This Is How Vegan Cheese Is Really Made
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Vegan is not just some trending dietary option; for many people it is the only way they can eat. In grocery stores, on skin products, and at restaurants, the vegan label has become a common and permanent addition. Whether you have food allergies, a medical condition, or a moral reason, eating vegan has become easier with many wonderful options, including delicious cheeses you may have been missing. Vegan cheese has gotten quite fancy in recent years, as specialty options such as brie and feta have become available, as well as flavored craft cheeses (via PETA).
Like anything else, you'll find some vegan cheeses please your tastebuds more than others, likely because of the variety of ingredients used. According to Eating Well, plant based proteins made from soy, nuts, and vegetable oils are the main ingredient in vegan cheese. Once the plant proteins are separated, oils and thickeners are added to formulate a desired consistency, and then they are aged. The creation process is similar to traditional cheesemaking, but the proteins in the plant-based ingredients don't naturally bond to one another as the animal proteins do (via Eating Well).
Does vegan cheese taste as good as the dairy kind?
Other flavorful ingredients used to make vegan cheese that might surprise you include arrowroot flour, carrots, and coconut cream (per Healthline). Through the years, plant-based cheese has broadened in flavors, as well as expanding in form from shredded to sandwich slices, grated parmesan-style, and cheese spreads.
Having different options when it comes to your favorite foods is exciting, especially if you've had a difficult time finding one with ingredients you can eat. Until recently, for those new to or unfamiliar with a vegan lifestyle, just the words vegan cheese could be cringe-inducing. But according to Women's Health there are now at least 15 delicious options that can pass for the real thing. Vegan cook book author Dreena Burton tells Eating Well the best plant based cheeses are artisanal because "they come in outstanding flavor varieties and their textures rival any dairy cheeses." Is anyone else ready to say vegan cheese, please!?