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Amazingly delicious vegan feta cheese made from…tofu! Zippy, briny, and perfect for salads! You have to try this tofu feta cheese to believe it.
I’m certainly not the first person to make feta cheese out of tofu. In fact, it’s been a thing for a while, and for the most part, I’ve been dubious of the whole idea. I love tofu, but I recognize that it has its place and I just didn’t think it could make a legit tasting feta cheese.
But people kept telling me it was awesome and I that needed to try it and post a recipe, so I decided to give it a go. And now tofu feta is one of my favorite things. This is my version, and well, I kind of think it’s the best!
You may be wondering, would this stuff actually fool someone? Perhaps, but only in the right circumstances. If you feed someone a chunk of this stuff on its own and tell them it’s feta cheese, they probably won’t buy it. The texture of tofu isn’t quite the same as feta cheese. But I bet they’ll think it’s tasty!
On the other hand, if you throw this in a vegan Greek salad where it’s mixed with a bunch of other textures, the flavor will really have a chance to shine through. In that instance, you could easily mistake it for feta cheese!
The key to this recipe is capturing that tangy feta taste. It’s actually pretty easy! Salty and sour are the key flavors, and we’ll be working those flavors into a marinade, so we can infuse our tofu with cheesy deliciousness.
Jump to:
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How It’s Made
- Optional Accompaniments
- Shelf-Life & Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Vegan Cheese Recipes
- Tofu Feta
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Lemon juice. Always use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best possible flavor, but especially in this recipe where lemon juice is a super important component of our marinade.
- Water.
- Miso paste. The recipe calls for white miso paste, also known as shiro miso. Look for this in the international foods section of your supermarket. If you happen to have another variety of miso on hand (like yellow or red miso) use it! The flavor and color of your tofu feta will vary slightly, but it will still be delicious.
- Garlic.
- Salt & pepper.
- Fresh herbs. These are optional, but great for adding to the marinade or garnishing tofu feta. I used parsley and oregano in the batch shown in the photos, but basil, chives, and tarragon would also be great choices!
- Tofu. The recipe calls for extra firm tofu. You could get away with substituting firm tofu, but I don’t recommend using any other varieties. Super firm is too dense to soak up much marinade, while soft and silken varieties don’t hold up well when pressed.
How It’s Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!
- First, press your tofu. Make sure to press it for at least 30 minutes to get as much water out as possible.
- Once the tofu is finished pressing, dice it up. Make sure the pieces are ½ inch or smaller. This will ensure maximum surface area for the marinade to penetrate.
- Mix up your marinade in a small bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, water, miso, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. Mix it well to ensure that the miso dissolves fully.
Tip: This is a good time to taste-test your marinade. It should have the balance of flavor that you want, but also taste quite strong.
- Add the cubed tofu to the bowl with the marinade and gently stir to coat the pieces.
- Allow the tofu to marinade for at least 30 minutes. You can then serve your tofu feta immediately, or move it to the fridge and store it for later.
Optional Accompaniments
Try drizzling your tofu feta with some olive oil, sprinkling it with red pepper flakes, or tossing it with Kalamata olives!
Shelf-Life & Storage
Tofu feta cheese will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Store it in the marinade so the flavor continues to intensify. I like mine the best on the second day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this recipe gluten-free?
It is!
How is tofu feta served?
It’s excellent in sandwiches and wraps, stuffed in a pita with fresh vegetables, on green salads or in pasta salads like this Greek orzo salad. I’m a big fan of using it as an alternative to baked tofu during the hot summer months when I don’t want to turn on the oven.
Is there a substitute for miso paste?
If you can’t find miso, try adding extra salt to the marinade instead. Miso is very salty so you’ll need a lot! You won’t get the same fermented, umami taste, but the flavors will at least be balanced.
Is there a substitute for lemon juice?
Try using a vinegar instead. Red or white wine vinegar are preferable, but apple cider vinegar or even plain old white vinegar should work just fine.