Vegan feta cheese that's perfectly salty, creamy, crumbly, and easy to make! The combination of almonds (or cashews) and tofu creates amazing texture. Plus, this vegan feta is made with healthy ingredients (no coconut oil) and just 20 minutes of hands-on prep time! Add it to your salads, pasta, pizza, and more. The recipe is oil-free and gluten-free with a nut-free option.
Recipe Feedback
I loooove it!!! It's so good!! And as a Greek, feta cheese means everything on the table. Finally we have something worth calling feta. Thank you very much!!!"
- Eva
Why You'll Love It
This vegan feta recipe is easy and quick to make. I've experimented with a lot of vegan cheese recipes over the years, mostly "quick cheeses" like this one, not the cultured or aged varieties.
Cultured nut cheeses are awesome, but the process is really more of a hobby than an everyday cooking skill. Most of us, myself included, don't have the time or space for that! But this vegan feta recipe really is simple and can be made the same day you plan to enjoy it.
Most importantly, the flavors and texture are amazing! Creating a quick vegan feta was more challenging than I anticipated, in part because we have very specific expectations from feta.
Other vegan cheeses can get away with simply being salty, creamy, and cheesy tasting. But feta needs a certain briny acidity, and we want it to crumble while also having a creamy mouthfeel. This recipes checks all the boxes!
Bonus: it's oil-free! We also love that this vegan feta is oil-free, getting its creaminess from a little bit of tofu. Instead of using coconut oil to help the cheese set when chilled, we're using agar agar to help the cheese firm up, similar to this popular vegan queso fresco.
Ingredients
You can find the amounts and full instructions in the recipe card below. Here is some information on the key ingredients:
- blanched slivered almonds (or raw cashews) - starting with slivered almonds makes this recipe a bit easier, but whole blanched almonds are also fine. If you don't have access to either, check out this post by Serious Eats to learn how to remove the skins from whole raw almonds. Feel free to use raw cashews instead.
- extra firm tofu - usually found in a refrigerated section near the produce, extra-firm tofu works well here because it adds a creaminess, plus extra protein, but without adding too much moisture. There's no need to press the tofu first, simply pat it dry.
- agar agar powder - if you're not familiar with agar, it's a fantastic ingredient to have in your vegan pantry because it can be used to help desserts and cheeses set without the need for a lot of saturated fat. It also makes delicious "jell-o" (as you probably know, gelatin isn't vegan). I use this agar powder by Living Jin.
More ways to use agar:
- Vegan Cream Cheese
- Almond Milk Yogurt
- Tofu Cheesecake
- Vegan Strawberry Pretzel Salad
- Healthy Lemon Bars
- Vegan Lemon Tart
- Vegan Key Lime Pie
- and Vegan Stuffed Crust Pizza!
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How To Make Vegan Feta
- Begin by soaking the slivered almonds in hot water for 1 hour. Then drain and pat dry.
- To the bowl of a large food processor add the almonds, tofu, lemon juice, brine, vinegar, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and oregano. Blend until mostly creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Give it a taste, and add a bit more lemon or salt, if desired.
- Process again until the consistency is fluffy, creamy, and only slightly textured (see photos). Add the agar powder, and pulse to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to a small sauce pan over medium heat.
- Whisking constantly, heat the cheese until thickened and it has reached boiling temperature (this activates the agar).
- Transfer to a ramekin or other mold. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then cover with plastic and refrigerate until cold, about 2 to 3 hours.
Ways to Use It
Take advantage of the fact that this vegan feta is both crumbly AND creamy enough to spread.
- Add it to your favorite salads, like kale salad, Mediterranean cucumber salad, and vegan pasta salad.
- It's also fantastic paired with fruit! Include it on a vegan cheese board with seasonal fruits, and try my cantaloupe salad with feta and mint.
- Spread it on avocado toast, Mediterranean wraps, and sandwiches.
- Crumble it on pizza, casseroles, and grain bowls.
- And fold it into this cheesy vegan frittata.
Vegan Feta Recipe FAQs
Not exactly, but it can be used in hot dishes. For a vegan feta that melts you can incorporate tapioca starch and refined coconut oil into the recipe, then adjust the flavors as desired.
Store homemade vegan feta in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months.
Absolutely! Raw sunflower seeds work very well as a substitute for the nuts. See the Notes section of the recipe below for full details.
Top Tip
Allow at least 2 to 3 hours for vegan feta to chill and set. Actually, the flavor develops and improves overnight, making this cheese perfect for preparing in advance for holidays and parties.
More Quick Vegan Cheese Recipes
Recipe Video
I hope you love this vegan feta recipe as much as we do. If you try it be sure to comment below and let us know what you think!
Recipe
Vegan Feta Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup blanched slivered almonds (no skins) - Or raw cashews; see Notes
- 7 ounces extra firm tofu, patted dry - About half of a standard 14 oz. package
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons brine from a jar of green olives
- 2 teaspoons white distilled or rice vinegar
- 1 to 1 ¼ teaspoons fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- scant ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons agar agar powder
Instructions
- Place almonds in a bowl, and cover with hot water. Soak for 1 hour, then drain and pat dry.
- To the bowl of a large food processor, add the almonds, tofu, lemon juice, olive brine, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and oregano. Process until creamy, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
- Taste the mixture, and add more lemon or salt, if desired. *After the cheese is heated in the next step the flavors become more muted. So you want it to taste very tangy and salty at this point. Run the processor again until the consistency is fluffy, creamy, and only slightly textured. Add the agar powder, and pulse several times to incorporate.
- Transfer the mixture to a small sauce pan. Whisking constantly, cook over medium-low heat until the cheese is steamy hot and thickened, about 3 or 4 minutes. Basically, once you see it bubbling and are certain the mixture has reached boiling temperature, continue to whisk constantly and cook for another 30 seconds or so. Transfer the cheese to a ramekin(s) or other small dish, and smooth the surface.
- Let it cool on the countertop for about 15 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, 2 to 3 hours. The flavor develops and improves overnight.
- To serve, simply scoop individual servings straight from the ramekin/mold, or run a butter knife around the edge, and turn the whole wheel of cheese onto a serving platter.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and ingredients used.
Zoë says
Can I substitute brine from Kalamata olives instead of green (allowing for colour change)?
Lori Rasmussen says
Yes, that works. It's just a slightly different flavor.
Cristin says
While this recipe looks amazing, I was looking at the nutrition facts and it does not say how much a serving is. If it does, I don’t see it. Could someone please help me to find out how much a serving is? Thank you so much.
Lori Rasmussen says
Hi Cristin, I haven't measured or weighed one serving exactly, but it's noted near the top of the recipe that there are 8 servings. So it's pretty easy to figure out once it's made. It will be a good size wedge, similar to the photos above.
Sue Kern says
This sounds great except I hate olives. Does the brine give it an olive taste or just salt/tangy?
Lori Rasmussen says
It doesn't really make it taste like olives, in my opinion. But whether or not you'll like it might depend on what it is you hate about olives? You could try a sub, like more vinegar or some caper brine.
Doina says
I've made this recipe many times and it's a hit with vegans and non vegans. The lemon and olive brine make it so yummy. Thank you for creating it.
Mary S says
This recipe looks amazing! Any idea if apple cider vinegar would work instead of white or rice?
Also, could this possibly work in a vitamix? Thank you.
Lori Rasmussen says
Hi Mary, yes, apple cider vinegar is fine. The Vitamix could be frustrating depending on the size/shape jar you have and whether you're using a tamper, just because of the volume and nature of blending something without much liquid. That's why the food processor tends to be easier here.
Charlie says
Hi recipe looks great and will definitely be trying it - just wondered if I could use corn flour (corn starch) instead of agar agar - I don't have any and don't really want to buy something I don't normally use. Thanks so much!
Lori Rasmussen says
Hi Charlie - Corn starch will help it thicken and hold together and you can definitely make it that way. But the texture will be slightly different. It may not crumble quite the same. If you do decide to buy agar, I can point you toward other recipes that use it. Hope you enjoy!
Charlie says
I did in the end get the agar agar - not wasted at all as this is such a fantastic recipe I’ve been making it again and again. The olive brine if definitely a must as it gives it that real feta tang. I eat this as it is or make spanakopita with it or add it to tomatoes or beetroot. Absolutely delicious!
MaryB says
For the calories and fat listed per serving, could you please tell me what a serving size is? Thanks so much. Can’t wait to try this!
Lori Rasmussen says
Hi Mary, there are 8 servings. I haven't weighed the finished batch, so unfortunately I can't be much more helpful than to just say a serving is 1/8.
Lynne says
I want to try this recipe. Question: I have a huge bag of almond flour left over from a recipe that only needed a bit, but I could only get a large bag. Could I use almond flour instead of the original nuts? Any suggestion of how much to use? Thanks.
Lori Rasmussen says
Hi Lynne - Yes, that should work. I haven't tried it myself but I do remember a comment from someone who used almond flour and said it worked great! Looking back I see she used 3/4 cup. Comparing the weight of the slivered almonds to almond flour, I think I would use closer to 1 cup, or 115 grams.
Sandra Dombro says
Hello Lori. Thank you very much for this recipe - I love the traditional feta flavors and texture without the need to load up on coconut oil. I do have one suggestion that would make this and other recipes more accessible for people like me who don't leave close to the usual American supply chain supermarkets. If you added weight measurements, those of us who have trouble finding the precise ingredients (no slivered almonds, but sliced available, agar agar flakes but not powder, etc) skip the otherwise necessary steps to research the equivalents. Thanks again for your easy and delicious recipes.
Lori Rasmussen says
Hi Sandra - I'm so glad you like the recipe! And good news—you can find the ingredient weights by clicking on "Metric." It's in the recipe card just above the ingredient list. Although for very light ingredients, like spices and agar, I usually stick with teaspoons and tablespoons for accuracy, since some kitchen scales won't be sensitive enough.
Mardell Gunn says
How different is green olive brine from Kalamata olive brine? I never have green olives around as not a huge fan of them but always have kalamatas. Will it change the taste significantly? If I like kalamatas it might be an ok flavor shift??!!
Lori Rasmussen says
Hi Mardell- First, let me apologize for the late reply. I was on vacation this week and apparently did a very good job of unplugging. 🙂
The flavor difference will be minimal. Since you like Kalamata olives that’s definitely a good choice. Hope you enjoy it!
Viv says
I've tried several vegan feta-style recipes, with mixed success. This one is a winner! I especially know that it's good when my highly critical omni partner takes one bite and says "feta!" in a surprised tone. The flavour and texture are very very close to dairy feta. I have also cut some into cubes and submerged them herbed oil in a jar, to replicate what we have in Australia called 'Persian feta'. OMG, it's so good I could eat my day's worth of calories in one hit... [BTW the name Persian feta was just a branding idea that happened to work, according to the maker - nothing to do with Iran, or Persians!]
Lexa Gray says
Ooooo I came here to ask about storing in on olive oil! Did you cube the feta then store it in the oil??
Do you know if it would last longer that way? I want to gift it to a vegan teenager boy who struggles because his family isn’t vegan.
Gradiela says
The best tofu feta of them all. Perfect consistency and flavor. I’m love with it, I put it on everything, I already used it for a handful of recipes. Thank you!