Dairy-free cheese, also known as vegan cheese, is rapidly getting popular as a delicious substitute for typical cheese. Even though there is no dairy, vegan cheese has the same creaminess, texture, and taste. So, it goes perfectly with pizza, pasta, tacos, and anything you add cheese to. But what is dairy-free cheese made of?
Generally, dairy-free cheese is made of soy, coconut, or nut milk. Other ingredients, such as vegetable oils, salt, emulsifiers, and various flours, are added to achieve regular cheese-like texture.
In this article, we'll discuss in detail about the ingredients and process of making dairy-free cheese. Let’s dive in!
Key Takeaways
- Non dairy or Vegan cheese is made from nuts, seeds, soy, coconut milk/cream, and other flavoring ingredients.
- It works as a perfect substitute for regular cheese.
- However, vegan cheese has fewer nutritional benefits than regular cheese.
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Plant-Based Ingredients in Dairy Free Cheese: Here Is the Complete List
There is a huge misconception that dairy-free cheese lacks taste and does not provide the same gooey, cheesy texture. But the truth is that we can use numerous plant-based ingredients to make the same cheesy vegan cheese.
The most popular plant-based ingredients used to make dairy-free cheese are:
- Nuts & Seeds Almonds, cashews, pinenuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts are a few commonly used nuts to make vegan cheese. The creamy consistency of nuts provides the same texture as dairy-based cheese. And the best part is that making nut-based cheese is even easier than dairy-based cheese.
Adding sunflower or pumpkin seeds enhances the consistency of the cheese while adding a crumbly texture. Ideally, you have to soak the nuts and seeds for some time before blending and fermenting them.
Apart from taste and texture, nuts and seeds contain lots of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and fiber and are a good source of protein.
- Soy Soy is a common ingredient in making vegan cheese because it has a similar texture to dairy cheese. You can make soy-based cheese using soy milk or tofu. Makers add salt, oil, and some other ingredients to replicate the exact cheese taste.
Soy is another great plant-based protein source and contains essential vitamins and minerals. However, some people, especially children, may be allergic to soy, so be careful.
- Coconut You must have heard of coconut milk and cream as dairy-free cream and milk substitute, but did you know that these make great vegan cheese? Yes, you read that right.
Coconut has a great creamy texture similar to cheese, but coconut's natural flavor is poles apart from what cheese tastes like. To cure that problem, you can add garlic powder, salt, lemon juice, onion powder, and nutritional yeast to replicate a cheesy taste.
Additional ingredients like tapioca starch, cornstarch, and agar agar are added to further enhance the texture.
- Aquafaba Aquafaba or chickpea brine makes amazing vegan mozzarella cheese. Mixing the aquafaba with some cashews, lemon juice, and sea salt takes this dairy-free cheese to the next level. Aquafaba cheese also works as a vegan substitute for eggs in various recipes.
Related: What Is Considered Dairy & What Are the Dairy Alternatives?
Other Ingredients in Dairy Free-Cheese: Add These for Better Taste & Texture
Taste and texture are what make or break a dish, and cheese is no exception. Therefore, we need to add some additional ingredients to bring that same gooey, salty taste to vegan cheese. And these ingredients are as follows:
- Nutritional Yeast Nutritional yeast has a savory flavor very similar to cheese, and it also works as a thickener. Most vegan cheese has nutritional yeast for the same reason.
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Coconut Oil Coconut oil brings in a rich, creamy texture in other ingredients used in making vegan cheese. Adding a few drops of coconut oil takes its taste to the next level.
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Tapioca Starch/ Potato Starch/ Cornstarch All dairy-free cheese needs some kind of starch to achieve a density similar to dairy-based cheese. Tapioca starch gives a very creamy, melty texture to vegan cheese. A mix of cornstarch and potato starch also presents the same taste and texture.
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Agar Agar Agar agar is a plant-based substitute for gelatin. If you want your cheese to have a firmer consistency, add some agar agar. Agar agar comes in various forms like powder, flakes, or bars. The quantity you need varies based on different forms.
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Miso Paste Miso paste is made from fermented soybeans. Adding it to vegan cheese gives a tangy, umami flavor.
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Carrageenan Carrageenan is a plant-based thickener and is a commonly used ingredient in vegan cheese to achieve a creamy texture.
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Lemon Juice Lemon juice is added to achieve the tangy flavor that's naturally present in typical cheese.
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Garlic & Onion Powder Garlic and onion powder are mainly flavoring ingredients. They don't make any changes in texture and only enhance the taste. Some people also add paprika for a spicy kick in cheese.
Important Note: You shouldn't use all these ingredients in all types of dairy-free cheese. The ingredient list varies from recipe to recipe, so add ingredients wisely.
Related: What Are Vegan Eggs Made Of? No Chickens Required
How Is Dairy-Free Cheese Made? Easy & Simple Steps
To make non-dairy cheese, you need to follow the following steps:
Soaking
If you're using nuts, seeds, or soy, the first step is to soak them in water for some time. Soaking nuts and seeds makes it easier to blend. You can avoid this step if you're using coconut milk/ cream or aquafaba.
Blending
Next, blend the nuts, seeds, or soy with water and other ingredients like nutritional yeast, salt, and other flavoring ingredients. Blending is a must for ingredients like coconut cream and aquafaba, too.
Use very little water. More water creates a liquid mixture, and cheese doesn't solidify well.
Fermentation & Aging
You need to ferment the cheese mixture using a bacterial culture. Let the mixture sit at room temperature overnight. Fermentation makes the mixture fluffy and airy, and this is a sign to take the cheese to the next level. If you don't see air bubbles, taste the cheese; if it has a sharp, tangy taste, the fermentation has worked.
If you want to have it like cream cheese, you can stop here. If not, let's continue. Transfer the cheese to the refrigerator and leave it for 24 hours. Next morning, transfer the cheese to parchment paper. The consistency at this stage won't be very hard. It should still have the cream cheese texture.
You need to age the cheese at room temperature. Some humidity aids in the fermentation process. The aging usually takes three weeks to complete. When you see the entire cheese block covered with white mold, it's a sign that your cheese is done.
You have to flip the cheese every day till aging is over. Be careful on the first couple of days because the cheese is still very soft and may break while flipping.
Transfer the cheese back to the refrigerator and wait for at least a couple of days to enjoy it. The process may vary depending on the consistency you want. Some cheeses like cream or fetta don't require aging, while hard cheese varieties need it.
Why struggle conjuring up vegan dishes every day for your plant-based diet, when you can opt occasionally for Cook Unity's vegan meal delivery service to save time? Be adventurous and try some of the delicious recipes, such as the Mediterranean Farro Salad with vegan cheese, crafted by top chefs in your area!
Related: Which Girl Scout Cookies Are Vegan? A Detailed Review
Famous Dairy-Free Cheese Brands
If you don’t want to experiment with making vegan cheese, here are some vegan cheese brands you can try:
1. Chao
Chao dairy-free cheese is made of coconut and fermented tofu and has a cheesy, creamy taste. You can have with your bread or sandwich or add it to salads; Chao cheese slices promise the same melty divine cheesy taste.
2. Go Veggie
Go Veggie has a range of dairy-free, gluten-free, and non-GMO cheeses, and they are some of the best plant-based cheeses I have tried. Particularly their mozzarella shred cheese goes perfectly with pasta, omelet, and many other recipes. The best is you won’t even realize it’s dairy-free.
3. Kite Hill
Kite Hill is a famous plant-based cheese brand, and they have a variety of cream and ricotta cheese options to try. They are great to make desserts or dips and enjoy with your favorite vegan breakfast dish!
4. Miyokos
Miyokos is another popular plant-based brand that not only makes vegan cheese but has other dairy-free products like- vegan butter, vegan spreads, and more. All products are made from high-quality ingredients without compromising on taste.
Related: What Is Vegan Butter Made Out of? From Plant to Spread
What Is Dairy-Free Cheese Made of? FAQs
Q: What Is Daiya Vegan Cheese Made of? A: Daiya vegan cheese has filtered water, coconut oil, canola or sunflower oil, pea protein, salt, lactic acid, and a few other ingredients.
Q: Is Vegan Cheese Good for Weight Loss?
A: Vegan cheese may not be effective for weight loss. Most vegan cheese contains some kind of starch which eventually is broken down into sugar. Consuming too much starch can cause weight gain.
Q: Are Dairy-Free Cheeses Healthy?
A: No, vegan cheese isn't healthier than regular cheese. It has more sodium and is very low in calcium and protein.
Q. Is Vegan Cheese Inflammatory?
A: Vegan cheese is a processed food, which may cause inflammation.
Q. What Is Vegan Mozzarella Made of?
A: Vegan mozzarella is usually made from coconut oil mixed with sprouted brown rice, apple cider vinegar, and water.
Q. Is Dairy-Free Cheese Actually Cheese?
A: Dairy-free or vegan cheese is a replica of real cheese, so it’s not actually cheese.
Related: Going Dairy and Gluten Free: A Comprehensive Guide to a Healthier Lifestyle
Conclusion
Making dairy-free cheese is no brainer, especially if your body and system don't tolerate dairy foods. Nuts, seeds, and some flavoring ingredients are all you need to make yourself some gooey, delicious, creamy, cheesy goodness. Just make sure you use good quality ingredients and check nutrition labels to achieve the perfect result.
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