16 Homemade Vegan Cheese Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is it OK to eat vegan cheese everyday? ›

In June 2022, the Daily Mail published an article titled: “Un-brie-lievable! Vegan cheese has 'little nutritional value' and eating too much may raise risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, expert says.”

As vegan blog Wag Free Food notes, coconut oil, coconut milk, and coconut cream are popular ingredients to make vegan cheese. The high-fat content of coconut makes it easier to create a creamy, decadent, cheese-like product.

Store in the fridge between 3-5C and consume within 5 days of opening. Wrap well or put in container after opening. Can be frozen for up to 2 months and defrosted in the fridge.

Vegan cheeses are typically lower in fat, protein and calcium than regular cheese and are likely gluten-free. Because vegan cheese is a processed food, it tends to be higher in sodium, so check your labels.

Unlike traditional cheeses, vegan cheeses contain no cholesterol. They are an excellent option if you want to appreciate the great taste of cheese without causing your cholesterol levels to rise! And even better, plant-based cheeses are known for their high content of phytosterols (or plant sterols).

Miyoko's Creamery: This brand offers a wide range of vegan cheeses that taste like real cheese, including mozzarella, cheddar, and brie. Their vegan mozzarella is great for making vegan pizza, and their cheddar can be used for mac and cheese or grilled cheese sandwiches.

The production of vegan cheese can be costlier than that of traditional dairy cheese due to the higher price of plant-based ingredients and the additional processing steps involved.

Due to the presence of egg yolk, mayo typically isn't vegan friendly. This means that a lot of commonly-found mayo is not suitable for those on a plant-based diet. However, as more people are experimenting with plant-based diets, several brands have launched a vegan mayo to reflect the growing market.

Vegan eggs can be made using various everyday ingredients. One of the most popular ingredients is tofu, rich in healthy nutrients. Vegan eggs can also be made with flax seeds, aquafaba, starch, etc. Commercial vegan eggs are made of a combination of such ingredients.

Why are cashews used in vegan cheese? ›

Nuts were a game-changer for vegan cheese because they provide a lot of fat: 100 grams of cashews have 44 grams of fat, versus 6.4 grams of fat in the same amount of soybeans. This allows for richer flavor and texture that gets closer to imitating animal milk dairy.

Fear not, you can save them for later by putting the vegan cheeses in to your freezer. We have had fantastic results with freezing most of the vegan cheeses we have tried over the years and never had one come out bad after freezing. They're texture has remained the same after defrosting and none have been ruined.

Use airtight containers: Store the wrapped vegan cheese in airtight containers to keep it fresh for longer. Keep it chilled: Store the vegan cheese in the fridge at a temperature of 35-45°F (2-7°C) to slow down the growth of bacteria and prevent spoilage.

Plant-based cheese is almost 10% saltier than regular cheddar and equally high in saturated fat, despite its perceived “health halo”, Action on Salt has warned. The organisation found that plant-based cheeses have the highest salt levels, containing an average of 1.91g per 100g.

Most vegan cheeses are processed: Some plant-based cheeses are highly processed, which means they contain preservatives, color additives and sodium. If you do opt for vegan cheese, browse the brands that boast simple, straightforward ingredients.

This probably isn't the answer you wanted, but here it is: Most vegan cheese is not healthy at all. This is because most vegan cheeses are very high in saturated fat and contain little or no protein.

Plant-based substitutes (such as vegetarian chicken pieces and vegan cheese slices) are seen as ultra-processed foods by about a third (36% and 34%) of European consumers.