Chef Suzi Gerber, a Boston-based executive chef, food product developer, and food and diet medical research specialist, has a passion for plant-based cuisine. As a staunch advocate of a completely plant-based diet, Gerber also teaches chefs, food educators and food developers how to incorporate plant foods into standard menus and recipes—without removing flavor or compromising product texture.
Gerber has worked with major brands, from Whole Foods to Sysco, and her book, Plant-Based Gourmet: Vegan Cuisine for the Home Chef, offers a cornucopia of colors, shapes, textures and mouthwatering flavors—a source of boundless opportunities for creativity in the kitchen. With 150 original recipes for vegans, the veg-curious alike, home chefs and foodies alike, every meal occasion is covered. And we were lucky to grab one of her recipes—a vegan cheese that can assume various forms, making it a super-versatile option. Happy experimenting!
Rice Cheese
Recipe from Plant-Based Gourmet by chef Suzi Gerber
(each flavor makes approximately 2 c.)
Cultured Coconut Milk
1 can full-fat coconut milk (approx. 13 oz.), refrigerated overnight
1 tsp. 20 billion CFU probiotic powder, or 2 capsules vegan-friendly 10 CFU probiotic loose powder pills, capsules removed
Bulk Base
1 c. rice, cooked in 6 c. water
1⁄3 c. dehydrated potato flakes
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Cheese Base (Mild White Cheese)
1 c. Bulk Base (see above)
1⁄3 c. dehydrated potato flakes
1 tsp. nutritional yeast
1½ tsp. carrageenan
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. lactic acid
½ tsp. cream of tartar
1 tbsp. coconut oil
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
¼ c. Cultured Coconut Milk (see above)
Mozzarella Flavor Addition
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. lactic acid
¼ tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
Cheddar Flavor Addition
3 tbsp. nutritional yeast
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. lactic acid
2 tsp. onion powder
1½ tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. dry mustard
¼ tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
Whisk the coconut milk with the probiotic powder. Let culture in the fridge for at least 12 hours, but no more than 20 hours. (Too little, and your culture hasn’t gotten strong enough; too much, and you’ll end up with an overly powerful and sour culture.) Combine the ingredients for the Bulk Base, or use from a previous batch. Combine all ingredients for the Cheese Base, except for the Cultured Coconut Milk, and all ingredients of your preferred flavor addition, if using, in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and stir in the Cultured Coconut Milk. Whisk thoroughly. Place the mixture in a glass storage container or silicone mold and refrigerate overnight to set. The cheese can be kept in the same glass storage container with a tight-fitting lid, or removed from the mold and placed in a zip-top bag once set. Keeps for up to 1 month in the fridge.
Pro Tip: The bulk base makes it easy to make multiple types of cheeses at once. Divide your base and make your week’s or month’s worth of mozzarella and cheddar at the same time, or save the extra base for up to 1 week in the fridge.
