Cheese is a food adored by many. Vegans and other health-conscious folks may love the taste of cheese but need to avoid dairy. Thankfully, there are many delicious vegan kinds of cheese on the market. If you are a vegan cook or meal prepper, you probably have some questions, such as can you freeze vegan cheese?
Yes, you can freeze vegan cheese. Vegan cheese has come a long way. However, the taste and texture of some brands may alter slightly after freezing. A few of the best-tasting vegan cheese brands that also freeze well include Violife Just Like Parmesan Wedge, Daiya Cheddar Style Slices, and SO Delicious Mexican Style Shreds, Miyoko’s Organic Cashew Milk Smoked Mozzarella.
In this article, we take a deep dive into vegan cheese. We will cover what vegan cheeses are made from and whether it’s healthy, and we’ll review many popular vegan cheese brands.
Contents
What is Vegan Cheese Made From?
Vegan cheeses are made from a variety of plant products, including nuts, which are high in healthy fats. Some of the most popular vegan cheese sources include:
- Cashews – when finely ground, cashews can be used to make a delicious, creamy vegan cheese product.
- Almonds – are used to make delicious ricotta and cream cheeses, as well as many wonderful artisan vegan kinds of cheese.
- Tofu – is often used to make alternatives to dairy products.
- Coconut – because coconut is full of delicious, healthy oils, this is a wonderful vegan cheese option. Usually, coconut oil is mixed with potato starch or tofu to make a fabulous vegan cheese.
- Tapioca – the starches in tapioca help to create a tasty vegan cheese option. Tapioca is used in some popular vegan cheese brands for products like sliced and shredded “cheese”.
- Nutritional Yeast – the “cream” of the crop! Nutritional yeast is an all-star vegan pantry staple. It is extremely versatile and a fabulous alternative to Parmesan cheese, and can be used as a cheese substitute in a wide variety of dishes.
Are Vegan Cheeses Fermented?
Many vegan kinds of cheese today are indeed fermented. The fermentation process is what leads to vegan cheeses tasting so much like dairy cheese. To ferment the vegan cheese, live cultures are usually added and the mixture is allowed to culture for a day or longer. The longer the vegan cheese is left to ferment, the stronger the cheese will taste.
Is Vegan Cheese Healthy?
Some vegan cheeses are healthier than others. However, none of them are exactly healthy food. Most vegan cheeses are highly processed and offer little health benefit.
However, overall, vegan cheese is much healthier than dairy cheese. For those who think they can’t live without cheese, eating vegan cheese is clearly better.
Certainly, avoiding the saturated animal fat in dairy cheeses is wise. Many studies have proven the link between animal fat and cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even cancer.
What’s casein?
Dairy cheese also contains casein, a protein found in dairy. Some studies have suggested that casein is carcinogenic and likely causes more harm than pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals. Yet, another reason vegan cheese is more appealing than dairy cheese.
What about growth hormones?
Much of the dairy cheese on the market contains growth hormones. Growth hormones are known to negatively impact certain breast cancers. Vegan cheese does not contain growth hormones. There are many delicious vegan alternatives to most of our favorite dairy foods, like milk, yogurt, and cheese.
For those watching their calories, it is important to remember that vegan cheese, like dairy cheese, is usually calorie-dense. In some cases, vegan cheese can be higher in calories than dairy cheese. However, the source of the calories in vegan cheese is a much healthier source of calories.
Let’s take a look at some of the best tasting vegan cheeses as well as the best vegan cheeses for freezing.
Does Vegan Cheese Taste Good?
That depends on each person’s individual tastes and preferences. However, many vegan kinds of cheese available at good markets today taste quite good – some would say delicious! You’ll have to try it for yourself and give several brands and styles a try. The vegan cheeses reviewed above are all delicious in taste and texture. They also freeze well and function much the same as dairy cheese in recipes.
Delicious Vegan Cheese Options
We’ve identified the best-tasting cheeses on the market today. Below we will review our favorite cheeses and the nutritional value of each one. While all vegan cheese can be frozen, we will point out the ones that freeze best.
Violife Just Like Parmesan Wedge
This vegan cheese is getting rave reviews. It’s delicious grated over pasta or just eaten with crackers or bread. It’s a harder cheese and freezes well.
Ingredients:
- Filtered Water
- Potato and Rice Starch
- Food Starch-Modified (potato)
- Coconut Oil
- Sea Salt
- Rice Protein
- Parmesan Flavor (vegan sources)
- Olive extract
- Beta Carotene (Color)
- Vitamin B12
Nutrition Facts (per 1 oz.):
- 80 Calories
- 5 g Total Fat
- 5 g Saturated Fat
- 390 mg Sodium
- 8 g Total Carbohydrates
- Less than 1 g Protein
- 30% DV Vitamin B12
Kite Hill Garlic and Herb Soft Spreadable Cheese
This is a wonderful cream cheese alternative for bagels, crackers, or veggies. It’s made with almond milk, spreads beautifully, and can be frozen with little change in taste or texture.
Ingredients:
- Almond Milk (Water, Almonds)
- Dehydrated Garlic
- Dehydrated Onions
- Salt
- Rice Starch
- Cane Sugar
- Spices
- Potato Starch
- Mushroom Extract
- Enzyme
- Tartaric Acid
- Cultures
Nutrition Facts (per 2 tablespoons):
- 60 Calories
- 5 g Total Fat
- 0 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 115 mg Sodium
- 4 g Total Carbohydrates
- 1 g Dietary Fiber
- 1 g Total Sugars
- 2 g Protein
- 28 mg Calcium
Miyoko’s Organic Cashew Milk Smoked Mozzarella
This is possibly the best vegan mozzarella ever! This vegan cheese and butter company traditionally cultures and ferments its cheeses. Their mozzarella slices, shreds and melts just like the best dairy mozzarella. It also holds up well after freezing.
Ingredients:
- Organic Cashew Milk (filtered water, organic cashews)
- Organic Coconut Oil
- Organic Tapioca Starch
- Sea Salt
- Organic Agar
- Mushroom Extract
- Organic Konjac
- Cultures
Nutrition Facts (per 1 ounce):
- 60 Calories
- 5 g Total Fat
- 5 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 220 mg Sodium
- 2 g Total Carbohydrates
- 0 g Dietary Fiber
- 0 g Total Sugars
- 1 g Protein
- 10 mg Calcium
Daiya Cheddar Style Slices
This is my favorite vegan cheese slice! It melts beautifully in a grilled cheese or panini and is just as delicious in a cold sandwich. It also freezes very well.
Ingredients:
- Filtered Water
- Potato Starch
- Coconut Oil
- Expeller Pressed Canola and/or Safflower Oil
- Tricalcium Phosphate
- Vegan Natural Flavors
- Salt
- Pea Protein
- Xanthan Gum
- Lactic Acid (Vegan)
- Konjac Flour
- Fruit and/or Vegetable Juice Colors
- Yeast Extract
- Vegan Enzyme
- Vitamin B12
Nutrition Facts (per 1 slice, 22 grams):
- 60 Calories
- 5 g Total Fat
- 4 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 4 g Total Carbohydrates
- 0 g Dietary Fiber
- 0 g Total Sugars
- 0 g Protein
- 140 mg Calcium
- 40 % DV Vitamin B12
SO Delicious Dairy Free Mexican Style Shreds
These shreds are fabulous on tacos, quesadillas, salads and so much more, and they freeze very well.
Ingredients:
- Filtered Water
- Coconut Oil
- Potato Starch
- Modified Potato Starch
- Potato Protein Isolate
- Cellulose (To Prevent Caking)
- Salt
- Tapioca Dextrose
- Yeast Extract
- Cultured Sugar (To Retain Freshness)
- Xanthan Gum
- Natural Flavor
- Konjac Gum
- Annatto Extract (For Color)
Nutrition Facts (per 1 oz., 28 grams):
- 90 Calories
- 7 g Total Fat
- 6 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 210 mg Sodium
- 6 g Total Carbohydrates
- Less Than 1 g Dietary Fiber
- 0 g Total Sugars
Takeaway
Vegan cheeses have vastly improved in taste, texture, and practicality in recent years. Today there are many delicious brands that not only taste wonderful but function very similarly to dairy cheeses. These improvements in vegan cheese make the switch from dairy much easier.
You can find vegan cheeses that are fresh, aged, smoked, or cultured. Some are hard cheeses that are perfect for grating and some are soft for spreading. They are also made in slices for sandwiches and in shreds for topping tacos and salads. You can find delicious vegan cheeses made almost any way dairy cheese is made.
Most brands of vegan cheese are much healthier than dairy cheese. Animal proteins are known to have many negative health consequences. Moreover, studies show time and again that a plant-based diet is far superior to a diet high in animal products.
If you haven’t tried vegan cheese yet, it’s time you do. There are so many options available, you will surely find one you love. The brands reviewed above are all delicious, function much the same as dairy cheese, and freeze well.
Related Questions
Is Vegan Cheese Keto Friendly?
Yes, vegan cheese is a good choice for those following a keto diet. The ingredients in vegan cheese are high in healthy fats and low in carbohydrates making it very keto-friendly.
Is Vegan Cheese a Soy Product?
Some cheeses are made from soy. However, many more kinds of cheese are made from nuts like cashews and almonds. Vegan cheeses are made from many plant-based ingredients.
How Do You Cook With Vegan Cheese?
All the cheeses reviewed above can be substituted in equal amounts for dairy cheese in your favorite recipes. Vegan cheeses today function much the same as dairy cheeses.