Tofu Cheese

March 9, 2015

If you hate the thought of giving up cheese, this recipe is for you. Rich, creamy and savory, this sharp-tasting, pickled tofu can stand on its own in place of any cheese in recipes ranging from creamy white sauces to thin squares on a cracker, to whipped cream cheese, without the negative effects of dairy products. Experiment with different miso flavors to create an incredible variety of flavors.

Makes about 1 pound

Ingredient List:

  • 1 to 1½ cups white miso
  • 1 pound organic extra-firm tofu

Step By Step Instructions:

Spread about ¼ inch of miso on a piece of cheesecloth (much larger than the tofu brick) on a plate. Press tofu on top of miso. Cover the rest of the tofu with a ¼-inch-thick coating of miso, covering it completely. (Any tofu left exposed will spoil.) Wrap the cheesecloth up around the tofu, covering it completely. Set aside in a cool place to ferment (not in the refrigerator). Tofu may pickle anywhere from 12 hours to 4 days, depending on how strong you would like the flavor to become.

During fermentation, there will be a delicate beer-like aroma around the tofu. This means that the fermentation process is active. When the tofu cheese is ready, simply scrape miso completely from the tofu, reserving the miso to use in sauces or salad dressings. Rinse tofu gently under cool water to remove any remaining miso residue and use as you wish as a cheese substitute in any recipe.