How to Buy Good Vegan Cheese
Vegan cheese is not cheap, and the quality varies wildly between brands. Knowing what to look for on the label and in the texture will save you money and disappointment. Here is how to shop for plant-based cheese well.
Read the ingredients first
The ingredient list tells you almost everything:
- Look for “cultured” — a cultured base signals a real fermentation process and better flavour
- Check the base — cashew, coconut, soy, oat; each behaves differently, so match the base to what you want
- Note the thickeners — tapioca and potato starch give stretch and melt; gums give smoothness
- Beware of very short lists — a cheese of just water, oil and starch will be bland
Judge the texture
- Soft cheeses should be smooth and spreadable, not grainy
- Firm cheese should slice cleanly, not crumble or feel rubbery
- Melting cheese should soften and stretch when heated, not turn oily or stay solid
Buy small to test
Brands differ dramatically in taste. Buy the smallest size of several brands and taste them plainly, on bread or a cracker, before committing to a large block. What works on pizza may be disappointing as a table cheese.
Price and value
Cultured, nut-based cheeses cost more because the ingredients and process do. If a vegan cheese is very cheap and lists water, oil and starch, it may be better used melted into a dish than eaten on its own. For everyday cooking, a homemade vegan cheese sauce or cashew cheese will beat it on both flavour and cost.
Storing vegan cheese
- Keep refrigerated and sealed; nut-based cheeses dry out quickly
- Eat soft, cultured cheeses sooner — they have a shorter life than firm ones
- Most freeze acceptably, though texture may soften on thawing
For more, see our vegan cheese guide and dairy-free alternatives explained.
