Much of this information on how to substitute cheese is from my book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook. However, I’ve also added some product reviews and a few fun recipes that are here on the website.
Tips to Substitute Cheese
Cheese is definitely a sensitive subject when you mention going dairy free. Fortunately, if you opt to remove it from your diet (completely, not a dairy trace!), the cravings will usually subside within about a month (give or take, depending on the person). In the mean time, you may need to substitute cheese to hold back the addiction.
Nutritional Yeast
The name may sound horrible, but nutritional yeast is actually a fairly simple ingredient that offers a cheesy vibe to foods like no other dairy-free ingredient. Typically fortified with B vitamins (including B12), many people love the taste of nutritional yeast sprinkled on like Parmesan. If the flavor seems to strong for your taste buds, don’t cast it aside without trialing it in full blown recipes first. Nutritional yeast can be used in very small amounts to add a delicious savory flavor to many meals and recipes.
To find nutritional yeast, check the baking goods aisle and the bulk food section of mainstream and natural grocers. If you can’t find it in store, it is readily available online.
Tofu
Sliced smoked tofu mimics mozzarella or provolone on sandwiches or with crackers. Also, in some American-style recipes I have added cubes (or a mash) of extra-firm tofu, and noticed a cheesy taste and texture. Not cheese by any means, but the basic tasty vibe.
For a very simple cottage cheese or ricotta substitute, you can blend or mash some Firm Silken Tofu with a dash of lemon juice. Silken Tofu can substitute cheese in many recipes, replacing cottage cheese or ricotta in dips, sauces, smoothies, pies, and pasta dishes. For more “complex” ways to substitute cheese, see the recipe and product ideas later in this post.
Cookbook Help
If you are a self-proclaimed “cheese addict” then you may need an arsenal of recipes to get you over the hump. But, even if you are okay without cheese, cheesy recipes can offer fulfilling bold and pungent flavors. Some good cookbooks for making homemade dairy-free cheese alternatives are The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook, Artisan Vegan Cheese, Vegan Cheese, and Go Dairy Free.
Recipes: Homemade Dairy-Free Cheese Alternatives
Expanding culinary limits, the following dairy-free recipes offer one or more cheesy characteristics, from meltability to pungency.
- “Cheezy” Sauce
- Basic Dairy-Free Parmesan (Just 3 Ingredients!)
- Bold & Raw Cheese Sauce
- Cashew Pimiento Cheese Sauce
- Chipotle Cashew Cheese: A Super-Fast, Dairy-Free Spread Recipe
- Creamy Vegan Pine Nut Cheese Pasta infused with Green Tea
- Cucumber Tea Sandwiches made with Dairy-Free Veggie Cream Cheese
- Dairy Free Cheese Sauce (like Fuddrucker’s!) with Baked Baby Potato Wedge Fries
- Dairy-Free Almond Feta “Cheese”
- Dairy-Free Brie Cheese with Truffled, Black Garlic, and Camembert Options
- Dairy-Free Buffalo Mozzarella
- Dairy-Free Cheese Spread that’s Made for Sliced Baguette and Crudités
- Dairy-Free Goat Cheese Alternative that will even Impress Naysayers
- Dairy-Free Yogurt Cheese: The Easy Recipe with Key Tips
- Easy Dairy-Free Cheese Sauce for Pasta, Potatoes, Rice & Vegetables
- Healthy Nacho Cheez Sauce
- Homemade Vegan Cheez
- Lessarella Cheez
- Meltable Mozzarella Vegan Cheese Alternative
- Meltable Muenster Vegan Cheese Alternative
- Melty Cheese II
- Mind-Blowing Cheezy Hemp Nacho Sauce
- Non-Dairy Swiss Style Cheese (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
- Plant-Based Margherita Pizza Dip that’s Too Cheesy to Believe
- Sharp Vegan Cheddar Cheese Alternative
- Simple Melty Cheese Sauce
- Simply Vegan Sunflower Seed Cheese
- Tofu Cream Cheese Alternative (The Classic Recipe)
- Tofu Cream Cheese Alternative Recipe II (plus flavors)
- Tofu Ricotta
- Vegan Cauliflower Queso is a Cheesy Way to Spice Things Up
- Vegan Herb Seed Cheese
- Vegan Mexican Seed Cheese with Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds
- Vegan Parmesan
- Vegan Parmesan Flakes
- Vegan Pimento Cheese
- Vegan Sunflower Seed Cheese with Probiotics & Sprouted Options
Products: Cheese Alternatives at the Store
When shopping for a cheese alternative, be sure to read the label carefully. Although some soy cheeses have passed flavor and texture tests, many of these do contain casein (milk protein). Below are the products we’ve had a chance to taste-test and review here on Go Dairy Free, which were completely dairy-free at our time of review.
- 365 Plant-Based Parmesan Cheese is in Shreds at Whole Foods
- Beyond Better Cheesy Sauce Mixes offer Plant-Based Pantry Convenience
- Boursin Dairy-Free is How the French Do Cheese Spread Alternatives
- Chao Vegan Cheese Blocks are Set to Become a Dairy-Free Staple
- Chao Vegan Cheese Slices Make the Cut with Five Flavors
- Chao Vegan Shreds Hit the Cheese Alternative Section in Two Varieties
- Chee Vegan Cheese Sauces by Bit Baking are Truly Plant-Based
- CORE + RIND Cashew Cheesy Sauces are Boldly Vegan and Paleo
- Creamy Sheese is an Award Winning Dairy-Free Alternative to Cream Cheese
- Credo Cashew Queso isn’t a Philosophy, it’s Real Dairy-Free Cheeze
- Daiya Blocks are Dairy-Free Alternatives to Classic Hard Cheese
- Daiya Cream Cheese Style Spread is Available in Four Varieties
- Daiya Cutting Board Shreds are the Dairy-Free Cheese that Melts
- Daiya Dairy-Free Cheese Slices Square Up with New Formula
- Daiya Deluxe Cheeze Sauce is Shelf-Stable and Ready to Serve
- Daiya Deluxe Cheeze Sticks Offer Two Ways to Snack Dairy-Free
- Daiya Shreds are the Classic Dairy-Free Cheese Alternatives
- Deliciou Seasonings come in Vegan Cheese, Ranch, Bacon, and More
- Follow Your Heart Cheese Slices Comes in 7 Dairy-Free Varieties
- Follow Your Heart Dairy Free Cream Cheese is now Soy-Free, Too
- Follow Your Heart Dairy Free Shreds come in Classic Cheese Flavors
- Follow Your Heart Dairy-Free Feta Crumbles are a First for Vegan Cheese
- Follow Your Heart Dairy-Free Parmesan is Available Shredded and Grated
- Forager Queso Fresco makes us Say Olé to Dairy-Free Cheese
- Forager Vegan Cheese Shreds are Crafted from Cashewmilk Yogurt
- Go Veggie Vegan Cream Cheese Comes in 3 Flavors and 2 Sizes
- Go Veggie Vegan Parmesan is a Cheesy Grated Style Topping
- Good Planet Cream Cheese Alternative is Spreading to Stores Nationwide
- Good Planet Dairy-Free Cheese Shreds Supply Retail & Food Service
- Good Planet Dairy-Free Cheese Slices are Made for Everyone
- Great Value Dairy-Free Cheese Shreds Launch in Walmart Stores
- Heidi Ho Cheeze Dips Make a Plant-Powered Comeback
- Kite Hill Cream Cheese Style Spread Now Sold in 5 Popular Flavors
- Kite Hill Ricotta is made from Artisan Almond Milk, and Little Else
- Kite Hill Soft Spreadable Cheese will Complete Your Dairy-Free Charcuterie Board
- Miyoko’s Cultured Vegan Cheese Debuts in Nut-Free Slices, Shreds, and Blocks
- Miyoko’s Plant Milk Cheese Sticks are a Better Kind of Cheddar
- Miyoko’s Vegan Cheese Wheels are the Cultured Side of Cashews
- Miyoko’s Vegan Cream Cheese Spreads it on Thick with 3 Classic Flavors
- Miyoko’s Vegan Mozz Fulfills Cravings for Fresh and Smoked Mozzarella
- Miyoko’s Vegan Roadhouse Cheese Spreads Show the Soft Side of Cheddar
- Moocho Dairy-Free Cheese Shreds have Finally Arrived in Stores
- Nooch It Cashew Grated Cheeze is a Plant-Based Take on Parmesan
- Notcho Nocheez is Ready to Spread in 3 Nutty, Cheesy, Dairy-Free Flavors
- Nurishh Dairy-Free Cheese from Bel Brands Plans to Shred Competition
- Nuttin Ordinary Cashew Cheese is Made Simply – No Oil, Dairy, or Gluten
- OATzarella Oat Milk Cheese Wheels are a Cut Above for Food Allergies
- OATzarella Shredded Cheese is Ready to Top Your Allergen-Free Meals
- Parma! Vegan Parmesan is Sold in Classic, Spicy, Garlicky & Bacon Flavors
- Plant Perks Cheeze Spread has Plant-Based Probiotic Benefits
- Sheese Vegan Cheese Blocks, Wedges, and Shreds Cover Every Flavor
- So Delicious Dairy-Free Shreds are a Plant-Based Way to Say Cheese
- So Delicious Dairy-Free Slices are Ready for Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
- So Delicious Plant-Based Cream Cheese is a Plant-Based Alternative
- Spread’Em Kitchen Cashew Soft Cheeze is Cultured in Several Savory Flavors
- Spread’Em Kitchen Firm Cheeze Blocks can be Savoured in 4 Vegan Flavours
- The Honest Stand Dips Spice it Up for Blue Cheese, Ranch & Nacho Fans
- Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese comes in Classic, Flavors, and Whipped
- Tofutti Better Than Ricotta Cheese is a Unique Dairy-Free Alternative
- Tofutti Dairy-Free Cheese Slices are a Vegan American Tradition
- Treeline Aged Artisanal Nut Cheese is a Solid Dairy-Free Option
- Treeline Cashew Cream Cheese Spreads it on Thick in Three Flavors
- Treeline Creamy French-Style Soft Nut Cheese Spreads Flavor on Thick
- Urban Cheesecraft Dairy Free Mixes make Blocks, Wheels, and Sauces
- Vegan Gourmet Cheese Alternative by Follow Your Heart
- Vegan Valley Cashew Cheeze Sauces range from Nacho to Alfredo
- Vevan Dairy-Free Cheese Alternative is Crafted by Artisan Cheesemakers
- Vevan Snax are a Vegan Spin on Cheese, Fruit, and Nut Snack Packs
- Violife Vegan Cheese Blocks are Epic Alternatives for the Holidays
- Violife Vegan Cheese Shreds come in Classic Cheesy Flavors
- Violife Vegan Cheese Slices are Just Like Cheddar and Provolone
- Violife Vegan Feta Cheese Alternative is All Greek to Us
- Violife Vegan Parmesan Wedges into the Dairy Alternative Market
- Vtopian Artisan Cheeses are Cultured, Aged, and Naturally Vegan
- Wayfare Dairy Free Cheese is Ready to Spread, Melt or Dip
- Wayfare Dairy Free Cream Cheese is the First Bean and Oat Variety
For more cheese substitute recipes and tips from my kitchen, see Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living.
*Photo with the two cheese recipes above by Hannah Kaminsky
45 Comments
Hi! I just wanted to recommend another option for cheese. I’ve been lactose intolerant for over 9 years, and have figured out my favorites. For mozzarella, the best I’ve tried is Lisanatti Foods Almond cheese. It’s amazing. I eat it with crackers, it melts on pizza, on a quesadilla, in lasagna. I highly recommend it. They might not carry it in your area, but if you see it, grab it!
Hi Lauren, unfortunately, Lisanatti is not dairy-free cheese. It is lactose-free cheese, but it’s dense with milk protein. It’s a confusing product, since it’s an “almond cheese” but it is not a dairy-free product.
Hello does your site have any tips for dairy free eggnog and cheesecake without gluten cause my mum’s friend reacts horribly to it.
Here’s our holiday beverage round up (with nogs – all gluten-free) -> https://www.godairyfree.org/news/dairy-free-holiday-beverages-vegan-eggnog
We have quite a few posts on dairy-free cheesecakes, store-bought and homemade. Most are or can be gluten-free -> https://www.godairyfree.org/?s=cheesecake
My body produces too much calcium, resulting in kidney stones , any suggestions on NO CALCIUM products ????!!!!
Hi Michele, all natural foods contain at least a little calcium. You are commenting on the cheese page, so I assume you are looking for cheese alternatives. Most dairy-free cheese alternatives are very low in calcium. Just avoid ones made with almonds.