My husband and I went vegan over a decade ago, and when I think about the state of vegan cheese back then I actually shudder. Fast forward to today and things have dramatically changed. The vegan cheeses available on the market nowadays are sensational and they keep getting better. Vegan cheese… you’ve come a long way, baby.

From slices to fancy cheese wheels to cream cheese, vegans have it all! We have cheeses that melt, spread, and deliver flavor for days. And they do it all without dairy’s devastating environmental impact or inherent animal cruelty.

Here is a roundup of the best vegan cheeses on the market right now. Some of these are widely available while others are smaller, artisan cheeses that might only be found in specific markets. Either way, the plant-based dairy alternative sector is booming. In fact, last year Nielsen reported a 45 percent spike in the sale of vegan cheese! So, if you can’t find all of these where you live, don’t despair — something tells me we can expect a lot more vegan cheeses to pop up in supermarkets in the days and years to come.

1. Miyoko’s

Miyoko’s is the indisputable gold standard in vegan cheese today. Her cheese wheels, spreadables, and mozzarella are just exceptional! You can usually find Miyoko’s at Whole Foods, but her cheeses have even started showing up at Trader Joe’s and other popular supermarkets. I know this post is all about cheese, but her vegan butter is also the best on the market — trust your gurl. If you can’t find Miyoko’s at a local store, you can order it through Mylk Guys.

2. Follow Your Heart

Follow Your Heart offers quite a few vegan cheeses, but their slices and parmesan are clear standouts. First of all, their vegan parmesan is the best your money can buy. Period. Second, all the slices are great — my favorite is the smoked gouda though. Of all their slices, it’s the best.

3. Field Roast Chao Slices

Field Roast introduced three flavors of their Chao slices a few years ago and they’re all excellent! My favorite is the creamy original — I’d compare that to a light provolone. But if you’re looking for a little spice, try their tomato cayenne flavor. 🌶

4. Violife

Violife’s vegan cheeses have been the toast of Europe for years — and now you can finally find them in the US! Their slices, shreds, and cream cheese are fantastic. Seriously, their vegan cream cheese is THE BEST around. I’d skip their feta however. Sorry, gurls.

5. Kite Hill

OK, so Violife makes the best vegan cream cheese but Kite Hill’s is a very close second. It’s excellent and they now offer an “Everything” flavor cream cheese that makes my Jewish heart sing! But their standout cheese is their ricotta. It’s fabulous and is perfect for veganizing any Italian dish.

6. Jule’s Foods

Jule’s Foods is a local vegan cheesemaker here in California. Their cashew brie is seriously insane and is so close to brie/camembert no one would ever know the difference. I’ve only found their stuff at my local vegan market but don’t cry if you don’t live in LA because they ship! Don’t hesitate, order this stuff immediately.

7. Daiya Cutting Board Shreds

I have no patience for people who trash Daiya so don’t even try it with me. While their original shreds can be polarizing, their improved “cutting board” shreds are actually really good. Daiya is probably the most widely-available vegan cheese so look for them in your supermarket. Also, their frozen cheesecakes are absolutely amazing! Their slices leave much to be desired so I’d skip those.

8. Parmela

It seems that a lot of people either love this stuff or they don’t. My husband is definitely in the love camp. He thinks their aged sharp cheddar is some of the best shredded vegan cheese around! We did a taste taste recently where we can compared this to Daiya — you can read that here. This definitely has an aged quality to it. Here’s the thing, if you don’t like it, there are plenty of other vegan shreds to choose from.

9. Vtopian Artisan Cheeses

My husband and I discovered Vtopian while visiting New York City. We bought a bunch of this stuff at Orchard Grocer in the lower east side. Vtopian is really GREAT! While not widely available yet, you can order all of their stuff online from Mylk Guys. I highly recommend the caramelized onion camembert — OMG!

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Main image source: Instagram/miyokoscreamery