Frederic Melton
Vegan cheese has come a long way since its early days, with innovative ingredients like cashews, almond milk, coconut cream, and fermented foods being used to create plant-based cheeses that rival their dairy counterparts in terms of taste and texture. While some vegan cheeses may fall short of replicating the exact taste and mouthfeel of traditional cheese, others have come pretty darn close, with some even surpassing the originals. This paragraph will explore the best vegan cheeses that taste like the real deal and the ingredients and techniques used to create them.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Texture | Vegan cheese has a different texture than real cheese. It is often described as greasy, sticky, plasticky, crumbly, or stiff. However, some varieties have a texture similar to real cheese, especially when melted. |
| Taste | Vegan cheese can have a wide range of tastes, including tangy, salty, sweet, nutty, cheesy, and spicy. Some varieties taste similar to real cheese, such as coconut-based mozzarella, almond milk-based ricotta, and cashew-based feta. |
| Ingredients | Common ingredients in vegan cheese include coconut oil/cream, almond milk, cashews, tapioca starch, olive extract, and nutritional yeast. |
| Brands | Popular brands of vegan cheese include Violife, Daiya, Treeline, Kite Hill, The Laughing Cow, Follow Your Heart, and Moocho Shreds. |
| Melting | Melting is a key characteristic of cheese, and some vegan cheeses melt well, especially when toasted in dry heat. However, others may turn into a greasy jelly or oily mess when melted. |
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What You'll Learn
Vegan cheese made from coconut oil
Coconut oil-based vegan cheese typically undergoes a similar aging process as dairy cheese, allowing the flavors to develop complexity and depth. This aging process is crucial in achieving the characteristic tanginess and sharpness often associated with real cheese. The coconut oil itself imparts a subtle sweetness that can enhance the overall flavor profile, creating a pleasant sensory experience.
The texture of coconut oil-based vegan cheese can be customized to mimic various types of real cheese. For instance, it can be hardened and shredded like a firm cheddar or softened to emulate a creamy Brie or Camembert. This versatility in texture is achieved through different processing techniques and the addition of stabilizers and emulsifiers, ensuring that the final product holds together and behaves similarly to dairy cheese.
One of the advantages of using coconut oil as a base is its high saturated fat content, contributing to the richness and mouthfeel typically associated with indulgent, satisfying cheese experiences. This fat content also aids in carrying and distributing flavors, ensuring that the cheese alternatives excel in taste, whether designed to be sharp, nutty, or mild.
While coconut oil-based vegan cheese has made remarkable strides in replicating the sensory attributes of real cheese, it's important to acknowledge that the flavor and textural profiles of these alternatives may not align perfectly with their dairy counterparts. However, advancements in ingredients, techniques, and technology continue to narrow this gap, providing vegans, lactose-intolerant individuals, and those seeking plant-based options with cheese alternatives that are increasingly comparable to the real deal.
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Feta, mozzarella, and cheddar varieties
Vegan cheese has come a long way, with many options now available that taste and feel like their dairy counterparts. Here's a closer look at some of the most popular varieties:
Feta
Vegan feta cheese is often made with tofu, giving it a similar crumbly texture to traditional feta. It is also tangy and salty, with a Greek flavour profile, making it perfect for salads and other dishes. Some recipes use coconut oil, but it is important to use refined coconut oil to avoid a coconut taste. Marinating the tofu in a special brine also enhances the salty, briny taste of feta.
Mozzarella
Vegan mozzarella is typically made with a blend of vegetable oil, tapioca starch, and cheesy flavoured ingredients like nutritional yeast. The tapioca starch is key to achieving the stretchy, gooey texture of traditional mozzarella. It melts, browns, and stretches like real mozzarella, making it perfect for pizza, lasagna, grilled cheese, and dips. Some recipes also include cashews for added protein and a cheesy taste.
Cheddar
Vegan cheddar cheese can be made with various ingredients, including cashews, miso paste, and coconut oil. It has a sharp, tangy, and salty flavour, with a creamy, spreadable texture. The coconut oil helps give it a firm texture, and it can be frozen for an extra-firm sliceable texture. While it doesn't taste exactly like dairy cheddar, it is still very addictive and perfect for snacking, sandwiches, or cheese boards.
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Cream cheese and ricotta alternatives
Vegan cheese has come a long way since its early days, with innovative ingredients like cashews, almond milk, coconut cream, and fermented foods being used to create plant-based cheeses that rival their dairy counterparts in taste and texture.
Cream Cheese
When it comes to vegan cream cheese, there are several options that come close to the real thing. Here are some of the best alternatives:
- Tofutti: This is a popular choice and is said to have a texture similar to regular cream cheese. It is often used in bagels and cheesecakes.
- Wayfare: This vegan cream cheese is plant-based, non-GMO, and organic. It has a thick texture and a neutral taste, making it a good option for those seeking a dairy-free alternative.
- Trader Joe's: This is a budget-friendly option with a whipped consistency. While it may be runnier than other options, it works well on bagels and for baking.
- Boursin: This brand offers a garlic and herb non-dairy cream cheese that has a hard, coconut oil-like consistency but a spot-on flavor.
Ricotta
Vegan ricotta cheese is another alternative that is quick and easy to make at home, requiring just a few simple ingredients. Here are some ways to make it:
- Cashew-based: This option uses soaked cashews, plant milk or water, salt, and either lemon juice or a vegan probiotic to create a creamy and firm texture.
- Tofu-based: This recipe calls for extra-firm tofu, nutritional yeast, garlic, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt. It has a savory, cheesy flavor and a perfect creamy texture.
- Nut-based: This method involves using a variety of nuts, such as almonds, or even sunflower seeds, to create a rich and creamy texture.
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Sliced and shredded vegan cheese
Vegan cheese is a divisive topic, with some people loving it and others not so much. However, there are a variety of vegan cheese options that taste like real cheese.
Vegan shredded cheese, in particular, has come a long way in terms of taste and texture. The best options on the market melt just like dairy cheese and have a savoury, cheesy flavour. Some brands, like Daiya, have shreds that mimic mozzarella cheese and melt well, making them perfect for pizzas or grilled cheese sandwiches. Daiya's Cutting Board Blend is a popular choice, even being used by commercial restaurants like Mod Pizza and Blaze Pizza.
Violife is another highly-rated brand, with its cheddar-style shreds tasting like mild, creamy cheddar. Violife shreds have a silky texture and a tangy aftertaste, making them a great option for tacos, nachos, and enchiladas.
If you're looking for sliced vegan cheese, there are options that taste like real cheese. Some slices have a strong, smoky flavour, resembling smoked gouda, while others have a soft texture that makes them ideal for sandwiches, burgers, or grilled cheese. Boursin, a brand that makes soft cheese dips, has a dairy-free garlic and herb cheese spread that is said to taste just like its dairy-based counterpart.
For those who are dairy-free but miss the taste of parmesan, Violife's wedge product is a great option. It's gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free, and has a crumbly texture similar to real parmesan.
In addition to shreds and slices, there are also vegan cream cheese options that taste like the real thing. While plain cream cheese has proven to be a difficult vegan cheese to perfect, there are some almond-based and coconut-based options that are creamy, tangy, and spreadable, making them perfect for bagels or crackers.
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Flavours: hickory-smoked, herb-garlic, olive, citrus
Vegan cheese has come a long way since its early days, with innovative ingredients like cashews, almond milk, and coconut cream being used to create plant-based cheeses that are just as good, if not better, than their dairy counterparts. In fact, some people prefer vegan cheese because it is healthier, more environmentally friendly, and cruelty-free.
One of the most popular flavours of vegan cheese is hickory-smoked. This variety is naturally fermented and smoked over hickory wood chips, giving it a complex, buttery, and umami-rich flavour. The smoking process imparts a deep, woody aroma that enhances the overall taste experience. The time taken to smoke the cheese can be adjusted to achieve the desired level of smokiness, ranging from a subtle hint to a more intense, bacon-reminiscent flavour.
Another well-loved flavour is herb-garlic, which combines the zing of garlic with the brightness of lemon zest and the cheesiness of nutritional yeast. This variety is simple to make, requiring just a few ingredients and a straightforward method of blending and chilling. The result is a soft, spreadable cheese that can be enjoyed on crackers, in sandwiches, or as a dip.
For those who enjoy a more tangy and savoury flavour profile, olive-based vegan cheese is a great option. One example is the "Just like Feta Block" by Violife, which is inspired by Greek heritage and pairs perfectly with olives, cherry tomatoes, or Portobello mushrooms. This variety is made with olive extract and coconut oil, providing a delicious vegan alternative to traditional feta cheese.
Lastly, for those who enjoy a refreshing and bright flavour, citrus-enriched vegan cream cheese is a fantastic choice. This variety has been optimised to have similar hardness and sensory attributes to commercial cream cheese, while also offering the health benefits associated with citrus fibre. The addition of citrus enhances the colour and overall sensory experience of the cheese, making it a delightful option for those seeking a dairy-free alternative.
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Frequently asked questions
Some popular brands of vegan cheese are Violife, Treeline, Kite Hill, The Laughing Cow, and Follow Your Heart.
Vegan cheeses are often made from coconut oil, which replicates the fattiness of dairy cheese. They may also be made from almond milk, cashews, olive extract, coconut cream, tapioca starch, and fermented tofu, among other ingredients.
While vegan cheese has come a long way in terms of taste and texture, it is difficult to make a product that will slice, crumble, melt, brown, and taste exactly like real cheese. Some vegan cheeses are considered to have a plasticky taste or a strange sweetness. However, some brands have come very close to replicating the taste of dairy cheese, with some testers noting that they "cannot tell it's vegan at all."
Some types of vegan cheese that are said to taste the most like real cheese are feta, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
Some ways to make vegan cheese taste more like real cheese are to add salt, smoked paprika, vinegar, or lemon juice.
