Sheese Vegan Cheese products have danced in and out of the U.S. market, but they have persisted for many years in the U.K. There line of dairy-free hard cheese alternatives is also gluten-free and soy-free, and it comes in both classic and unique varieties.
Sheese Vegan Cheese Blocks, Wedges, and Shreds Cover Every Flavor
Over the years, Sheese has discontinued some flavors, but they’ve also added more. At last count, they had 11 vegan cheese blocks, 3 wedges, and 4 grated varieties. And that’s just the hard cheese alternatives. They also make Creamy Sheese in several flavors.
We’ve only sampled a few of the current flavors. And because there are so many varieties, I’m going to cover just the ones we tried in detail, but I’ll include a list of all flavors. And you can leave your own rating and review below for any flavors that you try!
Mature Cheddar-Style
The flavor wasn’t as bold as I expected, to my delight. It had a pleasant cheddar Sheese flavor with a bit of a sour tang. As a snack with crackers it was good, though a touch sharp for my taste buds. It grated quite well, so I decided to use it to make a sauce.
I heated a few tablespoons of unsweetened milk beverage in a pan, and gradually began sprinkling in shreds of the Cheddar-Style Sheese. It melted! I was so excited. I kept adding Sheese until it reached my desired thickness. Fresh out of macaroni, I poured it atop some rice, green onions, and sweet potatoes. It tasted incredible, and the texture was smooth and rich. But it must be served warm – once cool, it was far less appealing.
Ingredients: water, coconut oil (21%), modified potato starch, maize starch, gluten free oat fibre, modified maize starch, thickeners (carrageenan, guar gum), salt, natural flavourings, yeast extract, acidity regulators (lactic acid, sodium lactate), colour (mixed carotenes).
Nutrition (per 100 grams): 304 calories, 22.9g fat, 21.7g carbs, 4g fiber, .2g sugars (includes g added sugars), .7g protein.*
Blue-Style
During my short stint of dairy, my husband introduced me to blue cheese. Though not a fanatic, I had to admit it was great on salads. I am happy to say that the Blue-Style Sheese truly met my expectations. It didn’t shout “blue” when I first bit in, but as it melted on my tongue, that distinct blue cheese flavor emerged. The taste wasn’t tangy or sharp, but rather somewhat mellow and full-bodied.
Ingredients: water, coconut oil (25%), modified potato starch, maize starch, gluten free oat fibre, modified maize starch, thickeners (carrageenan, guar gum), natural flavourings, salt, tricalcium citrate, acidity regulators (lactic acid, sodium lactate), plant and vegetable concentrates (spirulina, safflower, carrot, apple), colour (mixed carotenes).
Nutrition (per 100 grams): 327 calories, 26.8g fat, 18.6g carbs, 4.7g fiber, .5g sugars (includes g added sugars), .4g protein.*
All Sheese Vegan “Hard Cheese” Flavors
Blocks
- Cheddar Style with Caramelized Red Onion
- Mature Cheddar Style
- Mild Cheddar Style
- Red Leicester Style
- Smoked German Style
- Edam Style
- Gouda Style
- Greek Style
- Wensleydale Style with Cranberries
- Cheddar Style with Jalapeno & Chillis
- Cheddar Style with Garlic & Chives
Wedges
- Strong Cheddar
- French Blue Style
- English Blue Style
Grated / Shreds
- Mozzarella Style
- Mild Cheddar Style
- Mature Cheddar Style
- Hard Italian Style
Does Sheese Melt?
Unfortunately, even the thinnest shreds didn’t pass the melting test. Even under the broiler for a good three minutes, the only thing that began to change were the tips of the Sheese, which started to burn! I removed it to discover “cheese” that looked identical to its pre-melting attempt. However, I must confess that it did have a warm cheesy taste that was soft enough for a melt in your mouth experience. Not quite the ooey-gooey result I was hoping for, but not bad.
Okay, so melting in the oven didn’t quite work. What about the stovetop, in a quesadilla? I assembled your standard vegan quesadilla and it worked! The Sheese did seem to melt; yet no cheesy strings lingered. In fact, it tasted really soft, and a bit pasty. Though I took pleasure in the idea of my very first vegan quesadilla, the rest of the Cheddar-Style wheel will be gracing my lunchtime sandwiches.
My Extra Sheese Notes & Tips
- If you are seeking a cheese that will gracefully melt atop your pizza, or pull into a stringy rope as you tear into your grilled cheese sandwich, the food scientists are still working. However, Sheese is an excellent tasting vegan cheese alternative, and worth a trial.
- Each Sheese comes packaged as a wheel within a wonderful re-sealable package. Though the seal tends to wear out after a few days of opening and closing, it can easily be taped to maintain freshness.
- When heating the Sheese on the stovetop, be sure to melt it over low heat, stirring continuously, it should only take a few minutes.
- Though the Sheeses do not melt well in the oven, they perform nicely within baked goods. Some Jalapeno Corn Bread w/ Cheddar Style Sheese is next on my baking agenda.
The Facts on Sheese Dairy Free Cheese Alternative
Availability: Sheese primarily sold in the U.K. It can be found in major chains like Asda, Tesco, and Holland & Barrett.
Certifications: Sheese Dairy Free Cheese Alternatives are Certified Kosher Pareve and Certified Vegan.
Dietary Notes: By ingredients, Sheese Dairy Free Cheese Alternatives are dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, vegan, and vegetarian.*
For More Product Information: Visit the Bute Island Foods website at www.buteisland.com.
*Always read the ingredient and nutrition statement prior to consumption. Ingredients, processes, and labeling are subject to change at any time for any company or product. Contact the company to discuss their manufacturing processes if potential allergen cross-contamination is an issue for you. No food product can be guaranteed “safe” for every individual’s needs. You should never rely on ingredient and allergen statements alone if dealing with a severe food allergy.
9 Comments
Wow… I was so excited to find this cheese source!
Unfortunately, the ingredients of every cheese they sell contains carrageenan (a major migraine trigger for many people), so it won’t be in our household. :/
HI. Thanks for such an in-depth review! I live in the UK and Sheese has actually changed a lot over the last few years, and the latest ones actually melt exceptionally well. Although Bute Island have supplied the largest supermarket chain in the UK – Tesco, since 2013 with 5 flavours, their latest offerings are available from Sainsbury’s (2nd largest chain, with 7 flavours and are far superior to those, at least at the moment anyhow) and if you’re aware of the social media phenomenon of “gary” (if not search “gary vegan cheese”) this is where it all started. I wrote a humourous tribute to the range https://www.facebook.com/arthur.lancaster.7/posts/1267825463247781 There is a Greek style which is fantastic, plus a Wensleydale with Cranberries, plus a grated Cheddar which is perfect on pizza, but I dare say you’ll be able to get samples for all of these real soon, along with their fab Creamy Sheese too! I’m sure they would send you some of each if you asked for samples. 🙂
Thanks for sharing all of this Arthur!
My local Co-op (Yelm WA) used to stock Sheese and then stopped. Anywhere we can buy in the USA now – online or somewhere. We are Brits living in the US and hope we can buy this again soon.
Thank you,
Eleanor
They’re tough to find in the US Eleanor, but I spoke with them in March and they said they were expanding distribution.
Is this product availiable in the US or have an online site that ships this product to the US?
It was, then it was pulled, then they said they were coming back to the US (even talked to them at a trade show IN the US), but I still can’t find them.
I tried daiya, choa, meyoko, kite hill, tofutti, go veggie, and follow your heart. They don’t seem to give me what I’m looking for. I have been a vegitarian for a year now and really want to become vegan but finding an alternative cheese that works for me have been really tough. Are there any you can recommend that doesn’t have a weird texture or after taste to it?
Please and thank you
Hi Quatasia, it can be really hard to fall in love with a dairy-free cheese if you’re still eating dairy cheese, as your taste buds will always be comparing the two. No two foods are identical, so a dairy-free cheese can’t be dairy cheese, but it can be something else delicious. Also, the different types you mention have different places that they shine. I think this post might help you out – I include tips in it -> http://www.godairyfree.org/news/cheese-addiction