I asked you all on Twitter recently what kinds of recipes you wanted to see this month and many of you requested room-temperature meals that didn’t require much heat and were portable for picnics, BBQs, and dinner parties.
I like the way you think! And I have a solution. Let’s do this!
The star of this (30-minute) vegan crudité is my 5-minute Macadamia Nut Cheese! Yes, 5 minutes.
Unlike most other nuts, macadamia nuts don’t require soaking because they’re already so tender and soft. They blend up beautifully with just the help of a little water.
Inspired by my Macadamia Ricotta, the cheesy flavor in this recipe comes from nutritional yeast, which is a vibrant yellow yeast that’s packed with vitamin B12. Delicious and healthy? Yes, please.
Beyond nutritional yeast, you just need a little lemon juice, salt, and garlic powder. Fresh herbs add a hint of color and flavor, but they are not necessary.
Once blended, your macadamia nut “cheese” is ready to enjoy! Yes, vegan cheese in 5 minutes – this is real life. It does, however, benefit from some time in the fridge, where it will stiffen and the flavors will develop.
While that’s happening, prepare the rest of your vegetables. I LOVE the flavor and texture of the nut cheese with roasted vegetables, so I went with beets and carrots, which sweeten and caramelize when roasted. But you can also just stick to raw vegetables if you prefer to keep your oven off.
I hope you all LOVE this nut cheese + crudité! It’s:
Easy
Fast
Healthy
Flavorful
Fresh
Portable
& DELICIOUS
This is the perfect meal or appetizer for things like BBQs, picnics, and happy hours. I think it’s a good amount for 4-6 people as a snack. Or two people could easily split this as a meal and be very satisfied.
In addition to the nut cheese, you can also serve this with hummus (I share several recipes below), baba ganoush, crackers, and roasted nuts.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
5-Minute Macadamia Cheese + Vegan Crudité!
Ingredients
ROASTED VEGETABLES
- 4 medium whole carrots (tops removed, cut in thirds, large portions halved // organic when possible)
- 2 medium beets (carefully sliced into 1/4-inch rounds // organic when possible)
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil (or sub water)
- 1 healthy pinch each sea salt + black pepper
CHEESE*
- 1 1/4 cup raw macadamia nuts (or cashews // soaked for 1 hour in hot water)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley or cilantro (optional)
CRUDITE
- 5-7 medium radishes (organic when possible // halved or sliced)
- 1/2 medium cucumber (sliced into thin rounds // organic when possible)
- Sprouted or roasted nuts (optional)
- Hummus (DIY or store-bought) or baba ganoush (DIYor store-bought) (optional)
- Gluten-free crackers (I also like Mary’s Gone Crackers brand)
Instructions
- If roasting vegetables, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or use more baking sheets if making a larger batch.
- Once preheated, add carrots and beets to the baking sheet and drizzle with oil (or water), salt, and pepper. Toss to combine, and arrange in a single layer. Bake for 17-22 minutes or until slightly golden brown and tender.
- In the meantime, make your "cheese." Add macadamia nuts to a food processor or a high-speed blender along with lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, sea salt, and lesser amount of water (1/4 cup or 60 ml as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Mix/blend, scraping down sides as needed. Then add more water 1 Tbsp (15 ml) at a time until a thick paste forms. I find I get the best texture results with a food processor, but in a pinch, a blender can work too. It just generally requires more scraping and more liquid.
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor, salt for saltiness, lemon juice for acidity/brightness, or garlic powder for garlic flavor. Blend again to combine. If adding herbs, add at this time.
- At this point, the “cheese” is ready to eat! But it’s better after chilling. Transfer “cheese” to cheesecloth (or a thin, clean towel) and rest over a fine mesh strainer set over a mixing bowl. Twist the top of the cheesecloth so it forms a loose ball. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, up to 24-36 hours. The longer it chills, the firmer the “cheese” will become.
- Once vegetables are roasted, assemble crudité platter with macadamia “cheese,” vegetables, hummus (optional), and any other desired sides. I personally loved the roasted vegetables with a drizzle of tahini and maple syrup then dipped in the nut cheese – swoon!
- Best when fresh. Store leftover nut “cheese” in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Serves 2 as an entrée, 4-6 as an appetizer.
Notes
*More hummus recipes: Golden Goddess Turmeric Hummus, Roasted Jalapeno Hummus, and Garam Masala Hummus.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with radishes, cucumbers, beets, and carrots (it does not include hummus, nuts, or crackers).
Glenys Agnew says
Thank you for this recipe. I don’t see where the coriander is added? Is it in the blending? Thankyou.
Hi Glenys, it’s added at the end of step 4 where it says “if adding herbs, add at this time.” Hope that helps!
Glenys says
Thank you! Silly me. Must have been skim reading…. ;-)
I made it and it was enjoyed by all. I used coriander and cashews as I didn’t have macadamia. I will try it with parsley next time. Thank you for the recipe. 🫶
We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thank you for letting us know, Glenys! xo
Kalena says
LOVE this “cheese”!!! I eat it on veg, crackers and make sauces and salad dressing with it.
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Kalena. Thank you for sharing! xo
Anne says
Not bad for a vegan cheese! I like the flavor and am looking forward to seeing how it tastes after a night of refrigeration. It’s got the texture of hummus, so if someone is looking for a creamier cheese, this might not be the one.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Anne! Thanks os much for sharing. xo
Justine Phelps says
I made the Macadamian nut cheese! Next time I would blend the nuts dry first before adding the other ingredients. I added an additional Tbls of nutritional yeast flakes, and used 1+ clove of fresh garlic bc I was out of garlic powder.
The flavors definitely need to meld as it was tastier the next day chilled and melded.
Thanks so much for sharing, Justine! So glad you enjoyed the cheese!
Roxanna says
Hi Dana,
Can the nutritional yeast in this recipe for the macadamia nut cheese be omitted or replaced with something else?
Macadamias are my favorite nut and I’ve been dying to make this, though I’ve found nutritional yeast to be included in other various recipes for nut cheese as well.
Nutritional yeast doesn’t not get along well with my digestive system so unfortunately I try to stay away.
Thanks!
Hi Roxanna, yes, you can omit it, it just won’t be quite as “cheesy.” Let us know how it goes!
Michele says
Instead of nutritional yeast, you might try a gf miso to get that umami
Melissa Coleman says
With making the cheese, did you discard the soaked water before putting the nuts in the food processor?
Yes
Nicol says
I was not pleased with the flavor or texture. I made these for the portobello pizza recipe and it ended up ruining the dish. Al ingredients were pulsed through a food processor, so I’m not sure why the texture was off.
Oh no! Sorry to hear that, Nicol! Sometimes if macadamia nuts are old, they can cause a strange flavor. For the texture, if there isn’t enough volume in the food processor, they can have trouble getting smooth. But maybe you’d prefer our cashew ricotta?
Amber Daod says
I can’t quite tell-do the macadamia nuts need to be soaked as well or is it only if subbing cashews do the cashews need to soak?
Thanks!
Hi Amber, we don’t find soaking to be necessary with the macadamia nuts.
Anu says
I made the macadamia cheese only, tweaking the amounts of nutritional yeast and skipping the parsley, and it was still wonderful :) This was my first time making nut cheese and I really enjoyed the process! I’d love to try this again with some other seasonings, this recipe really is very versatile. Thank you so much for sharing.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Anu! Thanks so much for sharing!
Hailey lonergan says
I made this for the Egg free frittata with cashews and it was amazing!! I had a lot leftover so I added basil + kale + nutritional yeast and some water to a food processor and it made an amazing “pesto” sauce for my Buddha bowl!
Hemangi says
Can I use salted macademia nuts for the same ? That is only what I have in stock and otherwise, very expensive in my country.
Hi Hemangi, that should work. Just omit/reduce the salt.
Debora says
Looks amazing where did you get the small bowls for the dip and nuts
Hi Debora, we can’t remember! Oftentimes, our props come from thrift stores.
Donya Coffey says
My family absolutely loves this cheese!! I don’t modify a thing and I make it all the time. Thank you Dana for your amazing recipes, you have seriously been a game changer for us
Aw, thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review, Donya! We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes! xo
Abby says
I made the cheese using cashews (soaking in hot water for an hr). The flavor is great however, the texture is still very sticky and wet. I probably added to many liquids at the end… Is there a way to save it texture wise ? Should I wrap more layers of cheesecloth around it?
Yes – add less liquid next time so it’s more of a nut butter texture. You can definitely wrap in cheesecloth and set over a fine mesh strainer + mixing bowl for a few hours in the fridge to dry out!
Hi Karl, Oh no! So sorry to hear this one wasn’t for you! For the texture, it should be similar to a paste, but not dry. You can add additional water, as needed. But we’re surprised yours had a strong garlic taste as this recipe should have a very subtle garlic flavor. Did you use garlic powder that is a white powder or is more granulated?
Esther says
Do you recommend using powdery garlic powder or granulated?
Good question! We prefer using granulated, but either will work!
Tracy says
Just made this!
And it was delish! Thank you… ??
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Tracy. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
bindu says
Hi Dana, i’m thinking of making these with walnuts, do you think they would need to be pre-soaked?
Hi Bindu, we don’t think it would be necessary, but it probably wouldn’t hurt! Let us know if you give it a try!
Lindsay Tramble says
Hi Dana! When making the macademia nut cheese with macademia nuts, do you still need to soak them in hot water? Or is that just for the cashews? Thanks!!!
Hi Lindsay, no soaking needed with macadamia nuts :)
Hi Nicol, sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy it! Did you make any modifications? Were you using raw macadamia nuts or roasted?
Juliette Delforge says
Hi Dana! I tried making this recipe tonight and found that my consistency was really grainy. No one else seems to be having this problem! Any ideas? New food processor, perhaps?
Hi Juliette, yes it seems as though your food processor might not be powerful enough or it is too large for the amount of cheese. We used a 7-cup food processor. If yours is larger, you may need to make a double batch to get it to a smoother consistency. Hope that helps!
Lisa says
Hi Dana, love your recipes and I will continue to support you with the new direction you are taking….quick question, do you think this recipe would work in a vitamix, have you tried that out. Thanks!
Hi Lisa, we haven’t tried this recipe with a Vitamix. But if you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
Jenica Lyon says
This looks gorgeous and I love roasted carrots and beets. Especially in a snow filled MN winter. Thanks for the wonderful idea!
Michele says
Could you tell me where the beautiful oval platter is from?
Kasandra says
The hardest part about this recipe was waiting for the nuts to soak! I accidentally added too much lemon but was able to balance it back out by just adding more nutritional yeast and salt. So I’d encourage anyone to make this because it’s pretty hard to mess up and tastes delicious!
Bafana Sibiya says
Only saved recipe but looks helpful! My problem l ve plenty uncracked nuts can’t find cracker. Pls help
I’m not sure I understand your question. Can you clarify? Thanks!
Carol says
Amazon.com has lots of nutcrackers
Doria Raiford says
I was more than happy to find this web-site.I needed to thanks for your time for this glorious learn!! I definitely having fun with each little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you blog post.
We are glad to hear that, Doria!
Christina says
I made this for my daughter’s birthday picnic (and I made the pasta pea pesto as well), it was a hit! Served the cheese w/ crudite and chips. All my vegan friends enjoyed it and all the non vegans lovewd it as well! Even my 1 year old loved it, we had the leftovers today on pumpernickel and avocado on top. AND it was super easy to make!
Jenna says
Do you hunk substituting almonds would work for this? I’m allergic to macadamia & cashew. If yes, should I use blanched or regular? Thank you!!
We haven’t tried making it with almonds and can’t say for sure! If you give it a try, report back!
Faye says
Wondering if dry roasted Mac buts would be ok? I didn’t realize my bag isn’t raw :(
Sorry, you need raw for this recipe!
Brian Fields says
I was just about to ask this. Thanks for beating me to the punch! You could always use them for a pesto in the meantime. I made a macadamia basil pesto couple days ago which was ok, but I think next time I’ll try cilantro instead. :)
Paula says
Your link to your Spicy Pimento Cheese is a link for Amazon shopping.
Great recipe, thank you.
Good eye! Thanks Paula, this has been updated.
Viktoriya says
This nut cheese is sooooo flavorful! I like a lot of herbs so mine was a pretty green cheese. I will definitely be making this again! Thank you!!
Anna says
I’ve made a variety of vegan cheeses, this one is by far the best one yet. It ‘sets up’ really well, stays firm in the fridge and is perfect on crackers to satisfy a tangy-salty craving. Thanks for the recipe… it will be a keeper in our home!
nichole says
Hello! I was wondeing if the macadamia nuts have to be soaked?
Hi! Not for this one, Nichole! Unlike most other nuts, macadamia nuts don’t require soaking because they’re already so tender and soft. Happy cooking!
Anolee says
This was the quickest and most tasty cheese I have made so far!! So quick and fast. Is it possible to use raw marcona nuts?
Cate says
Planning to make this next weekend! I love your wood serving platter. Do you mind if I ask where you bought it? Thanks!
Sarah says
Do you think you could get a similar taste and/or consistency using another type of nut such as pistachios?
Belinda says
So thrilled for this as macadamia nuts are low FODMAP unlike almonds and cashews. Thanks
Melissa Page Boeshans says
I love this… it’s just beautiful! Going to make for the holidays and lake home dinner parties!
Gwyn says
This has been on my to try list since you first posted it and I finally got the chance to give it a try. It was delicious, and perfect for easy work lunches!
Katelyn says
Do you peel the beets?
Hi! You can but we don’t!
Amanda says
I made this tonight! It was amazing! I put the herbs in with all the ingredients so it turned out a little more green. Still tasty! My 4 year old and hubby approved! Perfect light summer dinner!
Cassie Autumn Tran says
Crudite is one of my favorite party foods! Looks delicious!
Wong says
Seriously addicted to this site…
ally d. says
this looks delicious! I just need to get a food processor so I can try it. I find it difficult to make these type of recipes with my vitamix.
Nora says
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Cathy says
We made this the other night and it was scrumptious! Something so different to have for supper. I love how eating vegan can be so creative. We loved the nut cheese; it paired perfectly with the roasted carrots and beets. Will be making this again for sure. Thank you!
So kind! Thanks Cathy! xoxo
Linda says
I am allergic to lemon, orange & grapefruit. Can I substitute vinegar?
Yes, that should work!
Melissa Griffiths says
That veggie and cheese board is a thing of beauty! And I’m so intrigued by this macadamia cheese!
Wendy says
I find that garlic powder leaves a weird aftertaste for me. Would actually crushed garlic be too strong?
Jeanne Valenta says
You can add roasted garlic. It won’t be so harsh & the flavor won’t grow stronger if left overnight.
Wendy says
Mmmm that sounds extra delish too. Thanks for the tip ^_^
Sarahd says
How does macadamia nut cheese do in dishes that require baking?
Great! It acts like any other vegan nut cheese. See how it does here in this lasagna! https://minimalistbaker.com/8-ingredient-zucchini-lasagna-gf/
Hellestorm says
This looks fantastic! I’m going to make this for my vegan daughter (+ whole family)! Just one question – are we using roasted/salted macadamias or should they be raw?
Raw! Thanks for asking. I will clarify.
Amy Van Voorhis says
My local store is out of raw macadamias. Do you know if using roasted and salted nuts would produce an inedible cheese?
Katie says
Not macadamias, but I used roasted instead of raw cashews in a cheese recipe once when my local store was out.
It didn’t taste bad, but it was nowhere near as delicious as when I’d used raw cashews in the same recipe. The roasted cashew flavor was very prominent.
I would think the same thing would happen with roasted macadamias, and I personally would not use roasted again.
Amy says
Thank you Katie. I finally found raw macadamias so I made the cheese exactly as suggested and it was absolutely wonderful, as it everything I have made from this site. Thank you for such amazing vegan recipes ?
Kat says
I cannot thank you enough! Cashews make me sick, and EVERYBODY seems to make cheeses with cashews! Having something I can whip up in a few minutes is also a huge help!
Of course! Hope you like this one, Kat!
Chrissy says
Vegan cheese made with nuts and no pre-soaking needed! I did not know that Macadamia nuts were softer than other nuts, so that is really useful information. This recipe is perfect for this time of year when spending hours in a hot kitchen is not desirable — thanks!
Agreed! Hope you love it, Chrissy!
Emily says
This looks so delicious, I will have to give that cheese a try!
Patty says
I tried it tonight and it IS delicious !! ❤️
Thanks Patty!
Anu says
This looks wonderful, I can’t wait to try it! Quick question though – can this macadamia cheese be frozen once prepared? I’d like to make a big batch but my husband and I wouldn’t be able eat it all within 10 days!
We haven’t tried freezing it, but we think it would work well. Let us know if you try it!
Anu says
Thanks! I will try it soon and let you know :)