I really enjoy good quality cheese. I like it all — from soft and creamy to stinky, hard, and crumbly; cheeses made from all types of milk. I have even enjoyed camel’s milk cheese (which is somewhat sweet with some funk). However, I also have vegan friends, and want to offer them quality appetizers. And, to be honest, sometimes dairy bothers my stomach. When I was a child, I was lactose intolerant, but my tolerance for milk and yogurt has improved over the years. I never know when it will kick in, so I keep alternative options in the “cheese” drawer.

I thought it was time to explore this topic for our readers. There are a lot more plant-based cheese options available now than even 5 years ago, and they are so much better than the originals. Some use coconut oil, some use nuts, (cashews and almonds are the most prevalent), others use a mix of nuts, garbanzos, and rice. The brands that I sampled do not use soy or gluten.

Vegan cheese is made using the same process as dairy-based cheese: you add a starter culture of bacteria to a vat of plant-based mix, beginning the process of converting the proteins and breaking them down into a soft mass. Unlike animal products, the plant-based proteins do not form a bond. They usually need to be put into a mold to get them to solidify. Salt, herbs, flavorings, nutritional yeast, rice miso, potato starch, and other products may be added for texture and flavor. Then the cheese needs to age, and that time depends on the style being produced.

There is a chef-driven, plant-based cheese maker in Asheville named Darë. These cheeses — the ones we were most impress by — are carried in Charlotte by Off The Block, who will deliver cheese trays to your home, and The Culture Shop in the Belmont neighborhood. Another local cheesemaker is Viva Raw, located in 7th Street Public Market. They have a wide variety of styles and they will also deliver directly to your home. Miyoko’s is made in California by Miyoko Schinner, who has a large production facility in Sonoma County. Her cheese is carried at Whole Foods, EarthFare, and a few other retailers in Charlotte. Violife is made in Greece from coconut oil and has the shortest list of added ingredients; it is carried by Whole Foods and some Harris Teeters.

CHEESE STYLES

Spreadable

Darë Game Changer Gouda
Very smooth, easy to spread, smoky, hint of garlic and sweetness.

Miyoko’s Double Cream Classic Chive
Lots of chive flavor, great on baked potatoes, corn, and celery.

Cheese Board Notables

Viva Raw Mayan
Dusted with paprika, cayenne, and chocolate, an explosion of wonderful flavors, and a showstopper in appearance.

Darë Lemon and Thyme Brie
A delicate hint of thyme, with refreshing lemon. Medium firm in texture.

Darë Pepper Jack
Just like the real thing. Spicy, creamy, medium firm, this is also a very tasty melting cheese for sandwiches or pasta.

Viva Raw Smoked Lapsang
A firm, easy to slice cheese dusted with Lapsang tea leaves, paprika and black pepper, which gives it a very earthy flavor with a light spicy finish.

For cooking

Violife Feta
This offering is not crumbly like dairy-based feta, but it has a similar nose and flavor profile. I used this in salads, with some apricot jam on a cheese board, and roasted with cherry tomatoes and olives. It is very flexible, firm and a good product to keep around.

Violife Shredded Mozzarella
Creamy and yummy, I used this on vegan stuffed peppers and it melted just right. I have also used it on eggplant, in gluten-free vegan lasagna, and my cheese detective could not tell the difference. The only down side to this cheese is they use cellulose to keep it from clumping up – I try very hard to avoid added cellulose.

Violife Sliced Smoked Provolone
Wonderful creamy texture and smoky flavor – use with summer tomatoes for a great sandwich or on a Beyond Burger hot off the grill.

Kite Hill Spreads And Dips
There are a variety of Kite Hill products at Whole Foods, Fresh Market, and other retailers. Their cream cheese is much like Philadelphia Cream Cheese, but dairy free and not as firm – it makes a good lemon cheesecake. Kite Hill ricotta is good quality, blends into pasta, does well in lasagna. The French onion dip is good with raw veggies, crackers, or vegan sausages.

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