Wayfare Dairy Free Original Cream Cheese
The Wayfare vegan cream cheese is plant-based, non-GMO and organic.
Thoughts: This was our favorite one before the taste test even started. We buy it from a local natural health store, but you can also find at Wegmans and online . We think that the texture is thick and extremely close to dairy based cream cheese. Its very neutral in taste and no overpowering taste
Where to Buy:
Varieties: Original as well as Onion and Chive
Ingredients: WayFare Dairy Free Base , Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Gum Arabic, Konjac Root Powder, Sea Salt, Organic Cultured Dextrose, Organic Natural Flavor, Organic Citric Acid, Calcium Citrate, Lactic Acid.
Allergens: Coconut.
Price: $4.49
Downsides Of Dairy Free Cream Cheese
While there are certain benefits to choosing dairy free cream cheese, there are also some downsides:
- Level of processing. To mimic the taste and texture of conventional cream cheese, dairy free cream cheeses are often highly processed. Several studies have linked higher intake of ultra-processed foods to heart disease, cancer, depression, and other common health conditions .
- Additives. Gums such as xanthan gum and guar gum are the most common types of additives in dairy free cream cheese. They are derived from natural sources, used to thicken products and to prevent separation. Though they are not absorbed by the body and have been deemed safe to consume, their presence is an indicator the product is more processed. Its important to point out that gums are a common additive in regular cream cheese as well .
- Taste and texture. Despite the additives to help, some proponents of traditional cream cheese suggest the taste and texture of dairy free cream cheese simply doesnt stack up. As this downside is based on opinion, consider trying a dairy free cream cheese for yourself before completely ruling them out.
Is Vegan Cheese Healthier Than Regular Cheese
By no means is vegan cheese as nutritious for you as vegetables but its certainly better for you than dairy cheese. Like dairy cheese, vegan cheese is mainly just fat but vegan cheese is notably devoid of cholesterol. Cholesterol is only found in animal products, and can cause fatty buildups in arteries, increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke, as explained by the American Heart Association. So by opting for vegan cheese instead, you are removing cholesterol from your meal. Plus, eating dairy has also been linked to acne, headaches, digestive issues, and more.
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Vegan Cream Cheese Taste Test
We taste tested 9 different vegan cream cheese brands! Were dishing out all the details on which is the best in our vegan cream cheese taste test!
We have a clear favorite vegan cream cheese before starting this vegan cream cheese taste test, but could it stand up to a taste test challenge. Thats what we wanted to find out.
After doing our vegan shredded cheese taste test Pt. 2, many people asked if we would do other cream varieties. Many vegan cheeses dont have enough to compare however, we were surprised that we were able to find 9 different vegan cream cheese brands with a plain variety in order to put them to the test.
Also, if youre interested, make sure to check out our vegan yogurt taste test where weve tried more than 25 brands.
So can you believe we were able to find 9 different ones?
And these are all nine different brands. No two are from the same brand and they are all plain flavors so a true side by side comparison.
Welcome To The Vegan Cheese Shop: The Home Of The Best Dairy
We love cheese! We didn’t want to miss out on the pleasure of eating good cheese. So we have brought together all of the highest quality cheeses available. We support artisan producers and make these innovative and delicious cheeses accessible to all with country wide shipping! Want to make your own or to gift someone special something unique and truly of the heart? We are here for you!
Now you too can enjoy the finest of cruelty free, dairy free, gluten free, plant based cheeses on cheese boards to share with family and friends or made into meals and snacks everyone will enjoy.
Whether you have given up dairy for health, ethical or environmental concerns we have you covered.
Giving up dairy has never been easier, delicious and satisfying!
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The Best Vegan Cream Cheese
Its actually quite amazing that such a simple ingredient list can have such great results.
The cashews create the creamy base for this recipe.
Lemon juice gives it the tang, which is the basis for the cheesy flavor.
Coconut cream adds creamy flavor and texture and also contributes to the beautiful white color. It also helps it to thicken up nicely once its in the fridge. Note: You do not need to refrigerate your coconut cream first and it does not need to separate, just shake up your can and then pour out the right amount.
White vinegar, onion powder and salt take it the rest of the way to creamy cheesy perfection.
Every ingredient in this recipe plays a big part and all are crucial to the result. If you want to add more flavors to this, like some garlic powder or fresh garlic or something like that, do it! But I wouldnt take any of the flavorings away or it will be too plain.
Vegan Cream Cheese Brands For Your Bagel Fix
Posted by Bridget on November 29, 2018
Who doesnt love starting the day with a delicious vegan bagel?
Hummus and avocado make great spreads, but theres something extra-special about a toasted bagel smothered with your favorite vegan cream cheese. ??
Vegan cream cheese is also perfect to use in dips and vegan cheesecakes, too. Most grocery stores, including Targetand Walmart, carry it, so shmear up and look for these wonderful brands the next time you go shopping:
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Vegan Cream Cheese Flavors
Well, this isnt my first cream cheese recipe on the blog. In fact, I have 3 other onesBlueberry, another blueberry one, Blueberry Almond Cream Cheese using freeze-dried blueberries, Smoky Black Pepper and also a Strawberry one! You may be thinking, then why another strawberry one? Well, all 3 of those cream cheese recipes are to die for and have been super popular with you readers, but they take about 2 days from start to finishmostly just chilling time. But still, sometimes when I want cream cheese and if I havent started my prep time already, then it will be a couple days before I can truly enjoy the yumminess.
Soooo, as always, my goal is to make delicious recipes that are also easy and as much as possible, quick! So, I took my strawberry cream cheese recipe and changed it up a bit and WOW, it may even taste better and it only takes 10 minutes to make!! There is a recommended chill time, but you can still totally eat it straight out of the food processor if you wanted to. It is better after its cold, chilled and firmed up a bit, but still incredibly yummy immediately too.
So, to recap, you only need 5 main ingredients to make this Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheese:
- freeze-dried strawberries
- dairy-free yogurt
- lemon juice
- apple cider vinegar
To see step-by-step how to make it, check out the video and be sure to subscribe to my Youtube channel and leave me a lovely comment if you feel like it
Kite Hill Plain Cream Cheese Alternative
Kite Hill makes a variety of products, some we like and others we dont . This was the second most expensive brand.
Thoughts: This was a softer one, but thicker than say Trader Joes. What it compares too couldnt be pinpointed, but neither of us liked this brand at all.
Where to Buy:Find where to buy here.
Varieties: Plain, Chive, Everything, Garden Veggie
Ingredients: Almond Milk , Salt, Enzyme, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Mushroom Extract , Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Cultures.
Allergens: Almond
Price: $6.99
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How Does Vegan Cheese Compare With Dairy
Not many people consider cream cheese as an option when discussing vegan options, but as you can see, theres so many to choose from! Traditionally, cream cheese is made from dairy cheese using casein protein, which is found in cow, goat and sheep milk. Cheese is made using an enzyme called rennet, which is added to the milk during the coagulation process. There are other ways that cream cheese can be made, however using rennet is the most common method and almost all cheeses are created this way.
Vegan cheese is made using a similar process, but very different ingredients . Vegan cream cheese has a protein substitute added to it, usually sources from plants. Then, instead of using rennet during the coagulation process, vegan cheese uses the lactic bacteria. For more firm vegan cheeses, additional ingredients like oils and emulsifiers can be added, as well as nuts, tofu or seeds.
Rating The Best Vegan Cream Cheese Brands Of 2021
February 14, 2021 by Jamie
Going vegan doesnt mean that you now have to forego cream cheese for the rest of your life that life isnt going to be very enjoyable. Thankfully, there are some extremely good vegan cream cheese options available that you can try out.
The best part is that the options mentioned here taste quite good too. Now you can go back to slathering that rich goodness on your bagel, whipping it into creamy pasta sauce, or adding it to some of your favorite vegan recipes.
Formulated to taste just like the real stuff, these vegan cream cheese options have everything but the animal byproducts you are trying to avoid.
You can even find a wide variety to suit every palate, from smoky vegan salmon flavors to herbed options and cruelty-free choices, the choice is back in your hands again. That being said, here are some of the best vegan cream cheese available in the market.
Tofutti is a well-known and trusted brand. In fact, it was one of the very first brands to look into making dairy-free products for the vegan community.
One of the biggest issues people had with Tofutti initially was that they originally made their dairy-free cream cheeses with hydrogenated oils.
However, the brand quickly got off that train and started using non-hydrogenated alternatives a move that saw its popularity go back up.
Pros:
- Its soy-based some people dont like that taste
- Has a somewhat strong artificial taste
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Are These Vegan Cream Cheese Brands Allergy Friendly
We listed the allergens under each but just so its easier to find we wanted to list it here as well.
All of these are vegan so they are automatically dairy free and egg free. None of them listed gluten or peanuts as an ingredients. They are also all fish and shellfish free.
That leaves treenuts and soy as top allergens in the US.
- Contains Coconut Wayfare, Trader Joes, Daiya, Go Veggie, Miyokos, Violife, Spero
- Contains Soy Trader Joes, Tofutti, Go Veggie
- Contains Nuts Miyokos , Kite Hill , Treeline
That means all 10 of them had some form of allergen inside.
Miyokos Creamery Organic Vegan Cream Cheese
Miyokos cream cheese contains no oil, and only five-ingredients.
With a base of cashews and coconut cream, its like making it yourself without the hassle of making it yourself. There are three flavor options: plain, savory scallion, and fish free lox.
The reception to Miyokos has been pretty mixed. The organic, cultured cream cheese is sour and tastes slightly of coconut. Its a matter of personal taste: some love it, some hate it.
The scallion option isnt much better, as the scallion becomes overwhelmed by the sour taste. Its a similar situation with the lox, with some people raving and others hating .
With Miyokos, the best advice is to try it yourself. Its not for everyone, but if you like your cheese with some tang then this could be what youre looking for.
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So Next Time Youre At The Grocery Store Pick Up One Of These Vegan Cheese Brands Instead:
- Shredded Cheese: Cheddar Finely Shredded, Mozzarella Finely Shredded, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Italian Blend, and Fiesta Blend
- Cheese Slices: Smoked Gouda, American, Provolone, Pepper Jack, Medium Cheddar, Mozzarella, and Garden Herb
- Specialty Cheese: Parmesan Shredded, Parmesan Grated, and Feta Crumbles
- Cheese Blocks: Mozzarella and Mozzarella Made With Organic Soy
- Cultured Vegan Cheese: Plant Milk Cheddar Sticks, Cheddar Cheese Shreds, Cheddar Cheese Slices, Cheddar Cheese Block, Pepper Jack Block, Pepper Jack Slices, and Pepper Jack Shreds
- Mozzarella: Cashew Milk Mozzarella and Cashew Milk Mozzarella Smoked
- Cheese Wheels: Double Cream Classic Chive, Double Cream Sundried Tomato Garlic, Double Cream Garlic Herb, Aged Sharp English Farmhouse, Aged Smoked English Farmhouse, Aged Herbes de Provence, Fresh French Style Winter Truffle, and Aged Black Ash
- Cream Cheese: Cinnamon Raisin, Everything, Classic Plain, Savory Scallion, and Fish-Free Lox
- Roadhouse Cheddar: Spicy Chili, Straight Up Sharp, and Garlic Chive
Benefits Of Dairy Free Cream Cheese
Whether you are avoiding dairy due to dietary restrictions, health, or other reasons, there are several benefits to choosing a dairy-free substitute over traditional milk-based cream cheese:
- Allergy-friendly. Over 6 million people in the United States have an allergy to milk . Dairy free cream cheese is typically safe to consume if you have a milk allergy, assuming you are not allergic to other ingredients in the product such as tree nuts.
- Intolerance-friendly. Regular cream cheese contains small amounts of lactose . Though this amount can be tolerated by many people with lactose intolerance, others are more sensitive to this sugar. Since dairy free cream cheese is not made with milk, it does not contain any lactose.
- Vegan-friendly. From better health to ethical and environmental benefits, there are many potential pros to following a vegan diet. As dairy free cream cheese is typically made with a plant-based milk or tofu, it is vegan-friendly.
- Lower in saturated fat. When compared with conventional cream cheese, some dairy free cream cheese is much lower in saturated fat a type of fat that may negatively affect heart health when eaten in excess. Most health professionals agree you should limit your saturated fat intake to less than 10% of your daily calories, which is around 20 grams per day for the average person .
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How Do You Make Vegan Cheese
The internet is filled with easy recipes for vegan mac and cheese, Kraft-inspired mac and cheese powder, vegan cheddar, shreddable vegan mozzarella, vegan queso, herb vegan cheese wheels, and more. Many of the recipes are as simple as mixing or blending up a few ingredients and letting them set in the fridge so get excited to start experimenting.
To Sum Up What Is The Best Vegan Cream Cheese
From authentic and herb-flavored cream cheese to the cheesy and sweet, there are so many flavorful varieties of dairy-free cream cheese that its difficult to choose one. While taste is subjective, the brands on this list truly offer some of the best vegan cream cheese varieties out there. No matter which of them you choose to try, you wont be disappointed.
While youre learning about the best vegan cream cheese brands, its only wise to know which kind of bagels are vegan so that you can enjoy a wholesome vegan breakfast or snack whenever you want. Refer to my article Are Bagels Vegan to know what you should look for when shopping for vegan bagels.
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Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese Plain
Tofutti is one of the original vegan brands for anything. Their cream cheese has been around for a very long time.
Thoughts: Immediately we could tell it was thick and not runny which was a plus. But the taste was just off to us. It doesnt have a close cream cheese taste although the texture itself was nice.
Andrew said it tasted like you were eating something out of a cup that hadnt been properly rinsed.
Where to Buy:Use their store locator here
Varieties: Plain, Herbs & Chives, Garlic & Herb, Whipped.
Ingredients: WATER, EXPELLER PROCESSED NATURAL OIL BLEND , MALTODEXTRIN, NON-GMO , NON-DAIRY LACTIC ACID, BLEND OF NATURAL GUMS , ORGANIC SUGAR AND SALT.
Allergens: Soy
Price: $3.79
Best Fresh Aroma Violifes Just Like Cream Cheese Chilli Peppers
If you are particular about how your cheese smells, you should definitely give this Violifes Just Like Cream Cheese Chilli Peppers a try.
It has an enjoyable fresh smell, which accompanies its tangy yet creamy taste and light coconut undertones that gives it a delicious aroma. Furthermore, it has a light sweetness that accentuates the tart yet gloriously creamy flavor.
Designed for health-conscious vegan consumers, this product is not only dairy-free, but its also free from soy, free from gluten, nuts, lactose, and artificial preservatives.
It also contains Vitamin B12, which makes it a wonderfully beneficial addition to any diet. Top all that off with the fact that its extremely spreadable, and you have an excellent vegan cream cheese option.
Pros:
- Might be a bit too sweet for some
The classic cream cheese taste is definitely sour. Thanks to all the different flavors that have hit the market lately, many people forget that fact until they taste this MIYOKOS CREAMERY Organic Plainly Classic Cashew Cream Cheese.
Formulated to taste exactly like classic cheese, this vegan cream cheese option has a slight yet noticeable sour kick. Some users have even likened it to sour butter as opposed to cream cheese.
Although it definitely tastes sour, its very versatile and can be used in a wide variety of recipes, or you could just dilute it in some soy milk.
Pros:
- Some people find it too sour
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