Real Food Pantry

Nondairy Cheeses

Nondairy cheese alternatives can satisfy cheese cravings without compromising a plant-based diet; use them to top nachos, make sandwiches, and sprinkle on salads or pastas. For homemade nondairy cheese, try my Vegan Cashew Cheese (recipe follows); it’s easy to prepare and very versatile, but it requires planning ahead to allow the cheese time to set if you’ll be slicing or grating it. There is also Tofu Ricotta Cheese (page 186), which I use in my Lasagna Rolls (page 183), and Cashew Cream (page 100), which I love using in soups and in my Baked Penne (page 169).

There are several good nondairy cheeses on the market these days, too. Up until a few years ago, it was difficult to find a nondairy cheese that could melt well. Fortunately, some companies have mastered this key attribute. I suggest you try them all to see which one you like the most; I keep a few brands on hand and choose the one that works the best for each recipe. As with all products, it’s important to read the labels carefully when choosing nondairy cheeses: Some use casein, the protein found in milk.

Almond-based cheese alternatives produced by Lisanatti are soy-free, gluten-free, and cholesterol-free, but these products do contain casein. Lisanatti almond cheeses come in cheddar, mozzarella, jalapeño Jack, and garlic-herb flavors; they can be shredded and melted.

Rice-based cheese alternatives are perfect for those with soy allergies. Rice cheese is also one of the best for melting among nondairy cheeses, although its flavor tends to be less assertive than that of soy-based cheese. Galaxy Nutritional Foods’ rice vegan slices, which come in cheddar, pepper Jack, and American cheese flavors, are a good source of calcium, and they are free of gluten, soy, preservatives, and all animal ingredients (including casein).

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