10 Vegan Goat Cheese Brands to Try—Plus Recipes | PETA (2024)

FAQs

10 Vegan Goat Cheese Brands to Try—Plus Recipes | PETA? ›

All milk contains it, including goat's milk…but many people allergic to dairy are sensitive to Alpha S1 casein. Goat's milk contains less Alpha S1 and primarily Alpha S2 casein, which explains why some people (emphasis on some) with milk allergies may be able to tolerate goat cheese.

All milk contains it, including goat's milk…but many people allergic to dairy are sensitive to Alpha S1 casein. Goat's milk contains less Alpha S1 and primarily Alpha S2 casein, which explains why some people (emphasis on some) with milk allergies may be able to tolerate goat cheese.

The base of this cheese is tofu and soaked macadamia nuts. Just place them in a high-speed blender with coconut oil for extra creaminess. Make sure you use refined coconut oil, otherwise it will taste like coconut. Season it with lemon juice, miso, nutritional yeast, and lots of salt!

Real Vegan Cheese (RVC) is a grassroots, non-profit research project working to produce real cheese using cellular agriculture. We add the genes for cheese proteins to yeast and other microflora, and turn them into little protein factories, then make real cheese by adding plant-based fats and sugars.

Consider Calcium and Protein

Something to keep in mind: vegan cheese is usually low in protein and calcium compared to the dairy-based kind—so don't rely on it to fulfill those goals. Nut- and seed-based cheeses have the most protein while those made with starches and coconut oil have the least.

“Chevre” means both “goat” and “goat cheese” in French and is frequently used to refer to fresh goat cheeses in particular. Fresh goat cheese, or chevre, is bright, tart, tangy, and delicious, but goat cheese comes in all shapes, sizes, and ages.

Others have tried goat cheese before and despised it because of a tangy, strong flavor that is associated with goat cheese known as “goatyness'. While cheese makers can't control whether people try new things or not, they can control the level of “goatyness” a cheese has.

Nutritional value: Goat cheese contains essential nutrients such as vitamins A, B and D, and minerals such as calcium and phosphorus. Compared to regular cheese, goat cheese typically has fewer calories and fats. This makes goat cheese a healthier option for those watching their calorie intake.

Goat cheese is a source of protein, calcium, and healthy fats. And it may be easier to digest than cow's milk cheese. Some of the fat in goat cheese comes from capric acid, a beneficial medium-chain fatty acid with anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Is goat cheese bad for your cholesterol? ›

When it comes to cheese, limit the amount you eat to 30 g a day and choose cheeses that are low in saturated fats. These include: unripened goat cheese, Mozzarella, Camembert, and other ripened log cheeses. So, much to everybody's delight, you don't need to say goodbye to dairy products if you have high cholesterol.

The four animals most widely known as the sources of milk for cheesemaking are cows, goats, sheep, and water buffalo. To understand why goat milk cheese is more expensive than cow milk cheese, consider the availability of the milk, the production process of the cheese, and the supply chain (or 'path to market').

VegNature Nancy Grenier, based in Quebec, Canada, makes 6 flavors of vegan goat cheese, including popular flavors Nuts & Cranberries and Herbes de Provence & Onions. All are nut and seed based, featuring ingredients such as cashews, macadamia nuts, almonds, and pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Most goat cheeses are considered vegetarian-friendly, however, some may contain animal rennet. Hard goat cheeses like feta, asiago, and cheddar are generally safe, but check the ingredients list to be sure. Soft varieties like chevre and Boursin may contain animal rennet so it's best to confirm before consuming.

It's important to understand that vegan cheese, being made with different ingredients, typically does not taste exactly like traditional dairy cheese. However, it does replicate some of the flavors and textures that you might remember from dairy cheese and tastes great in its own right.

Is vegan cheese healthy? In terms of health, vegan cheese is generally considered better for you than dairy cheese as it's lower in saturated fat and often has added vitamin B12, which contributes to a healthy nervous system.

Vegan cheese, which is alternately referred to as dairy-free cheese or plant-based cheese, is a product that mimics some of the properties of cheese. These include its texture, its flavor, and to some extent its melting ability, even though vegan cheese is made without using any animal-based ingredients whatsoever.