In this modern era, we’re blessed with dairy-free cheeses that can do it all, from cheddar for velvety vegan mac and cheese to stretchy mozzarella for pizza to pungent aged cheese to pair with wine. There’s also cream cheese for bagels, queso fresco for tacos, and freshly grated parmesan for pasta. The list goes on and on, and, sometimes, it’s hard to know which product to pick. That’s why, to help you find the best products for you, below, we’ve compiled the ultimate guide to vegan cheeses. But first, what is vegan cheese made from?
What is vegan cheese?
Vegan cheese is, simply put, cheese that’s 100 percent free from animal products. But not all products are the same. Many vegan cheese slices and shreds are made primarily from coconut oil, but there are also options where cashews are the main ingredient. Some vegan cheeses are made from soy, but there are also many, many options that are totally free of soy.
There are also artisanal vegan cheeses, which are made using old-world techniques used by the fanciest French cheesemongers, only without the dairy. We’re talking smoked gouda, brie, blue cheese, Camembert, and wheels imbued with lapsang, fig and walnut, rosemary, olives, and more.
The Kraft Heinz Not Company
These cheeses are usually made from nuts like cashews and almonds, though macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, and even oats may be used. Even more like traditional dairy, they’re usually aged using cultures, resulting in plant-based cheese that tastes as authentic as the real thing. Artisanal vegan cheeses are ripe for pairing with wine.
This list includes artisanal vegan cheeses as well as slices, shreds, feta crumbles, and more.
Where to find the best vegan cheese slices
From gooey grilled cheese sandwiches to the ultimate double cheeseburger, plant-based cheese slices add an explosion of flavor to our favorite comfort foods. Here are some of our top brands for vegan cheese slices:
Miyoko’s Creamery
- 365 by Whole Foods
- Armored Fresh
- Bute Island
- Chao Creamery
- Daiya Foods
- Follow Your Heart
- Good Planet Foods
- Miyoko’s Creamery
- Nafsika’s Garden
- Parmela Creamery
- The Kraft Heinz Not Company
- Trader Joe’s
- Tofutti
- Vevan
- Veggie Underground
- Violife
- Vitalite
Follow Your Heart
Vegan cheese shreds and crumbles
Between funky parmesan and classic cheese shreds—anything dairy cheese can do, vegan cheese can do better. Find our favorite vegan cheese shreds and crumbles here:
- 365 by Whole Foods Market
- Bute Island
- Chao Creamery
- Daiya Foods
- Follow Your Heart
- Good Planet Foods
- Miyoko’s Creamery
- Moocho Foods
- Nafsika’s Garden
- Never Better Foods
- Parmela Creamery
- Trader Joe’s
- Vevan
- Violife
- Vitalite
Good Planet Foods
Vegan cheese blocks
Stock up on these vegan blocks for your next dinner party.
- Bute Island
- Daiya Foods
- Follow Your Heart
- Good Planet Foods
- Miyoko’s Creamery
- The Uncreamery
- Violife
- Vromage
- Vtopian
Nuts for Cheese
Vegan cheese wheels and wedges
Looking to make the ultimate vegan charcuterie board? Look no further than plant-based cheese wheels and wedges. Between creamy, smoky, and funky varieties, there’s vegan cheese for every craving.
- Good Planet Foods
- Nuts for Cheese
- Rebel Cheese
- Reine Royal Vegan Cuisine
- Rind
- The Uncreamery
- Treeline
- Vromage
- Vtopian
Kite Hill
Vegan cream cheese
Top off your morning bagels with a schmear of dairy-free cream cheese. You’ll find vegan versions of your old favorites—think everything bagel and onion and chive—alongside sweeter spreads such as strawberry and seasonal varieties.
- Bute Island
- Daiya Foods
- Go Veggie
- Kite Hill
- Miyoko’s Creamery
- Moocho Foods
- Monty’s
- Nature’s Fynd
- Never Better Foods
- Nuts for Cheese
- Oatly
- Philadelphia
- Simply V
- Tofutti
- Treeline
- Vevan
- Violife
- Vitalite
- Wayfare Foods
Bel Brands
Vegan cheese sauces, spreads, and dips
Get ready for movie night with hot and spicy nacho cheese. Make dinner in a flash with macaroni and cheese sauce. Impress your friends with crusty bread topped off with savory cheese spreads. Whatever the occasion, there’s a vegan cheese ready to make it ten times better.
- Boursin
- Daiya Foods
- Chao Creamery
- Credo
- Fabalish
- Good Foods
- House Party
- Kite Hill
- Miyoko’s Creamery
- Mother Raw
- Nona Vegan
- Primal Kitchen
- Sabor Mexicano
- Tofutti
- Treeline
- Vegan Valley
- Violife
- Wayfare Foods
Bel Brands
Vegan snacking cheese
As more consumers opt for dairy-free options, companies are stepping up to the plate with a number of plant-based cheeses to suit all of your snacking needs—from kid-friendly cheese sticks to the wax-enrobed cheese bites of your childhood.
For more vegan cheese, read:
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Here at VegNews, we live and breathe the plant-based lifestyle, and only recommend products we feel make our lives amazing. Occasionally, articles may include shopping links where we might earn a small commission, but in no way does this effect the editorial integrity of VegNews.
