Tofu Queso Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Nut Free) Dairy Free (2024)

FAQs

Can I use normal tofu instead of silken? ›

Both silken and regular tofu can be found in soft, medium, firm, and extra-firm consistencies. They are made with the same ingredients, but they are processed slightly differently and are not interchangeable in a recipe.

The simplest application is to use nutritional yeast the same way you would grated Parmesan cheese. Toss a couple of tablespoonfuls with a little bit of olive oil, salt, and freshly popped popcorn for a “cheesy” snack with a subtle nutty flavor to rival even the most tempting flavored chip or corn puff.

Fact: Tofu is sometimes called soy cheese because, like dairy cheeses, it's made with the use of a coagulant, or curdling agent, soybeans and water, but it's not a dairy-based cheese.

Start with a homemade version of vegan mozzarella. All you need is tofu (or the substitutes mentioned above), non-dairy milk, garlic, onion, lemon, salt, and tapioca starch and you're in the cheese-making business!

Silken tofu is commonly used to make vegan pudding, mousse, and other creamy desserts. Instead, you can use creamed banana (like in this banana pudding recipe from Fab Haute Mama), coconut cream (in this peanut butter mousse recipe from Minimalist Baker), chickpeas (yes, seriously!

Silken tofu is the next most common tofu style. It's made in a similar process to block tofu, except that the soy milk is coagulated without curdling the milk. It's also left unpressed, so every cake retains all of its moisture while cooling.

Sprinkle nutritional yeast on anything you'd normally top with parmesan, or add it to sauces, soups and dips. You usually need about half the amount of nutritional yeast as you would parmesan—just taste as you go.

Nutritional yeast is considered safe for most people, but it may cause issues for those who are sensitive to yeast products or who take certain medications. Talk to your doctor before using nutritional yeast to avoid potential side effects.

Even though they come from the same fungus, instant yeast and nutritional yeast are never interchangeable. So why eat nooch? Well, it first gained popularity in the 1960s and 70s for its health benefits; it was touted as a good source of protein and vitamin B12 for people on vegetarian and vegan diets.

It reacts with casein, which is not there in plant-based milks. It doesn't "melt" in the sense that it softens and becomes stringy when heated (eg. Mozzarella), but you can "dissolve" this kind of tofu in water, or at least you can make it a sauce-like consistency by adding water.

Is vegan cheese anti-inflammatory? ›

The dietary fiber and polyphenols in whole plant foods are known to reduce gut inflammation, so a plant-based diet based on whole foods that includes moderate amounts of vegan cheese will likely be overwhelmingly anti-inflammatory.

Real Vegan Cheese (RVC) is a grassroots, non-profit research project working to produce real cheese using cellular agriculture. We add the genes for cheese proteins to yeast and other microflora, and turn them into little protein factories, then make real cheese by adding plant-based fats and sugars.

To make an egg replacement out of silken tofu, just take 1/4 cup of tofu per 1 whole egg and pulse it in a blender or food processor until it's broken up. Then, substitute as you please! Just make sure you use *silken* tofu, not firm tofu, as it won't yield the same result.

In a clean large saucepan, heat the soy milk to 185°. Gently pour the hot soy milk into the bowl with the nigari solution and quickly stir once or twice just to combine thoroughly; it's easy to scramble the rapidly coagulating tofu. Cover and let stand undisturbed until the silken tofu is fully set, about 5 minutes.

Silken tofu is relatively flavorless but it can make baked goods dense, so it's best used in brownies and some quick breads and cakes. How much to use: Use 1/4 cup of puréed tofu for 1 egg.

In general, egg tofu is slightly more firm than silken tofu, though they still have a similar mouthfeel. As a result, it's somewhat easier to handle and use in pan-fried dishes, while silken tofu is very likely to fall apart before getting any kind of crispy char.