I am so excited because Adam bought me The Non-Dairy Evolution Cookbook by Skye Michael Conroy for my birthday. The first recipe I’ve tried so far is the Mediterranean Herbed Feta because I had all the ingredients on hand. Overall, I was really happy with how it turned out, but I will say that I don’t think it’s exactly the same as real feta and I’m ok with that. The texture is really nice. It’s firm enough and does crumble in a similar manner to real feta cheese, but it is also a bit creamier than the real thing, which I don’t mind at all.
The taste is really good, although I don’t think it tastes exactly like feta, it does get very close though, especially with the added herbs. At first, I was worried about the tofu flavor coming through in the mixture because I could taste it once I blended all the ingredients together. I’m not a huge fan of the flavor of plain tofu, but after the cheese firmed up in the fridge over 8 hours, the flavor really started to develop and the herbs and lemon juice masked the flavor of the tofu very well. I would definitely say that you’re going to get the best results the longer you refrigerate it, so be patient.
I did really like how this cheese turned out, but I wouldn’t really recommend eating the cheese by itself. I tried it on top of a delicious roasted butternut squash salad and on top of a veggie pizza and it was great on both. It was also really creamy and delicious spread on some crackers. I would definitely recommend trying this recipe because it’s very straight-forward and not very complicated and the results will definitely impress you.
Tender roasted butternut squash on a bed of leafy greens with pickled beets, walnuts, balsamic glaze and homemade vegan herbed feta cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 cup greens
- 1 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup sliced pickled beets
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 2 tbsp balsamic glaze
- 1/2 block extra firm tofu
- 1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted
- 4 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp basil
- 1/2 tsp marjoram
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp thyme
Instructions
- Drain and press the tofu with paper towels to get as much moisture out at possible.
- Line a round dish with plastic wrap, allowing some excess wrap to hang over the edge so that the cheese can be easily removed once firm.
- In a food processor or blender, add the tofu, coconut oil, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar and blend until very smooth.
- Add the sea salt, onion powder, basil, marjoram and oregano and pulse a few times until combined.
- Pour the cheese into the plastic wrap lined dish and spread evenly.
- Cover and refrigerate for about 8 hours or ideally, overnight.
- To prepare the salad, heat oven to 400°.
- Add the butternut squash, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning into a ziplock bag or in a bowl and gently toss until coated.
- Place on a parchment paper lined baking pan and bake for 30-45 minutes until tender.
- Remove from oven and cool on the counter.
- Once the cheese is firm and the squash is cool, assemble the salad on a flat dish with lettuce on the bottom, followed by the squash, beets, walnuts, feta cheese and balsamic glaze.
Notes
I adapted the feta recipe from The Non-Dairy Evolution Cookbook by Skye Michael Conroy.
