This easy Vegan Brazilian Cheese Bread uses tapioca starch, potato, olive oil, and spices to make a dairy-free pão de queijo. Gluten-free.
Brazilian cheese bread, or pão de queijo, while made up mostly of tapioca starch (and naturally gluten-free!), is also, as the name suggests, heavy on the cheese.
The traditional Brazilian recipe uses parmesan cheese sometimes mixed with a second cheese.
But this recipe relies on nutritional yeast and potato to fit not just gluten-free, but dairy-free and egg-free dietary needs too.
Intrigued?
I must warn you, each little chewy cheese puff is highly addictive. It might just become one of your favorite recipes!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Simple ingredients
- Perfect for gluten-free diets
- No dairy or egg!
Ingredients and substitutions
Here are a few quick notes about the main ingredients in this recipe. You can see a complete list of ingredients and instructions in the recipe card below.
Tapioca starch/flour - Made from the cassava root, this naturally gluten-free starch has binding properties that hold these balls together.
You can find tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour) in the baking aisle of the grocery store. I recommend Bob's Red Mill brand.
Nutritional yeast - Instead of different cheeses, nutritional yeast adds a cheesy tang without the dairy!
Potato - Cooked potato serves in place of a large egg or two.
It gives our cheesy roll substance and binding power.
Olive oil - I use extra virgin olive oil but any neutral oil, such as avocado oil, will work.
Unsweetened almond milk - Any non-dairy milk will do here if almond milk is not an option.
Garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, black pepper - These seasonings help round out the flavor and make up for the absence of cheese.
How to make vegan Brazilian cheese bread
Before you start: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 1: Pierce the potato with a fork and cook on the appropriate setting in the microwave until cooked and mashes well with a fork.
Step 2: In a large bowl, combine tapioca starch, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, turmeric, and nutritional yeast. Whisk to combine.
Step 3: In a small bowl, combine boiling water, olive oil, and almond milk. Add the liquid mixture to the tapioca mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula, stirring until the dry ingredients have been incorporated.
Step 4: Add the cooked potato and stir and mash with the back of the spoon until mostly incorporated. Then, using your hands, squeeze and knead the dough together until it becomes smoother. There will be some dry bits of dough, just press and knead them into the dough.
Step 5: Scoop the dough by the tablespoon like cookie dough, and roll it into small balls. Space the dough balls about an inch and a half apart on the baking sheet.
Step 6: Bake for 32 to 35 minutes. The outsides should be dry and the bottoms should start turning a golden brown (lift one to check). The tops of the cheese bread will not really brown at all.
Recipe tips
- It's a good idea to have all your gluten-free ingredients out and ready before starting.
- Allow the vegan pão de queijo to cool for a few minutes before removing it from the baking sheet. The little cheese puffs are best when still warm.
- Store leftovers (if there are any!) in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Serving suggestions
This typical Brazilian snack makes the perfect addition to various meals and gluten-free appetizers.
Here are some ideas of what to eat with your own cheesy rolls!
- Serve with your favorite creamy soup, hearty soup, or chili.
- Use as a dipping vessel in vegan queso or Alfredo sauce.
- Pair with a green salad or grain salad.
FAQs
I recommend that this vegan recipe is best eaten the day it is made. It is especially good while still warm right out of the oven. You can reheat it in the oven or the microwave.
Heat them in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 8-10 minutes. The oven method keeps the outside crisp, while the microwave method will not. If using the microwave, heat for 15-20 seconds.
Yes! It is best to store these bread balls in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
The use of tapioca starch gives the bread a crisp outer crust and a gooey quality on the inside.
Want more bread inspiration? Check out these gluten-free sourdough crescent rolls!
More gluten-free bread recipes
Love this recipe? Please consider leaving a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating on the recipe card below and let me know what you think in the comments!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Brazilian Cheese Bread (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked Russet potato
- 2 cups (236g) tapioca starch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pinches ground turmeric
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast*
- ½ cup boiling water
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pierce the potato with a fork and cook on appropriate setting in microwave until cooked and mashes well with a fork.
- In a large bowl, combine tapioca starch, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, turmeric, and nutritional yeast. Whisk to combine.
- In a small bowl, combine boiling water, olive oil, and almond milk. Whisk to combine. Add the liquid mixture to the tapioca mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula, stirring until most of the dry ingredients have been incorporated.
- Add the cooked potato and stir and mash with the back of the spoon until mostly incorporated. Then, using your hands, squeeze and knead the dough together until it becomes smoother. There will be some dry bits of dough, just press and knead them into the dough.
- Scoop the dough by tablespoon, and roll into balls. It is helpful to squeeze the dough together a few times as you roll to make a cohesive ball. Space about an inch and a half apart on baking sheet.
- Bake for 32 to 35 minutes. The outsides should be dry and the bottoms should start turning a golden brown (lift one to check). The tops of the cheese bread will not really brown at all.
- Allow vegan Brazilian cheese bread to cool for a few minutes on baking sheet. Serve warm. Best eaten the day they are made.
- For leftovers: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
Heat them in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 8-10 minutes. The oven method keeps the outside crisp, while the microwave method will not. If using the microwave, heat for 15-20 seconds.
Rachael
Made this for a big Brazilian vegan feast for Christmas and it worked! They were a smash hit. I did 2 things differently:
1. I used vegan cheese instead of nutritional yeast (Violife shredded cheddar).
2. I made this ahead. It *is* possible, but it's important to be aware that the dough will be more crumbly if left in the fridge overnight, and when it bakes the outside will crack when removed from the oven. The inner texture was perfect though. I may try to make this all in one day next time to see if there's a big difference.
I stored the dough overnight in a glass bowl, and sprayed the top of the dough with cooking spray before covering it in plastic wrap. I made sure the plastic wrap touched the dough and used a cookie scoop the next day.
Tessa
Thank you, Rachael! Great to know how those subs worked out!!
Namie
So good
Tessa
Thanks so much, Namie!
Danny
You mentioned mashing the potato with a fork. Is the potato skin included into the mixture or should the potato skin be removed?
Tessa
Hi Danny! Potato skin should be removed.
Gabby
I don't want to be dramatic but this recipe changed my life. Having grown up in Brazil eating pao de queijo, I missed it so much once my dairy allergy worsened as I got older. Now I can finally enjoy pao de queijo again and these are so good I could cry. My dad (who is Brazilian) had them and said he couldn't even tell the difference, and I didn't even use nutritional yeast! On my second time making them I realized I actually (accidentally) have been using cassava flour/starch instead of tapioca starch/flour but they turned out perfectly still. I can't thank you enough for this wonderful recipe Tessa!
Tessa
I love it! Thank you, Gabby, for such a kind note!
Rebecca Payne
Can you freeze the uncooked dough?
Christine Augustine
I agree - this recipe is life-changing for those of us who grew up eating this and haven't been able to because of dietary restrictions. SO SO SO good! I'm making another batch right now to take to my family's Thanksgiving!
Thank you!
Tessa
Hi Christine! That is wonderful to hear!! I hope you and your family have a happy Thanksgiving!
Christina M
I’ve made these several times and they are so unbelievably good! I now try to eat as oil free as possible so I am wondering if there is anything that can replace the oil in the recipe? Or can the amount of oil be cut down at all?
Tessa
Hi Christina! Thanks so much. I haven't played with an oil alternative, but I would worry that decreasing the amount would affect the overall texture. It's possible that something like applesauce could potentially work in its place, but I would need to test that out. :)
Ellie
Fabulous recipe! I made the cheese balls a lot smaller so got about 30-35 and they were very cute looking and very delicious! Felt very close to cheese bread with real cheese. Thank you so much for this ray of sunshine in an otherwise very challenging elimination diet I'm following :)
Tessa
You are so welcome! Thank you for your kind note!
Sabine
Hello.
I used this recipe to make cheese sauce today (the one with carrot and potato). I did not use potato, but used tapioca starch (per your recipe) instead. It came out perfect.
I'm definitely going to try the full recipe, as I loved ordering the buttery version of these Brazilian bread balls when I visit The Coffee Shop, in Union Square, NY. Now all I have to do is come up with a vegan version of their seasoned cheese fries, and learn how to make Caipirinhas, and I won't miss The Coffee Shop at all.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Tessa
That's awesome! I love The Coffee Shop too. A vegan version of those seasoned cheese fries would be amazing.
Peta
These were delicious, I used sweet potato and added some rosemary.
Tessa
That is awesome! Thank you!
Abdelsamd
It is an easy and very beautiful recipe. Thank you. I have a question Is it possible to use anything other than tapioca starch? Can you change it to another starch or another gluten flour? Thank you.
Tessa
Thank you! I have not used another starch here and would worry that another starch wouldn't have the binding power it does here for the texture needed.
Maya Yuristha
Hi! I’ve tried making this and it blow my mind!!! Super deliciouuuus! Thank u for sharing this. anyway, may i know how do you count the calorie? It it 200Kcal for all this recipe? Or how many serving? Thank you
Tessa
Thank you!! This recipe makes about 12 cheese bread balls, so the nutrition information is for one cheese bread ball.