This vegan blue cheese recipe will blow you away!Β It has an amazingly similar taste to the real deal made with some common vegan ingredients you may already have in your kitchen.Β
Jump to:
- β€οΈ You'll love this recipe because it's
- π What gives it the blue cheese flavor?
- π§Ύ Ingredients and substitutions
- β What is tempeh?
- β What type of tempeh should I use?
- π₯ How to make vegan blue cheese dressing
- π§ How to make vegan blue cheese crumbles
- π₯ How to make crumbly blue cheese dressing
- π‘ Other ways to use vegan blue cheese dressing
- π More creamy vegan dressingsΒ Β
- β¨ More vegan cheese recipes
- π Vegan blue cheese recipe
When I was a kid we used to go to a local restaurant on Friday nights where we got a salad with our entree. I always ordered creamy blue cheese dressing with crumbly blue cheese on top. The waitress seemed surprised that such a small kid would want such a strong flavor, but I loved it!
I spent years trying to recreate that flavor and I'm excited to say that I finally did it with this dairy-free blue cheese recipe!
I was surprised that my kids loved that tangy bite in this blue cheese too!
β€οΈ You'll love this recipe because it's
- quick and easy to make.
- gives you the authentic blue cheese flavor that you miss and crave.
- free of dairy, gluten, and nuts.
- easy to make the dressing creamy or chunky.
π What gives it the blue cheese flavor?
The secret to this recipe is tempeh.Β Tempeh is a fermented soybean product that gives this recipe the cheesy bite of real blue cheese.Β Since it's fermented, the tempeh gives the authentic cultured cheese flavor without the need for making difficult cultured vegan cheese that takes weeks to ferment.
π§Ύ Ingredients and substitutions
For the blue cheese dressing
- Soy Milk - to make the dressing creamy and make it emulsify. Don't use almond, oat, or cashew milk, they do not have enough protein to emulsify the dressing. (You can also use Ripple milk, but if you use tempeh, there is no way to make it soy-free).
- Oil - for the base of the dressing and to make the dressing emulsify and become thick and creamy.
- Tempeh - for a strong cheesy bite and cultured cheese flavor. (See more about tempeh below).
- Nutritional Yeast - for a cheesy flavor.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - for acidity and flavor.
- Lemon Juice - for acidity and flavor.
- Salt - for flavor.
For the chunky blue cheese crumbles
- Tempeh - to serve as the base of the crumbles and give it a strong blue cheese flavor. (See more about tempeh below).
- Apple Cider Vinegar - for flavor.
- Lemon Juice - for acidity and flavor.
- Nutritional Yeast - for flavor.
- Salt - for flavor.
β What is tempeh?
Tempeh is cooked soybeans that have been fermented and then pressed into a dense block. It commonly has a white or blueish tint from the fermentation. Don't worry, this is normal and full of healthy probiotics (and gives it a sharp cheesy flavor). Tempeh is frequently used similarly to tofu or as a meat substitute like in my recipe for tempeh bacon or BBQ tempeh.
β What type of tempeh should I use?
Many varieties have grains mixed in with soybeans, but for this recipe, I use plain tempeh for the blue cheese recipe to make it creamier since the grains don't blend as smoothly. You can read more about tempeh here.
π₯ How to make vegan blue cheese dressing
- Add all of the ingredients to the blender.
- Blend on high for about 30 seconds.
- Let it rest for about 5 minutes and blend again until very creamy.
π§ How to make vegan blue cheese crumbles
- Break up the tempeh with your hands into small bitesize pieces into a mixing bowl.
- Drizzle with lemon juice and apple cider vinegar and stir it around.
- Sprinkle nutritional yeast and salt and stir again.
π₯ How to make crumbly blue cheese dressing
- Combine both the cream vegan blue cheese dressing with the vegan blue cheese crumbles for a creamy dressing with a chunky texture.
π‘ Other ways to use vegan blue cheese dressing
Use it as a dip!Β MyΒ buffalo cauliflower wingsΒ are delicious when dipped in this blue cheese dressing! You can also use it as a sandwich spread on my vegan buffalo chicken sandwich or serve it with buffalo seitan wings.
π More creamy vegan dressingsΒ Β
Try my easyΒ vegan ranch dressing, creamy sweet onion dressing,Β or my recipe forΒ the best vegan Ceasar dressing!
You may also like my vegan mayo, vegan yogurt, and vegan sour cream recipes too.
β¨ More vegan cheese recipes
You can check out my guide onΒ how to make vegan cheeseΒ if you want more information on vegan cheese makingΒ or get my vegan cheese cookbook,Β The Ultimate Guide to Easy Vegan Cheese Making.
π Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
π Vegan blue cheese recipe
Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing and Crumbles
Equipment
Ingredients
Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing
- 2/3 cup canola oil
- 1/3 cup plain soy milk or Ripple (pea milk)
- 1/4 cup crumbled tempeh
- 2 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
For Crumbly Blue Cheese
- 1/2 cup tempeh
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
Instructions
How to make creamy vegan blue cheese dressing
- Add all of the creamy dressing ingredients to a blender.
- Blend on high for about 30 seconds.
- Let it rest for about 5 minutes and blend again until very creamy.
How to make vegan blue cheese crumbles
- Break up the tempeh with your hands into small bitesize pieces.
- Drizzle with lemon juice and apple cider vinegar and stir it around.
- Sprinkle nutritional yeast and salt and stir again.
For Crumbly Blue Cheese Dressing
- Combine the creamy vegan blue cheese dressing with the vegan blue cheese crumbles.
Nutrition
βββββ Click the stars above or leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you!
Suzanne says
Thoughts on using a light olive oil in place of the canolaβ¦.not sure if it would be too heavy??? Really missing blue cheese dressing and the store bought vegan ones have way too many weird ingredients. Thanks for all of the terrific recipes!
Monica says
Light olive oil should work fine. Enjoy! π
Emily says
I love this recipe! I make both the crumbles and the dressing and mix them together, and I was thrilled to find they really do taste like blue cheese! Blue cheese dressing with something I was missing a lot, so it is really a delight to discover this. Thank you!
Also, just a plug for readers β I did end up buying the actual hardcopy cheese-making cookbook and find it truly handy. To me, it was worth the bookβs modest price to have the recipes consistently available in the kitchen without having to find my phone, locate a webpage, and keep it open to keep referencing it. Thanks for offering cookbooks in addition to the great resource of your site, Monica!
Monica says
I'm so happy that you like this recipe and my cookbook, Emily! I'm so glad that the cookbook is handy for you!
Kristin says
I used spirulina in place of the charcoal and added some dried parsley as well.
Great recipe. Thank you
Monica says
I'm so happy that you liked the recipe! Spirulina is a great idea! π
Bev says
Bingo! This is fantastic!!!
If one happens to have fermented tofu on hand (easily available in an Asian market), I added 2 cubes to the dressing. Can't stop dipping everything in it!!!
Monica says
I'm so happy that you liked it, Bev. π
Lesley Garvey says
Hi there, thank you for all the cheese recipes. I'm a cheese freak, and slowly converting my family to "seagan". I plan on making your harder cheeses tonight and freezing them. Busy working mom, here... rather get it all done in one shot and freeze in bulk.
Can you freeze this blue cheese and your feta?
Thanks again, you rock.
Lesley
Monica says
Thanks, Lesley! You can freeze the blue cheese, but the feta will have a grainer texture after you freeze it. I'm so glad that you are enjoying all of my cheese recipes! π
Harriette Brown says
Hi Monica can i use konjac in place of agar agar in your cheese recipes
Monica says
Hi Harriette, I'm not sure about konjac, I have never used it before.
Kelly says
Ooooh, I'm excited to try this! I LOVED blue cheese when I was an omni and I do miss that flavor. I love how inventive you are with all of these types of vegan cheese. What a time to be alive π
Monica says
Aww thanks so much, Kelly! I hope you enjoy it! π
Nicola Bowman says
curious about the charcoal capsule? is it really needed for any flavor?
have made all of the other cheeses! amazeballs!
the mayo is awesome!
your rrecipes never disappoint!
Monica says
Hi Nicola, the charcoal is just to give it the color of blue cheese. It does nothing for the flavor. I'm so happy that you like my recipes! Thanks so much! It means a lot to me! π
Anna says
This satisfied all of those cravings that I've had for blue cheese since going off of dairy years ago! How genius to use tempeh for taste/texture and charcoal for color!
By the way - I LOVE your blog. You are like an inventor with recipes...everything is your own creation and it always turns out delicious. Thank you!
Monica says
Aww, thanks so much Anna! I'm so happy that you liked the blue cheese recipe and all my others as well! π