Quale formaggio vegano comprare? (What vegan cheese to buy?)

Quale formaggio vegano comprare? (What vegan cheese to buy?)

From Alex James

I'm raising money for a cause I care about, but I need your help to reach my goal! Please become a supporter to follow my progress and share with your friends.

Support this campaign

Subscribe to follow campaign updates!

More Info

Abbiamo intervistato uno chef italiano di un ristorante vegano, domande sui formaggi

(We interviewed an Italian chef from a vegan restaurant, below questions about cheeses)

La scelta di un formaggio vegano dipende in gran parte dalle preferenze di gusto personali, dall'uso che se ne intende fare e da considerazioni dietetiche. Ecco alcuni tipi popolari di formaggio vegano e i loro usi comuni per orientare il vostro acquisto, potete acquistare i formaggi vegani qui:

Choosing a vegan cheese depends largely on your personal taste preferences, the intended use, and dietary considerations. Here are some popular types of vegan cheese and their common uses to help guide your purchase:

1. Soft Spreadable Cheeses

- Brands like Miyoko’s Creamery offer soft vegan cheeses that are perfect for spreading on crackers or stirring into risotto.

- Kite Hill is well-known for its almond-based spreads, which have a smooth texture and are available in flavors like chive or jalapeño.

2. Block and Sliced Cheeses

- Follow Your Heart and Daiya make vegan cheese blocks and slices that are good for sandwiches and crackers. These cheeses melt well, making them suitable for grilled cheese sandwiches.

- Violife offers a variety of flavors in blocks and slices, including cheddar, smoked provolone, and feta, known for their creamy texture and good melting properties.

3. Shredded Cheeses

- Daiya is widely used for its melting properties, making it a go-to for pizzas, nachos, and other cooked dishes.

- So Delicious offers shredded mozzarella and cheddar that are coconut-based and work well for baking and cooking.

4. Nutritional Yeast

- While not a cheese per se, nutritional yeast is a staple for many vegans due to its cheesy flavor. It can be used to make homemade vegan cheese sauces or sprinkled on top of dishes for added flavor.

5. Artisanal and Aged Vegan Cheeses

- Treeline and Miyoko’s Creamery create artisanal cheeses that are aged and have a complex flavor profile, suitable for cheese boards and pairing with wines.

- Cashew-based cheeses from artisan producers can be found in specialty stores or online, offering unique flavors and textures not typically found in mass-produced vegan cheeses.

6. Parmesan Alternatives

- Violife and Follow Your Heart offer grated and shredded Parmesan alternatives that are great for topping pastas and salads.

- Nooch It! is a cashew-based grated cheese that mimics the flavor and texture of grated Parmesan.

Shopping Tips

- Check the Ingredients: If you have allergies or dietary preferences (like avoiding soy or gluten), check the labels closely. Vegan cheeses can vary widely in their base ingredients.

- Consider Usage: Think about how you plan to use the cheese. If you need it for cooking, look for one that melts well. If it's for a cheeseboard, you might want something more flavorful or aged.

- Experiment: Sometimes finding the right vegan cheese requires a bit of trial and error. Tastes can vary significantly, so it might take a few tries to find your favorite.

Vegan cheeses have come a long way, and there is now a wide variety to suit different tastes and culinary needs. Whether you're making a pizza, a cheese platter, or just looking for a tasty sandwich filling, there's likely a vegan cheese that meets your needs.

What Italian cheeses can be vegan?

Creating vegan versions of traditional Italian cheeses involves substituting dairy with plant-based ingredients while attempting to replicate the original flavors and textures as closely as possible. Here are some classic Italian cheeses and their vegan alternatives:

La creazione di versioni vegane dei formaggi italiani tradizionali comporta la sostituzione dei latticini con ingredienti di origine vegetale, cercando di replicare il più possibile i sapori e le consistenze originali. Ecco alcuni formaggi classici italiani e le loro alternative vegane:

1. Vegan Mozzarella

- Use: Essential for pizzas, caprese salads, and lasagnas.

- Vegan Versions: Typically made from coconut oil, cashews, or almonds, vegan mozzarella is designed to melt and stretch. Brands like Miyoko’s Kitchen and Violife offer versions that perform well in dishes where mozzarella’s signature melt is crucial.

1. Mozzarella vegana

- Utilizzo: Indispensabile per pizze, insalate capresi e lasagne.

- Versioni vegane: Tipicamente a base di olio di cocco, anacardi o mandorle, la mozzarella vegana è progettata per sciogliersi e allungarsi. Marchi come Miyoko's Kitchen e Violife offrono versioni che si adattano bene a piatti in cui la caratteristica fusione della mozzarella è fondamentale. Potete acquistare i mozzarella vegana qui.

2. Vegan Parmesan

- Use: Sprinkled over pasta, risotto, and salads.

- Vegan Versions: Often made from a base of cashews, nutritional yeast, and garlic powder, vegan Parmesan is available in grated form or as a solid block that can be grated or shredded. Brands like Violife and Follow Your Heart offer convenient shakable and block versions.

2. Parmigiano vegano

- Uso: cospargere su pasta, risotto e insalate.

- Versioni vegane: Spesso a base di anacardi, lievito nutrizionale e aglio in polvere, il parmigiano vegano è disponibile in forma grattugiata o come blocco solido che può essere grattugiato o sminuzzato. Marchi come Violife e Follow Your Heart offrono comode versioni frullabili e in blocchi.

3. Vegan Ricotta

- Use: Used in lasagnas, stuffed shells, and as a spread.

- Vegan Versions: Vegan ricotta is typically made from almonds or tofu, giving it a crumbly texture similar to traditional ricotta. Kite Hill makes an almond-based ricotta that is favored for its texture and mild flavor.

3. Ricotta vegana

- Utilizzo: Si usa in lasagne, conchiglie ripiene e come crema da spalmare.

- Versioni vegane: La ricotta vegana è tipicamente fatta con mandorle o tofu, che le conferiscono una consistenza friabile simile alla ricotta tradizionale. Kite Hill produce una ricotta a base di mandorle che viene apprezzata per la sua consistenza e il suo sapore delicato.

4. Vegan Gorgonzola

- Use: Ideal for blue cheese dressings, crumbled over salads, or melted into risottos.

- Vegan Versions: Vegan Gorgonzola is more challenging to find due to its distinctive flavor and mold cultures, but some specialty vegan cheesemakers craft versions using traditional cheese-aging methods with cultures adapted for plant-based ingredients.

4. Gorgonzola vegano

- Uso: ideale per condire il formaggio blu, sbriciolato sulle insalate o sciolto nei risotti.

- Versioni vegane: Il gorgonzola vegano è più difficile da trovare a causa del suo sapore caratteristico e delle colture di muffe, ma alcuni produttori di formaggi vegani specializzati ne realizzano versioni utilizzando metodi di stagionatura tradizionali con colture adattate agli ingredienti di origine vegetale.

5. Vegan Provolone

- Use: Sandwiches, pizzas, and as part of a cheese platter.

- Vegan Versions: This cheese is made from various bases like soy, coconut oil, and nuts, designed to mimic Provolone’s smooth texture and mild flavor. Brands like Violife offer sliced vegan Provolone that melts and stretches.

5. Provolone vegano

- Uso: panini, pizze e come parte di un piatto di formaggi.

- Versioni vegane: Questo formaggio è prodotto con varie basi come soia, olio di cocco e noci, progettate per imitare la consistenza morbida e il sapore delicato del Provolone. Marchi come Violife offrono Provolone vegano a fette che si scioglie e si allunga.

6. Vegan Mascarpone

- Use: Desserts like tiramisu or mixed with fruit.

- Vegan Versions: Usually made from soaked cashews or blended coconut cream, vegan mascarpone can be flavored with vanilla or sweeteners to enhance desserts. Few commercial versions exist, so this often remains a homemade specialty.

6. Mascarpone vegano

- Utilizzo: Dolci come il tiramisù o mescolato con la frutta.

- Versioni vegane: Solitamente ottenuto da anacardi ammollati o da crema di cocco frullata, il mascarpone vegano può essere aromatizzato con vaniglia o dolcificanti per migliorare i dessert. Esistono poche versioni commerciali, quindi spesso rimane una specialità fatta in casa.

Shopping Tips for Vegan Italian Cheeses:

- Read Labels Carefully: Ensure the product meets your dietary needs, especially concerning allergens like nuts or soy.

- Experiment with Brands: Different brands can vary significantly in flavor and texture, so try a few to find your favorites.

- Make Your Own: For less common vegan Italian cheeses, consider making your own. There are many recipes online that use basic ingredients like nuts, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice.

With the growing popularity of vegan diets, many Italian cheese alternatives are now more widely available, both in stores and online, providing delicious options for those adhering to plant-based diets without sacrificing flavor.

Campaign Wall

Join the Conversation

Sign in with your Facebook account or