This delectable vegan cheese ball is super flavorful, with smoky notes from whiskey and spicy notes from paprika, and would be a hit at your holiday party!
Before starting, you need to soak your cashews and sundried tomatoes. Add them to a bowl and fill with cold water, and let sit overnight. If you're shorter on time, you can pour boiling/very hot water over them, cover the bowl, and let it sit for 10-15 minutes, or ideally an hour if you can.
Drain the cashews and sundried tomatoes and rinse well. Be sure your coconut oil is melted. Add the cashews, tomatoes, and oil to a blender along with the rest of the vegan cheese ball ingredients. Blend until completely smooth, which can take a few minutes depending on the blender you're using.
Taste the mixture for seasoning, and add more salt, vinegar or lemon juice as needed. Transfer the mixture to a container and place in the refrigerator for a few hours to let the coconut oil solidify and the mixture to set.
Once the cashew cheese mixture is set, you can remove it from the fridge, use your hands to gently shape it into a ball, and then roll it in the toppings of your choosing. Your completed vegan cheese ball should be kept refrigerated until 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
SUNDRIED TOMATOES: Use fresh sundried tomatoes for the best vibrant orange color for your vegan cheese ball.NUT-FREE: See the blog post for my suggestion on how to experiment with a nut-free version.SOY-FREE: Use chickpea miso instead of classic miso.Oh and, apparently this might be paleo if you skip the whiskey and substitute lemon juice for vinegar. Maybe. :)