20+ Vegan Cheese Brands You’ll Actually Love

If you’re searching for vegan cheese brands that actually melt, spread, or slice like the real thing—this is the list. These 20+ dairy-free standouts are the real deal—creamy, dreamy, and designed to deliver.

When I first went vegan more than 20 years ago, the bar for dairy-free cheese was undeniably low. The options? A few shiny, waxy slices that barely hinted at flavor. Tofutti singles were the gold standard back then—not because they were great, but because innovation was just getting started. Daiya felt like a revelation—if you could even find it in stores.

Now? There’s brie with a bloomy rind. Smoked gouda with real bite. Shreds that swirl easily into pasta or bubble over pizza like a dream. But even with all that progress, not every dairy-free cheese delivers. Some taste great cold but fall flat when melted. Others melt beautifully but miss the mark on flavor. That’s why I put this guide together—to help you find plant-based cheeses that actually work for what you need: melting, snacking, stuffing, spreading, or slicing.

Whether you’re dairy-free by choice or by need, there’s never been a better time to explore what’s out there. In this collection, you’ll find 20+ brands, broken down by use, flavor, and vibe. There are bold blocks for sandwiches, whipped cream cheese for bagels, and nut-free options that still bring the tang.

Because the best vegan cheese? It’s the one you’ll keep going back for.

Top Vegan Cheese Brands at Grocery Stores

Good for: everyday use, easy to find, no specialty shop required

These are the dairy-free cheeses you’ll spot at most grocery chains—Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, Stop & Shop, and beyond. Some are solid go-tos: meltable, dependable, decent in a pinch. Others surprise you with how much they’ve improved in recent years. None of them are perfect, but all of them are accessible, and a few are worth keeping in your weekly lineup.

Violife

If there’s one brand I reach for again and again, it’s this one. Violife has a wide lineup—blocks, shreds, slices, and spreads—and they’ve nailed that creamy-salty balance that some dairy-free cheeses miss. Their mozzarella melts into pasta like a charm, and the Epic Mature Cheddar is bold enough to eat straight from the block or use on a charcuterie board.

Best for: grilled cheese, baked pasta, sandwiches
Try: Epic Mature Cheddar, Mozzarella Shreds, Just Like Feta

Chao (by Field Roast)

Chao slices lean smooth and buttery, with just enough richness to hold their own on a grilled sandwich. They don’t melt into a puddle—they soften and cling, which works well for pressed paninis and veggie burgers. I like them best warm, tucked into something toasty.

Best for: paninis, melts, veggie burgers
Try: Creamy Original, Tomato Cayenne

Daiya Shreds

Daiya’s shreds used to have a rubbery rep, but their updated formula melts cleaner and tastes way better than the original. They’re still not snackable cold (at least not to me), but in hot, saucy dishes—think mac and cheese, casseroles, grilled cheese—they hit the mark.

Best for: comfort food, melty bakes, weeknight meals
Try: Cheddar Style, Mozzarella Style, Four Cheese Blend

Follow Your Heart

Mild and mellow, Follow Your Heart’s cheese works best when you’re not looking for sharpness or drama. Their American and Provolone slices are soft and consistent, good for cold sandwiches or wraps. Their Parmesan shaker adds a salty finish to pasta without needing to melt at all.

Best for: cold sandwiches, mild-flavored dishes
Try: American Slices, Provolone, Parmesan

Trader Joe’s Brand

TJ’s has dabbled in vegan cheese for years, and the quality still varies by product. Their mozzarella-style shreds melt reasonably well for the price, and their cashew-based dips (watch for seasonal ones) can be unexpectedly good. A great starting point if you’re shopping on a budget.

Best for: simple pizzas, everyday sandwiches
Try: Vegan Mozzarella Shreds, Vegan Cream Cheese, cashew-based dips

Simple Truth (Kroger brand)

Widely available at Kroger-owned stores, this private label line is one of the more affordable dairy-free cheese options. The flavor is mild, and the texture varies by product, but it’s solid for basics like sandwiches or pasta bakes.

Best for: shoppers on a budget
Try: Cheddar Slices, Mozzarella Style Shreds

So Delicious

Better known for their ice creams and yogurt, So Delicious also makes a small line of coconut-based cheeses. I’ve found their shreds to be best warm—the coconut note fades, and you’re left with something melty and mild.

Best for: warm dips, pasta, and pizza
Try: Cheddar Jack Shreds, Mozzarella

Best Vegan Cheese Brands for Melting

Good for: mac and cheese, pizza night, grilled cheese, and anything baked until bubbly

There’s no shortage of dairy-free cheeses on the market, but the ones that actually melt? That’s a shorter list. These brands soften, stretch, or ooze in ways that mimic the real thing, whether you’re layering a lasagna or crisping up a grilled cheese. A few even develop that golden, gooey top that makes baked pasta irresistible.

Violife Shreds

These are my weeknight heroes—reliable, creamy, and consistently melty. The mozzarella blend bubbles beautifully over pizza, and the cheddar shreds melt into mac like they were built for it. There’s no sharpness here, but the texture does most of the heavy lifting.

Best for: pizza, mac and cheese, casseroles
Try: Mozzarella Shreds, Cheddar Shreds

Follow Your Heart Cheddar Shreds

One of the most accessible vegan cheddar shreds out there, these melt smoothly into mac and cheese, fold easily into quesadillas, and hold their own in a grilled cheese. The flavor leans mild and creamy, with a soy-free base and no funky aftertaste. Meltable comfort food is made for this cheese.

Best for: mac and cheese, grilled cheese, nachos
Try: Cheddar Style Shreds

Miyoko’s Pourable Mozzarella

Liquid cheese? Sounds weird—tastes wonderful. This pourable mozzarella starts off as a tangy batter and bakes into something beautifully blistered and gooey. It’s not for everything, but if you’re making Detroit-style pizza or baked ziti, it’s a serious secret weapon.

Best for: deep-dish pizza, baked pasta, flatbreads
Try: Pourable Plant Milk Mozzarella

Chao Creamy Original

Smooth and buttery with a slightly nutty edge, this one doesn’t go sharp—but it holds up beautifully in a warm sandwich. I’ve used it in paninis and quesadillas where it softens just enough without getting gooey. It’s mild, but great at its job.

Best for: paninis, grilled sandwiches, quesadillas
Try: Creamy Original, Tomato Cayenne

Parmela Creamery

A little harder to find, but worth it if you do. These cashew-based shreds and sauces melt with depth—creamy, a little nutty, and surprisingly rich. They’re a great option if you want something with more tang and less coconut sweetness.

Best for: elevated pasta, gratins, panini
Try: Sharp Cheddar Shreds, Alfredo Sauce

Vevan Shreds

These have a soft, slightly stretchy melt and a mild flavor that plays well with just about anything. I like mixing them into hot dips or piling them onto a pizza with roasted veggies. They don’t overpower, but they show up when warmed.

Best for: nachos, baked dips, veggie pizza
Try: Ched-Melts, Mozza-Melts

Vegan Cream Cheese Brands to Spread on Everything

Good for: bagels, frostings, cheesecake, snacking with a spoon

Plant-based cream cheese has evolved a lot over the years from being overly processed to something magical. Today’s versions are whippier, tangier, and made from things like almonds or coconut oil. Some lean savory. Some lean sweet. A few do both. Whether you’re layering it onto a toasted bagel or folding it into frosting, here are the ones worth spreading.

Kite Hill

One of the smoothest and most balanced options out there. The texture is light and silky, the tang is clean, and it doesn’t carry that artificial note some dairy-free brands can’t shake. Great cold on a bagel—but also blends beautifully into dips or cheesecake filling.

Best for: bagels, no-bake desserts, creamy dips
Try: Plain, Everything, Chive

Tofutti

A classic, and still a pantry staple for me. Tofutti isn’t fancy, but it’s solid, dense, rich, and easy to bake with. It holds its shape better than almost any other brand, which makes it perfect for thick frostings or a structured cheesecake.

Best for: frosting, cheesecake, baking
Try: Better Than Cream Cheese – Plain

Miyoko’s Cream Cheese

This is my go-to for when I want a short ingredient list and a clean, tangy flavor. It’s made from cultured cashews and coconut cream, and has a soft, spreadable texture that melts a bit when warm.

Best for: bagels, baked goods, creamy pasta bases
Try: Classic Plain, Everything

Violife

Velvety and spreadable with a buttery finish. This is one of the mildest options—no strong tang, just a soft base that plays well with both sweet and savory toppings. Plus, it is the most meltable, making your morning bagel or toast feel luxurious and indulgent.

Best for: light toast spreads, sandwiches, snack boards
Try: Creamy Original, Garlic & Herbs

Trader Joe’s Vegan Cream Cheese

Affordable and wildly decent for the price. The texture is a little looser than some others, but the flavor’s surprisingly balanced—not too tart, not too sweet. It spreads easily and melts into sauces or warm dips without breaking.

Best for: casual bagels, warm dips, sauces
Try: Vegan Cream Cheese (Plain)

Shire’s Naturals Cream Cheese

This one’s smaller-batch and a little harder to find, but if you’re after a rich, onion-forward spread, Shire’s Naturals delivers. The texture is thick and slightly whipped, with enough tang to cut through a bagel or roasted veggie sandwich.

Best for: flavor-forward bagels, bold dips, savory breakfasts
Try: Chive & Onion, Plain, Garden Veggie

Crumbly Vegan Cheese Brands (Feta, Ricotta, Parmesan & More)

Good for: pasta, salads, toast, stuffed shells, finishing dishes

These are the cheeses that don’t need to melt—they just need to taste really good. Crumbly, salty, or slightly grainy, this category covers everything from tangy vegan feta to soft dairy-free ricotta and parmesan-style sprinkles. Some are great dolloped onto toast or pizza. Others work best folded into stuffed shells, piped into homemade ravioli, or tossed through pasta just before serving.

Violife Just Like Feta

This one’s firm and salty, with a clean, mild tang. It holds its shape well in cubes or crumbles, and I’ve used it over salads, pressed into sandwiches, or tucked into puff pastry. It doesn’t melt, and doesn’t need to.

Best for: Greek salad, mezze boards, savory bakes
Try: Just Like Feta

Follow Your Heart Parmesan Shreds

These soft, shredded strands aren’t trying to be aged or sharp—they’re mellow, salty, and meant to melt. I’ve used them to finish off pasta, stir into risotto, and layer onto garlic bread. The texture is tender right out of the bag, and they warm into something creamy with subtle umami notes.

Best for: melty toppings, pasta, risotto
Try: Dairy-Free Parmesan Style Shredded or thier Parmesan Wedge

Follow Your Heart Feta Crumbles

These vegan feta crumbles have a soft, melt-in-your-mouth bite and a briny flavor that lands somewhere between feta and goat cheese. I’ve used them on Mediterranean bowls, watermelon salads, and flatbreads—anywhere you want a salty, velvety pop. They are great for layering with olives, chickpeas, or grilled veggies.

Best for: Greek salad, mezze platters, roasted beet salads
Try: Over tabbouleh, with grilled zucchini, or tossed with orzo

Treeline Vegan Ricotta

Cultured, creamy, and cashew-based, this ricotta has a light tang and a clean, savory finish. It’s firm enough to hold its shape in baked pasta, but soft enough to dollop onto toast or blend into dips. Bonus: it’s free from coconut, palm oil, and common allergens—just simple ingredients that do the job well.

Best for: stuffed shells, crostini, savory dips
Try: Non-Dairy Cashew Ricotta by Treeline

Kite Hill Ricotta

This almond-based ricotta is mild, fluffy, and easy to work with. It’s less tangy than the Treeline version, which makes it great for layering into lasagna, piping into vegan raviloi, or pairing with bright citrusy toppings. You can use it straight from the tub or whip it smooth with a little lemon zest.

Best for: pasta filling, lemon toast, stuffed peppers
Try: Almond Milk Ricotta

Sharp & Cheddar-Style Vegan Cheese Brands

Good for: sandwiches, snacking, sharp flavor, classic cheddar moments

These are the cheeses that aim to stand on their own—firm, sliceable, snackable. Some are mild and buttery. Others go for tang, sharpness, or that nostalgic cheddar pull. They’re the ones you stack onto a sandwich, cube up for a snack board, or eat cold straight from the wrapper just because.

Violife Mature Cheddar Block

Firm, a little tangy, and easy to slice, this is one of the few vegan cheddar-style cheeses that feels good straight out of the fridge. It’s bold without being too funky, and works well cubed on a board or layered into a sandwich.

Best for: snacking, charcuterie, sandwiches
Try: Epic Mature Cheddar Block

Violife Mature Cheddar Slices

The same flavor as the block, but thinner and designed to melt. These slices soften easily under heat and hold their shape when layered into hot or cold sandwiches. I like them best on burgers, breakfast muffins, or melted into a grilled cheese.

Best for: burgers, breakfast sandwiches, melting
Try: Just Like Mature Cheddar Slices

Follow Your Heart Mature Cheddar Slices

These have a clean, mild flavor that leans American more than sharp cheddar, but they’re smooth and reliable—especially cold. I like using them in stacked sandwiches with lots of texture, like tofu bacon or crunchy lettuce.

Best for: cold sandwiches, lunchbox stacks
Try: Cheddar Slices, American Slices

Daiya Swiss or Cheddar-Style Slices

These slices are thicker and more meltable than the original line, and they carry a stronger bite. The Swiss-style is one of the few vegan versions with a slightly funky note. I use them melted more than cold, but they work both ways.

Best for: melts, burgers, breakfast sandwiches
Try: Swiss Style Slices, Cheddar Style Slices

Artisanal & Small-Batch Vegan Cheese Brands

Good for: snacking, boards, gifting, or just feeling fancy

These are the cheeses made to be admired before they’re eaten. Cultured, fermented, often aged or ash-dusted, they lean more toward soft rinds, bold funk, and that complex depth you don’t usually expect from anything dairy-free. Some are sharp and creamy. Some are earthy and spreadable. All of them feel like something special.

Rebel Cheese

A vegan cheese shop in Austin with a national following, Rebel makes some of the best soft-rind cheeses out there. Their bloomy-rind brie is tangy, creamy, and rich enough to rival the real thing. If you’re looking for a showstopper on a plant-based board, this is it.

Best for: cheese boards, gifting, rinds that impress
Try: Cave-Aged Brie, Truffle, Gruyère

RIND

RIND cheeses are cultured and aged like dairy cheese, with a flavor that runs deep. Expect funky notes, tangy finish, and a soft, spreadable texture that works just as well on bread as it does on a fig. If you’re a fan of stinkier cheese, this one leans in.

Best for: wine nights, figs and crackers, umami lovers
Try: Paprika, Herbs de Provence, Bleu

Bandit

Bandit makes bold, aged cheeses from plants—modeled after French classics but aged with serious skill in urban caves. These are ash-covered, bloomy-rinded, wild-fermented rounds meant to impress cheese lovers of all kinds. Funky, tangy, layered—this is dairy-free done right.

Best for: charcuterie, layered pairings, fermentation fans
Try: Bleu Cheese, Camembert

I AM NUT OK

This UK-based brand uses a mix of old and new techniques to create small-batch cheeses that are aged, sharp, and deeply savory. If you’re into bold flavors and inventive combos, their line-up stands out with a diverse and fun line-up of flavors and options.

Best for: flavor-forward spreads, creative pairings
Try: MinerThreat Smoky Charcoal, Nerominded Black Truffle, PapaRica Smoked Chedda

Darë Vegan Cheese

Darë leans into deep fermentation and bold flavor. Their aged wheels are dense and savory, with that complex cultured edge you usually only get from dairy. If you’re into funk, these land hard in the best way.

Best for: brine-forward boards, adventurous palates
Try: Balsamic Fig, Lusty Mustard, Roasted Garlic

Vtopian

Cashew-based and cultured in small batches, Vtopian cheeses are soft, mildly sweet, and lightly firm. They come in aged-style varieties like their Caramelized Onion Camembert and Aged White Cheddar—perfectly mellow next to fruit or jam. These artisan wedges ship cold, but only to select regions and vegan cheese shops—worth snagging if you spot one.

Best for: mellow cheese boards, sweet pairings
Try: Cave-Aged Brie, Black Garlic, Chive & Dill

Treeline

These cashew-based cheeses are clean, tangy, and smooth, with a spreadable texture that lands somewhere between creamy and whipped. Their goat-style cheese has a gentle funk with a slight sharp edge that’s soft enough to slather on crackers or crostini.

Best for: soft cheese boards, everyday snacking, gentle tang
Try: Goat-Style Cheese, French-Style Garlic & Herb

Budget-Friendly & Allergen-Friendly Vegan Cheese Brands

Good for: saving a few bucks, avoiding nuts, or finding options that just work

Not every vegan cheese needs to be fancy or fermented. Sometimes you just want something affordable, accessible, or nut-free that holds up in a sandwich or melts well in a pinch. These brands keep it simple and functional—no elaborate aging, no $14 price tags, and often no nuts.

Trader Joe’s Brand

One of the most affordable options out there, TJ’s vegan cheeses are hit-or-miss—but the good ones hold their own. The mozzarella-style shreds melt decently for the price, and the cream cheese works well cold or warm. Some of their seasonal dips are also standout.

Best for: everyday meals, budget-friendly swaps
Try: Mozzarella Shreds, Vegan Cream Cheese, cashew dips (seasonal)

Daiya Oat Milk Shreds

Daiya’s latest formula uses oat milk for a creamier melt—and it’s a big step up from their older versions. These coconut-based, nut-free shreds stay smooth when heated, making them an easy go-to for pasta bakes, quesadillas, or loaded nachos. They’re also widely stocked in big-box stores and often on sale.

Best for: allergen-friendly comfort food
Try: Cheddar Style, Mozzarella Style, Four Cheese Blend

Simple Truth (Kroger brand)

Private label and no-frills, these are good basic options if you’re shopping at Kroger or affiliated stores. They’re usually nut-free, mild in flavor, and decently meltable. Not bold, but solid in everyday recipes.

Best for: budget shoppers, nut-free swaps
Try: Cheddar and Mozzarella-Style Shreds

Good Planet

Good Planet is coconut-oil based and free from nuts, soy, and gluten. The flavor leans mild, but the texture is surprisingly decent—especially in shreds. It’s one of the most allergy-friendly options (next to Violife) on the market and holds up well in warm dishes.

Best for: nut-free diets, melt-based recipes
Try: Mozzarella Shreds, Cheddar Slices, Monterey Jack blocks, cheese cubes

Where To Buy Vegan Cheese

You can find most vegan cheese brands at major grocery stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, Stop & Shop, and even select Target and Walmart locations. Specialty wheels and artisan picks—like Darë or Vtopian—are often sold online or through local co-ops and indie grocers.

Some brands also ship directly from their websites, so if you’re after a specific flavor or style, it’s worth checking their store locators or online shops.

Looking for more vegan grocery tips? Check out our produce guide, zero waste cooking tips, bulk foods article, meal prep ideas, vegan ravioli guide, best plant-based online shops, and Wegman’s vegan finds to stock your kitchen with the good stuff.

FAQs

Hope this list of vegan cheese brands helped you find a few new favorites! If there’s one you love that didn’t make the cut, drop it in the comments—I’d love to check it out and add it to the list.