Top Vegan Cheese Brands: A Detailed Breakdown
Navigating the world of vegan cheese can be a flavorful journey. Brands have innovated significantly over the past decade, moving beyond simple, firm blocks to offer products that melt, spread, and taste remarkably like their dairy counterparts. The following sections break down popular and artisanal options to help you decide which brand of cheese is vegan and best for your needs.
Major Supermarket Brands for Every Occasion
These widely available brands are often the first stop for many looking to switch to dairy-free cheese. They are known for accessibility and range.
- Violife: A long-standing favorite, Violife offers a huge variety of products, including blocks, shreds, slices, and cream cheeses. Most are made with coconut oil and starches, making them nut-free. Their products melt reliably and their "Just Like Feta" block is praised for its tangy flavor.
- Daiya: A pioneer in the vegan cheese space, Daiya is famous for its allergen-friendly shreds and slices, with a new oat cream blend improving its melt and flavor. They are a great, budget-friendly option found in most major grocery stores.
- Follow Your Heart: Known for its shredded mozzarella and feta crumbles, Follow Your Heart produces solid, reliable vegan cheeses that melt well for pizza or tacos. The brand offers slices, specialty, and block cheese varieties.
- Babybel Plant-Based: These snackable, individually-wrapped green wax wheels offer a fun, soy-free, and nut-free option made with coconut oil and starches. The taste is milder than the dairy version but provides a smooth, creamy texture.
Artisanal and Gourmet Vegan Cheeses
For those seeking a more complex flavor profile or cheese board-worthy options, artisanal brands excel through fermentation and high-quality ingredients, often nuts or seeds.
- Miyoko's Creamery: A leader in gourmet vegan dairy, Miyoko's specializes in cultured, nut-based cheeses and butters. Their products, like the Fresh Vegan Mozzarella and various cheese wheels, are celebrated for their authentic flavor and clean ingredients. The brand even offers a unique pourable mozzarella for pizza.
- Kite Hill: Using an almond milk base, Kite Hill creates excellent cream cheese and ricotta alternatives. The use of live cultures gives their products an authentic tangy flavor and smooth, spreadable texture.
- Treeline: Crafted from naturally cultured cashew nuts, Treeline offers soft, French-style cheeses perfect for crackers or sauces, with the Herbed Garlic variety being a standout.
- RIND: Based in Brooklyn, RIND creates sophisticated, bloomy-rind vegan bries using traditional culturing and aging methods with plant-based ingredients like soy, coconut, and tree nuts.
Vegan Cheese Ingredients and How They Affect Taste
Vegan cheese varies widely depending on its core ingredients, which directly influence its taste, texture, and meltability.
- Coconut Oil Base: Provides a good melt, as seen in brands like Violife and Daiya. Can sometimes leave a slight oily feel, though newer formulations have improved this.
- Nut-Based (Cashew/Almond): Used by brands like Miyoko's and Kite Hill to create complex, tangy, and rich flavors through culturing and fermentation. These are often more gourmet and artisanal.
- Soy and Tofu: Utilized by brands like Field Roast for their Chao slices, offering a different protein source and umami flavor.
- Starches and Thickeners: Ingredients like tapioca starch are used to give vegan cheese its structure and aid in melting, especially in supermarket-friendly versions.
Comparison of Popular Vegan Cheese Brands
| Brand | Base Ingredient(s) | Primary Product Types | Best For... | Allergen Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violife | Coconut Oil, Starches | Blocks, Shreds, Slices, Cream Cheese, Feta | Melting on pizza and sandwiches, cheese boards | Nut-free, Gluten-free, Soy-free |
| Miyoko's Creamery | Cashews | Mozzarella, Wheels, Spreads, Butter | Gourmet cheese boards, authentic melting mozzarella | Contains nuts |
| Daiya | Oat Cream Blend, Starches | Shreds, Slices, Blocks, Mac & Cheese | Allergen-friendly meals, pizza, quesadillas | Free of 8 common allergens (contains coconut) |
| Follow Your Heart | Coconut Oil, Starches | Shreds, Slices, Feta Crumbles | Everyday cooking, salads, sandwiches | Varies by product, check labels for specific allergens |
| Kite Hill | Almond Milk | Cream Cheese, Ricotta | Bagels, baking, pasta dishes | Contains nuts |
Conclusion
For those asking, "which brand of cheese is vegan?" the answer is a diverse and growing list that offers something for every taste and budget. Popular, affordable options like Violife and Daiya are ideal for everyday needs, while artisanal brands like Miyoko's and Kite Hill provide sophisticated, high-quality alternatives for gourmet applications. By understanding the different base ingredients, you can make informed choices to satisfy your specific culinary desires. As the vegan market continues to expand, so too will the range and quality of dairy-free cheeses available, making it easier than ever to find the perfect plant-based substitute. Check out the ethical ratings for many of these brands and more information at Ethical Consumer.
