The Italians have given the world many of its most delicious, most indulgent, and most comforting foods. But while it’s synonymous with savory classics like pizza and spaghetti alla carbonara, the country, of course, also knows how to do sweet treats exceptionally well. And one of the best examples of this is, arguably, Nutella.
The nutty spread is not just popular in Italy (where people consume roughly 60 million jars a year), but also around the globe. In fact, every year, around 650,000 tons of Nutella are shipped to around 160 countries. But is this creamy treat vegan? And if not, just how do vegans who love the taste of Nutella get their fix? We’ve got the answers.
Ferrero
What is Nutella?
To put it simply, Nutella is a sweet hazelnut, chocolate spread. Since 1964, it has been manufactured by Ferrero, an Italian multinational confectionary company. The texture is similar to smooth peanut butter: it’s creamy, gooey, and easy to spread. While it’s usually enjoyed on bread or toast, it can be added to anything. (Some people enjoy eating it with fruit, for example, or just straight out of the jar.)
RELATED: After 61 Years, the US Finally Has Vegan Nutella
Is Nutella vegan?
Until very recently, Nutella was not suitable for vegans. Cocoa and hazelnuts are two of the spread’s key ingredients alongside sugar and palm oil, but the addition of skim milk rendered the product not suitable for vegans—until now.
In the US, Nutella’s parent company Ferrero recently launched Nutella Peanut. The new product combines the classic flavors of Nutella with the beloved taste of peanut butter. Made with sugar, peanuts, palm oil, peanut flour, cocoa, hazelnuts, lecithin, salt, and vanillin, Nutella Peanut is free of dairy and other animal ingredients.
Ferrero
For now, classic Nutella still contains dairy in the US. In Europe, however, Ferrero officially launched Nutella Plant-Based in September 2024 in Italy, France, Belgium, and the UK.
At the time of writing, Ferrero has not confirmed whether or not Nutella Plant-Based will make its way to North America, but the company does aim to roll out the product in more countries. “In the future, we aim to roll out this product to more countries, taking into consideration its performance and consumers’ feedback,” a Ferrero spokesperson told VegNews. For now, US consumers can get their fix of Nutella with Nutella Peanut.
These brands make vegan Nutella
Find out where to get Nutella Peanut below. And if you can’t get your hands on Nutella Peanut just yet, you can still enjoy the flavors of this creamy, hazelnut spread with the brands below.
Ferrero
1Nutella
For the first time since its debut in 1964, Nutella has gone dairy-free in the US with the launch of Nutella Peanut. Like classic Nutella, Nutella Peanut is made with hazelnuts, only this time, the formulation combines them with peanuts. Enjoy Nutella Peanut on toast, waffles, drizzled onto ice cream, and more.
Find it here
Justin’s
2 Justin’s
Justin Gold, the founder of Justin’s, has had a passion for nut butters since his early 20s. In 2004, he decided to take that passion and turn it into a brand, which he aptly named Justin’s. Now, that brand offers a wide selection of vegan-friendly nut butters and butter cups (just watch out for the ones that contain milk or honey), including Chocolate Hazelnut and Almond Butter. It contains less sugar than Nutella, but offers a very similar deliciously nutty taste (thanks to the added almond element, too).
FIND IT HERE
Vego
3Vego
Makers of delectable vegan chocolate bars, Vego also makes a luscious hazelnut spread. Unlike most spreads on the market, Vego’s isn’t smooth; its crunchy texture is due to the addition of hazelnut pieces.
SunButter
4SunButter
An allergen-friendly option, SunButter’s Chocolate Sunflower Butter swaps out hazelnuts for, well, sunflower seeds. Made with just six ingredients, this chocolatey spread packs six grams of protein per serving and is free from the top eight allergens.
Find it here
Artisana Organics
5 Artisana Organics
Artisana Organics is committed to making nut butters with fair-trade, sustainably-sourced ingredients, and works with farmers from all over the world for that very reason. Alongside Cashew Cacao Spread, you can find Hazelnut Cacao Spread on its virtual shelves. The latter is palm oil-free, made with organic coconut sugar, and most importantly: creamy and delicious.
FIND IT HERE
Rigoni di Asiago
6 Rigoni di Asiago
If you’re looking for an authentic, rich, Italian chocolate nut spread, but you don’t want any sneaky animal ingredients (looking at you, milk powder), then Rigoni has you covered. The company’s Nocciolata spread is arguably more indulgent than its rival Nutella, and while the original recipe contains milk, it also offers a totally dairy-free, vegan version.
FIND IT HERE
Rawmio
7Rawmio
This handcrafted, raw vegan spread is made with just three ingredients: hazelnuts, Peruvian cacao nibs, and coconut sugar, which boasts a lower glycemic index than conventional sugar. High in minerals and antioxidant-rich, it’s perfect for scooping into waffles, pancakes, smoothies, and more.
Find it here
How to use vegan Nutella
Just like regular Nutella, vegan chocolate hazelnut spreads can be enjoyed on fresh bread, sandwiches, toast, croissants, crêpes, and ice cream. You can bake them into cookies, brownies, or cakes, blend them into milkshakes and smoothies (we recommend adding banana!), or you can just spoon them straight out of the jar. When it comes to enjoying this creamy indulgence, there are no rules.
Vegan Nutella recipes
When a Nutella craving hits, you have two options: track down a vegan version of the famous spread, or make your own! And good news, if you opt for the latter, you don’t need a huge amount of time or ingredients. In fact, you can whip up some delicious, nutty, chocolatey spread in less than 20 minutes. What are you waiting for?
Chocolate Covered Katie
1 Vegan Nutella With Vanilla Extract
This chocolate hazelnut spread is not just mouthwateringly good, it’s also pretty healthy, too. It’s low in calories, and it’s a source of healthy fats, B vitamins, and vitamin E. All you need is a little bit of vanilla extract, cocoa powder, a dash of salt, your favorite dairy-free milk, a sweetener, and, of course, those all-important hazelnuts.
Get the recipe
Choosing Chia
2
Vegan Nutella With Maple Syrup
To really get your hazelnut, chocolate spread to taste like the real deal, you need a good sweetener. But it doesn’t have to be sugar. In fact, this recipe proves that a few spoonfuls of maple syrup will work just as well.
Get the recipe
Healthy Vegan
3 Vegan Nutella With Medjool Dates
Another sugar-free sweetener option for vegan Nutella is to use fruit, and in this recipe, Medjool dates work beautifully. The hazelnuts are also toasted before blending, which helps to ensure a fragrant, delectable result.
Get the recipe
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
