Is There Dairy Free Brie? The Ultimate Guide to Vegan Brie

November 13, 2025 •

4 min read

The global vegan cheese market is expanding rapidly, and yes, there are now excellent options if you're looking for dairy free Brie. These plant-based alternatives offer the rich, creamy experience of traditional Brie using nuts and cultures, providing a delicious solution for those avoiding dairy.

Quick Summary

Dairy free Brie is widely available and crafted from plant-based ingredients like cashews and coconut oil. This guide covers production methods, flavor profiles, textures, and popular brands of vegan Brie alternatives.

Key Points

Yes, Dairy Free Brie Exists: Innovative plant-based alternatives are widely available, crafted from ingredients like cashews and cultures.
Nut-Based Production: Most dairy-free Brie is made by soaking and blending nuts, which provides a creamy base and rich texture.
Flavor is Similar but Unique: While not an exact replica, vegan Brie offers a rich, tangy, and savory umami flavor that stands on its own merits.
Texture Varies by Brand: Some vegan Bries are firm when chilled and become soft and spreadable at room temperature, while others are specifically formulated to be gooey when baked.
Versatile Culinary Uses: Dairy-free Brie can be served on cheeseboards, baked as an appetizer, melted into sauces, and used in sandwiches.

Understanding Dairy Free Brie

For many, the thought of giving up creamy, luxurious Brie is a major hurdle to adopting a dairy-free or vegan lifestyle. The good news is that thanks to culinary innovation, high-quality dairy free Brie is not only possible but increasingly accessible. These vegan alternatives are crafted to mimic the signature characteristics of their dairy counterpart, from the soft, buttery interior to the iconic bloomy rind. Unlike traditional Brie, which is made from cow's milk, these plant-based versions are created using a variety of non-dairy bases. The result is a savory, umami-rich cheese that works perfectly on a cheeseboard or baked in a warm dish.

How Dairy Free Brie is Made

Creating a realistic dairy-free Brie is a meticulous process that combines art and science. The base is typically made from soaked and blended raw nuts, with cashews and macadamia nuts being popular choices due to their high-fat content and creamy texture. The production process includes several key steps:

Culturing: The nut mixture is inoculated with probiotics and vegan-friendly cultures, which initiate fermentation and develop the cheese's complex flavor profile. This step is crucial for achieving the characteristic tang and depth.
Rind Development: The fermented base is inoculated with Penicillium camemberti, the same mold used for traditional Brie, to grow the classic white bloomy rind. For some brands, a rind is created using vegetable ash or a special tapioca-based powder.
Aging: The cultured cheese is aged for several weeks in controlled environments, sometimes in special caves, to allow the flavors to mature and the texture to soften. This process is what creates the contrast between the firm rind and the creamy center.
Stabilizing: Ingredients like coconut oil, tapioca starch, or agar are often used to help the cheese hold its shape and achieve the desired melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Taste and Texture: Comparing Dairy and Dairy-Free Brie

While vegan Brie aims to replicate the experience of its dairy counterpart, there are noticeable differences in taste and texture. It is important to approach dairy-free brie not as an identical replacement, but as a delicious culinary experience in its own right.

Dairy Brie vs. Dairy-Free Brie Comparison Table


Feature	Traditional Dairy Brie	Dairy-Free (Vegan) Brie
Base Ingredient	Cow's milk	Cashews, macadamia nuts, coconut oil, soy, or tofu
Flavor Profile	Earthy, buttery, and slightly mushroomy, with a tangy finish	Rich, nutty, and savory, with a distinctive fermented tang from cultures and miso
Texture	Soft, creamy, and runny at room temperature, with an edible, bloomy rind	Creamy and firm when chilled, becoming soft and spreadable when warmed; some brands melt beautifully
Aging Process	Uses traditional milk cultures and molds, aged for weeks to months	Uses vegan cultures and molds, aged in controlled environments to develop complex flavors
Melting Capability	Melts smoothly and becomes very gooey when baked	Varies by brand and formula; cashews and tapioca starch can create a satisfyingly gooey melt
Sourcing	Sourced from animal agriculture, primarily cow's milk	Plant-based ingredients, making it cruelty-free and more sustainable

Brands and How to Use Dairy Free Brie

For cheese lovers everywhere, the rise of high-quality vegan Brie means more options for everyone. Many artisanal and mainstream brands are now producing excellent versions, each with unique characteristics.

Popular Dairy-Free Brie Brands

Rebel Cheese: Known for their cave-aged vegan Brie, which develops a complex, funky flavor profile from the bloomy rind, similar to a traditional cheese.
Nuts for Cheese: Their "Un-Brie-Lievable" uses cashews, quinoa rejuvelac, and coconut milk for a rich, creamy, and versatile wedge.
Damona Dairy-Free Cheeses: An Australian brand offering a rich and creamy vegan Brie made from high-quality plant-based ingredients.
La Fauxmagerie: A UK-based artisanal cheesemonger that offers a "Bree Au Champagne" that is well-regarded for its taste.

Serving Suggestions for Dairy-Free Brie

Dairy-free Brie is incredibly versatile and can be used in the same ways as its dairy counterpart. For the best flavor and texture, it is often recommended to serve it at room temperature.

Cheeseboard: Serve with crackers, warm baguette, fresh fruit like figs and grapes, and a variety of nuts and chutneys.
Baked Brie: Warm a round of vegan Brie in the oven until soft and gooey, then top with jam, cranberries, or pecans for a show-stopping appetizer.
Sandwiches and Crostini: Add a smear of dairy-free Brie to warm crostini with roasted garlic or use it in a sandwich for a creamy, savory element.
Sauces: Some vegan Bries can be melted into creamy sauces for pasta or vegetable dishes.

Conclusion

Yes, not only does dairy free Brie exist, but it represents a thriving and innovative segment of the plant-based food industry. Whether you are vegan, lactose intolerant, or simply curious, there is a delicious dairy-free Brie out there for you. With a variety of brands and recipes to explore, you can enjoy the classic taste and texture of a soft, bloomy cheese without any dairy. The journey into plant-based cheese is an exciting one, full of savory surprises and satisfying alternatives. To explore more about the process of making artisanal vegan cheeses, check out this article on the subject: The Rise of Vegan Brie: Plant-Based Alternatives Steal the Spotlight.

Frequently Asked Questions

The healthiness of vegan Brie can vary by brand and ingredients. While often lower in saturated fat than traditional Brie, it can still be high in fat and calories due to the use of nuts and coconut oil. It is also often a good source of probiotics from the fermentation process.

The melting capability of dairy-free Brie depends on its recipe. Some are formulated with tapioca starch or other ingredients specifically to achieve a gooey, melty texture when baked or warmed. However, many will soften beautifully but not necessarily melt in the same way as dairy-based cheese.

Dairy-free Brie is available at many health food stores, specialty vegan shops, and online retailers. Popular brands like Rebel Cheese, Nuts for Cheese, and Damona can often be found at grocery stores that carry plant-based products.

The white rind on vegan Brie is created using Penicillium camemberti, the same mold used for traditional Brie, but grown on a plant-based medium. For some recipes, the rind may be created with ingredients like tapioca flour and pepper.

Dairy-free Brie is a vegan product containing no dairy whatsoever, suitable for those with dairy allergies and vegans. Lactose-free Brie is a dairy cheese that has had the lactose removed or broken down with lactase enzyme, making it suitable for those with lactose intolerance but not for individuals with milk allergies or who follow a vegan diet.

Yes, it is possible to make your own dairy free Brie at home. Many recipes exist using a base of soaked cashews, coconut oil, probiotics, and agar or tapioca to achieve the right texture.

If you can't find dairy-free Brie, you could use other plant-based soft cheeses, such as vegan cream cheese or goat cheese alternatives, as a substitute in recipes. For baking, a cashew-based vegan mozzarella could also work.