It’s creamy, melty, gooey, and 100-percent addictive. We’re, of course, talking about vegan cheese. But, as little as five years ago, one would be stretching the truth to describe most vegan cheeses in this fashion.
Over the years, recipes have been reformulated, refined, and at times completely reinvented—making amends for the somewhat rubbery, bland, and generally off-putting product that was vegan cheese of yesteryear. On the whole, vegan cheese is now something to be celebrated. Here is the 411 on vegan cheese—from how it’s made to some of the very best brands.
What’s in vegan cheese?
The ingredients of vegan cheese largely depend on the style of cheese—different foods lend themselves to different flavors and applications. Starting from the top down, gourmet or artisanal-labeled vegan cheeses are traditionally made with a blend of cashews, oil, cultures, and spices. The cashews provide the creaminess of a soft cheese (think brie, feta, mozzarella, and chèvre) while the cultures add the funk—that addictive characteristic that makes cheese so impossible to resist. While not listed on the ingredient label, time is another essential component of most artisan vegan cheeses. Those cultures need time to ferment and get funky.
Everyday cheeses—those that come in shreds and slices—tend to include oils, starches, nut milk or water, lactic acid (vegan), and natural flavorings or spices. The ingredients for these processed options vary widely from brand to brand and are generally more extensive than artisan vegan cheeses. The key to producing the perfect solid texture that will also melt is nailing the balance between starch and oil content. While not a whole foods approach, these ingredients get the job done.
Treeline
Is vegan cheese healthy?
Like dairy-based cheese, vegan cheese should be enjoyed in moderation for those looking to optimize their health.
Some dairy-free cheeses are made from nuts or seeds while others, typically in the form of slices and shreds that melt when heated, are usually made from coconut oil. Coconut oil consists of about 90-percent saturated fat, a higher percentage than dairy-based butter, and decades of research have shown that too much saturated fat can raise your levels of low-density lipoprotein, also known as “bad” cholesterol. In high amounts, this can build up in your blood vessels and raise your risk of heart attack or stroke. The American Heart Association recommends limiting your intake of saturated fat to five to six percent of your dietary calories.
This is not to demonize vegan cheese made with coconut oil—moderation is key. For what it’s worth, high-fat dairy products are a source of saturated fat. But, plant-based cheese doesn’t come with the other negative effects of dairy. Compared to conventional dairy cheese, dairy-free cheese has the benefit of not being linked to a key driver of human-caused climate change: cattle farming. Plus, from an ethical vegan point of view, dairy-free cheese doesn’t rely on the forced impregnation of a cow in order to induce milk production. See here for more information on the downsides of the dairy industry.
Of course, vegan cheese nutrition depends on the brand, so be sure to read the label to ensure that your choice aligns with your nutrition goals. Dairy-free cheese isn’t a health food, sure, but food isn’t always about nutrition. By all means, enjoy your cheese board at parties and indulge in a crispy, gooey, buttery grilled cheese.
Violife
19 best vegan cheese brands
There’s good vegan cheese but there is also great vegan cheese. The kind that will make your eyes roll back. The kind that will get your skeptical friends to finally admit vegan food actually tastes good. Whether you’re looking for a stretchy cheese that truly melts for supremely good quesadillas, molten queso to smother over nachos, or a sophisticated cheese wheel that will make your party the talk of your friend group, there’s a vegan cheese for that. Here’s what to nab the next time you’re at the grocery store (or shopping online).
Field Roast
1 Chao
For a neutral-tasting cheese that goes with almost everything, check out Chao’s Creamy Original in block or slice form. While mild on its own, this white cheese adds that creamy element and a touch of funk to sandwiches, salads, and flatbreads. The Chao brand falls under Field Roast—the makers of some of our favorite vegan sausages and buffalo wings—so you can be confident in the quality.
Find it here
Follow Your Heart
2 Follow Your Heart
This 54-year-old company makes more than just Vegenaise, and it does it well. The shreds, slices, and blocks are terrific as-is or melted on a beefy vegan patty, gooey grilled cheese, or luscious pasta sauce. The variety is extensive—from feta crumbles to smoked gouda slices. We encourage you to try them all and find your favorite. Oh, and pro tip for that grilled cheese: spread a thin layer of vegan mayonnaise on the outside of each bread slice for the crispiest, melt-in-your-mouth bite of sandwich you’ve ever eaten.
Find it here
Kite Hill
3 Kite Hill
The search for the best vegan cream cheese ends with Kite Hill. The almond milk-based vegan cheese company makes a perfect replica of thick, New York-style cream cheese that won’t weigh you down. Kite Hill’s spreadable cheese is perfect for grazing boards, and its ricotta (and ricotta-filled pasta) are also products to check out if you’re in the mood for gourmet Italian.
Find it here
Miyoko’s Creamery
4Miyoko’s Creamery
Launched in 2012, this vegan cheese company may not have been the first non-dairy cheese on the market, but it is still a pioneer in its own right. Miyoko’s mozzarella and gourmet cheese wheels were the first vegan cheese options to really turn heads and reach mass distribution. For many, Miyoko’s, which is no longer run by former CEO and founder Miyoko Schinner (read more on that here), is the gateway cheese.
find it here
Violife
5 Violife
A popular and widely available brand in the US, Canada, UK, and throughout Europe, Greece-based Violife comes in shreds, slices, blocks, and more, impressing people with its flavor and meltability. The next time you’re craving some comfort food, try the Colby Jack Shreds on homemade nachos with the works.
find it here
6 Daiya
Daiya is one of the early influencers of the vegan cheese movement. Founded in 2008, the brand unveiled a new, extra cheesy formula in 2023. Now made with Daiya’s proprietary oat cream blend, the brand’s shreds, blocks, and slices are tastier and achieve dairy-like meltability like never before.
find it here
Good Planet Foods
7 Good Planet Foods
Offering a variety of familiar flavors, Good Planet Foods delivers dairy-free slices, shreds, wedges, cubes, and blocks. From on-the-go snacking to elegant charcuterie boards, there’s a cheese for every occasion.
find it here
Moocho
8 Moocho
From the makers of Tofurky comes Moocho, boasting meltier, cheesier, more Wisconsin-y vegan cheese. The dairy-free shreds are particularly worth noting, as flavors like Fiesta Blend, Mozzarella, and Cheddar make for ooey, gooey vegan lasagnas, enchiladas, nachos, and pizza.
find it here
Parmela Creamery
9 Parmela Creamery
Parmela uses the classic cheesemaking processes to transform cashews into cultured vegan cheeses with just the right amount of funk. Try melting the Sharp Cheddar shreds on a plant-based patty or sprinkling them on a thick vegan cold-cut sandwich.
find it here
Treeline
10 Treeline
Based on European cheese-making traditions, Treeline’s nut-based cheeses are cultured and aged to perfection. Styles range from French-style soft cheeses to cashew ricotta, aged artisanal wheels, and goat-style cheese. You could create a wonderfully varied and delicious vegan cheese board with just a few of Treeline’s outstanding products, accompanied, of course, by some jams, dried fruits, sliced baguettes, and crackers.
Find it here
Vevan
11Vevan
Vevan tapped traditional cheesemakers to help create dairy-free cheese that delivers on flavor, texture, and meltability. Available in shreds and slices, the brand also makes cream cheese and convenient snack packs filled with cubed cheeses, dried fruits, and nuts.
Find it here
House Party
12House Party
We wouldn’t be surprised if we found this crave-worthy vegan queso in stadiums one day. It’s thick, a little salty, and perfectly spicy. Surprisingly, it’s made with ingredients everyone can pronounce such as potatoes, carrots, jalapeños, nutritional yeast, and spices. Heat up and drown a pile of tortilla chips with it. Finger-licking is unavoidable.
find it here
Misha’s
13Misha’s
These cheese spreads are Jay-Z-approved. The entertainer invested in this Black-owned brand, along with NBA hotshot Chris Paul. Sold in tubs, each of the six flavors add texture and taste to sandwiches, avocado toast, bagels, and flatbreads. Fan favorites include the garlicky, tomato-infused Sari and umami-laden Black Truffle.
find it here
SriMu
14 SriMu
If “special occasion cheese” is a thing, SriMu is most certainly it. This small-batch, artisan cheese is not cheap, but each carefully crafted variety packs an overwhelming punch of flavor in each un-brie-lievably luxurious mouthful. If you’re looking for a distinctive vegan blue cheese or impressive, truffle-infused camembert, check out this brand.
find it here
Love and Lemons
15 Trader Joe’s
Who would have guessed that by 2024, Trader Joe’s would have its own range of vegan cheeses? The grocer carries its own brand of non-dairy shreds, crumbles, and spreads along with other popular brands like vegan Boursin.
find it here
Rebel Cheese
16 Rebel Cheese
If you want to put together an outstanding vegan cheese board, one of the first brands you need to check out is Rebel Cheese. With options like Truffle Brie, Tomato Herb Fromage, and Honee Pistachio Chèvre, this unique Texas-based brand (which appeared on Shark Tank in 2023!) will help you create the vegan charcuterie spread of your dreams.
Find it here
Rind
17 Rind
New York-based brand Rind is another must-try brand for truly show stopping and unique cheeses that taste just as good as they look. Options include the Classic Cambleu, which, according to the brand, is a “sharp, rich, and umami soft-ripened cheese,” and Lapsang, which features real lapsang souchong tea leaves.
Find it here
Nuts for Cheese
18 Nuts for Cheese
Made with fermented cashew nuts, this Canadian brand is a master at creating creamy, rich, crowd-pleasing vegan cheeses. One of its standout products has to be the Un-Brie-Lievable, which, just like its animal-based counterpart, is mild, perfectly creamy, and incredibly satisfying.
Find it here
Monty’s
19 Monty’s
As well as unique and delicious vegan offerings like Cloud Butter and Frosted Carrot Cake, this super popular New York vegan brand makes dreamy, velvety, cashew-based squeezable cream cheese in a variety of flavors. The Original is a must-try, of course, but Maple Cream Frosting, Scallion Cloud, and Truffle Rosemary are also not to be missed.
Find it here
For more on vegan cheese, read:
JUMP TO ... Latest News | Recipes | Guides | Health | Shop
Tanya Flink is a Digital Editor at VegNews as well as a writer and runner living in Orange County, CA.
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.
