In case you’re conversant in TikTok, you’re possible conversant in feta cheese pasta. However should you don’t get the hyperlink, allow us to catch you up: in 2021, a easy, oven-baked recipe that includes feta cheese and tomatoes went viral on the video-sharing app. On the time, it boosted gross sales of the cheese globally, and since then, demand hasn’t slowed down. So far, #bakedfetapasta has exceeded a whopping 204 million views.
A lot of the TikTok movies use conventional feta, which is predominantly created from sheep’s milk, however it’s doable to purchase (or make) a dairy-free model, too. The truth is, demand for vegan feta cheese can be rising, notes Jocelyn Robertson, who works as director of name advertising and marketing for plant-based model Daiya.
Launched within the US in 2022, Robertson confirmed to VegNews that the model’s vegan feta has been flying off the cabinets. “Fairly rapidly we’ve seen gross sales of our Feta Fashion Block match a lot of our different cheeze blocks within the class,” she stated. “It’s apparent the demand is there.”
Whereas the quantity of vegan feta merchandise in the marketplace isn’t fairly on the stage of mozzarella or cheddar alternate options but, along with Daiya, a lot of vegan manufacturers supply dairy-free feta merchandise. We’ve included the place to purchase it under. However should you can’t come up with store-bought vegan feta, you could possibly additionally make it your self. Learn on to seek out a few of our prime recipe picks.
Daiya
However first, let’s discover out extra about what feta cheese is, in addition to how you should utilize it in a variety of dishes—past the TikTok-famous pasta, though the vegan model of that recipe is scrumptious.
Is feta cheese vegan?
Feta, which originates from Greece, could also be new to a few of the Gen-Zers on TikTok, nevertheless it’s truly one of many oldest cheeses on the planet. One of many first recorded mentions was in 1494, however meals historians consider the crumbly, salty cheese is derived from an 8,000-year-old recipe.
As a result of feta cheese is historically made with sheep’s milk, or typically a mix of sheep and goat’s milk (and now, some variations are sometimes made with cow’s milk), it isn’t vegan.
Romy London
That stated, some who keep away from dairy select to make an exception for feta cheese. This can be as a result of they like the style, however for a lot of, this will likely have extra to do with lactose. It’s estimated that as much as 50 million People endure with lactose intolerance, which implies they’ll’t break down the lactose in cow’s milk. However feta is way decrease in lactose, making it barely simpler to digest.
“It actually got here right down to the truth that feta is likely one of the most bought and used merchandise amongst plant-based cheese patrons,” Roberston stated concerning Daiya’s launch of vegan feta.
Nevertheless, it’s value noting that, identical to common cow’s milk, goat and sheep’s milk merchandise are related to cruelty.
One investigation by Italian animal-rights group Essere Animali discovered 5,000 sheep “imprisoned in concrete sheds” with no entry to the skin on the nation’s largest intensive sheep milk farm. Similar to dairy cows, they’re repeatedly artificially inseminated in order that they’ll produce milk. After they can’t produce milk anymore, they’re slaughtered for meat.
In 2022, one other investigation discovered violence and neglect on an intensive goat farm that provides milk and cheese within the UK.
The place to purchase vegan feta cheese
In case you love the style of feta, however don’t love animal cruelty, you should purchase vegan feta cheese. It isn’t fairly as well-liked as different dairy-free alternate options but, however issues might be about to alter.
Violife
As demand rises for the traditional model (the market is ready to hit $19 billion by 2030), it’s possible that, identical to Daiya, extra vegan manufacturers will launch their very own variations. In spite of everything, the dairy alternate options market is hovering, too. By 2029, it’s anticipated to hit a worth of greater than $61 billion.
However should you’re craving vegan feta cheese now, excellent news: you have already got choices!
Vegan feta cheese manufacturers
Listed here are a few of the greatest merchandise in the marketplace and the place to purchase them.
Observe Your Coronary heart
1 Observe Your Coronary heart
Vegan model Observe Your Coronary heart gives Dairy-Free Feta Cheese Crumbles that may simply be subbed into any of your favourite recipes. Made with coconut oil, they’re soy-free and gluten-free too. Observe Your Coronary heart’s merchandise are on sale in 23 international locations, together with the UK, Eire, Spain, Mexico, Australia, and, in fact, the US. Yow will discover the crumbles on sale in a lot of American shops, together with Publix, Sprouts, and Entire Meals.
FIND IT HERE
Daiya
2 Daiya
As talked about above, within the US, Daiya launched its vegan feta cheese different in 2022 with enormous success. “We use olive oil (together with oats), and I believe that helps shoppers join with the Mediterranean roots of the product,” Robertson explains. “Our R&D crew labored so arduous to make sure that it was as near the ‘actual’ factor as you could possibly get and perhaps even higher, making it an easy swap for these switching to plant-based choices.”
Daiya’s merchandise are distributed in additional than 20 international locations, together with the UK, Australia, Canada, and the US. Discover its merchandise in a variety of supermarkets, together with Goal, Entire Meals, and Wegmans.
FIND IT HERE
Violife
3 Violife
As a Greek model, it’s unsurprising that Violife is already on board the vegan feta cheese prepare. Its coconut oil-based Greek white vegan cheese crumbles identical to the true deal, plus it’s nut-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and fortified with B12. Violife’s merchandise can be found in additional than 50 international locations. Within the US, you should purchase it from shops together with Entire Meals and Sprouts.
FIND IT HERE
Good Planet Meals
4Good Planet Meals
Like Daiya, Good Planet Meals’ Greek-Fashion Feta is created from a base of olive oil to attain the signature style and soften of dairy feta. The model takes it up a notch, including briny olives and garden-fresh oregano to its cheese for a novel, flavorful expertise. Discover Good Planet Meals at retailers together with Entire Meals, Sprouts, Wegmans, and the on-line grocery retailer Imperfect Meals.
Sheese
5
Sheese
Scottish model Sheese gives a variety of vegan cheese blocks, from French Fashion Blue to Smoked German Fashion. Its Greek Fashion choice mimics feta, with a white look and barely crumbly texture. The vegan cheese is so near the true factor, it has even been nominated for awards, and in 2016 it positioned Bronze in Eire’s Free From Awards.
Sheese is available in shops and on-line world wide, together with in Europe, North America, and Australia.
FIND IT HERE
How one can use vegan feta cheese
Similar to common feta, vegan feta cheese can be utilized in a lot of recipes. You’ll be able to sprinkle it on a salad, crumble it over a soup, add it to a grazing board alongside olives or sundried tomatoes, pop it on a pizza, or use it to stuff a pepper. The choices are countless. In case you’re craving pasta, however need one thing rather less TikTok, you could possibly do that recipe for Vegan Angel Hair Pasta With Lemon, Kale, and Feta.
How one can make vegan feta cheese
In case you fancy the problem of constructing your individual vegan feta cheese from residence, there are just a few choices out there to you. A lot of the recipes on-line name for tofu, as a result of it carefully mimics feta in look, however you could possibly additionally strive completely different nuts, which can assist you to to nail the feel. Or if you need one thing allergen-free, you could possibly give chickpea flour a whirl. No matter your choice, listed here are 5 completely different recipes to select from.
Vegan feta cheese recipes
Give these vegan feta recipes a go.
Ed Tatton
1 Vegan Feta Cheese With Macadamia
Macadamia nuts and a high-speed blender are the 2 key elements of this recipe for ultra-realistic vegan feta cheese. With out the latter, you’ll wrestle to get the specified impact. But when your blender isn’t fairly as highly effective, you don’t have to surrender. Simply hold mixing for longer till the feel is extremely easy and creamy.
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Nora Cooks
2 Vegan Feta Cheese With Cashews
Nail that tangy, briny style with this vegan feta cheese recipe, which depends on a cashew cream base and combines it with components like lemon juice and vinegar. It’s simple to make and fast too, because the prep takes simply 10 minutes. You don’t even want to recollect to soak your cashews first!
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The Hidden Veggies
3 Vegan Feta Cheese With Tofu
Look-wise, you’ll be able to’t get higher than tofu with regards to making vegan feta cheese. The 2 components look virtually an identical. However to pack within the taste, this recipe requires dietary yeast, oregano, and garlic powder, in addition to apple cider vinegar for acidity.
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Yup, It’s Vegan
4 Vegan Feta Cheese With Almond
This recipe is a bit more labor-intensive, however belief us, it’s value it. You must take away the skins from almonds, which implies soaking them in sizzling water earlier than mixing them with all the components. However after that, you simply bake it within the oven. How lengthy you allow it in there is determined by the feel you’re craving. If you’d like creamy, give it much less time.
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Energy Hungry
5 Vegan Feta Cheese With Chickpea Flour
Many vegan cheese recipes depend on nuts, which might be difficult for these with nut allergic reactions. However with dairy-free feta, you don’t should miss out, as a result of, as this recipe demonstrates, you too can make a scrumptious different with chickpea flour.
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For extra on vegan cheese, learn:
Charlotte is a VegNews editor and author primarily based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
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