This Vegan Bocconcini recipe is deliciously creamy, has a subtle mozzarella flavor, and is easy to make! Slice these homemade mozzarella balls and serve them in a vegan Caprese salad, or enjoy them on pizza (they melt and brown beautifully), pasta, or with your favorite Italian appetizers.
I’ve been creating vegan cheese recipes for years, and I feel like I’ve really taken it to the next level with these vegan bocconcini! Not only are they so creamy and delicious when served cold with tomatoes, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic glaze in my classic Vegan Caprese Salad recipe, but they also melt and brown beautifully and taste amazing on pizza and pasta. YUM!
Making these dairy-free mozzarella balls at home is a fun process and surprisingly easy! Just blend the 8 ingredients until smooth and creamy, cook the mixture until cheesy and stretchy, then scoop and drop balls of the cheese into an icy brine bath to set the shape of the cheese. I love making a batch of these vegan mozzarella cheese balls and storing them in a jar in the fridge in the brine as they get even more flavorful as they sit in the brine!
Ingredients:
- Raw Cashews: cashews help the cheese have a rich creamy texture. Make sure you are using raw cashews (and not roasted cashews). Roasted cashews are hard, dry, and oily which won’t work in the recipe. Raw cashews are soft, creamy, and mild in flavor which makes them the perfect base for homemade vegan cheese. I like to order raw cashews in bulk online as it is usually way cheaper than in grocery stores.
- Plain Plant-Based Yogurt: use a plain unflavored vegan yogurt. These days you can get vegan yogurts made from ingredients like coconut, soy, oat, or almond. Choose your favorite option, my go-to yogurt is Silk Rich Unsweetened Almond Plain which has a creamy, tangy, neutral flavor.
- Refined Coconut Oil: Make sure you use refined coconut oil, which is odorless and tasteless so that your cheese doesn’t have a coconut taste. Adding coconut oil makes the cheese have a slightly creamier mouthfeel. For an oil-free version, simply omit the coconut oil; the recipe will still work perfectly. I do not recommend substituting the coconut oil with another type of oil, so if you cannot consume coconut, simply omit the oil. You can find this in the health food aisle or online.
- Tapioca Starch: (also called tapioca flour) is a thickener that also gives the cheese a melty stretchy texture. Other starches or flours won’t work the same here so make sure you get tapioca. You an find this in the health food aisle or online.
- Nutritional Yeast: adds a slight subtle cheesy taste. Find it in the health food section or online.
- Kappa Carrageenan: is used to set the cheese in a ball shape and make it sliceable. Without it, the cheese would stay in a melty state and would not hold its shape. You can order this online.
- Citric Acid: This is optional but adding citric acid to the brine will give it a tangy taste. If you have some on hand, I definitely recommend using it. However, if you don’t, the salty brine without citric acid will still work great. You can order citric acid online.
Common Questions:
Is Kappa Carrageenan Safe? Kappa carrageenan, a natural carbohydrate extracted from red seaweed, is used for its gelling, thickening, and stabilizing properties and is considered safe by the FDA and EFSA when used in food products. Despite recent negative media attention, concerns about its health effects often stem from studies on degraded carrageenan and from experiments that used large quantities far beyond typical dietary consumption. Regulatory agencies have concluded that food-grade carrageenan does not pose a health risk at normal consumption levels.
Can I use Agar Powder instead of Kappa Carrageenan? I prefer using kappa carrageenan as it is much easier to work with and yields better results in this vegan mozzarella cheese recipe. However, if you prefer using agar agar powder, here are the modifications you will need to make: When blending the cheese base, omit the kappa carrageenan and reduce the water from 1 cup to ½ cup. In a medium pot, mix another ½ cup water with 1 tablespoon agar powder. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens and forms a thin gel, about 1-2 minutes at a full boil. Pour in the cheese base and continually stir while it cooks. Continue the recipe as written.
Can I substitute the cashews? If you cannot have cashews, you can try substituting them with blanched almonds, macadamia nuts, or raw sunflower seeds. Make sure to boil the nuts or seeds for about 15 minutes to soften them so they blend well. I also recommend straining your cheese mixture before cooking it to remove any bits. If using sunflower seeds, be aware that your cheese might have a green tinge to it.
How to Make Vegan Bocconcini (Homemade Mozzarella Balls):
Softening the cashews (optional): Softening the cashews helps them blend properly. If you have a high-powered blender, you can skip this step. If not, this step is important to get smooth and creamy cheese. To soften the cashews, add them to a small pot, cover with water, and boil for about 10 minutes until very tender. Drain and rinse well before using.
Blend the cheese base: In a blender, combine the cashews, plant-based yogurt, water, coconut oil (if using), tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, kappa carrageenan, and salt. Keep blending until completely smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Blend for at least 1 to 2 minutes to ensure a smooth texture with no cashew bits remaining.
Cook the cheese: Pour the cheese mixture into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Use a spatula to continuously stir and scrape the sides of the pot while cooking. The mixture will go from a smooth cream, to forming lumps, to thickening and getting stretchy like melted cheese. Once it reaches the stretchy stage, continue cooking and stirring for another 1 – 2 minutes to ensure the starches are fully cooked. This process takes about 5 minutes on my stove but may take longer on yours. If you begin to see browning at any point, reduce the heat and keep stirring to prevent browning and burning.
Prepare the brine: In a medium bowl, combine the water, salt, and citric acid (if using). Stir until the salt is dissolved. Add a handful or two of ice and set aside.
Shape the cheese balls: Once the cheese mixture is cooked, use an ice cream scoop, cookie scoop, or spoon and spritz it with a bit of spray oil. You can make the balls as big or as small as you like. Scoop some of the hot cheese mixture and release it directly into the brine (ice bath). Repeat until all the cheese mixture is used.
Set the cheese balls: Allow the cheese balls to cool and set in the brine for at least 15 min. You will know the bocconcini is ready when the balls are cold, firm, and bouncy. Enjoy right away or transfer the cheese balls and brine to a sealable jar and store them in the fridge for later. The bocconcini will continue to get a bit more tangy as it sits in the brine. They will keep in the fridge for up to a week. If you want to store them longer, you can freeze them for up to three months. To thaw, transfer them to the fridge and let them defrost slowly.
Serve the bocconcini: Serve the bocconcini sliced in a vegan Caprese salad, melted on pizza, stirred into pasta, or enjoyed on a charcuterie board. It melts beautifully, making it a versatile addition to many dishes. Enjoy your homemade vegan bocconcini!
This Vegan Bocconcini Recipe:
- Creamy and delicious!
- Melts and browns beautifully
- Perfect for vegan caprese salad, pizza, or pasta
Where to us these vegan mozzarella balls:
If you try this vegan cheese recipe, let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don’t forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Bocconcini (Vegan Mozzarella Balls)
This Vegan Bocconcini recipe is deliciously creamy, has a subtle mozzarella flavor, and is easy to make! Slice these homemade mozzarella balls and serve them in a vegan Caprese salad, or enjoy them on pizza (they melt and brown beautifully), pasta, or with your favorite Italian appetizers.
Servings: depending on how big or small you make them (makes about 12 balls that are 3 tablespoons each)
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Instructions
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Softening the cashews (optional): Softening the cashews helps them blend properly. If you have a high-powered blender, you can skip this step. If not, this step is important to get smooth and creamy cheese. To soften the cashews, add them to a small pot, cover with water, and boil for about 10 minutes until very tender. Drain and rinse well before using.
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Blend the cheese base: In a blender, combine the cashews, plant-based yogurt, water, coconut oil (if using), tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, kappa carrageenan, and salt. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Blend for at least 1 to 2 minutes to ensure a smooth texture with no cashew bits remaining.Tip: If you don’t have a strong blender, pour the blended mixture through a fine mesh strainer before cooking to remove any remaining cashew bits for a smoother cheese texture.
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Prepare the brine: In a medium bowl, combine the water, salt, and citric acid (if using). Stir until the salt is dissolved. Add a handful or two of ice and set aside.
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Cook the cheese: Pour the cheese mixture into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Use a spatula to continuously stir and scrape the sides of the pot while cooking. The mixture will go from a smooth cream, to forming lumps, to thickening and getting stretchy like melted cheese. Once it reaches the stretchy stage, continue cooking and stirring for another 1 – 2 minutes to ensure the starches are fully cooked. This process takes about 5 minutes on my stove but may take longer on yours. If you begin to see browning at any point, reduce the heat and keep stirring to prevent browning and burning.
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Shape the cheese balls: Once the cheese mixture is cooked, use an ice cream scoop, cookie scoop, or spoon and spritz it with a bit of spray oil. You can make the balls as big or as small as you like. Scoop some of the hot cheese mixture and release it directly into the icy brine. Repeat until all the cheese mixture is used.
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Set the cheese balls: Allow the cheese balls to cool and set in the brine for at least 15 minutes. You will know the bocconcini is ready when the balls are cold, firm, and bouncy. Enjoy right away or transfer the cheese balls and brine to a sealable jar and store them in the fridge for later. The bocconcini will continue to get a bit more tangy as it sits in the brine. They will keep in the fridge for up to a week. If you want to store them longer, you can freeze them for up to three months. To thaw, transfer them to the fridge and let them defrost slowly.
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Serve the bocconcini: Serve the bocconcini sliced in a vegan Caprese salad, melted on pizza, stirred into pasta, or enjoyed on a charcuterie board. It melts beautifully, making it a versatile addition to many dishes. Enjoy your homemade vegan bocconcini!
Notes
Citric Acid: Adding citric acid to the brine will give it a tangy taste. If you have some on hand, I definitely recommend using it. However, if you don’t, the salty brine without citric acid will still work great. You can order citric acid online.
Kappa Carrageenan: Kappa carrageenan is a natural carbohydrate extracted from red seaweed, used for its gelling, thickening, and stabilizing properties. It’s considered safe by the FDA and EFSA when used in food products. In this vegan bocconcini recipe, it helps the cheese firm up and become sliceable. It works wonderfully to make the cheese firm and also melty when heated. You can order it online.
Using Agar as a Substitute for Kappa Carrageenan: I prefer using kappa carrageenan as it is much easier to work with and yields better results. However, if you prefer using agar agar, here are the modifications you will need to make:
When blending the cheese base, omit the kappa carrageenan and reduce the water from 1 cup to ½ cup. In a medium pot, mix another ½ cup water with 1 tablespoon agar powder. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens and forms a thin gel, about 1-2 minutes at a full boil. Pour in the cheese base and continually stir while it cooks. Continue the recipe as written.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 bocconcini ball (recipe makes 12) | Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1268mg | Potassium: 84mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg