Artisan Vegan Cheese: From Everyday to Gourmet

Product Information

Member benefits: we are continuously looking to improve benefits to FEC members and as a result, the benefits offered might change from time to time. We will always make an up-to-date list of benefits available to everyone through Yumbles.com. At the time of writing benefits include free delivery on 100s of products and exclusive discounts. This feta-like vegan cheese has the appearance of the dairy cheese it mimics. It is not quite as crumbly but it’s not bad. The Violife Blue Wedge has a similar texture and could be worth a try too. They come in the following flavours: Spread Me Original, Spread Me with Red Peppers, Spread Me with Tomato & Basil, Spread Me with Mushrooms & Truffle, Spread Me with Cucumber & Dill (Tzatziki Style). Vegan alternatives to halloumi are few and far between (as we discuss in detail in our Vegan Halloumi article). But for those seeking vegan cheese that you can grill or even put on the barbecue, there are a few decent options, which we’ll outline below.

This is a pricey but very good gourmet-style vegan alternative to dairy feta from I Am Nut OK. Handmade in London from cashew nuts, coconut oil, rapeseed oil, garlic, peppercorns, sea salt, lactic acid and live cultures, it comes in a glass jar and is marinated and it looks almost posh enough to justify the hefty price tag. Here we’ll look at the most popular and widely recognised vegan cheese brands in the UK. Note that some of the brands are not necessarily vegan cheese specialists and many produce other food products (which may be vegan or non-vegan, depending on the brand in question). ViolifeI always tell people, “Oh, my God, you’re not vegan. Oh, it’s such a great thing to do. You can be a superhero; it’s such a great lifestyle; you should try it!” Because every day you wake up and you realize you’re not harming the planet, you’re not harming animals – or you’re minimizing the harm. There could be some overlap between this category and some of the others, whether hard cheese, cream cheese or artisan cheese. But we’re focussing on those that are infused with some non-cheese ingredient, whether chillies, cranberries or sundried tomatoes. Note that some would argue truffles are not vegan because – despite being fungus which is vegan – they are usually found using animals, which would be viewed as exploitation by many vegans … but make your own mind up on that one. That said, Virgin offerings are organic and savory with the pleasing fatty mouthfeel that’s such an intrinsic part of traditional dairy cheese. Their individual and distinct characteristics — a mildly funky bleu, a salty, punchy French onion among others — bloom at room temperature or slightly warmed. Fresh from the fridge, however, they suffer from a certain sameness of flavor. The VegNews nominee for best vegan artisanal cheese 2020 uses the same primary ingredients as Violife, but ages its cheeses, resulting in an altogether softer plant-based feta which barely budges when warmed. Why? No casein, the magical enzyme in animal milk that gives traditional dairy cheese its stretch and melt.

Swiss-based vegan food maker Vegusto has started to break into the UK market of late and their No Moo Cheeses are proving very popular. Being from Switzerland, these guys even produce vegan cheese specifically for fondue and raclette so – as you could well imagine – it is made to melt very well. They have plenty of other options too, from No Moo Walnut Cheese to No Moo Blue Classic Cheese. Follow Your Heart Dairy We have one person at Miyoko’s whose sole job is to work on this, and she is forming partnerships with, for example, an economist, so we can understand what the economics will look like. She’s working with an adviser who’s going to be analyzing the environmental impacts of dairy farming and then what happens after the dairy farmer transitions. Generally speaking, there are very few vegan cheeses that would be classed as less healthy than their non-vegan counterparts, but there are plenty – particularly those made with coconut oil – that have roughly similar levels of saturated fat as dairy cheese. On the other hand, those vegan cheeses made from nuts tend to have much lower levels of saturated fats (usually less than half) of non-vegan cheeses. Ultimately, if health is your primary concern, neither vegan nor non-vegan cheese should be top of your list of foods to indulge in. But nut-based cheeses are certainly better for you than dairy options. Ethical Considerations This Portland-based organic cheese company crafts some of the best artisanal vegan cheeses around! Think Aged White Cheddar, Chive & Dill, Peppercorn Brie, and Caramelized Onion Camembert made with a cashew base. With a variety of flavors available in firm, semi-soft, and soft varieties, Vtopian is what dreamy cheese plates are made of.

Carlos Yescas

Using a mixture of oats, rapeseed oil, coconut oil and starch – among other things – Oatly have produced a cream cheese-like spreadable vegan cheese that is significantly lower in saturated fat than those that use more coconut oil. Note that there are lots of other flavoured cheeses produced by the more artisanal brands that we’ve included later in the article. These are the products that are often available in standard supermarkets. Cheese Name/Brand

Applewood’s Smoky Vegan Cheese slices are lauded on some vegan forums for their ability to melt well and taste nice at the same time, which could be great when you’re seeking to give your vegan burger an upgrade.More famous for their oat-based milk, ice cream and yoghurts, Oatly also produce a cream cheese-like oat-based spread. Supermarket Own-Brands The Food Explorers Club (FEC) is a membership club operated by Yumbles Media Ltd and gives all members great benefits when shopping on Yumbles.com.

Funky London-based vegan cheese brand Palace Culture creates a wide range of cheese alternatives for every occasion. Its innovation range includes both hard and soft varieties. Vegans are split between wanting to avoid this altogether as the company also makes dairy cheese, or loving it. It is one of the closest plant-based cheeses to dairy cheese in terms of texture and taste. I Am Nut Ok creates tasty vegan alternatives to classic cheese varieties such as cheddar, parmesan, mozzarella, feta and ricotta.

Hollie Stephens

Tesco are pretty good when it comes to producing vegan cheese options under their Free From sub-brand. At least in terms of the variety they offer – though they could come up with some catchier names! As well as their Original Flavour Creamy vegan cream cheese, Violife also have the following: Creamy with Garlic & Herbs, Creamy Cheddar Flavour, and Creamy with Hot Peppers. As with their grated Sheese, these come in a few flavours, namely: Mozzarella Style Slices, Mature Cheddar Style Slices, Mild Cheddar Style Slices, and Red Leicester Style Slices. Speaking about the products, Palace Culture explained: “Using organic cashews and almonds, we soak our nuts in filtered water before fermenting them with live cultures. Reine, it’s French for queen, and this vegan artisanal cheese is fit for one. We’re obsessed with the brand’s Fauxgonzola, Trufflehound, and Smoked Cheddar selections. Get your hands on these gourmet vegan cheeses for your next dinner party, even if it’s a dinner party for one. No judgment at all.