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    Home > Vegan Recipes

    Sliceable Pistachio Cheese

    By Emese Maczko on 11/17/2022 - May contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure.

    Jump to Recipe Print Pin

    Did you know you can make homemade vegan cheese using pistachios in 20 minutes? It will have a beautiful green color, a nutty, cheesy flavor, and a perfectly sliceable texture. Enjoy it on toast, or make a spectacular vegan appetizer for Christmas by adding cranberry jelly.

    Green cheese shaped as a bundt topped with dark pink jelly. It is surrounded by grapes and different crackers. A hand is holding one cracker in the front with one slice of green cheese on it.

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    As far as appetizers go, we love them to be simple but delicious. It is incredible when you know that you can make gorgeous and tasty appetizers without special culinary tricks. That is why we love this Mediterranean grazing board or this falafel platter for celebrations, but for Christmas, we want something spectacular like this pistachio nut cheese.

    Table of Contents hide
    1. What is a nut cheese?
    2. Ingredients
    3. Instructions
    4. Top tips to use agar-agar
    5. Variations
    6. Top tips
    7. FAQs and substitutions
    8. Allergen info
    9. More vegan cheese recipes
    10. Sliceable Pistachio Cheese

    What is a nut cheese?

    Nut cheese is a dairy-free cheese you make by soaking and blending various nuts and heating them with agar-agar to get a sliceable cheese-like texture once cooled.

    Nut cheeses, however, rarely mimic the taste of dairy cheese exactly. It would be best if you enjoy them on their own merits because they are indeed,

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    • delicious,
    • flavorful, and
    • unique.

    You can make nut cheese with any nut: almonds, cashews, walnuts, macadamia, etc. We chose pistachios to create a festive, vegan Christmas appetizer. Pistachios and cranberries are a match made in heaven and are screaming Christmas from miles away. If you pick this mini silicone bundt mold, it will look like a little Christmas wreath, right? 

    Green cheese shaped as a bundt topped with dark pink jelly. It is surrounded by grapes and different crackers on a black board.

    Ingredients

    To make pistachio cheese, you need only nine ingredients. 

    • Pistachios → Try to buy unshelled pistachio nuts, since peeling them is time-consuming. If you want a vibrant green color at the end, pick green peeled pistachio kernels.
    • Dairy-free milk → Many vegan cheese recipes use water, but adding our homemade cashew milk makes it creamier and the nutty taste less harsh.
    • Lemon juice → For a tangy taste
    • Nutritional yeast → For a cheesy taste
    • White miso paste → For a tangy taste
    • Garlic powder
    • Salt
    • Agar-agar powder → You require a powerful thickener. Starches will not work well here.
    • Spirulina or spinach powder → For extra green color (optional)

    🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Instructions

    Preparations

    • Peel pistachios. Use a fine mesh sieve to wash off the salt if you buy salted ones.
    • Boil water in a kettle. Soak pistachio nuts in hot water for 5 minutes to soften them. You can soak them overnight.
    • Dissolve miso paste in hot water.

    Blending

    1. Use a blender and add soaked pistachios, dairy-free milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt.
    2. Blend until smooth. You don’t necessarily need a high-power blender, we used our immersion blender, and it was perfect.
    Two photo collage showing a tall plastic container first with different ingredients then with a green liquid.

    Thickening

    1. Add the blended pistachio mixture to a small saucepan. Bring it to medium heat. 
    2. When it is hot, add the dissolved miso paste and stir to combine. 
    3. Add the optional spirulina or spinach powder for a green color boost here. Finally, add agar-agar and stir to combine. 
    4. After 5-6 minutes of cooking, pour the pistachio cheese mixture into a silicone mold while it is still hot. It sets pretty quickly after that. 
    Four photo collage showing a saucepan with green liquid, then a hand is adding a small brown liquid, then white powder is sprinkled on top. The final photo shows a red silicone mold with a green paste.

    Top tips to use agar-agar

    While there are many thickeners, the most popular vegan alternative for gelatin is agar-agar powder. What both have in common is that they require heat to activate them. To properly melt agar, boil it at 212 °F (100 °C) and simmer it for 3 to 5 minutes. 

    Unlike starches, where you can see the liquid thickening on the stove, you will not see any change in texture with agar. However, agar sets quite quickly(!!!) at 90–104 °F (32-40 °C). Prepare your mold in advance, as you will not have time to search for it later!

    Green cheese shaped as a bundt topped with dark pink jelly. Two slices are slightly ajar.

    Variations

    You can make pistachio cheese for any occasion or as an everyday snack. Or you can turn it into an impressive appetizer for Christmas, like in the pictures. We used our quick homemade cranberry jelly recipe.

    1. Make the cranberry jelly and pour ¼ cup hot jelly into a 5-inch mini silicone bundt cake mold. 
    2. Wait until it sets before starting the nut cheese. 
    3. Make the pistachio nut cheese per the instructions below, and add the hot mixture to the solid jelly. 
    4. Wait until it sets. 
    5. Serve and enjoy!
    Green cheese shaped as a bundt topped with dark pink jelly. It is surrounded by grapes and different crackers.

    Top tips

    • Hand blender or Vitamix – You will get an extraordinarily smooth nut cheese texture if you have a Vitamix. However, you need to double or triple the recipe to make it work there. If you want to make only one nut cheese bundt, you can still have the perfect texture using a hand blender.
    • Milk or water – Adding water would be a more frugal approach, but the difference between using milk or water is significant.
    • Sliceable or spreadable – If you add one tablespoon of agar-agar, you get a nut cheese that is easy to slice. If you want it closer to a cream cheese consistency, add one tablespoon of cornstarch instead. 
    Green cheese shaped as a bundt topped with dark pink jelly. It is surrounded by grapes and different crackers. There is one cracker in the front with one slice of green cheese on it.

    FAQs and substitutions

    Can you use other nuts?

    Yes, you can. This recipe will work with almonds, walnuts, macadamia, or cashew, although the color and the taste will likely differ. 

    How to store it?

    You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Use an airtight container or cover it with a piece of plastic wrap.

    Can you freeze it?

    No, it will lose its texture.

    Green cheese shaped as a bundt topped with dark pink jelly. It is surrounded by grapes and different crackers. There is one cracker in the front with one slice of green cheese on it.

    Allergen info

    This Pistachio Nut Cheese recipe is dairy-free, and egg-free.

    • Vegan – All suggested ingredients are supposed to be vegan.
    • Nut-free – That is a tricky question since it is a recipe using pistachio nuts.
    • WFPB-friendly (whole foods plant-based) – No oil or sugar is used. All ingredients are compliant with this diet.
    • Gluten-free – All proposed ingredients are supposed to be gluten-free. Always check the packaging for cross-contamination info.
    • Soy-free – Miso paste is made of fermented soybeans. Use extra nutritional yeast in its place if you need to skip it. All other ingredients are supposed to be soy-free.

    More vegan cheese recipes

    • 5-minute Tofu Cream Cheese
    • Cream Cheese Veggie Pinwheels
    • Nut-free Vegan Mac and Cheese
    • Yellow sauce in a black bowl topped with red veggie chunks, sliced green pepper and green leaves of herbs. A tortilla chips is dipped in it. Other tortilla chips are scattered around.
      No Nuts! Vegan Queso Dip
    • Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce
    • One slice of cheesecake with vibrant red sauce and raspberries on top is served on a light pink plate. The whole cake is in the background.
      Easy Baked Vegan Cheesecake

    THANK YOU so much for visiting our website. Please comment below if you have tried this recipe. We LOVE hearing from you! If you loved the recipe, please don’t forget to give us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ RATING. We appreciate all of our readers.  

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    Sliceable Pistachio Cheese

    Emese Maczko
    Did you know you can make homemade vegan cheese using pistachios in 20 minutes? It will have a beautiful green color, a nutty, cheesy flavor, and a perfectly sliceable texture. Enjoy it on toast, or make a spectacular vegan appetizer for Christmas by adding cranberry jelly.
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Condiment
    Servings 1 bundt (5-inch)
    Calories 551kcal

    Equipment

    • Immersion hand blender with 20 fl oz container
    • Non-stick frying pan (10.5 inch / 26 cm)
    • Simple silicone bundt mold
    • Snow flake silicone mold (Disney Frozen inspired)
    • Gingerbread house silicone mold
    • Cheese knives set with wooden handle
    • Bamboo cheese board

    Ingredients
     
     

    • ½ cup Pistachio nuts
    • 1 cup Dairy-free milk
    • 2 Tbsp Nutritional yeast
    • 2 tsp Miso paste
    • 1 tsp Lemon juice (freshly squeezed) or apple cider vinegar
    • ½ tsp Salt
    • ¼ tsp Garlic powder
    • 1 Tbsp Agar agar powder

    Optional ingredients

    • 1 Tbsp Spirulina powder or
    • 1 Tbsp Spinach powder
    • ½ cup Cranberry jelly
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    Instructions
     

    Preparations

    • Peel pistachios. Use a fine mesh sieve to wash off the salt if you buy salted ones.
    • Boil water in a kettle. Soak pistachio nuts in hot water for 5 minutes to soften them. You can soak them overnight.
    • Dissolve miso paste in hot water.

    Blending

    • Use a blender and add soaked pistachios, dairy-free milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt.
    • Blend until smooth. You don’t necessarily need a high-power blender, we used our immersion blender, and it was perfect.

    Thickening

    • Add the blended mix to a small saucepan. Bring it to medium heat.
    • When it is hot, add the dissolved miso paste and stir to combine.
    • Add the optional spirulina or spinach powder for a green color boost here. Finally, add agar-agar and stir to combine.
    • After 5-6 minutes of cooking, pour the pistachio cheese mixture into a silicone mold while it is still hot. It sets pretty quickly after that.
    Tried this recipe? Can we see it?Please share a picture with us by uploading an image to Pinterest below ours.

    Notes

    It is the most popular vegan alternative for gelatin. What both thickeners have in common is that they need heat to activate them. To properly melt agar, boil it at 212 °F (100 °C) and simmer it for 3 to 5 minutes. 
    Unlike starches, where you can see the liquid thickening on the stove, you will not see any change in texture with agar. However, agar sets quite quickly(!!!) at 90–104 °F (32-40 °C). Prepare your mold in advance, as you will not have time to search for it later!

    Video

    [adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”gx5dBe3R” upload-date=”2020-12-16T10:29:14.000Z” name=”Vegan Pistachio Nut Cheese ” description=”This Pistachio Nut Cheese with Cranberry Jelly can be the perfect festive vegan Christmas appetizer. It is sliceable, so you can enjoy it on toast with veggies or on a cracker. ” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”true”]

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Sliceable Pistachio Cheese
    Amount Per Serving (1 bundt without jelly)
    Calories 551 Calories from Fat 306
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 34g52%
    Saturated Fat 4g25%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 12g
    Monounsaturated Fat 16g
    Sodium 1735mg75%
    Potassium 1359mg39%
    Carbohydrates 39g13%
    Fiber 12g50%
    Sugar 12g13%
    Protein 29g58%
    Vitamin A 1193IU24%
    Vitamin C 22mg27%
    Calcium 435mg44%
    Iron 6mg33%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    UPDATED: This recipe was originally posted in Dec 2019. More info, tips, and details were added, and it was republished in Nov 2022.

    59 shares

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      5 from 7 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    1. Krissy Allori

      December 06, 2019 at 10:56 pm

      5 stars
      This look so amazing. I can’t wait to make it for my family for our holiday celebrations.

      Reply
      • My Pure Plants

        December 07, 2019 at 2:41 pm

        We hope you’ll like it as much as we do.

        Reply
    2. Sapana

      December 06, 2019 at 10:46 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my goodness, this was incredible! Filled with flavor and a favorite.

      Reply
      • My Pure Plants

        December 07, 2019 at 2:42 pm

        Thank you. We were aiming to create something unique.

        Reply
    3. Jessica

      December 06, 2019 at 10:42 pm

      5 stars
      What a unique combination of flavors. I’ve never had anything like this before.

      Reply
      • My Pure Plants

        December 07, 2019 at 2:42 pm

        Pistachios and cranberries are a match made in heaven for sure.

        Reply
    4. Danielle

      December 06, 2019 at 9:57 pm

      5 stars
      I was looking for a word to describe the looks of this deliciousness but couldn’t come up with a better word than PERFECT. Fantastic recipe!

      Reply
      • My Pure Plants

        December 07, 2019 at 2:43 pm

        You’re welcome. Thanks for your kind words Danielle.

        Reply
    5. Andrea Metlika

      December 06, 2019 at 9:11 pm

      5 stars
      Festive, pretty and a perfect appetizer. On top of all that it’s Pistachio!!! Yummy!

      Reply
      • My Pure Plants

        December 07, 2019 at 2:44 pm

        Thanks. We wanted to make something unusual for Christmas dinner appetizer.

        Reply

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    Hi, we are Emese Maczkó and Nándor Barta, the founders and recipe creators behind My Pure Plants. We are sharing our knowledge and expertise in vegan recipes and encourage you to try home-cooked meals using locally-sourced, organic, whole foods.

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    Portrait of Emese and Nandi My Pure Plants

    Hi, we are Emese Maczkó and Nándor Barta, the founders and recipe creators behind My Pure Plants. We are sharing our knowledge and expertise in vegan recipes and encourage you to try home-cooked meals using locally-sourced, organic, whole foods.

    More about us →

    Reader Favorites

    • A large white bowl with white rice and sticky brown battered strips on top sprinkled with sesame seeds, orange peels and chopped spring onion
      Crispy Vegan Orange Chicken (Copycat Panda Express)
    • Lots of spring rolls cut in half and arranged in a semi-circular dish facing upwards around a brown dipping sauce.
      Crispy Rice Paper Spring Rolls
    • A burger with layers of green ruffled lettuce, yellow sauce, thin cheese slices, dark brown burger patty twice, sliced pickles and white chopped onion.
      Meaty Vegan TVP Burger (Big Mac Style)
    • Copycat IKEA Veggie Balls

    Hearty stews

    • Vegetable stew in a red white enameled Dutch oven with lots of chopped vegetables like potatoes, carrots, mushroom, celery and red kidney beans. Topped with freshly chopped green herbs.
      The Best Hearty Vegetable Stew
    • 2 white bowls with thick brown stew, lentils, chopped veggies and a couple of dumplings. The remaining stew is in a red-white Dutch oven.
      Vegan Stew with Dumplings
    • Red Dutch oven from above with a stew where you can see chopped potatoes, spinach leaves, carrot slices, tomatoes, and mushroom slices. Slices of bread is next to it. A hand is holding a spoon taking some from the middle
      Jackfruit Stew (Vegan Beef Stew)
    • Cast iron skillet with veggie stew topped with puff pastry in a lattice pattern.
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