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.
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)
Ingredients
- 1 lb block firm tofu, or extra firm 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 juice, or lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
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.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
yum! i love tofu feta. definitely will have to try this version!
Thanks Kristin! We hope that you enjoy!!
I tried another recipe for Tofu Feta last weekend which used large amounts of apple cider vinegar and it was sooooo gross. Wish I had found your recipe earlier 🙁
I’m so sorry to hear that Jessy! I hope you get to try my version and that you enjoy it!
How long does this stay okay in the fridge?
At least a few days, like 3 days!
This was absolutely delicious! This was my first tofu taste and recipe, definitely making this again and more with tofu.
Awesome Beth thank you so much!
Hello,
What kind of tofu is best for this?
thanks
Hi Carmen thanks so much for reading! Extra firm or firm tofu works perfectly for this dish. NOT silken tofu. I hope this helps!
This is amazing! Thanks for the recipe Jessica! <3
Hi Cassandra thank you for leaving such a sweet comment we are so happy that you like it! Thank you so much for reading!
What kind of ‘nutritional yeast’? Does it matter if it is instant or active dry?
Hi Sara we’re so happy that you read this recipe! We use Bob’s Red Mill nutritional yeast. It is completely different from regular yeast such as instant or active dry and they are not interchangeable. Nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast that is used as more of a seasoning. I dropped a link below to the nutritional yeast that we use. I hope this helps, thank you for reading!
https://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Red-Mill-Large-Flake/dp/B000WLCHDA/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=nutritional+yeast&qid=1557419173&s=gateway&sr=8-8
Hi!
Thankyou so much for this recipe…yum! Wondering if you think it would keep in the fridge for a few days or should it be used immediately? Alice
HI Alice,
Thank you so much and I’m so happy that you enjoyed!!
YES! It will keep in the fridge for a few days! I’ll add that notation on the post too. Enjoy!!
Hi Jessica,
I plan to try this recipe. I don’t have mason jars, and while I could buy one, I’m wondering if any container with a lid could work?
I just stumbled across your blog a few weeks ago and I’m really enjoying it! Ready to start trying some of your delicious-looking recipes. 🙂
Thanks!
Hi Kelly maybe I can help. You can definitely use any airtight container with a lid. Thank you so much for trying our recipes!
Love this! Super easy to make, so tasty and I plan to also use this for salad dressing. Thank you for the recipe. 😊
We’re so happy that you enjoyed this recipe Jennifer! Thank you so much for reading and leaving such a nice comment!