[vegan] Pistachio-Crusted Cheeseball

Okay Collective, here me out!! A cashew cheeseball. I know, I know – “that’s not cheese” everyone says uniformly. But, to be totally honest even a NORMAL cheese lover would fall in love with this cheese ball .. cheese wheel? Anyway, I’ve been waiting to share this recipe with you because it is so delicious and super easy to make!

Before going vegan, I too was a cheese lover. Not as dedicated as most, but as an Italian woman, I could definitely throw back some good cheese. When I first went vegan, I had the hardest time adjusting to vegan cheese brand because they just weren’t convincing enough, they were either too sweet or plasticky. The good thing though is that was a long time ago and the vegan cheese options are getting larger and more convincing! Nonetheless, I want you to try out this Pistachio-Crusted Cheeseball at your next gathering, or as a romantic appetizer for you and your boo on Valentine’s Day. Heck, make it today to celebrate National Cheese Lover’s Day!

Cashews

For this recipe you will need raw cashews (you can not use roasted cashews). Be sure to either soak them an hour before you plan to make the recipe or, boil them for five minutes to soften. The preferred method is soaking though, because it gives it a nice and thin consistency.

Plant Milk

My recommendation for the milk is plain oat milk, it does not have a sweet aftertaste and blends in well with the other ingredients. The only other milk I would probably recommend though, is rice milk - again, it doesn't have that super sweet taste to it! But, feel free to use whatever milk you please!

Variations

This recipe is so easy to make your own. You can change the seasonings in the cheeseball to make it whatever flavor you want! Jalapeño? Sun-dried tomato? Whatever you want! You can also change the pistachio crust for almonds or another kind of crunchy nut you'd like! As always, the red chili flakes are optional (especially if you are serving it to guests who can't handle spicy *cough cough* Natalie)!

If you give this recipe a try or make any changes to it, let us know by tagging us on Instagram @theecogreenco and #TEGC. You can also find us on Facebook, theecogreenco!