- Brewer/nutritional/super yeast (with a bit of oil and/or smashed cashew): in place of Parmesan
- Tahini: less cheesy but equally bold taste as yeast
- Lactic acid fermented Tofu: whey cheese.
- Tempeh: my favorite, just oiled-panned with salt and pepper. Between chicken and soft-Camembert
I don't find tahini to taste anything like yeast/cheese, though to be fair I mainly use tahini in hummus.
I'm not familiar with lactic acid fermented Tofu - does that go by a different name?
Tempeh seems more nutty than cheese-like to me, though I rarely eat it as my wife doesn't like the flavour or texture of it.
Personally, I'd recommend Japanese Natto if you're after a cheesy flavour - it's soy beans fermented in straw/hay and ends up becoming somewhat slimy/stringy, so it's a bit of an acquired taste.
> lactic acid fermented Tofu The english name of the one I buy is "Lactofermented Tofu" [0], although their ingredients [1] lacks a coagulant but have ferment instead: I guess the tonyu+ferment produce lactic acid, which then coagulate the fermented tonyu into tofu. I wonder if that make a big difference with classic recipes that ferment the tofu directly [2].
> Tempeh It's a fresh product and the taste really differ depending on:
- Ripeness. It can be ripped a few days to build an intense flavor when homemade or bought fresh.
- Ingredients. Same fungus (Rhizopus oligosporus) can be used to ferment others legumes/grains. I once made black-lentil-tempeh which had a very strong gorgonzola flavor with a firm and non-fat texture.
0 https://lesojami.com/en/our-ranges/
1 (french) https://lesojami.com/produit/tofu-lactofermente-ail-des-ours...
2 https://revolutionfermentation.com/en/blogs/tempeh-soy-grain...
I don't think the fermented tofu is popular here, but I have seen fermented tofu sold in the same Chinese supermarket - it's sold in either glass or porcelain jars and doesn't usually have any english translation on them. I have got a jar that I bought a while ago, but I haven't had the courage to try it yet as the tofu looks blackened and murky.
Similarly, I've only tried Tempeh from mainstream supermarkets, so that might be why I don't find it to taste cheesy.
Pimento Cheese Spread
Blend until smooth:
1c. water (may use water from pimentos)
¾ c. cashew nuts or sunflower seeds
2 T sesame seeds
1¼ tsp salt
3 T Brewer's yeast flakes
⅔ c. rolled oats (only if being used for lasagna)
1 tsp onion powder
⅛ tsp garlic powder
⅛ tsp dill seed
½ c. pimentos
¼ c. lemon juice (or to taste)
May add 2 T. arrowroot or cornstarch if used for spread