Making your own plant-based cheese sounds hard. It isn't. You need hot soy milk, a little lemon juice, a cloth and something to press it with. Your hands-on time is about 10 minutes.
It is made exactly the way fresh cheese is made: warm milk, a little lemon juice, press. The only difference is that the milk comes from soybeans. That is why we call it fresh plant-based cheese.
If you came here looking for homemade tofu: this is lemon-set tofu, so you are in the right place. No powders, no special salts from a specialty store. Just soybeans, water and a lemon.
What you need
- About 1 quart (1 liter) of fresh, hot soy milk. It must be homemade from just soybeans and water. Store-bought soy milk usually has added gums and oils and often will not set well.
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) of lemon juice. Fresh is best.
- A thin cotton cloth or cheesecloth.
- A tofu press, or a strainer and something heavy. A simple tofu press with four walls and a spring works great and costs less than $10.
- Optional: salt, dried herbs or spices if you want a flavored cheese.
One quart of soy milk is made from about 1/2 cup of dry soybeans and gives you a block of about 7 oz (200 g).
Step 1: Make fresh soy milk
Everything starts with soy milk. You can make it two ways:
- On the stove: soak 1/2 cup of dry soybeans overnight, blend them with about 4 cups of water, then cook the mix in a pot for about 30 minutes while stirring so it does not boil over. Strain it through a fine cloth or nut milk bag. Full steps are in our soy milk maker vs. blender guide.
- With a soy milk maker: add the soybeans and water, press a button and come back to hot, fully cooked soy milk. With MioMat this takes about 35 minutes and you do not need to soak the beans.
Strain the milk well. The smoother the milk, the smoother the cheese.
Step 2: Add the lemon juice while the milk is hot
Pour the hot soy milk into a pot or a large jug. Add 1/4 cup of lemon juice and stir gently a few times.
Within seconds, the milk separates into soft white curds and a yellowish liquid. This is exactly what you want.
Important: the milk must be hot. If it has cooled down, warm it up again first, or it will not set properly.
Want a flavored cheese? Stir in salt, dried herbs or spices now, together with the lemon juice. They end up inside the block instead of just on the outside.
Step 3: Let it rest for 10 minutes
Leave it alone for about 10 minutes. The curds keep forming and the liquid gets clearer.
Step 4: Pour into the cloth and press
Line your tofu press or strainer with the wet cloth. Pour in the curds. The liquid drains away and the curds stay in the cloth.
Fold the cloth over the top, put on the lid or a heavy weight, and press for about 20 minutes.
- Want it softer? Press for a shorter time or with less weight.
- Want it firmer? Press longer or with more weight.
Step 5: Chill it
Put the cheese, still in its cloth, in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. It gets firmer as it cools. Then unwrap it, slice it, crumble it or spread it on bread.
How to store it
Keep it in a closed container in the fridge. It has no preservatives, so eat it within a few days. You can also freeze it.
Flavor ideas
Plain, it is mild. That is why it is so easy to change. Add these with the lemon juice in Step 2:
- Italian: basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano and salt
- Lemon pepper: lemon zest, black pepper and salt
- Chili: chili flakes, paprika, cumin and garlic powder
- Curry: turmeric, cumin, ginger and a little chili
Is it cheaper than store-bought tofu?
A little. About 1/2 cup of dry soybeans costs around $0.50 and makes a block of about 7 oz. A 14 oz block of store-bought tofu often costs around $3. So you save money, but the bigger win is that you know exactly what is in it: soybeans, water and lemon juice.
Questions people ask
Is this cheese or tofu?
Both names fit. Store-bought tofu is usually set with special salts, which makes it bouncier. Set with lemon juice, it comes out softer and creamier, much more like fresh cheese. That is why we call it fresh plant-based cheese. It does not melt like dairy cheese.
Why didn't it set?
Usually the soy milk was too cold, too thin, or store-bought with added gums. Use fresh, hot, homemade soy milk and give it the full 10 minutes to rest.
Can I use vinegar instead of lemon juice?
Yes, vinegar also works. Lemon juice gives a milder, fresher taste.
Do I need a tofu press?
No. A strainer lined with a cloth and a heavy pot or a few cans on top works too. A press just makes nicer, more even blocks.
What do I do with the leftover yellow liquid?
Many people simply pour it out. Some use it in baking or to water plants once it has cooled.
Want the easy version?
The longest part is making the soy milk. MioMat does that part for you: soybeans and water in, press a button, and 35 minutes later you have hot soy milk ready for cheese. Every new MioMat also comes with our video courses for milk, yogurt and fresh plant-based cheese, so you can follow along step by step.
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