Vegan feta cheese is a simple recipe to make at home, especially this marinated tofu feta cheese! Using a simple marinade, you can easily turn tofu into a perfectly tasty vegan feta cheese substitute.
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Is Feta Cheese Vegan?
Sadly, regular feta cheese is not vegan. It’s commonly made with some type of dairy product, traditionally goat’s milk. The milk of any animal (cow, goat, sheep etc.) is not a vegan-friendly option.
Luckily there are many easy ways to make vegan feta cheese!
Many people cite their enjoyment of feta cheese as a challenge in going completely vegan. I had the same struggle as feta cheese was one of my favourite cheeses. This recipe made my transition to veganism (for ethical reasons and not to restrict my intake for health or weight loss purposes) easier. It made me realize I wasn’t giving anything up with the transition.
What’s the Best Vegan Feta Cheese Substitute?
In my opinion, tofu is the perfect vegan feta cheese substitute. It’s inexpensive, simple to prepare, easy to cut or crumble, takes on any flavour and is very accessible for most people in most regions.
While there are store-bought brands of vegan feta cheese, these are often either expensive or inaccessible for many people. Making vegan feta cheese at home, with this recipe, is very simple and far more affordable.
For me, store-bought vegan dairy alternatives are a treat (largely due to cost) and I tend to make things at home wherever possible.
Why I Love Tofu as a Vegan Feta Cheese Substitute
There are three reasons why I love using tofu as a vegan feta cheese substitute:
- Price: tofu is inexpensive, especially compared to store-bought vegan feta cheese options (even compared to dairy feta cheese). Tofu is also cheaper than nuts and seeds which are commonly used in vegan feta cheese recipes.
- Nutrition: tofu is packed with nutrition for vegans. It contains protein, healthy fats (including omega 3s), iron, zinc and calcium! Compared to dairy-based cheeses, it’s a much more heart healthy choice!
- Texture: I personally like the texture of tofu and find it works well as a feta cheese alternative. It is easy to crumble or cut into pieces. While not as firm as a dairy feta cheese, it’s never been a problem for me (using extra firm tofu).
Serving Tofu Feta Cheese to Non-vegans
I have served this tofu feta cheese recipe to non-vegans on many occasions.
This tofu feta cheese recipe has always gone over extremely well with anyone I’ve ever served it to. Even people who say things like “I could never go vegan because I wouldn’t want to give up cheese”.
If you’re wondering, everyone knew what they were eating wasn’t a dairy product. While I understand that some people won’t try something if you mention it’s vegan, I don’t like to lie or hide what I’m serving. I would also hate for someone with an allergy to mistakenly eat something that causes a reaction so I’m always up front with what food I serve.
How to Serve Vegan Tofu Feta Cheese
This recipe is specifically designed to pair with my recipe for vegan Greek salad.
Greek salad is a favourite in my house but it’s just not the same without the vegan feta!
Other options for serving your vegan tofu feta cheese are:
- On a (vegan) cheese board
- As an appetizer on skewers (layer tofu feta, cucumber, tomato)
- Crumbled onto pizza
- With bruschetta (crumble into small pieces)
- In a sandwich/ wrap paired with any veggies
- As a topping for any dish! Especially if you’re looking for a protein boost or to add salty flavour
Do you have any other uses for vegan tofu feta cheese? Let me know in the comments below or tag @lettucevegout on Instagram with a picture of your creation!
Vegan Feta Cheese (Marinated Tofu Feta Cheese)
Equipment
- Well-sealed container
- Cutting Board
- Knife
Ingredients
- Juice of 1 lemon about 4 tbsp
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ tbsp. nutritional yeast
- ½ tbsp. dry oregano
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ C plant-based milk (almond, soy, etc.)
- 1 350 g block extra firm tofu
Instructions
- Drain the liquid from the package of tofu.
- Cut the tofu into cubes. They can be any size you want but the smaller they are, the easier it will be for the marinade to soak into the middle of the cube.
- Place the tofu into a container and cover with the marinade ingredients. You can add a few extra tablespoons of plant-based milk to help cover the tofu with marinade.
- Let sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. If or when you get the chance, give the container a good shake to distribute the marinade evenly.
- Store in the marinade, in an air tight container for up to 5 days.
- To serve, drain the marinade liquid from the tofu and discard the marinade liquid.
Notes
Nutrition
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This is an updated post: original post date June 2017.
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