Do you have a dairy allergy? Then you need this recipe for dairy-free mozzarella! It cooks up quickly, uses ingredients you can find in a typical grocery store, or online and requires no special techniques!
What does dairy free mozzarella taste like? It tastes like mozzarella, it’s creamy, cheesy, it melts, it stretches, and it doesn’t require the face of the sun to melt!
If you’re familiar with store bought dairy free cheese, you know it requires higher temperatures than traditional cheese to get it to melt. Sometimes that leaves your pizza crust a little too crispy.
Not this cheese! This cheese will melt at the same temperatures as typical cheese. No burning your favorite pizza just to get the cheese to melt!
How does one make Dairy Free Mozzarella?
We’ll need coconut milk, saffron, nutritional yeast, gelatin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and olive oil.
What about special equipment?
- Do you have a stove?
- Do you have a whisk?
- Do you have measuring spoons?
- Do you have a glass or stainless steel container to use as a cheese mold? (A small glass bowl or square container works great!)
If you have these ingredients and items, then you are good to go! If you plan on making more than one recipe…or have dreams of dairy free mac’n cheese, pin this recipe, go shopping, and come back when you’re ready to cook. I promise this cheese is worth it!
Here’s quick slideshow of how we do it!
Are You Ready To Break a Recipe?
Dairy Free Mozzarella Cheese
Equipment
- 3 quart sauce pan
- whisk
- measuring spoon
- glass or stainless steel container
Ingredients
- 2 13.5 oz Cans Coconut milk
- 2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
- 2 Tablespoons Gelatin
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- 2 threads Saffron
- ¼ Cup cold water
- ⅓ Cup tapioca starch
Instructions
- Grease a glass container with olive oil.
- In a small bowl whisk together cold water and tapioca flour. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, mix seasonings, nutritional yeast, saffron, gelatin, and coconut milk. Whisk until moistened, let stand a minute, to allow gelatin to thicken.
- Bring ingredients to a boil over medium heat. Whisk mixture to keep from sticking. Boil for 7 minutes.
- Whisk tapioca flour and water again, then add to the saucepan. Whisk constantly.
- Bring to a boil again. Continue whisking while the mixture boils for one minute.
- Pour into a greased glass container. Refrigerate 2-3 hours.
FAQ…
What do you do once you’ve made the cheese?
You let the cheese chill! In 3 hours, you will have a sliceable delicious cheese at less than half the cost!
Saffron is expensive. Can I make the cheese without it?
Sure, but you will have a very coconut flavored cheese. The Saffron adds a rich flavor which masks the coconut taste. I bought $14 worth of saffron a year ago, and I use it weekly. It goes a long way. If you can use it, you’ll be glad you did!
What does the tapioca do?
The tapioca is responsible for making the cheese stretch, but not run! If you omit the tapioca starch, your cheese will puddle. It takes a lot to mimic dairy, but tapioca makes the consistency almost indistinguishable from the original.
Is this cheese vegan?
No! This cheese contains gelatin, a product derived from animals. Most vegan cheese contains agar or carrageenan. Both of those bother my stomach, so I went with gelatin when developing this recipe. If you would like to make the cheese vegan, you can break the recipe and use 2 teaspoons of agar in place of the gelatin. The best recipe is the one that is safe for you and fits your lifestyle!
What’s the best way to store the mozzarella?
I wrap mine in foil and store it in the fridge. If you are going to slice it ahead of time, separate the slices with wax paper so they don’t stick.
Can you shred this mozzarella?
Of course you can! Mozzarella is a soft cheese, which makes it a beast to shred. That’s why so many people buy it shredded. The first way to shred the cheese is to flash freeze it for 15 minutes before shredding it. This turns your soft mozzarella into a harder cheese temporarily. The second way to do it is to slice it thinly, or chop it and allow it to melt.
Before You Go…
Thank you for reading, for trying this recipe, and for taking a chance on a recipe made with unique ingredients!
You’ll find it’s easy to make, and your body will feel much better after eating it. You will find your gluten-and grain loving friends going for seconds!
If you’re cooking this for someone with allergies, thank you again for supporting them. You’re an amazing friend. Pin this recipe so you can share it with those who need it, and find it later!
Please tell me how your recipe turned out when you make it. Click here to reach me directly. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest using the links below. I really enjoy your feedback and comments. I can’t wait to hear how your recipe turned out!
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Hi. I can’t have onion. Can I omit the onion powder from the recipe? I commonly use a combo of garlic and celery when cooking to mimic an onion-like flavor. What would you suggest I do for this recipe with respect to omitting the onion powder? Thank you.
Yes! Please break this recipe in a way that is safe for you!!!! And if you can share the amounts to help others, that would we awesome. Why make a recipe, when you can Break a Recipe?