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Probiotic Dairy-Free Keto Cheese

★★★★★★★★★★
4.4 stars, average of 76 ratings

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These probiotic Macadamia cheeses are a delicious vegan alternative to cheese. What’s more they’re packed full of gut friendly probiotics to help keep your digestive system happy and healthy.

I like to use macadamia over cashew nuts because not only are they lower in carbs but macadamia nuts are one of the few food sources that contain palmitoleic acid (a type of monounsaturated fatty acid that can actually help speed up your metabolism, helping you to burn more calories and lose fat).

Macadamia nuts also naturally curb hunger so you only need a little of this cheese to satisfy your cravings. Whist Macadamia nuts are high in fat, 80% of this is heart healthy monounsaturated fat and much needed anti-inflammatory omega 3. Remember guys, fat should not be feared. On a low carb diet you need fats for energy.

This recipe is inspired by Carla Oats @thebeautychef.

Hands-on Overall

Serving size 1/4 of piece

Allergy information for Probiotic Dairy-Free Keto Cheese

✔  Gluten free
✔  Dairy free
✔  Egg free
✔  Nightshade free
✔  Pork free
✔  Avocado free
✔  Coconut free
✔  Fish free
✔  Shellfish free
✔  Beef free
Pescatarian
Vegetarian
Vegan

Nutritional values (per 1/4 of piece)

Net carbs1.5 grams
Protein1.9 grams
Fat9.8 grams
Calories101 kcal
Calories from carbs 6%, protein 8%, fat 86%
Total carbs3.4 gramsFiber1.9 gramsSugars0.7 gramsSaturated fat1.6 gramsSodium73 mg(3% RDA)Magnesium19 mg(5% RDA)Potassium93 mg(5% EMR)

Ingredients (makes 4 cheeses, 16 servings)

  • 1 1/2 cups macadamia nuts (200 g/ 7.1 oz)
  • water for soaking
  • 3/4 tsp probiotics (3-5 small capsules)
  • 110 ml warm filtered water - not hot (3.7 fl oz)
  • 2 flat tbsp nutritional yeast (24 g/ 0.9 oz)
  • 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt or sea salt
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (15 ml)
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1/3 tsp garlic powder
  • Coating: up to 1 tbsp each of cracked black pepper, chilli flakes, fresh chives and dried rosemary
  • Optional: extra virgin olive oil to serve

Instructions

  1. Soak the macadamia nuts in water overnight (enough to cover them).
  2. Rinse and then drain the macadamia nuts. Probiotic Dairy-Free Keto Cheese
  3. Place the macadamia nuts, warm water and probiotics in a food processor or a blender, and blitz until smooth. Probiotic Dairy-Free Keto Cheese
  4. Spoon into a glass bowl and cover with a muslin cloth. Secure the rim with pegs.
  5. Leave to culture in a warm spot (not direct sunlight) for 2 days.
  6. After 2 days, add the nutritional yeast, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest and garlic powder. Mix well.
  7. Place the macadamia mix into the muslin cloth and squeeze out the excess water. Tie up with a piece of string and leave suspended over a bowl for 6 hours to drain and firm.
    Probiotic Dairy-Free Keto Cheese
  8. Line 4 loose bottom mini cake tins with cling film. Spoon in the mix and level.
  9. Refrigerate for 4 hours, up to 2 days until the desired firmness of cheese is achieved (4 hours for a softer cheese, or a day for a firmer cheese). Probiotic Dairy-Free Keto Cheese
  10. Remove the macadamia vegan nut cheeses from the tins and cling film and roll in chilli flakes, chopped fresh chives, black pepper or dried rosemary. Probiotic Dairy-Free Keto Cheese
  11. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, keto crackers or fresh vegetable crudités. Store in fridge, wrapped in cling film for up to 5 days. Probiotic Dairy-Free Keto Cheese

Probiotic Dairy-Free Cheese
Step by Step

★★★★★★★★★★
4.4 stars, average of 76 ratings
Probiotic Dairy-Free Cheese
This probiotic macadamia cheese is a delicious dairy-free and vegan alternative to cheese.
Hands on15m
Overall3d
Servings16
Calories101 kcal
Pin it

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups macadamia nuts (200 g/ 7.1 oz)
  • water for soaking
  • 3/4 tsp probiotics (3-5 small capsules)
  • 110 ml warm filtered water - not hot (3.7 fl oz)
  • 2 flat tbsp nutritional yeast (24 g/ 0.9 oz)
  • 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt or sea salt
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (15 ml)
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1/3 tsp garlic powder
  • Coating: up to 1 tbsp each of cracked black pepper, chilli flakes, fresh chives and dried rosemary
  • Optional: extra virgin olive oil to serve

Instructions

  1. Soak the macadamia nuts in water overnight (enough to cover them).
  2. Rinse and then drain the macadamia nuts.
  3. Place the macadamia nuts, warm water and probiotics in a food processor or a blender, and blitz until smooth.
  4. Spoon into a glass bowl and cover with a muslin cloth. Secure the rim with pegs.
  5. Leave to culture in a warm spot (not direct sunlight) for 2 days.
  6. After 2 days, add the nutritional yeast, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest and garlic powder. Mix well.
  7. Place the macadamia mix into the muslin cloth and squeeze out the excess water. Tie up with a piece of string and leave suspended over a bowl for 6 hours to drain and firm.
  8. Line 4 loose bottom mini cake tins with cling film. Spoon in the mix and level.
  9. Refrigerate for 4 hours, up to 2 days until the desired firmness of cheese is achieved (4 hours for a softer cheese, or a day for a firmer cheese).
  10. Remove the macadamia vegan nut cheeses from the tins and cling film and roll in chilli flakes, chopped fresh chives, black pepper or dried rosemary.
  11. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, keto crackers or fresh vegetable crudités. Store in fridge, wrapped in cling film for up to 5 days.

Nutrition (per serving, 1/4 of piece)

Calories101kcal
Net Carbs1.5g
Carbohydrates3.4g
Protein1.9g
Fat9.8g
Saturated Fat1.6g
Fiber1.9g
Sugar0.7g
Sodium73mg
Magnesium19mg
Potassium93mg

Detailed nutritional breakdown (per 1/4 of piece)

Net carbsProteinFatCalories
Total per 1/4 of piece
1.5 g1.9 g9.8 g101 kcal
Macadamia nuts
0.7 g1 g9.5 g90 kcal
Probiotics, capsules
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Water, still
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Yeast, nutritional yeast, dried
0.3 g0.8 g0.1 g6 kcal
Salt, pink Himalayan rock salt
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Lemon juice, fresh
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Lemon zest (peel), fresh
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Garlic powder, spices
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Pepper, black, spices
0.2 g0 g0 g1 kcal
Peppers, chile (chili), flaked and dried, spices
0.3 g0.1 g0.2 g3 kcal
Chives, fresh
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Rosemary, dried
0 g0 g0 g1 kcal

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Jo Harding
Creator of ModernFoodStories.com

Jo Harding

Food is one of life’s most powerful medicines. I’m a true testament that once you find the right approach for you, you can overcome poor health through the healing power of food.

I believe the secret to radiant health starts and ends with a healthy gut so my recipes are all grain, gluten and refined sugar free. Most are also dairy-free.

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Comments (20)

One day into this process, I "pre"-tasted  my cheese, I'm sooo excited for tomorrow!! Lol However, I left the prebiotics & macadamia nuts IN the food processor on the counter to culture...(Figured I'll probably add the salt & lemon & nutritional yeast back in there to mix anyway, so maybe save some dish washing?) But now I'm wondering, will the metal blade will be bad in there? Hope you know the answer!  Thank-you

I believe that should be ok as stainless steel (which I assume is the material) is commonly used in fermentation kits.

I am so excited to have found this recipe, thank you so much! I am wondering if the probiotics are really necessary? Have you tried without and/or have you tried to do it with vegan présure (rennet, I think?) instead? Wondering if this would work too!

Hi Tam, to be perfectly honest, this is the only way I have tried and I haven't tried it with vegan rennet. I hope someone else can answer this question. I wouldn't skip the probiotics.

I left it for 60 hours instead of 48 hours and a film of black mold formed on top ruining the whole thing. What a disappointment!

I'm sorry to hear that but is there any reason why you left it for 60 hours?

Hello, thanks for the response. I read that is should be left for 2 days...so 48 hour I guess? Instead I started it on Sunday night, and forgot to get to it until Wednesday early morning instead of Tuesday night. Won’t do that again! Maybe even 48 hours is not necessary?

Yes, that's correct, only 48 hours. I think this also depends on the temperature as I only tested this at about 21-24 C so if your home is very warm (ours was 28-30 C in summer) it will need less time to culture, possibly only 24-36 hours in a very warm room. I hope the next batch comes out great!

It is sad to see such a time consuming recipe last only for 5 days in fridge. Can we add some other ingredients to make it last for atleast 2 weeks?

We put 5 days but I can confirm that it will last for at least a week (in a sealed container). I suppose it could last for longer but you'll need to try and see. You could freeze it.

It seems like a time consuming endeavor for something that can only be stored for 3 days. What is the longest this will keep under refrigeration?

This cheese should actually last for up to 5 days, I think the 3 days was a typo. Thanks for noticing!

Hi Martina,
Awesome recipe. Thanks so much! I'm avoiding yeast (including nutritional yeast) to battle a candida infection. Any suggestions for swaps. Is the nooch just for flavor, or does it affect the curing of the "cheese"?
Thanks!
Andrea

Hi Andrea, it's just for flavour so you can skip it and simply use any of your preferred aromatics (garlic, caramelised onion, etc), spices and/or herbs. I have to admit that the nutritional yeast does make a difference though and you may not be able to achieve that "cheesy" flavour without it.

GREAT RECIPE!, COULD I USE A DIFFERENT NUT LIKE WALNUTS OR PUMPKIN SEEDS, I'M TRYING TO EAT HEALTHY, EVEN THINKING OF GOING DAIRY FREE, IT'S GOING TO BE HARD, I REALLY LOVE CHEESE.

Hi Kelly, you could try other nuts or seeds and I think it's best to use something plain tasting. Maybe blanched almonds or even cashews (cashews in moderation as they are relatively high in carbs). You can find more about dairy here:
Dairy on a Ketogenic Diet: Eat or Avoid?
Guide To Dairy-Free Keto Diet: How to Follow a Low-Carb Diet Without Dairy

Hi
Can it be frozen?
Thanks

I suppose you could but I haven't tried it. I hope others could comment?

Hi,
I am allergic to nuts but can eat peanuts and pistachios, can this cheese made by either?
Safaa

Hi Safaa, I don't think these are good alternatives. Pistachios are relatively high in carbs and both pistachios and peanuts have a strong flavour. If you don't mind that you could give it a try but I assume the taste may be wrong. Ideally you need neutral tasting ingredients. I would give sunflower seeds or hemp seeds a try if you can eat them (soaked just like the macadamias).