Cheese and crackers. It’s a cheat code as the host of any party. Cut up a bunch of fruit, make it look fancy on a charcuterie board and your guests will beeline for the refreshments. There’s only one problem. Depending on the racial makeup of the guests, there’s a much higher likelihood that at least one will have lactose malabsorption (meaning digestive issues from eating dairy). It is especially common among African-Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Americans and Latinos.

Even if vegan options weren’t initially on the guest menu, it might be time to consider a plant-based cheese option. One easy substitute for that platter of would-be gruyère cheese is a vegan gruyère. Here’s how to make the gruyère substitute, suggestions for what drinks and snacks to pair it with, and why cashews are such a big deal for vegan goodies.

How To Make a Gruyère Substitute Vegan Cheese

If you’ve had the dairy version of gruyère, then you already know the taste and texture of this cheese is creamy in the middle with a nutty, tangy flavor. This vegan cheese option may be able to replicate this taste with help from tapioca starch for stretchiness, agar-agar powder for firmness and optional lactic acid for extra tang. Use it on sandwiches, in vegan gratins or melted into sauces.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of soaked, unsalted raw cashews (ideally soaked for a minimum of four hours, ideally eight hours)
• 1-½ cups of unsweetened almond or soy milk
• ¼ cup of refined coconut oil (melted)
• 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of miso paste (for umami)
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of onion powder
• ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon of mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon of tapioca starch
• 2 tablespoon of agar-agar powder
• ½ teaspoon of lactic acid
• (optional) Liquid smoke
• (optional) Smoked paprika

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients (except agar-agar) in a blender until they’re completely smooth.
2. Pour the mixture into a saucepan.
3. Add the agar-agar.
4. For a smokier taste that mirrors aged gruyère, add one drop of liquid smoke or smoked paprika to taste.
5. Heat all ingredients over medium heat, stirring constantly.
6. When it’s at a gentle boil, cook for five more minutes until thickened.
7. Transfer the mixture into a lightly greased mold or dish.
8. Smooth the top with a spatula.
9. Let the gruyère substitute cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
10. Refrigerate for at least four hours until firm. For extra depth, refrigerate for one to two days before eating.

Why Cashew Cheese Is Commonly Used for Vegan Cheese Recipes

From the look of the nut, it may not immediately make non-vegans think, “This would be good for Gruyère cheese.” However, people who eat a plant-based diet already know that cashews are a grocery list staple for a wide assortment of vegan cheese recipes, especially for grocers who don’t want to pay the higher price for vegan cheese slices.

When cashews are soaked, they have a rich, creamy texture. The mild flavor of soaked cashews is also not so overpowering that it can’t be tweaked. It’s not exactly like tofu, which will copy the taste of whatever seasonings or sauces (ex. nutritional yeast, lemon juice, paprika) are added. But it’s a close parallel to using seasoning or sauces on dairy cheese.

It is, however, high enough in saturated fat (20%) to the point that the FDA did not allow cashews as a suggested option for lowering heart disease. In a Harvard Health study, 51 volunteers were given one to two ounces of cashews to eat on a daily basis for four weeks. Their LDL cholesterol levels lowered by 5%, so there are healthy benefits even with the fat. Because it creates a smooth paste like nacho cheese, cashews can also make taste testers feel full.

While Gruyère substitute cheese can be made with salted cashews, unsalted cashews work just as well for consistency, texture, mixing and to make a vegan hard cheese. The problem with salted cashews is nutritional yeast and other snacks (ex. crackers) may already have salt. Using salted cashews on top of other salty snacks will help pile up on the sodium. If you plan to have a cocktail with a salted rim, that’s yet another reason to hold off on even more salt with salted cashews. Unsalted cashews, on the other hand, allow you to have more control over seasonings and spices used while preparing this recipe (above). Additionally, a Gruyère substitute with unsalted cashews arguably tastes better with unsweetened plant-based milk.

Best Snacks To Serve With Gruyère Substitute Cheese

One of the main reasons that cheese is a go-to for quick snacks, party snacks and as a meal is because it complements other foods so well. Cheese works with crackers, including wheat crackers, multigrain crackers and grain-free crackers. Whether vegan or dairy, gruyère pairs well with honey wheat bread, cinnamon raisin bread, multigrain bread and baguette slices.

And even if the Gruyère substitute is made from cashews, that doesn’t mean that’s all the nuts you can have; almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and pecans are still delicious to munch on when the gruyère substitute has been refrigerated to take on the hard cheese texture. Pick just about any fruit, ranging from apples to grapes, and even dried fruits such as apricots, and cheese works well with it.  And while milk chocolate is good with cheese, it may be a bit too sweet for gruyère substitutes. The slight bitterness in dark chocolate and cheese often taste better together.

Best Drinks To Pair With Gruyère Substitute Cheese

Making gruyère substitute cheese is the best excuse to dust off the aged drinks in your basement bar. White wines (Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc) and red wines (Pinot Noir and Merlot) work well. Cocktails work well too. However, for the same reason milk chocolate may be a little sweet for this kind of cheese, maybe skip the French Kiss Vodka Cocktail with the shaved chocolate and opt for a French Kiss Champagne Cocktail instead. The grapefruit in a Greyhound Cocktail or a Sea Breeze Cocktail and the orange juice in a Champagne Royale Cocktail may be a little too tart for a gruyère substitute, but it may mesh well with the slightly sour taste of a White Linen Cocktail.

Frequently Asked Questions

What dairy cheeses can be used as a gruyère substitute?

If you want a gruyère substitute cheese that is still dairy, here are some alternates: appenzeller, beaufort, comté, dubliner, edam, emmental, engelberg cheddar, fontina & parmesan, graviera, jarlsberg, le brouere, l’etivaz, maasdam, raclette or tête de moine cheese.

Where does gruyère cheese come from? 

The hard cow’s-milk cheese was originally produced in Southern Switzerland’s La Gruyère and in the Alpine Comté and Savoie regions of eastern France.

Is gruyère a hard cheese?

Yes, gruyère qualifies as hard cheese, which is formed when the curd is cut finely and cooked at a higher temperature (up to 131 degrees Fahrenheit). This heating procedure dries away moisture. Some cheeses are pressed to remove whey, which then reduces moisture and increases its firmness.