Welcome Chef AJ listeners!

An award-winning chef, educator and authority on plant-based cuisine, Chef Mark Reinfeld is the founding chef of the Vegan Fusion Institute, with over 25 years experience preparing innovative vegan and raw food cuisine. He has written eight acclaimed books and conducts virtual and in-person culinary trainings around the world. Chef Mark has crafted the following recipe for you to enjoy on your plant-based adventure.

Yield: 12 balls (0.5 oz each)
 This basic technique creates a stretchy, meltable plant-based cheese using tapioca flour. Experiment with different nuts, seeds, or seasonings to customize your flavor.

© Chef Mark Reinfeld

Chef Mark’s Vegan Mozzarella

Instructions

  1. Place cashews in a bowl and cover with water.

  2. Soak cashews for 30 minutes up to 6 hours.

  3. Drain and rinse the cashews.

  4. Add the cashews to a blender.

  5. Add lemon juice, vegan yogurt, nutritional yeast, sea salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.

  6. Blend until smooth and creamy.

  7. If needed, add small amounts of water or unsweetened plant-based milk to achieve a creamy texture.

  8. Transfer the mixture to a small pot.

  9. Heat over medium until it begins to boil.

  10. Whisk in the tapioca flour and reduce heat to low.

  11. Continue whisking constantly. Once the mixture becomes too thick for a whisk, switch to a spatula. Cook for 3–5 minutes until stretchy and glossy.

  12. Prepare an ice bath: 4 cups water, ice + 2 tsp sea salt or salt alternative such as Green Salt .

  13. Using a 0.5-oz scoop, portion the cheese into 10–12 balls.

  14. Drop the balls into the salted ice bath to set.

Refrigerate for 4–6 hours before using.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cashews

  • 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • ¾ cup unsweetened vegan yogurt

  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

  • ¾ tsp sea salt or salt alternative such as Green Salt (or to taste)

  • ¼ tsp garlic powder

  • ¼ tsp onion powder

  • ¼ cup tapioca flour

Variation: Mozzarella Sticks

  1. After step 11, transfer the heated mixture to an approximately 4 inch by 6 inch glass container. Allow to cool.

  2. Cover and place in the refrigerator for a few hours to set.

  3. Once set, slice into ½–inch wide sticks. Carefully remove and optionally cut in half for smaller sticks.

  4. Place breadcrumbs in a bowl and coat the sticks thoroughly.

  5. Transfer sticks to an air fryer set at 400°F (200°C).

  6. Air fry for 5 minutes, carefully flip, and air fry an additional 5-7 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown.

  7. Serve warm with marinara dipping sauce.

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✨“I give the 4-Week Vegan Cooking Immersion a 5-star rating, hands down. It was seriously a life-changing experience!” - Tom S.

3-Day Vegan Fusion Workshop, Maui, Hawaii, January 9-11, 2026 ENTER 10MAUI for 10% off the Price

Discover the Seven Culinary Keys for Success in the Plant-based Kitchen and learn Chef Mark’s Template Recipe formula to turn one recipe into dozens and even hundreds of variations. After this 3-day in-person workshop, you will experience greater confidence and creativity in the plant-based kitchen as the inner chef awakens! https://veganfusion.com/products/3-day-vegan-fusion-workshop-maui-hawaii

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