Vegan cheese is a plant-based alternative to traditional dairy cheese. It is manufactured entirely without animal products, meaning it contains no cow, goat, or sheep's milk. Instead, it relies on a variety of plant-based ingredients to mimic the taste, texture, and melting properties of conventional cheese.
Here is a breakdown of what goes into vegan cheese and how it differs from the dairy version.
Common Ingredients in Vegan Cheese
To achieve the right consistency and flavor profile, manufacturers use a combination of bases, fats, and flavorings:
- Nuts and Seeds: Cashews are the most popular base for high-quality, artisanal vegan cheeses because of their high fat content and creamy texture when blended. Almonds and macadamia nuts are also frequently used.
- Soy: Tofu or soy milk is often used to create softer cheeses like cream cheese or ricotta.
- Root Vegetables: Potatoes and carrots are sometimes blended with oils to create a stretchy, cheese-like sauce, often used for vegan queso or mac and cheese.
- Plant Oils: Coconut oil is heavily utilized in block and shred style vegan cheeses because it remains solid at room temperature and melts when heated, mimicking dairy fat.
- Starches: Tapioca starch, arrowroot, or potato starch are added to provide a stretchy, elastic texture—especially important for vegan mozzarella.
- Nutritional Yeast: Often affectionately called "nooch," this deactivated yeast has a naturally savory, nutty, and cheesy flavor profile and is a staple flavoring agent in vegan cheese making.
How It Is Made
There are generally two ways vegan cheese is produced:
1. Processed / Oil-Based: Many commercial shreds and slices found in supermarkets are made by emulsifying plant oils (like coconut oil) with starches, water, and artificial or natural flavorings. These are highly processed but are specifically engineered to melt well on pizzas and burgers.
2. Cultured / Artisanal: Higher-end vegan cheeses (usually nut-based) are made using processes very similar to traditional dairy cheese making. Cashews are soaked, blended into a cream, and then inoculated with active bacterial cultures (probiotics). The mixture is left to ferment and age, which develops a sharp, complex, and authentically "cheesy" tang.
Nutritional Differences (Vegan vs. Dairy)
While vegan cheese satisfies the culinary role of dairy cheese, its nutritional profile is quite different:
- Protein: Most commercial vegan cheeses (especially those made from coconut oil and starch) have little to zero protein, whereas dairy cheese is heavily protein-dense. Soy or nut-based vegan cheeses offer slightly more protein.
- Fat: Vegan cheese is still high in fat. If it is made with coconut oil, it will be high in saturated fat, similar to dairy cheese.
- Cholesterol and Lactose: Vegan cheese is naturally 100% free of dietary cholesterol and lactose, making it safe for those with dairy allergies or intolerances.
- Micronutrients: Unless it is specifically fortified by the manufacturer, vegan cheese does not naturally contain the high levels of calcium or Vitamin B12 found in dairy cheese.