{"id":166314,"title":"Vegan p\u00e3o de queijo","modified":"2026-08-25T19:16:49+02:00","plain":"Looking for something to snack on that\u2019s crisp at the edges and delightfully stretchy in the middle? This vegan p\u00e3o de queijo delivers exactly that, with a tender crumb, a pronounced cheesy flavor, and an almost pop-in-your-mouth bite.\n\n\n\nServe it warm, straight from the oven. This recipe is a great addition to the gluten-free breads series.\n\n\n\nAnother everyday gluten-free staple: gluten-free sandwich bread.\n\n\n\nWeigh everything in metric for accuracy.\n\n\n\nWhat is vegan gluten-free p\u00e3o de queijo?\n\n\n\nP\u00e3o de queijo, or Brazilian cheese bread, is one of Brazil\u2019s best-known snacks. This version stays true to the spirit of the classic while replacing animal products, and it remains naturally gluten-free thanks to tapioca flour made from cassava.\n\n\n\nThe result is a batch of small, cheesy bites with the chewy, airy texture you expect from p\u00e3o de queijo. Oat milk works especially well here, since its flavor stays fairly close to that of regular milk.\n\n\n\nThis recipe is designed to capture the character of p\u00e3o de queijo without dairy or eggs, while preserving the dough\u2019s typical structure. The base relies on a hot mixture of liquid and oil poured over the tapioca flour, which creates that soft, elastic texture once baked.\n\n\n\nMain ingredients\n\n\n\nTapioca flour forms the base of the recipe. Made from cassava, it keeps these bites naturally gluten-free and gives them their signature stretchy texture. Not all tapioca flours behave exactly the same, which can affect the dough\u2019s final moisture level.\n\n\n\nThe shredded vegan cheese should melt quickly and blend smoothly into the dough. Choose one that melts well and contains enough fat to help keep the dough soft and uniform. A pre-shredded cheese designed for melting will usually work better than a drier alternative.\n\n\n\nThe egg substitute used here is Just Egg, made from mung beans. Its protein behaves much like egg and has a similar flavor. It\u2019s the preferred option for this recipe, but other liquid egg substitutes can work too, with a slightly different taste.\n\n\n\nBarista-style oat milk is best here. It\u2019s recommended because it is richer than regular oat milk, and oat milk in general works particularly well in this dough. The extra richness helps you get closer to the expected texture.\n\n\n\nOlive oil goes into the hot mixture with the oat milk. It provides the fat the dough needs and helps keep it supple.\n\n\n\nSalt helps bring out the flavor of the vegan cheese, which can vary from one brand to another. Adjust the seasoning after mixing if needed.\n\n\n\nGarlic powder is optional. It adds depth and reinforces the cheesy flavor, but if you don\u2019t like garlic, simply leave it out.\n\n\n\nFor dessert, try the gum-free gluten-free sponge cake.\n\n\n\nTechnical tips and pitfalls to avoid\n\n\n\nBring the oat milk and olive oil to a boil over medium heat, then remove the pan from the heat immediately. Let the mixture sit for a moment, then slowly pour it, while still hot, over the dry ingredients. This step matters because the heat starts working on the tapioca flour as soon as the liquids hit it.\n\n\n\nMix until you have a smooth but firm dough. Only then add the Just Egg and the shredded vegan cheese, and work the dough until the cheese is fully incorporated. Taste the dough and adjust the salt or seasoning if needed.\n\n\n\nThe finished dough should be smooth enough to roll into balls. Not all tapioca flours react the same way, so you may need to make small adjustments: add more flour if the dough is too wet, or a little more liquid if it is too dry. The dough should stay supple, without becoming runny or crumbly.\n\n\n\nFor shaping, lightly oil your hands so the dough doesn\u2019t stick. You can also wear gloves if you prefer. Roll the dough between your palms to form small balls, then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.\n\n\n\nLet the dough rest for at least 20 minutes before baking. This helps it stabilize and makes shaping easier as well. If you don\u2019t need it right away, you can freeze it at this stage.\n\n\n\nBake in a preheated 190\u00b0C oven for 15 to 18 minutes. The balls should puff up and turn lightly golden. Serve them warm\u2014they\u2019re at their best this way.\n\n\n\nStorage\n\n\n\nThese are best eaten warm and freshly baked. If you want to get ahead, freeze the dough or the shaped balls, then bake them whenever you need them.\n\n\n\nAnother vegan recipe worth keeping on hand: vegan mirror glaze.\n\n\n\nTo keep cooking without animal products, check out my vegan recipes.\n\n\n\nRecipe developed by Chef Rommel Reyes. Find his work on Instagram, his Substack newsletter, and his YouTube channel.\n\n\n\n\n\n\tVegan P\u00e3o de Queijo (Gluten-Free)\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t200 g barista-style oat milk (gluten-free)50 g olive oil120 g Just Egg250 g gluten-free, soy-free shredded vegan cheese (preferably Violife shredded cheddar)450 g tapioca flour6 g salt6 g garlic powder (optional)\t\n\t\n\t\tMethodBring the oat milk and olive oil to a boil over medium heat.Remove from the heat immediately.Set aside.In a mixing bowl, combine the tapioca flour, salt, and garlic powder.Slowly pour the hot oat milk and olive oil mixture into the dry ingredients.Taste the dough and adjust the seasoning, if needed.Mix until the dough is smooth but still firm.Add the Just Egg and shredded vegan cheese.Mix well until the cheese is fully incorporated into the dough.Once the mixture is uniform, shape the dough into a ball.Add more flour if the dough is too wet.Add more liquid if the dough is too dry.Lightly oil your hands to prevent the dough from sticking.Roll the dough between your palms into small, bite-sized balls.Place them on a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.Let the dough rest for at least 20 minutes before baking.Freeze them if you are not using them right away.Bake for 15\u201318 minutes in a preheated 190\u00b0C oven, until the cheese balls have puffed up and are lightly golden.Serve warm.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166314","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=166314"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166314\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/165899"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=166314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=166314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=166314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}