This Vegan Feta Cheese (tofu feta cheese) is the perfect plant-based feta cheese substitute! Made with just 6 ingredients in just a few minutes, this recipe is easy, tangy, and perfect on salads, sandwiches, or in your favourite recipes.
Get ready to put this vegan tofu feta cheese on every single thing! Years ago, I was originally so skeptical about making “cheese” with tofu, but this recipe changed my mind. I was honestly shocked at how deliciously briny this vegan cheese is.
The texture is just perfect, and after some serious trial and error, I got the level of flavour that matched the dairy feta I used to eat in Greek salads. It’s tangy, salty, and perfectly cheesy.
Notes on the Ingredients
Firm tofu – Make sure you drain and press your tofu for at least 30 minutes. Get your tofu adequately drained helps makes your vegan cheese like feta and not overly watery.
Nutritional yeast – If you are vegan, nutritional yeast should be in your cooking arsenal. It gives a savory, cheesy flavour to the tofu that helps boost the taste of feta.
Ground black pepper and sea salt – A little simple seasoning from freshly ground black pepper and salt adds the right amount of flavour to the vegan cheese.
Lime or lemon juice – A squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice helps add the tang found in traditional feta cheese.
Olive oil – Olive oil rounds out the flavours with a nutty, peppery taste.
How To Make Vegan Feta Cheese
Either cut your tofu into small cubes or crumbled like crumbled feta and place it in a bowl.
In a mason jar (or any large-ish jar with a top), mix the nutritional yeast, pepper, sea salt, lime juice and olive oil. Shake until combined. Pour over the tofu in the bowl and gently stir with a spoon to come to coat all of the tofu.
Add the tofu back to the mason jar and pour any excess brine still in the bowl over the top.
Let it marinade for at least an hour, preferably over night. Taste and you can add more lime juice if you want it more briny. Enjoy!
Expert Tips and FAQ
- To drain and press your tofu, use a tofu press, or if you don’t have one, place a towel or some paper towels on a flat surface, like a plate or cutting board. Place more towels or paper towels on top of the tofu, then place something somewhat heavy on top of them, like a cast-iron skillet.
- Feel free to add more brine if needed, but I would say wait at least the hour for the flavours to really soak in so you don’t end up overdoing it!
- I like to store my vegan feta cheese in an airtight container with the marinade so that it continues to soak up the flavour. You can keep it in the fridge for about 5 days.
Related Recipes
- Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
- Vegan Cheese Sauce (+ 5 Ways to Use It)
- Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Vegan Lasagna (to use this on)
Enjoy friends! If you make this recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Vegan Feta Cheese (Tofu Feta Cheese)
This Vegan Feta Cheese (tofu feta cheese) is the perfect plant-based feta cheese substitute! Made with just 6 ingredients in just a few minutes, this recipe is easy, tangy, and perfect on salads, sandwiches, or in your favourite recipes.
Ingredients
- 1 lb block of firm or extra tofu (not silken tofu) pressed for at least 30 minutes
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
Instructions
- Either cut your tofu into small cubes or crumbled like crumbled feta and place in a bowl.
- In a mason jar (or any large ish jar with a top) mix the nutritional yeast, pepper, sea salt, lime juice and olive oil. Shake until combined. Pour over the tofu in the bowl and gently stir with a spoon to come to coat all of the tofu.
- Add the tofu back to the mason jar and pour any excess brine still in the bowl over the top.
- Let it marinade for at least an hour, preferably over night. Taste and you can add more lime juice if you want it more brine-y. Enjoy!
NOTES
- To drain and press your tofu, use a tofu press, or if you don’t have one, place a towel or some paper towels on a flat surface, like a plate or cutting board. Place more towels or paper towels on top of the tofu, then place something somewhat heavy on top of them, like a cast-iron skillet.
- Feel free to add more brine if needed, but I would say wait at least the hour for the flavours to really soak in so you don’t end up overdoing it!
- I like to store my tofu feta cheese in an airtight container with the marinade so that it continues to soak up the flavour. You can keep it in the fridge for about 5 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 362mg | Potassium: 219mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg
by Jessica
Have not tried the recipe yet but it looks really good! I’m curious if the oil imparts a significant amount of flavor as I’m trying to minimize my oil consumption. Not sure if it is there to help preserve it, for flavor, or some other reason. Thank you so very much!
Hmm interesting question Elena. We haven’t actually tried it without the oil but it may be able to impart the flavours without it. Try adding an extra tablespoon of lime and 2 tablespoons of water instead. The lemon juice and salt may act as preservative in this situation. I hope this helps!
How long will this keep in the fridge?
Hi Benji thanks so much for reading. It will last for about 5 to 10 days. I hope this helps.
Very excited to try this recipe! Could you freeze some of this and pull it out as needed? Thanks!
Hey Tommi, thanks so much for reading. Freezing the tofu actually changes the texture of it so its not recommended to freeze it for this specific recipe. I hope this helps.
Wow, Jessica, you are my new go-to for recipes…tasty, easy. I just made the feta tofu. It has been in the fridge about an hour, had to sneak a taste–added more fresh lemon juice and an additional sprinkle of salt, so good, so flavorful. I love the addition of nutritional yeast. This is the best feta tofu I’ve tried! Thank you!