Nut-Free Vegan Cheeses for People With Nut Allergies

As many vegetarians will tell you, cheese is probably the main reason why most tend not to go vegan. I can definitely say the same for myself. Dairy cheese was hard to give up, but not just because it tasted good. When shopping for vegan cheese, you must be careful and thoroughly read the ingredients because certain brands use nuts.

Vegan cheese and nut allergy

Cashews seem to be the most commonly used nuts among certain vegan cheese brands, and while I'm sure they taste good, it is definitely a bummer to see cashews on the label. I'm allergic to nuts, so I need to be extra careful. Thankfully there are plenty of brands that don't use nuts at all and still have some pretty great-tasting products out there. These are a few of my favorite nut-free vegan cheeses.

Nut-free vegan cheese brands

Violife

I like this brand of vegan cheese a lot. All of their products are, of course, nut-free. They offer many different flavors and types of cheese. Not only do they have classic shreds and slices, but they also have cream cheese, feta, parmesan, and even a grillable cheese that is supposed to mimic the taste and texture of Halloumi.

One of my favorite products from Violife that I tried recently was a holiday cheese sampler. It was a box of 4 kinds of cheese that included mature cheddar, gouda, smoked gouda, and cranberry mozzarella. My favorite out of those ended up being the smoked gouda!

Chao

Chao brand vegan cheese products are another favorite of mine. Their "Creamy Original" package of cheese slices is one of my favorites for sandwiches and burgers. It melts pretty well for vegan cheese and has a cheesy and tangy flavor. In addition to being nut-free, their cheese slices have some unique flavors, such as Spicy Original, Garden Herb, and Tomato Cayenne. Their Tomato Cayenne flavor is one of my all-time favorite vegan cheeses and definitely worth trying if you prefer something with a bit of a kick.

Aldi

Aldi's vegan mozzarella and cheddar shreds are reasonably priced. While these don't get perfectly melty like dairy cheese, I mention these because you don't have to pay a whole lot to enjoy them.

Both of these flavors have the cheesiness you are looking for that will satisfy those cravings. They are great for quesadillas, a grilled cheese sandwich, or mixing into a sauce or gravy. As I mentioned at the start, they don't get too melty, so they aren't ideal on top of a pizza or casserole, but I always have a bag of this cheese in my fridge for whenever I want to indulge.

Vegan cheese can work for many allergies

While I personally don't feel that any diet should be composed primarily of processed foods, I do think that these cheeses are a nice thing to have sometimes and can also be helpful for people working on transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle.

On top of being great options for people with nut allergies, these products can be great cheese alternatives for people with a dairy allergy or lactose intolerance.

With plant-based living on the rise, who knows what type of products will be available in the future? I'm just grateful that there are products and companies that have those of us with nut allergies in mind.