Vegan Truffle Cheese Recipe (oil-free)

This Vegan Truffle Cheese recipe is a standout for vegan charcuterie boards – or to use in entrees like pasta and pizza.

I have always loved the essence of truffles, and for many years I could only find it in truffle oil. Once I started cooking oil-free I missed adding that finishing touch of truffle to a recipe.

Then halleloo! I discovered truffle zest and truffle salt. Game changers! You can use a small amount of truffle salt to infuse a recipe with enchanting truffle flavor. You can also try truffle zest, if you want to limit or avoid salt. Either way, these are magical additions to your spice pantry.

This vegan truffle cheese recipe comes from Dreena’s Kind Kitchen. I use the truffle zest in the written recipe. However you can use a truffle salt and adjust to taste (see recipe notes).

Vegan Truffle Cheese Recipe: Where to Buy Zest & Truffle Salt

You may find truffle salts in your larger grocery stores or specialty stores. In my experience, it is most easy to find (and more affordable) on amazon. I like the Sabatino brand, but there are others to explore. I’ll share some option for US and Canada below.

Sabatino brand Truffle Zest (lower salt): 🇺🇸amazon.com 🇨🇦amazon.ca
Sabatino brand Truffle Salt: 🇺🇸amazon.com 🇨🇦amazon.ca

Other brands to consider!
This Truff brand wasn’t available when I was testing, but it looks like excellent. I plan to pick it up next!

For those that like a little added heat and umami, check out this one!

Vegan Truffle Cheese Recipe: How to Serve

Charcuterie Board: This cheese is a superb addition to a vegan charcuterie board. Pair with some other vegan cheese recipes (or storebought options), along with some of these items:

• fresh and dried fruits: grapes, fresh figs, mandarins, and dates are excellent choices
• pickled/fermented foods: try olives & stuffed olives, fermented pickled vegetables, traditional pickles
• vegetables: cherry tomatoes, cucumber spears, carrot sticks
• nuts: raw, or candied & savory
• other vegan cheeses or dips
• variety of crackers and/or sliced baguette

Pasta Bakes: use this cheese to stuff pasta shells or layer in lasagna. Try my lasagna from Dreena’s Kind Kitchen.

Fresh Wraps: Use as a base spread to create a sandwich wrap with a tortilla, or even fresher… try my Collard Wrap recipe. You can find the recipe and many suggestions in the DKK companion ebook.

Pizza: Spread it on a traditional pizza crust, or “dollop” little pieces over top. Also try on a tortilla pizza!

Phenom Phyllo Rolls: Another gem in Dreena’s Kind Kitchen (need a copy?), these Phyllo Rolls look impressive but aren’t hard to make. I made them for our Canadian Thanksgiving, with the vegan truffle cheese they are DYNAMITE!

Beyond recipes, here are other ways to use this irresistible vegan truffle cheese:

• whole-grain sandwiches
• mixed through hot nugget potatoes
• dolloped on top of baked sweet potatoes
• “stuffed” potato skins with toppings of choice
• dolloped on a minestrone or hearty tomato soup
• thinned out with water for an ‘instant’ decadent truffle-cheese pasta sauce!

Got the idea? Ready for the recipe? Before you go, I’d love to hear in the comments how you plan to use this vegan truffle cheese recipe. 🫶

Print Pin

Vegan Truffle Nut Cheese

I have always loved the essence of truffles, and for many years I could find that flavor only in truffle oil. Then a few years ago I discovered truffle zest and truffle salt. Game changers! I use the truffle zest in this recipe, and it’s magical! Truffle salt can also be used, but the amount may need to be adjusted.

Course Appetizer, dips, pasta

Keyword almonds, cashews, cheese, truffle

Servings 3 cups (roughly)

Ingredients

• 2 cups soaked and drained raw cashews see page 12 and note below
• 1 cup soaked and drained almonds see page 12 and note below
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (OPTIONAL) see note
• 1 small clove garlic see note
• 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt (adjust if using truffle salt, see note)
• 1 teaspoon truffle zest see note
• 1/4 – 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2-5 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves (optional) or 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (optional)
• 2 vegan probiotic capsules OPTIONAL see note

Instructions

• In a food processor or blender, blend the cashews, almonds, nutritional yeast (if using), garlic, 11/4 teaspoons salt, truffle zest, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons water, and vinegar. Puree and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to get the mixture started. Puree again, scrape down again—and puree again! Try not to overwater the cheese early on. Rather, puree much longer than you think you need to, and scrape down in between. If the mixture is stubborn, then add another splash of water. When very smooth, taste. Add more salt or truffle zest as desired, as well as fresh herbs, if using. Puree the herbs briefly. If you want to add the probiotic powder for a more cultured taste, see the note below. Serve, refrigerate in portions for up to a don’t need to adjust seasonings and use the processor again, remove the blade. Open the probiotic capsules and sprinkle in the powder, then use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir it in (metal can affect the probiotic, which is why it’s important to remove the blade and use nonmetal utensils). Transfer the cheese to a nut milk bag or cheesecloth-lined strainer propped over a bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 24–48 hours. After that time, transfer to the fridge for up to a week, or you can freeze some or all of the cheese for later.

Notes

Nut Note: This cheese is really nice with the combination of cashews and almonds, but you can use all cashews or all almonds if you prefer. If you use all almonds, you may need more water for blending. Try to “skin” the almonds after soaking for a fresher, brighter color in the cheese.

Nutritional Yeast: I use just a smidgen of nutritional yeast in this cheese because I don’t want its flavor to be really pronounced. It’s optional if you really don’t like it or don’t have it, but do consider it to add a bit of umami flavor dimension in the background!

Garlic Note: As with the nutritional yeast, subtlety is the name of the game here. Use a small clove, or just a third or half of a regular clove. Do not overpower the cheese with raw garlic.

Truffle Zest / Salt Note: I use the Sabatino brand of truffle zest. They also make truffle salts. With truffle salts, the level of truffle essence will vary by brand. So, if you don’t have the pure zest, omit the salt altogether. Add the truffle salt, starting with 1–11/4 teaspoons, and then add more to taste after pureeing. 

Probiotic Culturing: This is optional, and I rarely do it, but… if you’d like to yield more of a cultured flavor from this cheese, you can take another step. After blending, and when you know you don’t need to adjust seasonings and use the processor again, remove the blade. Open the probiotic capsules and sprinkle in the powder, then use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir it in (metal can affect the probiotic, which is why it’s important to remove the blade and use nonmetal utensils). Transfer the cheese to a nut milk bag or cheesecloth-lined strainer propped over a bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 24–48 hours. Afterward, transfer to the fridge for up to a week, or you can freeze some or all of the cheese for later.

Recipe Renewal! Not just for spreading on breads or crackers, this cheese can be used in lots of creative ways! Try it . . .

• in Phyllo Phenom Rolls (page 176)
• as a filling for pasta shells or lasagna (or thinned with more water or nondairy milk to use as a 
pasta sauce
• dolloped on homemade pizzas
• as a filling for stuffed mushrooms
• slathered on crostini or heated rolls 

• dolloped on sweet potatoes or tossed through hot nugget potatoes

Still have leftovers? Freeze for later use!