Dairy-free cheeses have had a nasty rap for a very long time. Dismissed as gluey, waxy or simply plain gross, they sit within the “don’t even go there” part of the dairy cooler. Proper? Not any extra.
Should you’re vegan cheese-curious (for well being or sustainability causes), or when you haven’t tried non-dairy substitutes for some time, you’re in luck. Dairy-free cheeses have improved so much over the previous couple of years — and so they’ve additionally turn out to be extra available.
Not too long ago, we surveyed the plant-based panorama to seek out essentially the most pizza-friendly vegan mozzarella choices. Learn on to study which cheeses handed the Ooni soften check (and which fell flat).
A vegan cheese-splosion
The plus aspect of a rising vegan cheese trade? There’s extra to select from than a number of unhappy luggage of crayon-like shreds. The draw back? The vegan cheese part is usually a bit bewildering.
Choices embody chickpea cheese, rice starch cheese and cashew cheese — simply to call a number of. Whether or not you’re vegan or dairy-free by selection or by circumstance (according to the Food Intolerance Network, round 70% of the European inhabitants is lactose illiberal), it may be arduous to pick a model or cheese sort.
Most non-dairy cheeses are shredded. Some are available in “recent” blocks. And the Northern California-headquartered plant-based dairy firm Miyoko’s Creamery has even created a new vegan “mozzarella” that’s — look ahead to it — pourable. Woah.
So which of those choices makes for the most effective pizza?
We did the legwork, gathering (safely) a band of colleagues and pizza lovers from numerous departments — advertising and marketing, culinary, operations, artistic — at our US headquarters in Austin, Texas to prod, poke, style and check pizzas topped with eight completely different vegan cheeses obtainable on the US market (and cooked by our in-house culinary advisor {and professional} pizza chef). Our staff in Edinburgh, Scotland (the place Ooni is predicated), did the identical, surveying eight different vegan cheeses obtainable within the UK.
In these blind style checks, members scored the cheeses on taste, texture, physique and meltability. We tasted all of the cheeses uncooked and cooked (on a pizza). Every cheese topped a skinny, 12-inch dough base — we used our cold-prove recipe — with a easy canned tomato and salt because the sauce. Pizzas have been baked in Ooni Koda 16 ovens at 800°F (425°C) for 60 to 90 seconds: The identical remedy we’d give any dairy cheese.
Two hours after we started consuming, we have been stuffed with pizza (and opinions). We will’t say we’d suggest attempting that many cheeses abruptly ever once more, however we did come to some helpful conclusions — and we got here up with some vegan cheese professional suggestions alongside the way in which. We didn’t rank the cheeses as a result of we thought all of them had one thing to supply, however you can discover our total favourite on the finish of the listing.
Miyoko’s Creamery Organic Cashew Milk Mozzarella
A class chief, Miyoko’s Creamery cashew-based recent “mozzarella” has a wetter consistency than most different vegan pizza cheeses we tried, and comes as a shrink-wrapped sq. as an alternative of typical non-dairy shreds.
In its try to copy fresh-pulled fior di latte, we discovered that Miyoko’s Creamery Natural Cashew Milk Mozzarella targeted extra on texture than taste. The look (a bit extra gray than common mozzarella, however nonetheless white) and really feel have been undoubtedly considerably like the actual factor, however the taste was cardboard-y and when cooked, the cheese was one thing resembling seafoam.
How we’d suggest utilizing it: Miyoko’s Creamery Natural Cashew Milk Mozzarella isn’t horrible, however it doesn’t carry out fairly in addition to the pourable model (we’ll come again to that later). Think about a mid and even post-bake utility (like on an Ohio Valley-style pizza).
Parmela Creamery Plant-Based Mozzarella
This shredded, yellow-white cashew-milk-based vegan mozzarella had some vanilla and coconut notes, which, whereas not disagreeable, weren’t precisely the flavors we thought we’d encounter.
Uncooked, Parmela Creamery Plant-Based mostly Mozzarella had a pleasant mouthfeel and a dairy cheese-like texture. When cooked, it turned considerably pasty, sticking to our tooth in a manner that we didn’t love. Nevertheless, considered one of our testers found that folding the slice stored the cheese from changing into gluey in his mouth: A professional tip, and one other vote in favor of folding a New York slice.
How we’d suggest utilizing it: Think about placing Parmela Creamery Plant-Based mostly Mozzarella on pizzas if the cheese’s sweeter notes will complement spicier flavors (like this vegetarian ‘nduja recipe, for instance).
365 Whole Foods Plant-Based Mozzarella-Style Shreds
Complete Meals’ retailer model, 365, has created a white cheese made from quite a few potato and tapioca starches. Regardless of missing a cashew base, our testers thought that when uncooked, 365 Plant-Based mostly Mozzarella-Fashion Shreds had a nutty taste.
After a bake, there was truly a small cheese pull once we grabbed slices, which is kind of a feat within the vegan cheese world. Some testers thought the browning on the cheese was paying homage to cafeteria-style pizza, which (relying on how nostalgic you’re feeling) isn’t essentially a nasty factor.
How we’d suggest utilizing it: Use 365 Plant-Based mostly Mozzarella-Fashion Shreds on a classic cheese pizza, and even French bread pizza — a la Pizza Friday in grade college.
So Delicious Mozzarella Style Shreds
The So Scrumptious Mozzarella Fashion Shreds recipe depends on coconut oil, potato starch and tapioca dextrose — amongst different components — to create its shreds. The colour is nearer to beige than white, and the style is saltier and extra Parmesan-like than mozzarella. Opinions diverse on its taste, with some testers having fun with the cheese and others discovering it a bit bitter. Everybody agreed that this vegan providing extra precisely imitated a tough, salty ending cheese.
How we’d suggest utilizing it: Use So Scrumptious Mozzarella Fashion Shreds together with one other vegan mozzarella for a salty-fresh cheese mixture, or use it (carefully) as a post-bake ending cheese.
Violife Just Like Mozzarella Shreds
These shiny white shreds look a complete lot like actual cheese — possibly extra like shredded provolone than mozzarella, however nonetheless! Key takeaway? Violife Simply Like Mozzarella Shreds are buttery and slightly candy. One tester in contrast the uncooked taste to buttered film theatre popcorn. That style disappears considerably — however not fully — when the cheese is cooked.
How we’d suggest utilizing it: Embody Violife Simply Like Mozzarella Shreds in vegan tacky garlic dough balls for a dairy-like hit (you can begin your recipe riff with this little number).
Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds
Many of the vegan cheeses we tasted have been a bit versatile and comfortable, however Daiya shreds have been extra inflexible and crumbly. Because the yellowish raw cheese sat out, its floor turned progressively extra oily — so whereas most pizza makers would say by no means to do that with actual cheese, we’d go for going straight from fridge to pizza. When cooked, Daiya Mozzarella Fashion Shreds went from dry to sticky and salty. Just like the So Scrumptious equal, this cheese is marketed as a mozzarella alternative, however it works extra like a Parmesan substitute.
How we’d suggest utilizing it: Combine Daiya Mozzarella Fashion Shreds with a looser cheese for taste, or use it alone on a sourdough base (the cheese’s nutty, salty style will stand as much as the tang in a very good sourdough).
Moocho Dairy-Free Mozzarella Style Shreds
Moocho Dairy-Free Mozzarella Fashion Shreds acquired our highest marks for wanting like legit low-moisture mozzarella. The style was additionally well-received. Although none of our testers would have confused the shreds for dairy, they appreciated the nutty, buttery taste. The draw back? When cooked, the cheese’s texture turns into gluey, which is much less ideally suited.
How we’d suggest utilizing it: Moocho Dairy-Free Mozzarella Fashion Shreds work as a very good dupe in any recipe the place you’d use low-moisture mozzarella — like in a Detroit-style pizza, as an illustration.
The cream of the vegan mozzarella crop
Miyoko’s Creamery Vegan Pizza Mozzarella
Merely put, Miyoko’s Creamery Vegan Pizza Mozzarella is a scientific step ahead for vegan cheese. Most vegan cheeses use some sort of anti-caking agent that retains shreds from clumping — however caking brokers negatively have an effect on meltability. Miyoko’s Creamery eliminates caking brokers and goes straight to the melt.
Particularly engineered to cook dinner up like recent mozzarella on pizza, this superior vegan deal with begins as a liquid, which coagulates beneath warmth. Our testers initially discovered the “Go-Gurt vitality” within the bottle of pourable cheese slightly off-putting, additionally they agreed that it was far-and-away the most effective pizza cheese on the docket.
Out of the bottle, Miyoko’s Creamery Vegan Pizza Mozzarella tasted easy and savory with barely nutty notes. Within the oven, this snow-white cashew-milk primarily based vegan cheese melts and browns, and it echoes the stringy stand-like consistency of a milk-based mozzarella. Sadly, it’s not extensively available in shops simply but, however you may order it online within the meantime.
How we’d suggest utilizing it: Use Miyoko’s Creamery Vegan Pizza Mozzarella as a topping for Margherita pizzas and also you’ll impress actually anybody (skeptical non-vegans included).
Dairy-free cheeses have had a nasty rap for a very long time. Dismissed as gluey, waxy or simply plain gross, they sit within the “don’t even go there” part of the dairy cooler. Proper? Not any extra.
Should you’re vegan cheese-curious (for well being or sustainability causes), or when you haven’t tried non-dairy substitutes for some time, you’re in luck. Dairy-free cheeses have improved so much over the previous couple of years — and so they’ve additionally turn out to be extra available.
Not too long ago, we surveyed the plant-based panorama to seek out essentially the most pizza-friendly vegan mozzarella choices. Learn on to study which cheeses handed the Ooni soften check (and which fell flat).
A vegan cheese-splosion
The plus aspect of a rising vegan cheese trade? There’s extra to select from than a number of unhappy luggage of crayon-like shreds. The draw back? The vegan cheese part is usually a bit bewildering.
Choices embody chickpea cheese, rice starch cheese and cashew cheese — simply to call a number of. Whether or not you’re vegan or dairy-free by selection or by circumstance (according to the Food Intolerance Network, round 70% of the European inhabitants is lactose illiberal), it may be arduous to pick a model or cheese sort.
Most non-dairy cheeses are shredded. Some are available in “recent” blocks. And the Northern California-headquartered plant-based dairy firm Miyoko’s Creamery has even created a new vegan “mozzarella” that’s — look ahead to it — pourable. Woah.
So which of those choices makes for the most effective pizza?
We did the legwork, gathering (safely) a band of colleagues and pizza lovers from numerous departments — advertising and marketing, culinary, operations, artistic — at our US headquarters in Austin, Texas to prod, poke, style and check pizzas topped with eight completely different vegan cheeses obtainable on the US market (and cooked by our in-house culinary advisor {and professional} pizza chef). Our staff in Edinburgh, Scotland (the place Ooni is predicated), did the identical, surveying eight different vegan cheeses obtainable within the UK.
In these blind style checks, members scored the cheeses on taste, texture, physique and meltability. We tasted all of the cheeses uncooked and cooked (on a pizza). Every cheese topped a skinny, 12-inch dough base — we used our cold-prove recipe — with a easy canned tomato and salt because the sauce. Pizzas have been baked in Ooni Koda 16 ovens at 800°F (425°C) for 60 to 90 seconds: The identical remedy we’d give any dairy cheese.
Two hours after we started consuming, we have been stuffed with pizza (and opinions). We will’t say we’d suggest attempting that many cheeses abruptly ever once more, however we did come to some helpful conclusions — and we got here up with some vegan cheese professional suggestions alongside the way in which. We didn’t rank the cheeses as a result of we thought all of them had one thing to supply, however you can discover our total favourite on the finish of the listing.
Miyoko’s Creamery Organic Cashew Milk Mozzarella
A class chief, Miyoko’s Creamery cashew-based recent “mozzarella” has a wetter consistency than most different vegan pizza cheeses we tried, and comes as a shrink-wrapped sq. as an alternative of typical non-dairy shreds.
In its try to copy fresh-pulled fior di latte, we discovered that Miyoko’s Creamery Natural Cashew Milk Mozzarella targeted extra on texture than taste. The look (a bit extra gray than common mozzarella, however nonetheless white) and really feel have been undoubtedly considerably like the actual factor, however the taste was cardboard-y and when cooked, the cheese was one thing resembling seafoam.
How we’d suggest utilizing it: Miyoko’s Creamery Natural Cashew Milk Mozzarella isn’t horrible, however it doesn’t carry out fairly in addition to the pourable model (we’ll come again to that later). Think about a mid and even post-bake utility (like on an Ohio Valley-style pizza).
Parmela Creamery Plant-Based Mozzarella
This shredded, yellow-white cashew-milk-based vegan mozzarella had some vanilla and coconut notes, which, whereas not disagreeable, weren’t precisely the flavors we thought we’d encounter.
Uncooked, Parmela Creamery Plant-Based mostly Mozzarella had a pleasant mouthfeel and a dairy cheese-like texture. When cooked, it turned considerably pasty, sticking to our tooth in a manner that we didn’t love. Nevertheless, considered one of our testers found that folding the slice stored the cheese from changing into gluey in his mouth: A professional tip, and one other vote in favor of folding a New York slice.
How we’d suggest utilizing it: Think about placing Parmela Creamery Plant-Based mostly Mozzarella on pizzas if the cheese’s sweeter notes will complement spicier flavors (like this vegetarian ‘nduja recipe, for instance).
365 Whole Foods Plant-Based Mozzarella-Style Shreds
Complete Meals’ retailer model, 365, has created a white cheese made from quite a few potato and tapioca starches. Regardless of missing a cashew base, our testers thought that when uncooked, 365 Plant-Based mostly Mozzarella-Fashion Shreds had a nutty taste.
After a bake, there was truly a small cheese pull once we grabbed slices, which is kind of a feat within the vegan cheese world. Some testers thought the browning on the cheese was paying homage to cafeteria-style pizza, which (relying on how nostalgic you’re feeling) isn’t essentially a nasty factor.
How we’d suggest utilizing it: Use 365 Plant-Based mostly Mozzarella-Fashion Shreds on a classic cheese pizza, and even French bread pizza — a la Pizza Friday in grade college.
So Delicious Mozzarella Style Shreds
The So Scrumptious Mozzarella Fashion Shreds recipe depends on coconut oil, potato starch and tapioca dextrose — amongst different components — to create its shreds. The colour is nearer to beige than white, and the style is saltier and extra Parmesan-like than mozzarella. Opinions diverse on its taste, with some testers having fun with the cheese and others discovering it a bit bitter. Everybody agreed that this vegan providing extra precisely imitated a tough, salty ending cheese.
How we’d suggest utilizing it: Use So Scrumptious Mozzarella Fashion Shreds together with one other vegan mozzarella for a salty-fresh cheese mixture, or use it (carefully) as a post-bake ending cheese.
Violife Just Like Mozzarella Shreds
These shiny white shreds look a complete lot like actual cheese — possibly extra like shredded provolone than mozzarella, however nonetheless! Key takeaway? Violife Simply Like Mozzarella Shreds are buttery and slightly candy. One tester in contrast the uncooked taste to buttered film theatre popcorn. That style disappears considerably — however not fully — when the cheese is cooked.
How we’d suggest utilizing it: Embody Violife Simply Like Mozzarella Shreds in vegan tacky garlic dough balls for a dairy-like hit (you can begin your recipe riff with this little number).
Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds
Many of the vegan cheeses we tasted have been a bit versatile and comfortable, however Daiya shreds have been extra inflexible and crumbly. Because the yellowish raw cheese sat out, its floor turned progressively extra oily — so whereas most pizza makers would say by no means to do that with actual cheese, we’d go for going straight from fridge to pizza. When cooked, Daiya Mozzarella Fashion Shreds went from dry to sticky and salty. Just like the So Scrumptious equal, this cheese is marketed as a mozzarella alternative, however it works extra like a Parmesan substitute.
How we’d suggest utilizing it: Combine Daiya Mozzarella Fashion Shreds with a looser cheese for taste, or use it alone on a sourdough base (the cheese’s nutty, salty style will stand as much as the tang in a very good sourdough).
Moocho Dairy-Free Mozzarella Style Shreds
Moocho Dairy-Free Mozzarella Fashion Shreds acquired our highest marks for wanting like legit low-moisture mozzarella. The style was additionally well-received. Although none of our testers would have confused the shreds for dairy, they appreciated the nutty, buttery taste. The draw back? When cooked, the cheese’s texture turns into gluey, which is much less ideally suited.
How we’d suggest utilizing it: Moocho Dairy-Free Mozzarella Fashion Shreds work as a very good dupe in any recipe the place you’d use low-moisture mozzarella — like in a Detroit-style pizza, as an illustration.
The cream of the vegan mozzarella crop
Miyoko’s Creamery Vegan Pizza Mozzarella
Merely put, Miyoko’s Creamery Vegan Pizza Mozzarella is a scientific step ahead for vegan cheese. Most vegan cheeses use some sort of anti-caking agent that retains shreds from clumping — however caking brokers negatively have an effect on meltability. Miyoko’s Creamery eliminates caking brokers and goes straight to the melt.
Particularly engineered to cook dinner up like recent mozzarella on pizza, this superior vegan deal with begins as a liquid, which coagulates beneath warmth. Our testers initially discovered the “Go-Gurt vitality” within the bottle of pourable cheese slightly off-putting, additionally they agreed that it was far-and-away the most effective pizza cheese on the docket.
Out of the bottle, Miyoko’s Creamery Vegan Pizza Mozzarella tasted easy and savory with barely nutty notes. Within the oven, this snow-white cashew-milk primarily based vegan cheese melts and browns, and it echoes the stringy stand-like consistency of a milk-based mozzarella. Sadly, it’s not extensively available in shops simply but, however you may order it online within the meantime.
How we’d suggest utilizing it: Use Miyoko’s Creamery Vegan Pizza Mozzarella as a topping for Margherita pizzas and also you’ll impress actually anybody (skeptical non-vegans included).
