Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Havarti

Introduction

Traditional havarti has a lovely rich creamy flavor offset with a bit of tangy, bright notes. This vegan roasted red pepper havarti cheese is a healthier version that doesn't leave out any of the flavor! Made with very accessible and inexpensive ingredients, this havarti-style cheese features a sunflower seed base and is thickened with cornstarch, giving it a firm but creamy texture.

Ingredients

Before we dive into the cooking process, let’s gather our ingredients! For this marvelous recipe, you’ll need:

• 1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked overnight or boiled for 10 minutes

• 1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained

• 1/4 cup sauerkraut, rinsed and squeezed dry

• 1/4 cup corn starch

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 clove fresh garlic or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup water

Instructions

1. Strain and rinse the soaked sunflower seeds. This helps remove any bitterness from the seeds and ensures a mild, yet slightly earthy flavor.

2. In a blender, combine the rinsed sunflower seeds, jarred roasted red peppers, sauerkraut, corn starch, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt. Blend together until completely smooth.

3. Add in the water gradually, blending until you reach your desired consistency. Add more water if needed for blending or for a creamier, less firm texture.

4. Once blended, transfer the mixture into a saucepan. Heat it on medium-low, stirring continuously until it thickens—around 5 to 7 minutes.

5. Once thickened, remove from heat and let it cool for at least an hour in the fridge, or half an hour in the freezer (set a timer!). The cheese will firm up as it cools.

6. Serve the vegan roasted red pepper havarti cheese! Pair it with crackers, spread it on toast, or feature it on a vegan cheese plate! The flavor will be even better the next day!

Nutrition

Per Serving (1/8 of recipe): 120 calories; 3.4g protein; 7.8g carbs; 8.5g fat; 235mg sodium. Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary depending on ingredients used.

If you enjoyed this cheese, please add a comment below and let me know how it turned out! I love feedback so that I can keep improving my recipes. You can also subscribe to receive all my newest creations as soon as they are here on the blog!