The BEST Vegan Burrata Cheese with Cashews (Dairy-Free) - My Vegan Minimalist (2024)

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Making this vegan burrata cheese is SUCH a rewarding process! Based on cashews, this plant-based cheese is packed with healthy fats & super easy to make.

The BEST Vegan Burrata Cheese with Cashews (Dairy-Free) - My Vegan Minimalist (1)

Meet my latest addiction - a vegan alternative to burrata cheese.

Jump to:
  • đź’Ś Why I Love This Recipe
  • 🥛 Ingredients
  • 🥄 Equipment
  • ⏲️ Steps
  • đź’ˇ Expert Tips
  • âť“FAQ
  • 🌱 Variations
  • 🧀 Serving
  • 📦 Storing
  • 🍴Recipe

đź’Ś Why I Love This Recipe

  • Super easy
  • Turns out perfect EACH time
  • Simplified recipe
  • Contains healthy fats
  • Super stretchy texture
  • No coconut oil needed
  • Pairs so well with cherry tomatoes & fresh basil

If this is your FIRST time making a vegan cheese recipe, I’m here to guide you every step of the way. We’ve got step-by-step photos & expert tips ready to make this recipe a success.

Plus, the measurements are available in both US cups and grams/milliliters.

🥛 Ingredients

Let’s see what goes into this yummy vegan burrata cheese.

The BEST Vegan Burrata Cheese with Cashews (Dairy-Free) - My Vegan Minimalist (2)

Ingredient Details

Cashew nuts - These form the base of our recipe. Find them in the nuts section of your local supermarket. Make sure you are using raw (untoasted & unsalted) cashews.

Almond milk - Make sure you are using vegan milk with NO sugar. Check the nutritional label and look for a 0 next to the sugars section. If you don’t have almond milk on hand, you can replace it with soy milk or oat milk. Avoid coconut milk due to its strong taste (well, unless you’re hoping for a coconutty version of burrata in which case please go ahead).

Arrowroot Powder OR tapioca Starch - You can use either of these two. Simply choose the one that’s more widely available in your part of the world. They both serve as a thickener in this recipe, helping the burrata keep its shape & texture.

Citric Acid OR lemon Juice - to add acidity to our burrata. Citric acid is my go-to choice, usually available in health stores or online on Amazon. However, if you can’t find citric acid, don’t just skip it - use lemon juice instead. This is an important element of the recipe and one that absolutely should not be left out.

Agar-Agar Powder - While arrowroot or tapioca add thickness, agar-agar helps this vegan cheese set. It’s not usually available in smaller grocery stores so I recommend buying it online or at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s & other health stores.

Aside from the main ingredients, you’ll also need some salt & ice cubes.

🥄 Equipment

You will need:

  • A high-speed blender or food processor
  • Plastic wrap (cling film)
  • An airtight container
  • A non-stick pan or pot
  • A silicone spatula (or another non-stick spatula)

⏲️ Steps

TIP - This is a quick visual overview of how to make vegan burrata cheese. If you prefer to skip this and not read my tips & FAQ, just scroll to the bottom of this page for recipe details.

The BEST Vegan Burrata Cheese with Cashews (Dairy-Free) - My Vegan Minimalist (3)
  1. Placeraw cashewsin a bowl and fill with boiling hot water until they are covered completely. Soak until soft - approx. 20 minutes.

2. Rinse the cashews with cold water and thendrain.

The BEST Vegan Burrata Cheese with Cashews (Dairy-Free) - My Vegan Minimalist (4)

3. Place cashews in a high-speedblenderorfood processor. Add all theremaining ingredients(except for the ice).

4. Blenduntilcompletelysmooth and no bits remain.

The BEST Vegan Burrata Cheese with Cashews (Dairy-Free) - My Vegan Minimalist (5)

5. Pourthe mixture into anon-stick pan. Slowlyheat upwhilestirringcontinuously with a silicone spatula.

6. In a few minutes, you will notice the mixture starting tothicken. Keep stirringon the heat for afurther 1-2 minutesuntil the mixture feels very sticky, elastic & stretchy.

The BEST Vegan Burrata Cheese with Cashews (Dairy-Free) - My Vegan Minimalist (6)

7 & 8 - Grab a large piece ofplastic wrap (cling film). Divide the mixture into two balls. Place each ball on a piece of plastic wrap and wrap it tightly

The BEST Vegan Burrata Cheese with Cashews (Dairy-Free) - My Vegan Minimalist (7)

9. Dunkeach wrapped burrata ball into theice watermixture.

10. Place the wrapped balls in anairtight container. Let cool in the fridge for20-30 minutes(or longer)before eating.

The end result will be a gorgeous fresh mozzarella-like ball that’s simply irresistible!

đź’ˇ Expert Tips

  • Prepare your plastic wrap (cling film) AHEAD. The cheese mixture sets quite fast so you don’t want to be wasting any time.
  • You can also prepare the ice bath ahead.
  • Be quick - don’t let the cheese mixture stand around in the pan for too long.
  • Serve it with a drizzle of olive oil & some sea salt flakes.
  • It’s also great drizzled with some balsamic vinegar.
  • Traditionally served at room temperature but I prefer it straight from the fridge.

âť“FAQ

The BEST Vegan Burrata Cheese with Cashews (Dairy-Free) - My Vegan Minimalist (8)

Does it have a gooey, creamy center?

When pulled apart into smaller pieces (see photo above) this burrata has a remarkably real texture resembling real cheese. However, to keep this recipe as fuss-free & simple as possible, it does NOT have a super gooey center.

Can this vegan burrata recipe be made gluten-free?

Yes! You’ll just need to use GF-suitable milk. The rest of the ingredients are naturally gluten-free.

Can you use different nuts?

I think cashews work so well so I haven’t tried using anything else yet. If I do try that, I’ll update this blog post right away.

Does this burrata melt?

It does! It melts pretty well, similar to most vegan cheeses. It won’t be quite the same as using regular cheese but it will melt a fair bit, making it great for pizzas or paninis.

Is tapioca starch the same as tapioca flour?

Yes!

🌱 Variations

Here’s how to jazz up this cashew cheese burrata a bit.

Nutritional yeast - adds a cheesy flavor. Simply add it to the mixture (before blending). Find it in health stores like Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Holland & Barrett etc.

Garlic powder - if you want to add a garlicky kick.

🧀 Serving

The BEST Vegan Burrata Cheese with Cashews (Dairy-Free) - My Vegan Minimalist (9)

You’ve made your gorgeous burrata. Now what?

If you think Caprese salad is the only use for this burrata, I’ve got good news for you.

You can use it:

  • On top of pizza along with my 5-minute green pizza sauce,
  • On fresh sourdough bread with green vegan pesto and some Italian herbs,
  • Sprinkled on salads
  • With freshly baked dinner rolls or this show-stopped garlic herb bread.

Alternatively, you can simply eat it with a knife and fork.

Burrata has a mild flavor so you could also pair it with fresh summer fruits. Peaches and berries both pair well with burrata.

The options are endless!

📦 Storing

The BEST Vegan Burrata Cheese with Cashews (Dairy-Free) - My Vegan Minimalist (10)

To store - Place the burrata in an airtight container. Keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.

The burrata will lose some of its shape over time and become a little bit softer after a few days.

If that’s not to your taste, I recommend eating it fresh & finishing it as soon as possible.

Sadly, I would NOT recommend freezing this dish. It simply doesn’t freeze well and will be completely unappetizing.

This wraps it up!

Got any questions? Just leave a comment below!

Made this vegan replacement for burrata? If so, it would mean a LOT to me if you could leave a comment & star rating below - seeing your comments always makes my day! Don’t forget to check out more of my amazing recipes (all vegan!).

🍴Recipe

The BEST Vegan Burrata Cheese with Cashews (Dairy-Free) - My Vegan Minimalist (11)

The BEST Vegan Burrata Cheese with Cashews (Dairy-Free)

Vegan burrata cheese based on cashews packed with healthy fats & super easy to make.A simplified recipe that turns out perfect each time!

5 from 25 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: Vegan

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cooling Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 burrata balls

Calories: 376kcal

Author: Tajda Ferko

Equipment

  • A high-speedblenderorfood processor

  • Plastic wrap cling film

  • An airtightcontainer

  • A non-stickpan or pot

  • A siliconespatula

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (130 g) cashews raw
  • 1 cup (250 ml) almond milk unsweetened - or other vegan milk
  • 2.5 tablespoon arrowroot or tapioca powder
  • ÂĽ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) citric acid or 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
  • 2 teaspoon agar
  • 20 ice cubes

Instructions

  • Place raw cashews in a bowl and fill with boiling hot water until they are covered completely. Soak until soft - approx. 20 minutes.

    1 cup cashews

  • Rinse the cashews with cold water and then drain.

  • Place cashews in a high-speed blender or food processor. Add all the remaining ingredients (except for the ice).

    1 cup almond milk, 2.5 tablespoon arrowroot or tapioca powder, ¼ teaspoon citric acid, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon agar

  • Blend until completely smooth and no bits remain.

  • Pour the mixture into a non-stick pan or pot. Slowly heat up while stirring continuously with a silicone spatula.

  • In a few minutes, you will notice the mixture starting to thicken.

  • Keep stirring on the heat for a further 1-2 minutes until the mixture feels very sticky, elastic & stretchy.

  • Remove from heat.

  • Add ice cubes to a medium-sized bowl and fill it with cold water (don't fill it all the way, leave some room on top).

    20 ice cubes

  • Grab a large piece of plastic wrap (cling film). Divide the burrata mixture into two balls. Place each ball on a piece of plastic wrap and wrap it tightly (see photos).

  • Dunk each wrapped burrata ball into the ice water mixture.

  • Place the wrapped balls in an airtight container. Let cool in the fridge for20-30 minutes (or longer)before eating.

Notes

Use thestep-by-step photosin the blog post above to help you visualize each step.

  • Tip 1 - Prepare your plastic wrap (cling film) AHEAD. The cheese mixture sets quite fast so you don’t want to be wasting any time.
  • Tip 2 - You can also prepare the ice bath ahead.
  • Tip 3 - Be quick - don’t let the cheese mixture stand around in the pan for too long.

TO SERVE - Drizzle witholive oil or balsamic vinegar and addsome sea salt flakes.

Traditionally served at room temperature but I prefer it straight from the fridge.

TO STORE - Place the burrata in an airtight container. Eat within 3-4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Sodium: 759mg | Potassium: 426mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 179mg | Iron: 4mg

Disclaimer: The nutritional information above is calculated automatically. The author of this post cannot guarantee 100% accuracy of this data.

Tried This Recipe? Tag Me Today!Mention @MyVeganMinimalist or tag #MyVeganMinimalist!

The BEST Vegan Burrata Cheese with Cashews (Dairy-Free) - My Vegan Minimalist (2024)

FAQs

What is a non-dairy substitute for burrata cheese? ›

For a dairy-free alternative to burrata, consider using cashew cream. This creamy, nut-based sauce can be made by blending soaked cashews with water until smooth. The result is a rich, velvety texture that can mimic the creaminess of burrata.

What is the best vegan cheese in the world? ›

North America
  1. #1 Liquid Vegan Pizza Mozzarella. Miyoko's Creamery.
  2. #2 Creamy Original Chao Slices. Field Roast.
  3. #3 Boursin dairy free Garlic and Herbs. Boursin.
  4. #4 Just Like Mozzarella Shreds. Violife.
  5. #5 Dairy-Free Parmesan Shredded. Follow Your Heart.

Is vegan cashew cheese healthy? ›

Cashew nuts are a great alternative as a base for vegan cheese. They are low in saturated fat, taste great, and are a good source of protein. High oleic expeller pressed sunflower oil can be used for added creaminess in place of coconut oil.

Is burrata dairy free? ›

While soft, fresh and processed cheeses—cottage cheese, ricotta, burrata and others—contain significantly more lactose than hard cheeses, they still have far less than that found in milk, yogurt and ice cream: 1 to 6 grams/serving versus 6 to 14 grams/serving.

What is better than burrata cheese? ›

If you're planning to melt the cheese for a cooked dish like pizza, fresh mozzarella is a better option because it's cheaper than burrata, and melted burrata loses its trademark contrasting textures.

What is the best non dairy cheese substitute? ›

  • Treeline Cream Cheese.
  • Parmela Shreds.
  • Miyoko's Mozzarella.
  • Violife cheeeeeese.
  • Follow Your Heart Slices.
  • Kite Hill Ricotta.
  • SriMu.
  • 4-Ingredient Parmesan.
Feb 21, 2024

What vegan cheese tastes like the real thing? ›

Violife Original Flavour grated

A slightly tangy taste with a hint of saltiness, this grated vegan cheddar melted quickly and quite evenly, which was good when making vegan mac and cheese.

Will vegan cheese ever taste like real cheese? ›

Keep in mind that all brands are different, so if you try one brand you don't like, don't give up on the rest. Vegan cheesemakers are coming up with new processes all the time that are making these cheeses taste even more like the traditional stuff.

What vegan cheese does Amy's use? ›

The sauce in Amy's Margherita pizza is a focal point, not an afterthought. We could almost feel a summer breeze wafting by as we enjoyed the intense summer tomato flavor of Amy's sauce. 3) Melty cheese. The vegan version of Amy's Margherita Pizza is made with Daiya cheese.

Is it OK to eat vegan cheese everyday? ›

In June 2022, the Daily Mail published an article titled: “Un-brie-lievable! Vegan cheese has 'little nutritional value' and eating too much may raise risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, expert says.”

Can I eat vegan cheese everyday? ›

Vegan cheeses are made from a variety of plant foods, including nuts, soy, seeds and root vegetables, and come in almost as many styles and flavors as dairy cheese. Like regular cheese, vegan cheese can be part of a healthy diet when used in moderation — but it's best to avoid highly processed options.

Why do vegans soak cashews? ›

Soaking softens the cashews for easier blending. They swell in size as they absorb water so it can impact the consistency of a recipe if it calls for soaked and you use unsoaked. Some also say it impacts the nutrients and digestibility of the cashews.

Can vegans eat burrata? ›

The answer to that is a reassuring yes – we love this cashew-based vegan burrata recipe from Putamayo Kitchen. It has the creamy texture of good soft cheese with a subtle nutty flavour and is lightly fermented over a few days meaning that it's full of gut-healthy bacteria.

What is the liquid inside burrata? ›

This fresh cheese resembles a Fresh Mozzarella ball, but when split open, you will be delighted to discover a rich-tasting soft filling of fresh pieces of Mozzarella soaked in heavy cream.

What is the same as burrata cheese? ›

Fresh mozzarella is the closest swap for burrata when it comes to flavor, although it lacks burrata's creamy interior texture. Look for mozzarella balls packed in water or whey for the closest match. This swap is perfect if your recipe calls for melted cheese.

What can I use in place of burrata cheese? ›

To make a substitution, you can use a ball of fresh mozzarella and add a dollop of ricotta cheese in the center to mimic the creaminess of the burrata. Alternatively, you can mix mozzarella and heavy cream to create a similar texture.

Is there a non dairy cheese product? ›

Get ready for a melt that'll make you melt! Daiya's dairy-free cheese is a game-changer, melting flawlessly for that ooey-gooey satisfaction you love. Thanks to our Daiya Oat Cream™ blend, each bite is a creamy, dreamy delight. Who knew plant-based could taste this good and melt so right?

What is non dairy cream cheese? ›

12 Wildbrine. This smooth dairy-free cream cheese is made from a blend of cashews and coconut cream. It gets a boost of gut-healthy bacteria from lactobacillus cultures, plus, it's versatile enough to use as a spread or in decadent desserts.

Is there a cheese that is non dairy? ›

Famous Dairy-Free Cheese Brands

Chao dairy-free cheese is made of coconut and fermented tofu and has a cheesy, creamy taste.

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