baking parchment. A square or rectangular shaped pan/dish is best if you want to be able to cut perfect cubes once it's ready. A loaf pan will work well. It doesn't matter if the cheese doesn't fill the container. You just need the cheese to be between 1 and 2 inches deep once it's in there.
- Spoon the cheese from the food processor into the oven proof dish and push it down well and evenly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight is fine). This step is important. If you don't refrigerate before baking, the coconut oil can separate a little on the bottom while cooking.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200 °C) and once at temperature, remove the cheese from the fridge and bake uncovered for 35 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. It will be puffy, a bit soft and bubbly but will set again as it cools. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) before cubing or crumbling.
NOTES
I do not recommend freezing the soft, spreadable feta cheese. Vegan Feta Cheese will keep, in a sealed container in the fridge for 5 to 7 days. The firmer, baked version, can be cubed and covered with olive oil and some herbs and kept in the fridge for up to 7 days. TIP - When I make this recipe, I like to divide my cheese mixture in half and make one of each kind of cheese. Soft and spreadable and firm and crumbly. I use 2 mini loaf pans and split the cheese mixture between them, then follow the directions above for preparing each one.
💌 SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email and I'll send the link straight to your inbox.
Watch out for more tasty treats coming your way too! Unsubscribe at any time.
Nancy says
This vegan feta knocked it outta the park!! It was / is so delicious! It will be in my greek salads on my “cheese” boards ...thank you so much I love it!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you. I'm really pleased you're enjoying it Nancy!
Jenni Purves says
My batch is almost amazing. It's the coconut oil. It's over powering the taste. Do you think I used unrefined coconut oil by mistake?
A Virtual Vegan says
If you can taste coconut then you did use unrefined coconut oil. Refined coconut oil has no coconut smell or taste. It will say on the jar/container if its refined/deodorized or virgin/unrefined. You must use refined/deoderized for this recipe or as you've found it's really not at its best.
tahwa says
can I use soft tofu , its what I have on hand , could I then reduce one of the liquids or let is set for longer ?
A Virtual Vegan says
It works best with extra firm tofu. Soft tofu doesn't give the right texture.
Hanneke says
Amazing!!! Thank you so much for this
Rebecca says
Hello :) crazy question here, but I have a friend with a coconut allergy. Could this recipe be made with a sub for the oil? I’m sure it’sa long shoot, but the Trevor is sooo amazing, I figured it was worth a shot ?
Rebecca says
Oooood, forget Trevor. I meant to type recipe ?
A Virtual Vegan says
I wondered who Trevor was. Ha ha! The recipe needs coconut oil in it because that's what sets it and enables the cheese to melt. It also dilutes the tofu taste. I did try to make a coconut oil free version but it was nowhere near as good.
Having said that, if you don't mind it being more cream cheese like, and can live with it not being quite as good and not melting, you could omit the coconut oil and use a drop of olive oil if you need to to get it to blend up properly. You will need to go a little easier on the seasonings too as there will be less of it. I'd half them then add more to taste once you've blended. Hope that helps!
Rebecca says
Thanks so much!! I´ll give it a shot :) I also forgot to rate the recipe, so I’m putting the 5 stars here! Sooo delicious ?
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you!
Anne says
Another triumph! Tastes amazing Mel, thank you! Soft and baked versions both perfect!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Anne. So pleased you're enjoying it!
LeeAnn says
Another great recipe! This is very good and I like that it can be made spreadable or baked (I tried and loved both!) Thanks again! This has become my favorite go to for vegan recipes, btw. Can't wait to try the yorkshire pudding! :-)
A Virtual Vegan says
So pleased you're enjoying the recipe LeeAnn! Thanks for stopping by to leave a rating/review. It's much appreciated!
Carissa says
This turned out amazing! It was delicious and I will definitely be making it again. I did it as you do, keeping half as a soft cheese, and half baked, the soft cheese was great on crackers.
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Carissa!
Sharon says
I don’t think it tastes like feta at all. It s sort of like salty lemon and like a dip consistency. I will be throwing it away.
Robin says
I made it without lemon and dill and it tastes soooo delicious!!!!!! Will be making it forever!
Phedra says
Forgot to rate it with my comment
Phedra says
Made this and my whole family loved it. I halved the oil and used it as a spread without baking. So yummy. Thank you! After this success I decided to make your leek and potato soup. Also a hit!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm so pleased you enjoyed this recipe and the leek and potato soup too! And thanks for adding the rating!
Myles Mudge says
I just ate an amazing Greek salad for lunch and this feta recipe was a big part of it. Delicious. I realized when I started putting in the ingredients that I did not have any dill so I substituted Thyme. I know they don't taste the same but it was the closest thing I had. Came out great, Next time I'll use Dill and see if I notice a difference but it was great with the substitution.
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Myles!
Kristin says
I wanted to try using this in a vegan spanakopita recipe. Would you recommend baking it or leaving it soft for this purpose? I am excited to try out this recipe!
A Virtual Vegan says
I actually have a Spanakopita recipe that uses it. It's one of my personal favourites. The cheese goes in unbaked. Here it is: https://avirtualvegan.com/vegan-spanakopita/
Severine says
Holy cow this is delicious!! The texture and flavour are exactly like feta!!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you! I'm glad you think so!
Jaye says
As I don’t have any coconut oil, will sunflower oil be okay (I know you warned against changing any of the ingredients — it is neutral)?
A Virtual Vegan says
No you can't use a liquid oil. It has to be refined coconut oil or it won't set. Sorry!
Jaye says
Thanks much!
Collin says
Can you use "firm" tofu rather than "extra firm tofu"?
A Virtual Vegan says
Extra firm is best but firm will be ok. The texture will be very slightly different but it will still taste the same.