Frederic Melton
Whether you're vegan, lactose intolerant, or just looking to cut down on milk products, there are plenty of milk-free cheese options to choose from. These include dairy-free alternatives to popular cheeses like mozzarella, cheddar, gouda, parmesan, and feta, as well as cream cheese. You can find these milk-free cheeses at various stores, including Trader Joe's, Walmart, and Kroger, with brands like Violife, Follow Your Heart, Miyoko's, and Daiya offering a range of vegan cheese options.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type | Mozzarella, Parmesan, Cream Cheese, Feta, Smoked Gouda, Cheddar, Havarti |
| Ingredients | Cashews, Coconut Oil, Yeast Extract, Potato Starch, Corn Starch, Chickpea Protein, Citric Acid |
| Texture | Smooth, Creamy, Thick, Chalky |
| Taste | Nutty, Sweet, Mild, Tangy, Spicy |
| Brands | Violife, Trader Joe's, Miyoko's Creamery, Follow Your Heart, Daiya, Whole Foods 365, So Delicious |
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What You'll Learn
Vegan cheese options at Trader Joe's
Vegan cheese is made from plant-based sources and is a great option for those who are lactose intolerant, allergic to dairy, or simply looking to reduce their dairy intake. Trader Joe's, a popular grocery store known for its affordable prices, offers a wide range of vegan cheese options that are friendly on the wallet. Here are some of the vegan cheese options available at Trader Joe's:
Vegan Cheddar Slices
These cheddar slices are made from cashews, coconuts, and potatoes, offering a gluten-free and soy-free option for those with specific dietary restrictions. They are perfect for sandwiches and melt well, making them a versatile choice.
Vegan Mozz Shreds
Mozzarella shreds, or "Mozz Shreds," as Trader Joe's calls them, are thick and slightly chalky. They are primarily made from cashews and coconut oil, giving them a nutty flavor with a hint of sweetness. These shreds are great for pizzas, quesadillas, or any dish that calls for melted cheese.
Vegan Parmesan
The vegan Parmesan at Trader Joe's comes in thin shreds made from potato starch, coconut oil, and yeast extract. It has a pleasant texture and a mildly nutty and yeasty flavor that resembles cow's milk Parmesan. It pairs well with salads, pasta, and other dishes, adding a cheesy touch.
Vegan Feta
This feta cheese alternative has a salty and tangy flavor profile, striving to replicate the taste of its dairy-based counterpart. It adds a creamy texture and a rich savoriness to dishes like Greek salad and baked vegetables.
Vegan Cream Cheese
Trader Joe's offers a vegan cream cheese option that has a smooth texture, reminiscent of traditional cream cheese. It spreads easily and can be used in various recipes, such as bagels or dips. However, it lacks the signature tang of regular cream cheese and may not satisfy those seeking an exact replica.
Other Options
In addition to these cheese alternatives, Trader Joe's offers a range of other vegan products, including vegan Boursin, vegan cheesecake, eggplant Parmesan, and fiesta dip. The store also sells nutritional yeast, which has a cheesy flavor and can be used to make vegan dips and sauces or sprinkled directly onto food. They also offer a ready-to-eat meatless Bolognese sauce. Additionally, other brands like Miyoko's and Violife offer vegan mozzarella options that are popular among consumers.
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Creamy, flavourful non-dairy cheese
Dairy-free cheese has come a long way, and there are now many impressive non-dairy options available that are creamy and flavourful. Whether you are vegan, lactose intolerant, or simply looking to consume fewer milk-based products, there is a cheese alternative for you.
One of the most popular options for dairy-free cheese is Violife. This brand offers a variety of cheese alternatives, including a dairy-free mozzarella that is perfect for pizza night or lasagna, and a dairy-free cream cheese. Violife cheese alternatives have received high praise for their taste, texture, and melt, with some claiming it is their all-around favourite.
Another popular brand is Daiya, which offers a Dairy-Free American Style Slice and a Jalapeño Havarti Style Block Cheese. The latter has been described as having a satisfying level of spice and a firm, non-rubbery texture that maintains its shape when sliced. Daiya's cheese alternatives have been said to deliver on both flavour and texture.
For those looking for a soy-free option, there are non-dairy cheeses made mainly from potato and corn starch. These cheeses are a good option for those wanting to avoid soy, which can sometimes be challenging to do with non-dairy items.
Miyoko's Creamery also offers a unique, spreadable cheese made from cashew milk that resembles Spam and has a surprisingly meaty flavour. This cheese has a super creamy texture and gentle flavours, making it a great option for those looking for a mild, creamy cheese alternative.
In addition to these brands, there are also dairy-free cheese alternatives available at stores like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. Trader Joe's offers a variety of vegan cheeses, including hard and soft cheeses, as well as cheese spreads. Whole Foods 365 brand has a dairy-free mozzarella and cheddar cheese that are said to have a good taste, although they don't melt well and are not creamy.
With so many options available, those looking for creamy and flavourful non-dairy cheese alternatives are sure to find something to suit their tastes.
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Vegan cheese for pizza
There are many vegan cheese options for pizza available on the market. Miyoko's Creamery, a plant-based dairy company, offers a unique pourable mozzarella made from cashew milk. This cheese has a wetter consistency than most other vegan pizza cheeses and comes in a shrink-wrapped square. It has a mild cheesy flavor and pairs well with the sauce and bread, creating a delicious pizza. However, some may find the liquid consistency strange and prefer traditional shredded cheese.
Another option is to make your own homemade cashew mozzarella, which can be shredded or made into a pourable liquid. This provides similar results to Miyoko's mozzarella in terms of melt and flavor, and a homemade version can even have more stretch.
For those who prefer a solid cheese, Parmela Creamery offers a Plant-Based Mozzarella with a dairy cheese-like texture. When cooked, it becomes pasty, but one tester found that folding the slice prevented it from becoming gluey. This cheese would complement spicier flavors.
Whole Foods 365 brand offers a dairy-free mozzarella with a good taste, although it does not melt well and is not creamy. Daiya Foods' new Oat Milk formula is an improved version with better melt and flavor, accessible at local stores like Winco and Walmart.
Vegan cheese has come a long way, and these options provide tasty and stretchy alternatives for pizza, whether you are vegan, lactose intolerant, or seeking a healthier option.
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Vegan cheese for grilled cheese
Vegan cheese has come a long way, but it's still hard to replicate the stretch, melt, and flavor of regular cheese. This is especially true when it comes to grilled cheese sandwiches, where the cheese is the star of the show. While some vegan cheeses can add flavor to a veggie burger, they often don't quite stack up when used as a grilled cheese filling. However, there are some good options available.
Field Roast Chao Cheese
Field Roast's Chao Creamy Original cheese has a great flavor but takes a long time to melt. It works well in grilled cheese sandwiches, especially when paired with onions, tomatoes, and relish or pickles. The same brand's Spicy Cayenne flavor is another option.
Trader Joe's Vegan Cheddar
Trader Joe’s offers a range of vegan cheeses at affordable prices. Their vegan cheddar has a smooth texture, reminiscent of milk cream cheese, and works well in grilled cheese sandwiches and burgers.
Violife
Violife's dairy-free cheddar slices have a good flavor and melt well, though not as fast as their block cheese. The slices are more expensive than the block, but the block cheese melts faster.
Daiya
Daiya's Swiss slices have a pretty good flavor and melted texture. Their provolone slices are also an option for grilled cheese, though they melt more slowly than the Swiss slices. Daiya's slices melted nicely and didn't stick to teeth, though they lacked stretch.
Miyoko's
Miyoko's offers a pourable mozzarella made from cashew sauce. It has a smooth, creamy texture and cooks well, though some may not enjoy the flavor. They also offer a sharp cheddar that may be a bit too strong for grilled cheese.
Other Options
Other options for vegan cheese include Follow Your Heart, which offers slices and shreds with a good flavor but takes a while to melt. Whole Foods 365 brand has a good taste but doesn't melt well. So Delicious has a similar issue, with a subpar taste. Trader Joe's Almond-based mozzarella is not completely dairy-free, and has a mushy texture.
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Vegan cheese for burgers
Vegan cheese is usually made from nuts, soy, or vegetables, and is a great alternative for those who are lactose intolerant or vegan. There are many options for vegan cheese that can be used in burgers, and here are some suggestions:
Cheddar
Violife is a popular brand for vegan cheese, and their Epic Mature Cheddar Slices are a great option for burgers. The cheese slices melt well and have a pleasant, buttery richness. The brand Daiya also offers Smoked Gouda Style Slices, which add a wonderful depth of flavour with a slightly smoky undertone.
Mozzarella
For those who prefer mozzarella on their burgers, Miyoko's Liquid Mozz is a versatile vegan cheese that can be poured onto a pizza or used in a mac and cheese. It is made from cashew sauce and has a smooth and creamy texture.
Parmesan
Vegan Parmesan, made from potato starch, coconut oil, and yeast extract, is another option for burgers. It has a nutty and yeasty flavour that pairs well with other vegetables.
Cream Cheese
Cream cheese alternatives are also available, which can be used in dips or spreads for burgers. Trader Joe's offers a variety of vegan cream cheese options, including one that is similar to cow's milk cream cheese in texture but lacks the signature tang.
Other Options
Other brands that offer vegan cheese slices for burgers include Follow Your Heart, Whole Foods 365, and Chao. When cooking with vegan cheese, it is important to note that the melting process may take longer than with regular cheese, and the cheese may need to be grated or sliced first.
There are many options for vegan cheese for burgers, and it is a matter of personal preference which variety to choose. These cheeses can be found at specialty shops or at convenient stores like Target and Walmart, usually in the vegan or dairy-free section.
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