Vegan Hard Cheese (Cheddar and Parmesan Styles)

This Vegan Hard Cheese (Cheddar and Parmesan Styles) can instantly satisfy (dairy) cheese cravings. It takes at least 12 months to age, but the result is worth the wait!

Ever since I figured out how to make vegan brie and blue cheeses tasty, I was determined to make Vegan Hard Cheese (Cheddar and Parmesan Styles) and did a lot of experimenting with different kinds of plant milk.

Unlike bloomy rind soft cheeses,Vegan Hard Cheese takes a longer time to age–the longer it ages the stronger it tastes.

Once you get it to the aging stage, you can let it go as long as you want. I like to age mine for at least 12 months..

During the aging period, it’s important to make sure that unwanted mold growth doesn’t take over the cheese. Even though I’m familiar with fermentation and mold, I still do not like seeing unwanted mold growing on my food.

To keep the unwanted mold from growing, we need some kind of protection and the best way I’ve learned is to grow a bloomy rind on the cheese. However, growing a bloomy rind needs a specific cold temperature and it’s not easy for people who live outside of the US to access penicillium candidum or roqueforti. It is also hard to make all year round if you don’t have a special fridge.

I wanted to find a different, less complicated way to age the cheese without a bloomy rind, and finally found that we can wax the cheese with coconut oil.

I started by attempting to make the hard cheese with cashew milk, but my first attempt wasn’t successful. Around the third month of aging, I found some black-unwanted mold growing under the coconut oil wax. I thought I did something wrong and tried again, keeping everything extra clean, but it was the same–I still had the mold growth problem.

Six months went by without any success, so I decided to try making it with almond milk.

Comparing the curds of almond milk and cashew milk, I found the almond milk much easier to make cheese with. The curds are denser and don’t retain the excessive moisture during aging which allows unwanted mold to grow.

The cashew milk curds however, are too soft and retain too much moisture. Even though the cheese is waxed, it keeps releasing the moisture during the aging period. Although the wax keeps unwanted mold from going inside the cheese, it also prevents the moisture from getting out. When the moisture is trapped in between the cheese and the wax, it creates a perfect environment for unwanted mold to grow. That’s why I got the same results from trying both times.

After a year of aging, the cheese is firmed and has developed a really nice taste. However, it’s not firm enough for grating the way I thought it would be; it’s definitely still tasty like fine cheddar though.

I have never aged the cheese longer than 18 months, so I’m not sure if it would be hard enough for grating if I aged it longer.

Note: I saved the ones I made from cashew milk to share with you when I cut. I was so surprised with the result: the mold only grew on the outer side of the cheese. The cheese was firm and the smell was like fine aged cheddar. I cut the moldy portion off and tasted the fresh insides and found that the taste was so good–I definitely did not mind some mold on the sides. However, if your cheese has moldy parts, please use your own judgment whether or not to eat it.

As of now, I find the best way to make a harder cheese for grating is to start with a vegan almond cheese with a bloomy rind (my vegan almond brie and blue cheese posts can provide reference!). The rind lets the moisture in the cheese come out until it’s completely dried. Once there’s no moisture left, the cheese hardens more quickly. It becomes difficult to cut with a knife, but is perfect for grating–it can be used to substitute dairy parmesan.

I use both methods of making Vegan Hard Cheese (Cheddar and Parmesan Styles) for different purposes. If I want to eat it as cheddar, I use the coconut wax method and If I want to grate it for my salad, popcorn, or pasta dishes, I use the bloomy rind method.

Whichever method you are going to make, I highly recommend making a few at a time. You’ll be very happy to have lots of Vegan Hard Cheese (Cheddar and Parmesan Styles) on hand after the long wait.

Ready to take your vegan cheese making to the next level? Let me show you how!

Ingredients for making vegan cheddar cheese style:

Milk curds from 6-7 cups (1,440- 1680 ml) of almond milk Note: see how to make vegan milk curds here.
2 TBSP (30 ml) of melted coconut oil plus more for waxing
4 capsules of plant probiotics, 15 billion each
½ tsp (2.5 ml) of good salt plus more for sprinkle
2 pieces of a thumb size chao (fermented tofu) or 2 tsp (2.5 ml) of soy-free miso if you don’t eat soy products

Equipment:

Note: feel free to use what you already and use this as a guideline)

A tray for catching excess water from milk curds
Small bamboo mats (I use 2 so I can rotate them when they get too wet)
Wood strips to elevate the bamboo mat from the tray
A small (4 inch) springform ring
Cheesecloth
A few small squares of parchment paper

Instructions:

Note: please watch the video, it’s very simple.

First day: mix the milk curds with all the ingredients above well. Sterilize the cheesecloth and line it in the springform ring. Fill the form with the mixture, fold the cheesecloth over the mixture and press it down. Let it ferment at room temperature for one night.
The 2nd day: remove the form, dump the excess water, dry the tray, and change the mat. Unfold the cheesecloth, and sprinkle some salt evenly on the cheese. Use a parchment paper to flip the cheese, and carefully remove the mat and the cheesecloth. Sprinkle salt on this side and around the sides too. Let the cheese dry in the fridge uncovered.
From day 3 to day 5: repeat the flipping every day. Note: it usually takes about 3 days for most of the moisture in the cheese to dry, but it might take a day or 2 longer. If it takes too long, you might have unwanted mold growth on the cheese.
Around day 5: the cheese should be firm and dry, it’s time to wax it. Brush melted coconut oil throughout the cheese, use a parchment paper to flip it and brush the coconut oil on this side and around the sides too. Note: make sure the cheese is dry after removing the paper. If not, you can put it to dry in the fridge another night before waxing it.
After the first coat: repeat the waxing every day for the first 3 days,
After the 3rd coat: coat it every other day for 4 more times. From my experience 7-8 coats of waxing is good enough.
After the 7th or 8th coat: the cheese should be firm and well waxed. Even though it’s easy to pick up, it’s still very soft inside, so be careful when handling it. It’s time to age. Use a bigger piece of parchment paper to wrap the cheese and put it in a paper bag or a breathable box. Let it slowly age in the fridge for at least a year, but check it from time to time for any unwanted mold growth. If you see some mold, scrape it off and reapply coconut oil on the area. I don’t have any problem with almond milk at all.
Finally, after a long wait, you can now enjoy your vegan aged cheddar style cheese!

To make a harder cheese for grating, please follow the instructions from the video on how to make almond brie and blue cheese. Note: on the blue cheese video, I used cashew paste. However, for a creamier result, I suggest making it with milk curds the same way I show on the almond brie video and using the blue cheese bacteria strain.

After a while of making vegan cheeses, I have developed the taste of the cheese I make by adding fermented tofu (chao) or miso to the cheese and it makes the cheese taste another step closer to dairy cheese. So, if you want to make a gratable cheese with a bloomy rind, I highly recommend adding chao or miso to it. Once you have the bloomy rind cheese made, simply let it age in the fridge until it hardens. You can use it as you would dairy parmesan.

Feel free to leave a comment below if you have questions or share your experience if you make Vegan Hard Cheese (Cheddar and Parmesan Styles)