Quick post today because I’m overdue on sharing a new recipe. I’ve been teasing this almond feta for a few weeks now after posting about it on Instagram, and I finally had the chance to make the recipe again and confirm its awesomeness.
So what exactly is almond feta? It’s a vegan cheese analogue that’s great in cold applications like salads, tartines, or just straight-up snacking! I think you’ll absolutely love the garlicky, lemony, rich flavor.
I make my almond feta using a few main steps:
Soak raw almonds in hot water to loosen and remove the skins (don’t throw those skins away! Roast them in the oven for a delicious, healthy, crispy snack)
Blend the almonds into a smooth pulp along with garlic, shallot, and a few other flavorful ingredients (and plenty of salt); and strain some of the excess liquid from the blended mixture
Bake the almond feta until solid; let cool, slice into cubes, and enjoy!
So yes, it’s a tiny bit labor-intensive removing the skins from the almonds. I’ve seen recipes that call for almond flour instead in order to bypass this step, but frugality won for me this time around. Plus, even though it takes a little while to do it, it’s very fun and easy popping off the almond skins. My recipe is different from other almond feta recipes mainly because it calls for nondairy yogurt. As I learned with my cashew cream cheese, nondairy yogurt is essential for me to feel like a vegan cheese analogue has an authentic flavor that resembles dairy versions.
Give this almond feta a try and let me know how you like it! And tweak the recipe to your own taste, too. Change the seasoning or acidity; bake it longer for a drier almond feta that will crumble beautifully; or bake it shorter for a very creamy result. Make it your own 🙂
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5 from 4 votes
Baked Almond Feta
Creamy, tangy, salty, savory baked almond feta, made by blending almonds with seasonings and baking until firm and crisp. Vegan, dairy-free recipe.
Put the raw almonds in a bowl and cover them with very hot water. Let them sit for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, and ready an oven-safe ceramic or glass dish and parchment paper (I used a 5-inch glass dish).
Drain the almonds and remove the skins. The skins should pop right off of most of the almonds if you do the entire 2 hours of soaking. Be sure to save them as you can roast them for a crispy snack or add them to smoothies, etc.
Add the almonds to a blender along with the shallots, garlic, yogurt, lemon juice, and salt. Add only as much filtered water as needed to blend (I had to use around 1/2 cup). Blend, stopping to stir and scrape the sides as needed, until a thick, smooth paste is formed.
Pour the mixture into cheesecloth and GENTLY squeeze out the excess liquid. You don't want to remove all of it (which you would do if you were making almond milk) - just enough so that the pulp clumps together but is still moist. Alternately, you can let it drain (without squeezing) out of the cheesecloth overnight in the refrigerator.
Transfer the pulp into the parchment paper-lined baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes, then use a toothpick or sharp knife to poke some holes in the surface to allow the heat to better penetrate the middle.
Return to the oven and bake for approximately 20 more minutes, or until the top of the almond feta is browning and slightly cracking.
Let the almond feta cool before slicing. Use it in salads, sandwiches, and more! Once cooled, store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes
For a better texture, you can also add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, but I happen to really love the oil-free version and I know that many of you avoid oil, so I am presenting that version of the recipe.
Vegan feta tastes and looks like the real deal—salty, savory, creamy, and crumbly. But vegan cheeses are even yummier than dairy because no animal is harmed in their creation—compassion always tastes better! Feta is traditionally made of sheep's milk.
Most vegan feta recipes are made using tofu, which has always left me disappointed. I made this recipe using a cashew cream base seasoned with olive brine, vinegar, lemon juice, and savory seasonings. The key ingredient, agar agar powder, is the secret to this tangy feta holding its shape and texture.
It's always nice and light, but it without any feta, it lacks the same salty, briny, tangy bite that a classic Greek salad has. But, this vegan feta has the same savory tanginess of traditional feta (and lots of herby Greek flavor) but without any of the dairy!
Vegan cheeses are typically lower in fat, protein and calcium than regular cheese and are likely gluten-free. Because vegan cheese is a processed food, it tends to be higher in sodium, so check your labels.
Some of the more processed types of vegan cheese contain large amounts of refined oils, preservatives, color additives and sodium while being mostly void of substantial nutritional value. In general, foods like this should be consumed minimally, if at all.
The answer here is a pretty straightforward no. As feta cheese is made from the milk of sheep and sometimes goats it isn't suitable for anyone on a fully plant-based diet. Vegans will not only abstain from eating meat, but also all animal products or other foods that are made with the use of byproducts too.
Miyoko's Creamery: This brand offers a wide range of vegan cheeses that taste like real cheese, including mozzarella, cheddar, and brie. Their vegan mozzarella is great for making vegan pizza, and their cheddar can be used for mac and cheese or grilled cheese sandwiches.
Violife Just Like Feta Block is crafted using coconut oil and other plant-based ingredients, but does not contain any lactose, nuts, and preservatives. The only limit dairy-free eaters face is their culinary imaginations.
If you have high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, or diabetes, you may need to limit or even avoid eating feta cheese. Contains lactose: Feta cheese is unripened, meaning that it contains more lactose than matured cheese. As a result, you may need to avoid it if you are lactose intolerant or allergic.
When it comes to cheese, feta is a healthy choice. Not only is it packed with protein and fat – both essential nutrients for helping you to feel full and energised – it's also good for your gut. Probiotic yeasts in feta may lower the PH in your stomach, which is key for a healthy gut.
Hello-V – 100% vegan, zero compromises on flavour. Hello-V is a brand of KOLIOS S.A, a company that has been synonymous with excellent Greek cheese and yoghurt products for over 70 years.
Highly recommended. Creamy delicious goodness! This stuff is so tasty. It's a bit pricey in my opinion, but as a feta replacement I think it is the best out there that I have tried!
Like the Teese Cheddar Style, the Teese Mozzarella Style had a mild flavor and a slightly pasty texture. This vegan cheese also melted at 400F. Due to its moist, oily texture, it was more authentic to Mozzarella than the Teese Cheddar was to cheddar. I would love this on a pizza.
There's a pretty tasty “smoked cheddar” style vegan cheese, brand name Applewood, that I quite enjoy, and a camembert-style one. If I had to choose between only having vegan cheese or only having low fat cheese, I'd have the vegan cheese and wouldn't look back at the real (but 'broken') stuff ever again.
Introduction: My name is Rueben Jacobs, I am a cooperative, beautiful, kind, comfortable, glamorous, open, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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