Vegan Gruyère Cheese
September 24, 2025
This vegan Gruyère cheese is quick and easy to make, and it's perfect for French onion soup, fondue, quiche, sandwiches, and snacks. It hits all the savory, nutty flavor notes of the original, and it melts, grates, and slices!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
If you have questions about any of the ingredients found in this recipe, or you want to know whether you can make a substitution, check here first. If you don't see the answer to your question, feel free to leave a comment, and I'll respond as soon as I can!
white rice flour: This serves as the base for our cheese. It helps thicken the cheese and creates a firm texture. Tapioca starch (aka tapioca flour) would also work, but in my tests it created a softer texture.
blanched, raw hazelnuts: Hazelnuts help to create a firm base for our cheese, but they also add a bit of nutty flavor that makes Gruyère unique. Blanched almonds also work in this recipe. In my tests, soaking the hazelnuts didn't affect how quickly they were blended (I have a regular Oster blender), but your blender may vary.
refined coconut oil: This increases the fat content of our cheese and helps it to brown when it's melted. To avoid adding coconut flavor to the cheese, make sure you choose refined (odor-free) coconut oil. While other oils might work, I haven't tested them in this recipe.
nutritional yeast: This helps add a cheesy flavor to the vegan Gruyère.
white miso paste: Adds savory, umami flavor to the Gruyère.
apple cider vinegar: Adds a bit of acidity to the Gruyère. Wine vinegar or white vinegar also work here.
onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, and salt: These seasonings help round out the flavor of the cheese.
agar agar powder: This is critical to creating the semi-firm texture of the vegan Gruyère that makes it easy to grate and slice. I have not tested it with agar agar flakes, but if that's all you can get, I'd recommend using 6 tablespoons of flakes instead of 2 tablespoons of powder.
Vegan Gruyère Serving Suggestions
I've been testing this vegan Gruyère for over a month to get it just right, and it's made its way into many of my meals recently. Here are some of the best ways to enjoy it:
- French onion soup: Grate the cheese and put the shreds on top of a baguette slice in an oven-safe bowl filled with onion soup. Place the bowl under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes to melt and brown the Gruyère.
- Vegan fondue: Heat some vegan Chardonnay on the stove together with a bit of lemon juice, then add in grated Gruyère and some cornstarch. Stir until melted and combined and season with some nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve with cubed French bread, sliced apples, and pears.
- Vegan quiche: Add grated vegan Gruyère to your favorite vegan quiche recipe to turn up the flavor. Or, skip the crust and make a veggie-packed breakfast casserole.
- Sandwiches: Slice or grate this vegan Gruyère and add it to your favorite sandwiches. I love eating it with my tofu breakfast sandwich.
- Cheese board: If you're having a party, this vegan Gruyère makes a great addition to your cheese board. Choose other vegan cheeses you like, such as mozzarella, brie, cheddar, feta, and Gouda. Slice them up and serve them with crackers, fruit, olives, and anything else you like.
Tips for Melting Vegan Gruyère
While this vegan Gruyère does melt, like other vegan cheeses, it requires a little more heat than dairy cheese to get the best results. Here are my suggestions:
- In the oven: This cheese will melt a bit at normal oven temperatures (350°F/180°C), but it will melt best under a broiler for about 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Spraying a little bit of water on top of the cheese may also help it melt.
- On the stovetop: The easiest way to melt your vegan Gruyère is to place it in a pan over medium heat, stirring constantly. If you need it to melt inside a sandwich on a pan (i.e. grilled cheese), you may want to use a slightly lower heat setting, but cover the pan to keep the moisture and heat inside.
- In the air fryer: The time and temperature you'll need to melt your vegan Gruyère in the air fryer depends on how much cheese you're trying to melt and whether it's exposed to the air or in the middle of a sandwich or other dish. For sandwiches, I typically wrap the sandwich in parchment paper, then cook at 350°F (180°C) for about 6 to 7 minutes, which melts the cheese around the edges. For better results, I'd recommend melting the cheese on the stove, then spooning it onto your sandwich.
More Vegan Cheese Recipes
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Vegan Gruyère Cheese
Yield15.5 oz. (440 g.)
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time4 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Pin itIngredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup white rice flour*
- 1/4 cup raw, blanched hazelnuts*
- 1/4 cup refined (odor-free) coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 4 teaspoons white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder (dry mustard)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Agar Mixture
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons agar agar powder
Instructions
Prepare a mold for your cheese. You can use a round glass or ceramic bowl greased with a bit of oil or a silicone mold with a similar shape.
Add all your ingredients to a blender jar except for the agar mixture (1 cup water and 2 tablespoons agar powder). Begin blending on low speed and gradually increase to high speed, blending until the mixture is completely smooth and no chunks of hazelnuts remain. This may take up to 5 minutes, and you may need to stop to scrape down the sides of the blender with a rubber spatula.
Before you begin boiling the agar agar, make sure everything you need is nearby. The cheese will set quickly, so you need to work even more quickly. I recommend transferring the blended cheese mixture to a bowl so it's easier to pour into the agar mixture. Keep these items nearby while you boil the agar: a bowl with the cheese mixture, a whisk, your prepared mold, and a heat-resistant rubber spatula.
In a small pot or saucepan, mix 1 cup of water with your agar agar powder. Bring the mixture to a slow boil over medium heat, then continue boiling for 4 minutes (set a timer), whisking frequently. Make sure you keep the mixture at a slow boil; if it's boiling too quickly, turn down the heat a bit.
Pour your cheese mixture into the boiling agar and whisk well to combine. Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and thick.
Use a heat-resistant rubber spatula to quickly transfer the cheese mixture into your prepared mold. Leave the mold out to cool at room temperature for about 10 to 15 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator. Once the cheese is set and chilled, it's ready to use.
To store your cheese, place it in an airtight container or zip-top bag and keep it in the refrigerator. This cheese is best if eaten within 1 week.
Notes & Hints
Tapioca starch (tapioca flour) can be used in place of rice flour, but it will result in a softer cheese.
You can also use blanched almonds in place of hazelnuts.
After you've prepared the cheese, I recommend soaking your pot in water before you wash it. If you try to wash it right away, the cheese will stick to the pan, but after soaking it should peel off easily.
Nutrition Data
Serving Size 1/16 of recipe
| Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories 66 | Calories from Fat 45 | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 5g | 6% | |
| Saturated Fat 3g | 15% | |
| Trans Fat 0g | ||
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% | |
| Sodium 115mg | 5% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 4g | 1% | |
| Dietary Fiber 1g | 4% | |
| Sugars 0g | ||
| Protein 1g | 2% | |
| Vitamin A 0mcg RAE | 0% | |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 1mcg | 42% | |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 0% | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium 11mg | 1% | |
| Iron 0mg | 0% | |
| Potassium 44mg | 1% | |
| Zinc 0mg | 0% | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note: This data should be used only as an estimate. Please see the nutrition section of my terms and conditions for more information on how this data is calculated.
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