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Caraway and Dill Cheese

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a cheese wheel of vegan whole food Caraway and Dill Cheese

 raw / vegan / gluten-free

I love all of the raw cheese recipes that I have made so far, but I think that this one is my favorite.  But then, I crave all things caraway and dill. Why? Because they are a perfect duet that harmonizes together beautifully.

Speaking of harmonizing… I can’t, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t try.  :)  Bob and I love to sing.  He, on the other hand, CAN sing and down-right amazing if I may say so myself.    I can honestly say that he sings to me nearly every day, and brings me the greatest peace.

When I am stressed, Bob sings to me, and it instantly starts to lower my cortisol levels. So much better than any supplement on the market. hehe

One thing that I don’t do well with is doctors.  When I walk into their office or the hospital, I immediately start to get queasy.  Bob just holds my hand and starts to hum.  He accompanies me to every appointment; I don’t care what they are going to do with me, he is right there beside me.

He even fights to get into procedures where others normally are not allowed.  For as soon as the needles come out, knees buckle, tummy turns, mouth waters, I get light-headed, the whole nine yards.  Bob is the same, BUT he is a trooper.  He holds my hand through shots, blood draws, etc. wondering, but that’s not all… he sings.  He keeps my eyes focused on his, caresses my hand, and sings the most beautiful and romantic songs to me.  I can’t tell you how many job offers he has gotten out of this.  :) I am very blessed to have such an amazing husband.

I am not sure why I got off on all that.  I hope that you don’t mind me sharing.  One minute we are talking cheese, the next minute we are in doctor’s office being poked and sung too.

In this recipe,  I used cashews as my base.  If you are not able to eat cashews, you can use sunflower seeds in place of them.  It will affect the flavor a tad but it will still be quite good.   To create the structure of this cheese I used agar which is not a raw product but it does have a lot of great health attributes to it, so we are ok with having some every now and then.  I don’t recommend using anything as a replacement for agar, for it has very unique properties that give it that firm texture.

Nutritional yeast is also a big player in these cheese recipes.  It is what gives it that “cheesy” flavor.  I am doing some testing with another product to see if it can be a replacement, but until I work that out, I don’t have a substitution for this ingredient either. Well, I have rambled enough, it’s time to let you go so you can make this recipe. Many blessings, amie sue

a slice of vegan whole food Caraway and Dill CheeseIngredients:

yields about 2 cups

Agar gel:

Preparation:

Cheese base:

  1. Set aside a 2 cup storage container.  You can use any shape or mold.
  2. In a high-speed blender add 1/2 cup water, lemon juice, tahini, cashews, nutritional yeast, ground caraway seeds, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Blend until smooth, no grit should be detected.  We will add the caraway whole seeds and dill towards the end.

Agar gel:

  1. In a small saucepan bring 1 cup water and the agar to boil.  Whisk briskly.
  2. Reduce the heat and simmer, whisking often, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until completely dissolved.
  3. Before adding the agar gel to the blender, get a vortex going in it.
  4. Slowly pour the agar gel into the blender.
    • Working quickly.
    • Process until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender jar as necessary.
    •  Quickly add the dill and caraway seeds and just blend it in for a few seconds.   Leave bits and pieces for visual and texture purposes.
  5. Pour into container(s) and cool uncovered in the refrigerator.
  6. When completely cool, cover and chill for several hours.  To serve, turn over the container to release and slice.
  7. Store covered in the refrigerator.  Will keep 5 to 7 days.
a whole cheese wheel of vegan Caraway and Dill Cheese

This cheese slices, dices, and grates beautifully.

 

36 thoughts on “Caraway and Dill Cheese

  1. gema says:

    This looks yummy! where can I find the recipe for the bread in the photos? it looks incredible!!

    thanks for your daily recipes, it really helps to reduce the monotony of veganism …. great job!

  2. Charlien says:

    Dear Amie Sue,
    You will sincerely be lifted up to our Father in Heaven, to bless and heal and strengthen you!
    What a gift your web site is to all of us!
    Thankyou again with all my heart!

  3. Barbara says:

    Amie Sue, I have been a follower of your recipes and beautiful website for about a year now and I ALWAYS love everything you post! gorgeous recipes with beautiful pictures and good explanation on the how. And hearing you have such a lovely, caring husband is just a treat to read! Love your work, love your website, love you. thank you for sharing. B

    • amie-sue says:

      Good evening Barbara. You are sooo sweet. Thank you for such a wonderful comment. I am thankful that my site is helpful and inspiring. Sending you the love right back… hope you feel it. :) Blessings, amie sue

  4. carolina says:

    i would like to know how did you make that bread? i like the texture on the photo. Thanks for sharing

  5. Jan says:

    Hi Amie Sue,
    A great post that makes me want to try caraway again. I think it’s an acquired taste.
    Seems to me I’ve seen a recipe that said there was a difference between agar powder and flakes. I have flakes and wondering what the appropriate amount would be. Any idea? Thanks for your help, and continued supply of great recipes.

    • amie-sue says:

      Hello Jan,

      You just never know… tastebuds change. Mine sure have over the years. As far as using flakes instead of powder… the basic rule is: use 1 tablespoon agar flakes to 1 teaspoon agar powder. So you triple the amount. I hope you try the recipe and I hope (toes crossed) that you enjoy the flavor of caraway. :) Blessings, amie sue

  6. Karen says:

    Hi Amie,
    First of all, thank you for sharing so many recipes on your blog. I made the vegan jack cheese with the raw chili last week and both turned out wonderful. I did use agar flakes and had no problem dissolving.

    Good luck in your new business!

    Karen

    • amie-sue says:

      That is great to hear Karen. I really appreciate that you took the time to share this with me. Enjoy and have a great evening! amie sue

  7. Annie says:

    You are one funny lady Amy :D, love your story. My husband loves to sing too but he sings with the choir choir only. Love love your post and I am gearing up my ingredients to try it today. Thank you big time for all the wonderful raw creations coming our way! God bless you.
    Annie

    • amie-sue says:

      Thank you and your welcome Annie. :) When a person sings, that is a true sign of joy in the heart. Ever try to sing when you are upset or unhappy? Anyway, have a blessed evening Annie. amie sue

  8. Kanti says:

    Oh Amie Sue!
    I am so grateful to you for your recipes, esp. this cheese recipe! I made it last night (easy peasy!) and it is so delicious and just the right consistency to satisfy my cheese hunger! This will keep me on the path that has brought me back from the dead!
    Thank you! Thank you!

    • amie-sue says:

      Good evening Kanti, so happy to hear that you liked the cheese. Stay inspired and passion will keep you on track. :) amie sue

  9. Christi Weiner says:

    Looks great! Amie-Sue. What kind of bread is that in the background?

  10. Beth says:

    Thank you for, yet again, an awesome looking recipe. I’ve wanted to try making nut cheese, but haven’t made the time yet. Soon, Very soon. You inspire me.

  11. Laurie says:

    Hola Amie Sue!

    This recipe is just out of reach, right at my finger tips, so close my mouth is watering, only because of the nutritional yeast thing as you well know. One way or another I AM going to find some down here! Then I’m going to turn into a hoarder!! lol .. Ok, so I don’t think I can get the agar powder either, but I’m not going to be heartbroken over having a delicious spreadable cheese. ;)

    Looking forward to seeing if your substitution idea works out. I’ll be first in line to hear it!

    Thanks for all of the time and effort you put into the site!

    (Gee whiz! I went “!” happy – lol)

    • amie-sue says:

      lol Laurie, you crack me up. I am sorry that it is tough to find certain ingredients where you live. I understand that frustration but I know you will make the best of it. :) Have a great evening! amie sue

  12. anne-marie says:

    Dear Amie Sue, Sorry to ask you: Why do you have to go to hospital? Do you use freshly squeezed wheat grass for your health issue? Healthy thinkings, AM

    • amie-sue says:

      Hi Anne-Marie,

      Working through some digestive issues that have been a mystery for a long time. I have gone through phases of using wheat grass in my diet regime. I know it can do wonders. :) Thank you for reminding me about it. :) Have a wonderful day Annie Marie

      • Anne-Marie says:

        Great, I found back about my post about wheat grass. Thank you for your answer, Amie Sue. I grow wheat grass at home and take it most of time especially when I feel a flue coming up or when I don’t feel good with my stomach ( for ex. after a swiss fondue). The effect is immediate, so fantastic. Go ahead, grow it and drink it, I am totally convinced about the great health benefits of wheat grass and already helped lot’s of people with it. Many hugs AM

        • amie-sue says:

          Oh dear, over doing it on Swiss fondue… wheat grass to the rescue! hehe Thank you for sharing this Anne- Marie… it helps keep me motivated to keep trying it again and again. :) Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for YOU. :) amie sue

  13. Maureen says:

    I was hesitant to try a cheese that wasn’t made out of dairy, but WOW, this was amazing! I’m making my second batch of this today because it was SO good, it disappeared almost immediately! Now I have the courage to try your other cheeses! ;O)
    Thanks for the fantastic recipes!

    • amie-sue says:

      Good morning Maureen,

      I am so glad that you trusted the recipe to try it… and look out… you will be a made woman making raw cheeses! hehe You will help to inspire others Maureen. Thank you for sharing! amie sue

  14. Mary says:

    Hi Amie-Sue,

    This looks so yummy, like every beautiful thing you put your hands on. You wrote that you were looking for a possible replacement to the nutritional yeast. Have you by chance discovered anything yet that works well? So many of the recipes call for it and it’s off my list for a while.

    Thanks much!
    Mary

    • amie-sue says:

      Hi Mary,

      No I haven’t yet… I sort of forgot about it to be honest. Been so darn busy. :) I will have to keep working at it. Have a great weekend, amie sue

  15. Kathy says:

    So enjoyed hearing that you are so blessed to have such a wonderful husband, that is so wonderful, God bless you both, certainly makes the unpleasant things in life so much easier to go threw. Your recipe for your lovely Caraway/Dill Cheese sounds just delicious… I agree and really enjoy the caraway/dill combo too! I was amazed to see how beautifully it slices too. The texture of this cheese is amazing. I really enjoyed getting to see all the beautiful shapes of your cheeses and the way you decorated each on them. My goodness girl you are such an artist! Thank you for all your efforts that inspire us all.

    • amie-sue says:

      I agree Kathy, I really can’t imagine my life without him, let alone what it was like before he came into my life. He is an amazing man and I am indeed blessed. :)

      Thank you once again for your sweet words. I have come a long way in the culinary world and my passion for healthy eating has really blessed me in so many ways… you being one of them :) Enjoy your weekend, amie sue

  16. Alice Marsh says:

    I have a long time sensitivity to nutritional yeast. Can I just omit it or do I have to add something to replace it?

    • amie-sue says:

      Hello Alice,

      I would just omit it. You can add up to 1 Tbsp of white miso to add in that “cheesy tang” if desired. You will have to taste test the batter before adding the agar to see how strong you want the flavor. Let me know if you try it. Blessings, amie sue

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