Randy Chandler
Vegan cheese has come a long way, and there are now many options for those looking for a white cheese to add to their vegan burger. While vegan cheese can be made from a variety of plant-based ingredients, such as potatoes, carrots, onions, cashews, and white beans, some of the best white vegan cheeses for burgers include cheddar and gouda styles. For example, Violife's Epic Mature Cheddar Slices and Daiya's Smoked Gouda Style Slices are both popular choices for vegan burgers. Other recommended brands include Follow Your Heart, Miyoko's Creamery, and Chao Creamery. These vegan cheeses offer unique flavors and textures that can complement the other ingredients in a burger, creating a delicious plant-based option.
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What You'll Learn
The best vegan cheese brands for burgers
While vegan cheese has come a long way, it's still hard to replicate the stretch, melt, and flavor of dairy cheese. However, there are now several vegan cheese brands that can elevate your burger game. Here are some of the best options:
Violife is a popular vegan cheese brand that offers Epic Mature Cheddar Slices, which can be melted over patties to create a gooey, cheesy texture. Their slices are also mentioned as a good option for a less-intense flavor that complements the other flavors in a veggie burger.
Daiya offers Smoked Gouda Style Slices, adding a wonderful depth of flavor with a slightly smoky undertone. Their slices are known to melt nicely and have a texture that feels closest to dairy cheese.
Follow Your Heart offers Pepper Jack Slices with a creamy texture and just the right amount of spice, giving your burger a delicious kick. Their slices are also mentioned as having a strong color, similar to dairy cheese.
Miyoko's Creamery takes an artisanal approach, using traditional cheese-making methods. Their cheddar slices, made from cashews, have a rich, creamy flavor.
Chao Creamery offers Tomato Cayenne Slices, a blend of savory and spicy flavors. Their original cheese slices are also mentioned as a good option for veggie burgers.
When choosing a vegan cheese for your burger, consider the flavor profile you're aiming for. If you want a strong cheddar flavor, Daiya is a great option. For a smoky undertone, Daiya's Smoked Gouda Style Slices or Follow Your Heart's slightly smoky slices are ideal. For a creamy texture and a kick of spice, Follow Your Heart's Pepper Jack Slices are a perfect choice.
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How to make a vegan burger patty
While there are many ways to make a vegan burger patty, here is a recipe that you can follow to make a delicious and satisfying patty.
To make 4 patties, you will need 1 can of black beans, 1 cup of cooked quinoa, 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup of finely chopped red onion, 1 clove of garlic, soy sauce, olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Drain and rinse the black beans and mash them in a large bowl until they are almost smooth. Mix in the cooked quinoa, breadcrumbs, red onion, garlic, soy sauce, olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Form the mixture into 4 patties and place them on a lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
You can cook the patties in an oven preheated to 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, or in a pan with hot oil over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes per side. If you want to grill your patties, brush them with plenty of oil and grill for about 7 minutes on each side, or until you see dark grill marks.
For a gluten-free option, you can try a patty made with sweet potato, kidney beans, onion, and garlic. Simply mash these ingredients together and form them into patties. You can serve these patties in a bun or on a bed of spinach, topped with avocado, tomato, sauteed or pickled red onion, and cilantro/coriander.
As for the best white cheese to use on your vegan burger, there are a few options to consider. Firstly, Violife is a popular brand that offers Epic Mature Cheddar Slices, which can add a buttery richness to your burger. Another option is Daiya, which offers Smoked Gouda Style Slices with a slightly smoky undertone. If you're looking for a spicy kick, Follow Your Heart's Pepper Jack Slices or Chao Creamery's Tomato Cayenne Slices are great choices. These vegan cheese options can elevate your burger and provide a range of flavours and textures.
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How to make a vegan cheese sauce
While there are many types of vegan cheese available, such as almond-based, potato and carrot-based, or soy-based cheeses, you can also make your own vegan cheese sauce at home. Here is a simple recipe for a vegan cheese sauce that can be used for various dishes, including vegan burgers.
Ingredients:
- Raw cashews or raw slivered almonds
- Lemon juice
- Water
- Nutritional yeast
- Smoked paprika
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Chili powder
- Salt
- Turmeric (optional)
Steps:
First, soak the cashews. You can either do a quick soak by covering the cashews with boiling water and setting them aside for 10 minutes, or you can soak them for several hours or overnight. If using almonds, make sure they are very well soaked.
Next, blend the ingredients. Add the soaked cashews or almonds, lemon juice, water, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and salt to a high-powered blender. You can also add a pinch of turmeric for a more yellow/orange color. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Finally, warm the sauce. Pour the blended mixture into a medium saucepan and warm over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it begins to bubble and thicken.
Your vegan cheese sauce is now ready to be used! It can be drizzled over steamed vegetables, baked potatoes, or used as a dip for chips. You can also use it as a topping for vegan burgers, adding a cheesy flavor and stretchy texture.
Storage:
The sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days, but the texture may change. To reheat, add a splash of dairy-free milk. It tastes best when freshly made. You can also freeze the sauce by placing it in a freezer-safe container and thawing it in the fridge when ready to use.
This vegan cheese sauce is a versatile and delicious addition to any vegan dish, and with a simple recipe, it can easily be made at home.
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How to make vegan cheese sliceable
While there are many options for store-bought vegan cheese to add to your burger, such as Violife, Daiya, Follow Your Heart, and Miyoko's Creamery, making your own vegan cheese allows you to customise your cheese to your liking. Here is a recipe for a sliceable vegan cheese that you can make at home:
Ingredients:
- Raw sunflower seeds
- Water
- Lemon juice
- Garlic
- Nutritional yeast
- Paprika
- Tahini
- Miso
- Coconut oil
- Agar agar powder
Instructions:
- Boil the raw sunflower seeds in water for 15 minutes.
- Add the boiled sunflower seeds, water, lemon juice, garlic, nutritional yeast, paprika, tahini, miso, and coconut oil to a blender. Blend until you have a smooth, creamy, savoury mixture.
- Taste and add salt if desired.
- If you are satisfied with a soft, spreadable cheese, you are done! Otherwise, proceed to the next step for a firmer, sliceable texture.
- Combine agar agar powder with water in a small saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Whisk continuously and allow the mixture to boil for one minute.
- Add the agar agar mixture to your blended cheese mixture and combine until smooth.
- Transfer the mixture to a mould and set it overnight in the refrigerator.
This recipe can be customised to your preference. For example, you can add additional seasonings or spices to enhance the cheese flavour. You can also experiment with different types of nuts or seeds, such as cashews or white beans, to achieve your desired texture and flavour.
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The best vegan cheeses for grilled cheese sandwiches
While vegan cheese has come a long way, it's still hard to replicate the stretch, melt, and flavor of dairy cheese. However, some vegan cheeses are better suited for grilled cheese sandwiches, where the cheese is the star of the show. Here are some of the best vegan cheeses for grilled cheese sandwiches:
Daiya is a well-known vegan cheese brand, and their slices have been praised for their melting capabilities and flavor. The Smoked Gouda Style Slices add a wonderful depth of flavor with a slightly smoky undertone, making your grilled cheese sandwich feel extra indulgent. Daiya slices also have a texture that feels closest to dairy cheese, and they don't stick to your teeth.
Violife is another popular brand, and their Epic Mature Cheddar Slices can elevate your grilled cheese sandwich. This cheese has a strong cheddar flavor that tastes remarkably similar to real cheddar.
Follow Your Heart offers Pepper Jack Slices with just the right amount of spice and creaminess. Their slices have a darker yellow/orange color, which can make them more visually appealing to some.
Field Roast Chao is another option for grilled cheese sandwiches. While it may not have the strongest flavor, it does have a unique taste that can complement the other flavors in your sandwich.
In addition to these pre-made vegan cheese slices, you can also make your own vegan cheese sauce for grilled cheese sandwiches. Here's a simple recipe:
Ingredients:
- Vegan cheese shreds, slices, or block
- Vegan butter
- Plant milk
- Flour
- Seasonings of your choice
Instructions:
- Melt butter in a pan over medium heat.
- Add flour a tablespoon at a time, whisking in between each addition.
- Once all the flour has been added, whisk thoroughly and cook for 1 minute.
- Add plant milk 1/2 cup at a time, whisking in between each addition.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Add vegan cheese and stir until melted.
- Add your desired seasonings and adjust the taste to your preference.
This homemade vegan cheese sauce can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days but is best served fresh. You can also experiment with different ingredients like cashews, carrots, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and spices to create your own sliceable vegan cheese.
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Frequently asked questions
There are many options for white vegan cheese, including almond-based, potato-based, and carrot-based cheeses. You can also make your own vegan cheese using potatoes, carrots, onions, and cashews or white beans. Some popular brands of white vegan cheese include Violife, Daiya, Follow Your Heart, and Miyoko's Creamery.
Here is a basic recipe for making vegan cheese at home:
Ingredients: potatoes, carrots, onions, cashews or white beans, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, spices (onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne powder), agar powder.
Instructions: Boil the potatoes, carrots, and onion until tender. Drain and place in a blender. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
Here are some tips for making vegan cheese at home:
- Use agar powder to solidify the cheese and make it sliceable.
- Use cashews for a creamy texture, or white beans for a lower-fat option.
- Add nutritional yeast to impart a rich, cheesy flavor.
- Include lemon juice for a tangy, acidic flavor that mimics the sharpness of dairy cheese.
Some popular brands of white vegan cheese include:
- Violife: Their Epic Mature Cheddar Slices are a popular option.
- Daiya: Their Smoked Gouda Style Slices have a slightly smoky flavor and melt nicely.
- Follow Your Heart: Their Pepper Jack Slices have a good balance of spice and creaminess.
- Miyoko's Creamery: Known for their artisanal approach, their cheddar slices made from cashews have a rich, creamy flavor.
