Raw Vegan Recipe: Macadamia Nut Cheese

Date July 13, 2008

This is aka Mac Cheese for short. My friend and faithful forum member, Shari, had her recipe posted on another site several years ago. Then, one of the members posted it on the forum right here. Shari said she’d take pictures to illustrate the steps but I’ve gotten a round tuit before she did. She gave me permission to post it. The following is our joint effort.

Macadamia Nut Cheese

By Shari Viger

1 bag of raw macadamia nuts (do NOT soak these nuts, they are really nasty if you do)

Note: I asked her how much was in one bag and she said 2 cups.

enough water to cover in blender

Turn on blender and blend until very smooth and creamy. A VitaMix works wonders with this, but a regular blender works well. Just make sure there is enough liquid to keep the blades turning in the “cheese.” Don’t worry if it looks too soupy, the next step will take care of most of it. (Be careful not to have a pourable liquid.)

Remove from blender into a fine nylon mesh bag that has been placed in a colander that has been put on a plate (to catch the whey). When all the cheese is in, fold the bag over itself and put a plate on top. Place some sort of a weight on the plate and put everything in a warm spot. In winter I put mine in front of the gas fireplace or at this time of year I put it in the hot water tank closet. Somewhere warm and away from drafts.

Leave there overnight or throughout one day. At the end of that time, take a taste. I like mine a little tangy and it will become that way eventually.

When it is to your liking remove to refrigerator for a day, if you like a firmer cheese. I’ve actually had batches that are so close to cream cheese people cannot tell the difference!

Enjoy.

Now, here’s where I take over.

Equipment

Get your equipment together. I don’t have a nylon mesh bag so I use cheesecloth. I think that’s rather appropriate, anyway. The saucer is to press the cheese in the colander and the larger dessert plate holds the jars. Shari has some kind of weight a friend gave her but the jars filled with water work fine.

VitaMix

Have your VitaMix or other high speed blender available.

Ready for the Mixture

Get the colander ready by lining it with the folded cheesecloth.

Ingredients

Measure your macadamias. This may seem to be an outrageously expensive recipe but the macs here are raw organic and cost $4 a lub. Those little jars at the supermarket are the worst way to buy them. The water should be purified.

In the Blender

Place the macs in the blender container and barely cover them with water. You can add more later if you need to.

Blending the Macs

I like to start out slowly and increase the speed very gradually. It seems to work better for me that way.

Texture

Blend it thoroughly until smooth but don’t let the friction of the blades heat the mixture. Add more water if it’s too thick but be careful not to get it runny. You want a fairly thick consistency.

Ready to Wrap

You can tell by the way it “peaks” that this isn’t liquid. I still set the colander on the plate to catch any stray drips.

Waiting the Weights

Wrap the “cheese” with the cheesecloth being careful to cover all of it.

First Layer

I later reversed the saucer and put it on right side up.

Base for Jars

The dessert plate makes a good foundation for the jars.

Weighted Down

The setup looks precarious but it’s stable and in an out of the way place.

Location Location Location

I put it where the microwave used to live. That’s a handy spot and pretty much draft-free. Now, all we do is wait. And wait. And wait.

Next Day

I’d started this batch mid-afternoon so I waited until about 6 the next afternoon to check it out. It was ready to go! It had the right amount of tanginess and the consistency was like cream cheese.

Ready to Eat

I unwrapped it completely and put it on a plate for a glamour shot (about as close to food styling as I’m capable of getting).

Rinse the cheesecloth well, hang to dry and store folded in a plastic bag.

Variations

If you want a better look, click on the picture and it will open up larger in another window. The variations, top left to right are: large light purple kalamata olives, jalapeno and onion, tomato garnished with tomato “caviar”, and plain. Bottom left to right: small dark purple kalamata olives (that’s what I used that turned the mix pink), red bell pepper, and basil. The one in the center all by itself is Bubbies pickle relish.

And, NO! I didn’t eat all these stuffed tomatoes even though they are rather small Camparis! Here’s what I did:

Deconstructed

I put the tomatoes in a big salad and didn’t eat ANY of the Mac Cheese that day. That isn’t to say I haven’t since. I’ve kept this “cheese” in a container in the fridge for three weeks. I don’t know that I’d try to go longer than that but it might just get better.

Mac Sour Cream

Here’s one more variation I came up with today. Mix the cheese with enough purified water to make raw vegan sour cream. It’s delicious!

Use your imagination and let me know what you like to put with yours!

59 Responses to “Raw Vegan Recipe: Macadamia Nut Cheese”

  1. JasonNo Gravatar said:

    Wow – I tried this recipe and its fantastic! Takes a while to prepare, but im really glad I did it.

    Jason

  2. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    Thanks for letting me know, Jason! It isn’t that it’s complicated but the time is tied up in waiting for it to “ripen”. It’s worth it, though, and it will last a long time if you eat it the way you should and not how you might want to… :D

  3. bay said:

    Great photos. I’m excited to try this. Now, I have to go get some macadamias…

  4. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    Good luck! If you are a cheeselover (or an former one like me) I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

  5. berry said:

    great pics tommie!

  6. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    Thanks and thanks for stopping by, Ras!

  7. bay said:

    Well, I started my cheese this evening, finally! Tomorrow, I’ll get some yummy ‘maters from the farmer’s market to eat it with.

  8. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    I’m so envious! Enjoy those yummy maters for me!

  9. TrondNo Gravatar said:

    Wow thanks! I’m not Raw vegan, or vegan, or vegetarian for that matter – cheese gives me Migraines though. And that sucks when you’re as cheesy lovin’ as I am…

    I’ll try this at the earliest convenience. – Bookmarked -

  10. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    I was a cheese lover, too. Now I’m Vegan, Raw Vegan (as in Bond, James Bond). Hope you like this. You can flavor it any way you want.

  11. angelNo Gravatar said:

    wow!!! finally this looks awesome I will try as soon as the huge snow allows us to travel safely to get the macas!!! n I am originally from the place where maca’s are native Australia…..ohh I know some great property’s to collect them!!! excellent! will let you know how I go! peace

  12. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    Sounds like you are no longer “down under” since they are still having warm weather. Please do let me know how it goes and what you do to make it even better!

  13. ZsuzannaNo Gravatar said:

    I just wanted to let you know that I posted this on my blog, giving you full credit. Such an amazing cheeZe recipe needs to be spread (pun intended!!)

    Cheers and love

  14. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    Thanks, Z! I checked it out already today and that was a super nice post. Hope you like the cheeZe!

  15. LynnNo Gravatar said:

    Thanks for the info, just what I was looking for. I live in remote Costa Rica and at an organic farmer’s market ran into madadamia nut cheese with olive oil and veggies ground in. At what point do you think these were added … it seems it must be after it is “ripe” but before or after chilling?

    thanks!

  16. Anonymous said:

    Why do you weight the cheese down with the jars of water?

  17. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    Because I don’t have anything else that would work. :D Seriously, it presses the “whey” out more efficiently. If you let it sit long enough to get it all out, otherwise, it would take far longer.

  18. MikeNo Gravatar said:

    This recipe really is awsome. My kids love it and they are not even thinking on trying real cheese etc. The only improvements you can do is to ad a 2 table spoons of fresh lemon juice to the mixture after the blending. After the ripening, it tastes more like the real cottage cheese. Also I have tried a variation with organic soy beans and it became organic tofu.

    Good luck everyone and stay healthy and happy.

  19. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    Thanks for the tip, Mike. I’ll have to try that. There’s always room for improvement!

  20. PatriciaNo Gravatar said:

    You said you live in Costa Rica,Where do you get all the raw nuts?I recently came back from the states and I am having a hard time finding raw nuts

  21. MelindaNo Gravatar said:

    You can find raw nuts on http://www.alisonspantry.com and they are cheaper than finding them in the stores. The shipping is high so I recommend ordering a good amount of stuff. She has raw sunflower seeds, macadamias, almonds, pecans, walnuts.

  22. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    Thanks, Melinda. I don’t live in Costa Rica—I live in Tennessee USA. Wonder what the shipping would be to CR, though? I find the prices to be higher than what I paid but I got a “deal”. :D Also, for really raw cashews, Amazon is a good place to order them, especially if you do it on subscription. If you do a search in the search box on the right (it’s ‘way up there), just type in navitas raw cashews and you should find them easily. The price drops with a subscription and the shipping is free. Keep your eyes open for an additional discount code and that drops the price even more. I know I got it on raw organic blue agave nectar. In this economy, every bit helps.

  23. SheilaNo Gravatar said:

    Would you do everything the same if you used any other kind of nut? Or say, if I tried walnuts or brazil nuts that I’d have to soak the nuts first?
    Thanks I am trying this recipe tonight!

  24. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    I probably would do it the same. It’s up to you if you want to soak the nuts. A high speed blender will break them down completely. Good luck and let me know how it turns out!

  25. SusanNo Gravatar said:

    Very exciting. i’ve been looking up raw cream cheeses on this wretched thing all day and the majority of the hits are on raw goat milk or some nonsense.
    I’ll be back to sing your praises AFTER i’ve had it.

  26. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    If you like it, you can thank Shari. I just took her recipe and put pictures with it. :D

  27. KaelaNo Gravatar said:

    Wow great recipe and thorough instructions – pictures and all – very informative! Thanks for the effort!

  28. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    You’re welcome!

  29. MichelleNo Gravatar said:

    yay! i’m excited to try this cheese! i’ve had cashew cheeses and sunflower seed cheeses and this one looks super yummy. getting macs tomorrow!

  30. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    Report back, Michelle!

  31. ShawnaNo Gravatar said:

    My 2 and 4 year old little girls are going to be so happy I’ve stumbled upon this recipe!
    It will be worth the cost to see those little faces enjoying what seems to be a wonderful recipe!

  32. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    It’s quite a sophisticated taste so let me know if they like it. :?

  33. Diana MooreNo Gravatar said:

    I am excited to try this cheese but how long does it keep?

  34. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    I asked Shari (the one who originated the recipe) and she said she hasn’t kept track. Maybe you could make it and have a portion as a test and let us know? I know mine lasted for three weeks before I disposed of what I hadn’t eaten. Even then, it might have been safe.

    If you are concerned about the expense, why don’t you make a smaller recipe so there isn’t any to pitch?

  35. Zucchini BreathNo Gravatar said:

    Thanks for the link to this recipe. Cashew or almonds would work, wouldn’t they?

  36. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    Dunno, ZB. Cashews might blend so fine they would go through the cheesecloth. Almonds should be okay if you could blend them fine enough. The texture of the macs is just right. You could try the others and report back.

  37. KristinaNo Gravatar said:

    You can make it with cashews in a very similar manner, but they need to soak overnight (or about 12 hours). Almonds work too, but you do need a high speed blender and I use blanched because they are such a pain to peel. I like to use Rejuvelac (which is a probiotic) to give my cheez a cheesy funk. I like your set up with the jars, and will try that to speed up the pressing out of the whey. Nice pictures!

  38. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    Thanks for the suggestions, Kristina! It’s always good to have options. I have a LOT of macs, though, so I’ll probably stick with them.

  39. RoswithaNo Gravatar said:

    Thank you, great taste and your pictures made it so much easier.
    Do you suggest adding different vegetables?

  40. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    I haven’t suggested it but I do now! Sounds like it would be good. Maybe like the cream cheese with veggies like you can get in the stores?

  41. SylviaNo Gravatar said:

    Hiya,
    I tried this and covered the cheese with ground peppercorns, red, green, Szechuan. Very nice with crackers or veg.

  42. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    Red and green peppercorns?

  43. englishvintnerNo Gravatar said:

    What is happening when the cheese is losing some of the whey. Is there any ‘fermentation’ going on that makes it ‘tangy’? I cannot really have any thing fermented, but am allergic to more stuff then I can put on here, so this looks REALLY GOOD! But was wondering about that.

  44. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    Yes, there is some fermentation going on. Sorry. Maybe you could let it drain in the fridge and use lemon juice to give it an acidic flavor?

  45. englishvintnerNo Gravatar said:

    Thanks, I was thinking about that, I’d seen someone let it drain in the fridge and use a lemon. I think that is what I will try. Thanks again!!!

    Have you heard of any substitute for chickpea miso?

  46. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    Let me know how it goes. No, sorry. I haven’t heard of one. If you do, tell me about it.

  47. mczNo Gravatar said:

    Can anyone confirm that this tastes very close to cream cheese without being too tangy or sharp in flavor? Matt Amsden’s onion bread recipe is amazing with cream cheese on it, but I am obviously looking for a non dairy replacement for the cream cheese.
    If this is too tangy it will be too rich to combine with the complex taste of the onion bread.

  48. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    The “tanginess” develops over time so you could sample it until it tastes like you want it to, then refrigerate it right away.

  49. BrittNo Gravatar said:

    Hi, Tommie–

    Thanks so much for sharing this! I have yet to try making my own nut cheese, but this recipe looks like a great place to start.

    I’m wondering if you’ve ever tried making cheesecake with this, as it sounds so similar to cream cheese in flavor & texture? I’ve been hoping to find a vegan/soy free cheesecake alternative and would love to know if anyone’s had success with this solution.

    Thanks again for sharing the recipe!
    –Britt

  50. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    No, I haven’t tried making cheesecake. Let me know if you do and how you like it. I don’t mix sweet with fat so that kind of knocks it out for me.

  51. YvetteNo Gravatar said:

    Another variation of this cheese is add a red bell pepper, sea salt, and a dash a cheyenne pepper for a great orange cheese sauce for veggies or dehydrate to make cheese crackers that taste like cheez-its.

  52. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    That sounds sort of like my cashew cheese, Yvette. I hadn’t thought about dehydrating the mac cheese! That’s a real twist on the recipe.

  53. TreeveeNo Gravatar said:

    Off to buy some nuts and seeds for cheeses. Came here to check on a few new recipes and think I found one to start with! Trying to turn an Italian family (my family) onto raw foodism with some substitutes for foods that they admire (aka cheeses!) and saying that they cannot live without. Wish me luck! Gonna look into your cashew cheese recipe also — mom’s a fanatic over cashews!

  54. BeckyNo Gravatar said:

    This sounds good! And I just so happened to have cracked a whole heap of fresh macadamias this arvo.

  55. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    Wow! They are REALLY fresh then! How did you crack them? I’ve heard they are a tough nut to get into.

  56. RobertNo Gravatar said:

    Very interesting. I am excited to try this cheese :)

  57. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    Let me know how you like it!

  58. RomNo Gravatar said:

    Wow great recipe and thorough instructions – pictures and all – very informative! Thanks for great post!

  59. TommieNo Gravatar said:

    And thank you for the positive reinforcement!

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