Does the thought of never having cheese again put you off wanting to become a vegan, or do you miss it now that you are vegan? Or perhaps you aren’t looking to go vegan, but are looking for a lactose-free cheese option. Hopefully this in-depth Violife cheese review will help you find something you truly love!
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For me, one of the worst things about going vegan 3 years ago was the thought of never having cheese again. At one point i would go through at least a block of stilton and/or cheddar a week – it was on everything! From toast, pizza and jacket potatoes, to pasta, and even having chunks of it on it’s own.
Yes, i was an addict! Since going vegan i’ve tried MANY different vegan cheese alternatives to find something even slightly similar and none even slightly came close – until i tried some of the Violife products, along with some of the other vegan options listed below.
Brands Of Vegan Cheese
These days, finding a vegan cheese alternative isn’t all that difficult as there are so many available – especially here in the UK.
Here are some of the brands we love that taste and react similarly to the real thing…
- Violife (Of course)
- Applewood Vegan Cheese
- Catherdral City
- Tesco Plant Based Cheese
- Philadelphia Plant-Based Almond & Oat Soft Cheese Alternative
- Nurishh – Vegan Camembert
- Sheese Mild Cheddar Style Cheese Alternative
- Mexicana Vegan Jalapeno & Chilli Peppers
So, if you’re on a plant-based diet, there are plenty of ways you can still enjoy the taste of cheese – whether a hard cheese, or a cream cheese alternative.
Who Are Violife?
Based out of Greece, Violife produces an award-winning 100% vegan cheese. Not only is it vegan, their cheeses are also free of – dairy, preservatives, lactose, nuts, soya and gluten. However, being based out of Greece you might think it’s hard to come by. That’s actually not the case at all as they are now in most UK supermarkets.
What Are The Different Types Of Violife Cheese?
Another great thing about violife are the selection they have on offer to their consumers. They have everything from – grated and sliced cheeses, to camembert, cream cheeses and just about everything in between. There is a whopping 32 different varieties and flavours to choose from in their range so far. Here are just a few…
- Epic Mature Cheddar Flavour Grated
- Viocreme
- Violife Le Rond Mild Camembert
- Mozzarella Shreds
- Vioblock
- Viospread
- Violife Original Flavour Slices
- Smoky Cheddar Flavour Slices
- Cocospread
- Epic Mature Cheddar Flavour Block
- Original Slices
- Violife Greek White Block
- Mediterranean Style Grill Me
- Prosociano Wedge
- Blu Wedge
As a side note the vegan cheese slices work best when used slightly warm in a vegan burger perhaps. Cold, they can be a little rubbery, not so much like the real cheddar slices, so not great to use in cheese sandwiches. However, the hard block cheese is ideal in sandwiches as it taste more like the real deal.
However, that being said, i’ve only seen a few of these in the supermarkets here in the UK so far – grated, sliced and the block of cheddar. Maybe you might find more in larger supermarkets, or it could just be that the rest are still on their way to the UK stores.
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Does It Taste Like Real Cheese?
This Violife cheese review wouldn’t be complete without mentioning what it actually tastes like. So…
OK, so as it isn’t real cheese, nothing will taste exactly how cheese does. Go in to it trying not to compare it to real cheese – because it isn’t. However, this is the ONLY vegan cheese i have tried that gets as close as it probably ever could.
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If you are new to trying vegan cheeses, we recommend you start with either the grated, or the sliced cheeses as these are the closest you will get in both taste and texture. There are many vegan recipes you could use this cheese in, or simply use in a sandwich, or sprinkled over some pasta – even on a jacket potato.
Does Violife Cheese Melt?
One of the main questions when it comes to vegan cheese is – does it melt?
It’s pretty much the same as you would eat normal cheese. However, the main difference is how it melts. As it’s made from mainly coconut oil, it doesn’t take much for it to melt – or to burn if used in the oven, so do keep that in mind.
If you were to have this plant-based cheese on a vegan pizza, for example, watch that the cheese doesn’t burn. Perhaps put these vegan cheddar cheeses on your pizza half way through instead – if that’s possible.
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For example, if sprinkled over warm pasta, it will melt and go creamy within about a minute. If you use it in the oven, it doesn’t melt quite so well and after approx 10 minutes it will tend to start going harder and crispy. Other than that, eat it just as you would the non vegan alternative.
However, the Violife le rond camembert flavour plant-based cheese melts amazingly well. You still get the soft and luxuriously creamy melted cheese as you would with the regular dairy cheese camembert. Ideal for dipping in your tortilla chips, or vegan bread without needing any dairy products.
Even large companies in the UK such as Pizza hut have started using the Violife vegan cheeses in their recipes.
What Is Violife Vegan Cheese Made From?
As briefly mentioned above, the Violife vegan cheeses are mainly made from coconut oil. Although you’d never know this from the taste at all.
Other ingredients include water, modified starch, sea salt, ground sunflower kernels and flavourings.
Is Vegan Cheese Healthy?
Although coconut oil is better for you in terms of nutrition, it is still very high in fat and calories so do take this in to account when eating this vegan cheese. However, this vegan cheese is also fortified with vitamin B12 which is said to aid in supporting bone health and may improve mood and symptoms of depression.
Just because something is labelled as vegan it does NOT mean it’s better for you, or healthier. As with everything when it comes to food, if you eat a well-balanced vegan diet, nothing should be considered as being ‘off limits’.
Final Thoughts
Violife is definitely one of the best vegan cheese brands.
Yes, i do absolutely recommend these different vegan cheeses as a good alternative. It tastes great, melts perfectly and works well in a number of recipes. I love that there are so many different varieties and flavours to choose from and pretty well priced too.
If you’re still on the fence, give it a try, i’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
Hopefully you have found this Violife cheese review helpful, however if you do have any questions, please do comment below.
Incase you’re looking for some super tasty vegan recipes, here are some of our favourites…
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