These Are the Best Vegan Cheese Slices
We tested ten commonly available vegan cheeses to find out which ones are the creamiest, the meltiest, and the tastiest
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When it comes to vegan cheese, sometimes you want to impress guests with your homemade fermented macademia-nut cheese on crostini with mint and a drizzle of apricot syrup, and other times, it’s 2 a.m. and you need an effortless and yet indulgent snack. That’s when pre-packaged deli-style plant-based cheese slices call your name; but which of the commercially available options is your best bet?
At the two Washington, D.C.-area Whole Foods I surveyed, there were ten available styles of plant-based cheeses, spanning five brands, in varieties including cheddar, provolone, smoked gouda, American, and pepper jack. I set out to create a definitive ranking, considering each slice’s suitability as a raw deli slice (for example, in a vegan cold cut sandwich), and in a vegan grilled cheese.
I used Whole Foods availability as a marker of what vegan cheese slices may be most accessible in your area. Consumers concerned about Whole Foods’ recent decision to cut medical benefits for its part-time workers may want to support an independent retailer instead.
Though all ten plant-based cheese slices had a similar ingredient list (all listed coconut oil as the top ingredient besides water, and all derived most of their calories from fat), their taste and textures varied considerably.
The Methodology
I split testing across two days, enlisting friends to provide additional insight.
In the first day, I assigned each vegan cheese into a “division” (provolone slices, cheddar slices, smoked gouda slices, and a “wildcard” round). Within each division, my panel of three provided tasting notes on the slices, first in a grilled-cheese preparation (cooked with Earth Balance and slices of Whole Foods’ “seeduction” bread, made on a cast-iron grill pan), and then raw. After trying both the raw and grilled slices, each panelist then ranked the cheeses within each…
