In the 1940s, Evelyn Overton, a passionate home baker, discovered her talent for making cheesecake. After perfecting the dessert for family and friends, she decided to go professional. Over the decades, her love of baking and running small shops grew into The Cheesecake Factory—now one of America’s most beloved restaurant chains.
If you’re headed there for a celebratory dinner and sticking to plant-based options, don’t worry, you won’t go hungry. There is one catch, though.
Does The Cheesecake Factory sell vegan cheesecake?
Today, The Cheesecake Factory has more than 200 locations across the US, each offering an enormous menu. There’s plenty of cheesecake, of course; however, a dairy-free version of the popular dessert has yet to make it onto the menu.
Unfortunately, if you’re craving The Cheesecake Factory’s signature cheesecake without the animal products, you’ll need to make it yourself. Don’t worry, though, because, as always, we’ve got you: this recipe is just like the chain’s iconic New York-style cheesecake.
Jackie Sobon
Cheesecake aside, there are plenty of other dishes available at The Cheesecake Factory, including salads, burgers, bowls, and plenty more. If you’re headed there soon and you’re looking for a plant-based bite, we’ve compiled some of the best ones to try.
How to eat vegan at The Cheesecake Factory
The Cheesecake Factory
Don’t skip the star of the appetizers: Crispy, sweet, and spicy Korean Fried Cauliflower
Skim past the fusion egg rolls and go straight for the Korean Fried Cauliflower. This dish is the star of the appetizer section of the menu, thanks to the crispy, crunchy tempura exterior and sticky Korean-inspired chili glaze. Don’t worry if you’re not into heat; it’s flavorful, but on the spice scale, it’s actually pretty mild. There is one catch with the Korean Fried Cauliflower, though: Make sure to skip the dipping sauce, as it contains dairy. Instead, maybe ask for the Asian Cucumber Salad, which is a tasty mix of crispy cucumbers, sesame, soy sauce, garlic, and mild chili.
Another vegan-friendly appetizer (that could, quite frankly, double as a meal) is the Thai Lettuce Wraps With Grilled Avocado. The dish comes with gorgeously charred grilled avocado halves, bean sprouts, coconut curry noodles, julienned carrots, and three vegan-friendly sauces.
The Cheesecake Factory
When only a burger will do, customize the Veggie Burger
If you’re in the mood for something seriously meaty—minus the actual meat—we’re sorry to report that The Cheesecake Factory might not be the place to go. The chain used to offer an Impossible Burger, piled high with a juicy Impossible patty, melty vegan cheese, and special sauce-slathered buns, but this plant-based favorite appears to have disappeared from the menu. A moment of silence, please.
But all is not lost; there is still a made-from-scratch Veggie Burger on the menu. This is vegan-friendly at select locations, so make sure to check with your server before you order. If you’re given the clear, remember to omit the garlic aioli and ask for vegan cheese, mayonnaise, and buns.
The Cheesecake Factory
Turn up the flavor with Thai Stir-Fried Noodles
Most of the noodle-packed options at The Cheesecake Factory are a no-go for vegans. Case in point: the Chinese Chicken Salad, Thai Chicken Salad, and SkinnyLicious Asian Chicken Salad. Sure, you could ask for the chicken—and any other animal products—to be removed, but there’s an easier way to get your noodle fix: the Thai Stir-Fried Noodles.
Last year, The Cheesecake Factory added this vegetarian option to its sprawling menu, and it’s packed with plant-based goodness like Asian rice noodles, snow peas, shiitake mushrooms, bean sprouts, green onions, cilantro, and chopped peanuts. It’s still not totally vegan as-is, though, so be sure to ask your server to hold the eggs and butter.
The Cheesecake Factory
If you’re craving something fresh, go for the Vegan Cobb Salad
Sometimes, you just want a big bowl of goodness, even when you’re eating somewhere called The Cheesecake Factory. When the craving for greens hits, dig your fork into the substantial Vegan Cobb Salad. It’s quite literally a trough of lettuce, fresh and roasted produce, grains, nuts, and seeds, all tossed in an addictive vinaigrette.
Both the small plate Little House Salad and the Tossed Green Salad are vegan-as-is when ordered with vegan dressing (Balsamic Vinaigrette, Shallot Vinaigrette, SkinnyLicious Mustard Vinaigrette, and French Mustard Vinaigrette).
Vegans can also modify the Santa Fe Salad (ask for no cheese or chicken) and the Barbeque Ranch Chicken Salad (no cheese, chicken, onion strings, and sub with vegan dressing). In essence, if a salad looks good but contains animal ingredients, take off the meat and cheese, swap in a vegan-friendly dressing, and ask to bulk it up with grains or grilled avocado.
The Cheesecake Factory
For peak carb comfort, order Evelyn’s Favorite pasta
The pizza selection may be lacking, but there are plenty of pasta dishes that can be modified for vegans. Evelyn’s Favorite pasta, for example, is nearly vegan; just omit the cheese, butter sauce, and dip.
We’re pretty confident you won’t miss any of those ingredients, because this pasta dish is loaded with plenty of vegetables such as broccoli, zucchini, asparagus, peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and fresh herbs.
The Cheesecake Factory
When all else fails, turn the side menu into a full-on feast
Just like at a steakhouse, the sides at The Cheesecake Factory are surprisingly vegan-friendly. Mix and match your way to a meal with options like grilled asparagus, steamed broccoli, fresh corn, sweet potato or regular fries, green beans, and sautéed spinach.
The Cheesecake Factory
For an easy vegan morning treat, stick with a smoothie
If you find yourself accompanying a non-vegan crowd for breakfast, there are ways to hack the menu. Your breakfast options are smoothies, fruit, bagels, crispy potatoes, and plain toast.
If you need a vegetable, you might be able to persuade the chef to sautée up a hash of potatoes and veggies, but that’s definitely off-menu. As always, request modifications with a polite smile, and you’re more than likely to have your wish granted.
The Cheesecake Factory
End on a sweet note with fresh strawberries
Technically, there is one vegan option: a bowl of fresh strawberries, hold the whipped cream.
Given any other environment, we’re content munching on juicy, ripe strawberries, but when we’re doing so as our dining companions moan over the delight of a four-inch-high cheesecake slice, we’d rather seek something a little sweeter.
Dear Cheesecake Factory, if you’re reading this, pretty please with a humongous pile of dairy-free whipped cream on top, grant the world a vegan cheesecake option. Thank you.
Editors’ note: We’ve included several modifications to non-vegan items in this guide to cover all possible options. However, The Cheesecake Factory spokesperson we interviewed advised against most modifications so as not to “disrupt the flavor profiles.” Please modify dishes to suit your preferences.
For more plant-based stories like this, read:
JUMP TO ... Latest News | Recipes | Guides | Health | Subscribe
Tanya Flink is a VegNews writer and runner living in Orange County, CA.
