12 of the Best Vegan Cheese Brands You Can Buy
Updated: Apr. 06, 2023
It's true—the slices (or shreds) of vegan cheese can be as good as the dairy stuff. In fact, vegan cheese is now its very own artisanal food category. Here are the brands we recommend!
What is vegan cheese made of? It’s an assortment of plant-based ingredients. You’ll find that most vegan cheese brands are made from things like cashews, tapioca, coconut, tofu, almonds, soy and nutritional yeast.
Here’s the deal-breaker question: Does vegan cheese taste like regular cheese? In my experience, yes! And when it melts, it has a perfectly gooey (not chewy) consistency that most traditional cheeses can’t touch.
Violife
Do you miss grating fresh Parmesan onto your pasta or pizza? Check out Violife’s Just Like Parmesan Wedge. It crumbles and shreds just like a true Italian Parm but is dairy-, soy-, nut- and gluten free so it’s perfect for almost anyone with food allergies. Grate it over our vegan pasta salad for a picnic treat.
Vevan Foods
Located in southwest Wisconsin, Vevan Foods is taking on the dairy-based cheese industry right in their own backyard, and doing a good job of it. They currently offer three flavors, Ched, Mozza and P’Jack, in shreds and slices. The P’Jack has a spicy kick, perfect in any warm and toasty panini.
Good Foods
When Tex-Mex food is on the menu, queso is almost a must. Good Foods cauliflower-based queso has a nice bite and creamy texture, great for dipping or pouring on top of burritos. Their full line of products includes a Ranch dip, Buffalo and Tzatziki, all plant-based and ready to serve.
Moocho
If you’re looking for cheddar- or mozzarella-like shreds, Moocho offers up dairy-free shreds that melt beautifully and taste even better. Layer their mozzarella shreds in lasagna or baked pastas, pile their fiesta blend in tacos and load up casseroles with their cheddar shreds.
GoVeggie! Foods
Satisfy your cheese cravings with GoVeggie vegan cheese slices, shreds, blocks and spreads. They even have grated vegan Parmesan. GoVeggie products have roughly six grams of protein per serving and 50% less fat than traditional dairy cheese, which makes this stuff a vegan go-to. Want to make your own vegan cheese? Check out this creamy cashew cheese recipe!
Daiya Foods
Daiya Foods offers a variety of dairy-free, plant-based products, including vegan cheese sticks, cheesy mac-and-vegan-cheese and more. The best part? Your taste buds won’t know the difference. Daiya’s stuff is deliciously cheesy and free from gluten, soy, eggs, fish and shellfish. To find the right milk, check out the results of our taste test to find our picks for the best non-dairy milk.
Follow Your Heart
Years ago, Follow Your Heart was a simple mom-and-pop sandwich counter. Now, the company is a full-blown international brand that makes everything from sliced and shredded vegan cheeses to vegan mayo. (That would be the famous Veganaise!) Hosting a vegan dinner party? Here are vegan recipes even the meat-eaters love.
Kite Hill Artisan Vegan Cheese
If you’re in the mood for Italian, Kite Hill is the place to look for rich ricotta, creamy nondairy spreads. In an effort to make vegan cheese that actually tastes good, celebrity chef Tal Ronnen, cheesemaker Monte Casino and Stanford biochemist Dr. Pat Brown joined forces to create a plant-based cheese that could beat a tasty traditional dairy cheese. What’s their secret? High-end almonds!
Going vegan doesn’t have to be difficult. Here’s a seven-day vegan meal plan to get you started.
Three Girls Vegan Creamery
Three Girls Vegan Creamery is an Italian, plant-based eatery in Guilford, Connecticut. Every day the girls are serving up cheesy homemade Italian classics, from gluten-free lasagna to vegan mac and cheese balls. Luckily, you don’t need to go to Connecticut to try their food. Three Girls offers shipping throughout the U.S., so you can enjoy their cannoli dip, almond ricotta and dairy-free cream cheese whenever you’d like.
Treeline Treenut Cheese
Treeline Treenut Cheeses are crafted from cashew nuts that have been naturally cultured and flavored to perfection. Choose from soft French-style nut cheeses, aged nut cheeses and Treeline’s premium New York Style cashew cream cheese. Want to try a little bit of everything? Treeline actually offers variety packs for the vegan-curious.
Miyoko’s Creamery
Celebrity chef Miyoko Schinner is the mastermind behind Miyoko’s Creamery. Growing up as a vegetarian ignited Miyoko’s passion for flavorful French gourmet cheeses. In hopes of combining her love for animals and her appetite for fine food, Miyoko created Miyoko’s Creamery so you can shop for anything from vegan cheese wheels to vegan butter.
So Delicious Dairy-Free Shreds
So Delicious Dairy-Free Shreds are exactly what they sounds like—dairy-free shreds that transform into gooey deliciousness when melted. You can even find So Delicious shreds at most grocery stores. Look for cheddar jack, cheddar or mozzarella for all your vegan cooking needs! Bonus: So Delicious also sells dairy-free frozen treats like vegan ice cream.
Originally Published: May 22, 2021
