Vegan cheese: 23 recipes that will surprise your taste buds

If there is one food that is practically unanimous, it is cheese. And even those with a lactose allergy or a more restricted diet can delight in vegan cheese. A delicious alternative and much more affordable than it may seem. Using simple ingredients you can prepare different types of this delicacy at home.

Did your mouth water just thinking about it? So, in the list below you can see dozens of recipe options, from creamy vegan cheese to the one that melts and is perfect for pizzas. And if you prefer to buy ready-made cheese, it’s worth taking a look at the list of great products available on the market!

Classic vegan cheeses

1. Vegan Mozzarella: With a mild flavor, this vegan mozzarella looks great in salads, sandwiches and many other dishes. Its list of ingredients includes sweet starch, sour starch, brewer’s yeast, salt, saffron, lemon juice, oil and manioc puree. A delight.

2. Vegan Minas cheese: using peanut milk you can make a delicious fresh Minas cheese. The recipe has several different steps, but the ingredient list is very short and accessible. A lactose-free delight and perfect to eat with warm bread.

3. Vegan cheddar: it’s almost impossible to believe that this cheese doesn’t have any ingredients of animal origin in its composition. Vegan cheddar is made with an array of nutritious and flavorful ingredients such as sunflower seed and hot paprika.

4. Vegan American cheese: you know that cheese that looks like a fast-food restaurant? It’s time to learn how to make a vegan version that doesn’t lack anything in terms of its flavor and texture. The special ingredient is lupine milk, a legume that is part of the pea family.

5. Vegan semi-cured cheese: cured and matured for real, this cheese is light and aromatic. Its preparation is quite time-consuming and requires patience, but the result is so delicious that it will be worth every minute of waiting in the kitchen.

6. Vegan Parmesan: Parmesan cheese is known for its more intense flavor. In this vegan alternative, the strongest taste is guaranteed by garlic and onion powder, nutritional yeast (which can be substituted for brewer’s yeast), nuts and salt. Yes, that’s all!

7. Vegan canasta cheese: do you miss eating that cheese that melts and gets very creamy? Well, prepare to salivate with this recipe. With a base made of lupine, this vegetable cheese is ready in no time and is perfect for breakfast or a snack.

8. Vegan chèvre cheese: chèvre is a French cheese made from cow’s milk. Its version without items of animal origin is prepared with hydrated cashew nuts and Rejuvelac (a live drink, as if it were a type of grain water). The texture is amazing!

With some oilseeds and other simple ingredients you can prepare these treats. How not to love?

Creamy vegan cheeses

9. Vegan curd: few ingredients and few minutes. Yes, this recipe is just the way we love it. You just need cashews, filtered water, vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Very simple!

10. Vegan Polenguinho: based on tofu and cashews, this processed cheese is a spectacle in crackers and toasted breads. The ingredient list may seem quite extensive, but most of it is made up of seasonings that will make your cheese even tastier.

11. Vegan Ricotta: Looking for a healthy, vegan cheese option for your breakfast? This ricotta is a great request! It is made with boiled cassava, sweet and sour starch, lemon juice, bread yeast and seasonings.

12. Creamy tofu cheese: this cheese is made with mashed tofu, sour starch, olive oil, water, garlic, salt and turmeric – and all you have to do is blend it all in a blender and cook later. It can be used on pizza, potato, sandwich and wherever else you prefer.

13. Vegan Peanut Cream Cheese: Your plant-based cheese doesn’t have to be expensive. The recipe made with roasted peanuts, apple cider vinegar, carrots and flour is cheap and yields 400g. The cool thing is that you don’t have to consume everything at once: the cheese can stay in the fridge for up to 6 days.

14. Creamy chestnut cheese: anyone who thinks vegan cheese doesn’t get au gratin when it goes in the oven is wrong. This cashew-based alternative is creamy, versatile and irresistible. Try serving it with roasted eggplants… Spectacular.

Cream cheeses are great to accompany breakfast or afternoon snack.

Assorted vegan cheeses

15. Vegan cheese that melts: cheese that stretches, is simple to make and is ready in a few minutes. Hard to resist, right? This option looks amazing on pizzas or to use as a pasta sauce. The most complicated ingredient to find on the list is nutritional yeast, which makes all the difference.

16. Seasoned vegan cheese: you know that delicious canapé, that smart toast to serve with a beer? Surprise visitors with this vegan cheese seasoned with basil and oregano – and that goes perfectly with pesto sauce.

17. Vegan cassava cheese: this recipe is easy to make and yields a large cheese – which can be sliced, grated or served however you prefer. Write down the ingredients to prepare it at home: potato, cassava, olive oil, sweet and sour starch, salt and nutritional yeast (optional).

18. Vegan potato cheese: with a boiled potato, garlic, lemon juice and a few other ingredients you can prepare a different and very tasty cheese. The seasoning is on account of the salt and saffron, which still helps to give a very beautiful color.

19. Vegan almond cheese: no flour, no starch, no potato and no hassle. This cheese is made with almonds, but they can be substituted for chestnuts or peanuts. The touch of flavor comes from garlic powder and mustard.

20. Vegan Chestnut Cheese: what guarantees the consistency of most vegan cheeses is the ingredient called agar-agar. It is a vegetable gelatine that is easily found in natural product stores. For this chestnut cheese you will need 1 dessert spoon of agar agar.

21. Vegan cheese with cashew nuts and cane molasses: perfect especially to be prepared with pizza, this cheese may not even be made with the simplest ingredients, but it is possible to make very smart substitutions that guarantee a great result. Coconut oil and cane molasses guarantee a very different touch.

22. Vegan bean cheese: time to change the lunch or snack menu. How about a black bean burger with white bean cheese? The recipe may seem complicated, but it has no mystery. Spoiler: you’ll want to repeat this delicacy over and over again.

23. Vegan bean and cassava cheese: white beans, cooked cassava, sour starch and lemon juice. These are the main ingredients you’ll need to make a simple yet delicious cheese. When salting, don’t be afraid to add too much salt: it’s necessary to not leave a sweet taste in the cheese.

With creativity you can prepare cheeses of the most varied flavors. How about trying it at home?

Vegan cheeses to buy

Not too patient to stay in the kitchen? All good! Nowadays it is possible to find vegan cheeses very easily – and below you can check out some of the tastiest ones.

1. Cheese Minas standard cashew nut Vida Veg, at Empório Quatro Estrelas
2. Cream 4 cheeses Mrs. Taste, at the Biopoint Store
3. Vida Veg cashew mozzarella cheese, at Empório Quatro Estrelas
4. Pura Vida almond parmesan, at Natuê Store
5. Sora vegetable grated cheese, at the Homem da Terra Store
6. Vegan Nomoo provolone cheese, at Loja Americanas

Whether it’s a pizza, a sandwich, a pasta or whatever dish you prefer, vegan cheese will definitely make a special difference. Indulge without guilt! See also vegan burger recipes to enjoy.