I’m getting closer to my fifth decade on earth and a lot of diets don’t seem like any kind of abstinence anymore. So, many diets or health fads, as some might call it, have come and gone and each has benefits to offer. Hey, even 60% out of the year eating dairy free or dairy free pizza for that matter isn’t so depressing anymore.
But if you’re screaming emphatically: “Cheese IS Pizza”, I hear you. As they say: “cheese finds its way into everything in Italy — where cheese is a national pride”. Furthermore, Italy is the birthplace of pizza because pizza as we know it today is derived from the flatbed dishes of Naples (18th – early 19th century). But, as we have it, in today’s fickle and brazenly unhesitating world, where tradition often gets usurped by innovation, dairy free pizzas are now the fad — and the norm.
This is not to say cheese free food is bad, so let’s have a look at the dairy free pizza or dairy free cheese pizza options available.
Vegan Cheese: The Bad, the Good, the Pretty and the Ugly
Whether you’re a noob or an old hand, cheese free pizza can’t be bad so let’s check out these options, recipes and upsides that make veganism or vegetarianism a plus in your lifestyle. This is in no way discounting other equally healthy lifestyles and diets. But, first off, here are the different vegan sources:
Vegan cheese is sourced from many different plants:
Soy, derived from soybeans native to East Asia. One of the most common vegan cheese ingredients.
Tofu, a form of soy protein, is frequently used in vegan cheese production.
Nuts and seeds, including almonds, cashews, and sunflower seeds, provide another popular base.
Tapioca, extracted from cassava plants, lends stretchiness to vegan cheese, mimicking the melt and browning properties of traditional pizza cheese.
Coconut in various forms—milk, cream, and oil—adds creaminess to vegan cheeses, although flavourings are often necessary to achieve the desired taste.
Different Ways of Making Vegan Cheese
It’s not a far cry to say that human beings are creative when achieving goals. Of the many ways that vegan cheese have been produced, there are many:
Vegan cheese making is in and of itself a specialised craft, fascinating many in culinary. With more demand for dairy free alternatives, the meticulous process of creating vegan cheese has evolved into a true culinary art form. In keeping with the rising demand for cheese free options, we explore the many possible ways of vegan cheese making, and at the same time look in to how so many ‘extraordinaire’-s have successfully duplicated and even bettered actual cheese dishes.
The goal when making vegan cheese is to get it to resemble the textures and flavours of dairy cheeses as much as possible. And of the many bases that’s been experimented with, soy and tofu have been found to be the best for achieving these results: making vegan cheese so creamy. The bacteria in the separation process of said proteins is what’s responsible for the vegan, cheesy, creaminess.
But as far as cheeses go, taste is another top trait that a turophile or cheese connoisseur goes for. Here’s where other vegan edibles like seeds: sunflower; nuts: almonds and cashews come in. These tasty seeds diversify flavours for vegan cheeses and some might even say are richer and creamier than soy and tofu as vegan cheese bases. To help make vegan cheese really creamy and achieve that mouthful milky goodness, vegan cheesemakers add nutritional yeast and probiotic cultures in the fermentation process.
Next after texture and taste, is stretchiness which is in a league of its own as far as pizzas go. For stretch, or gooey-ness, tapioca comes out on top. When using tapioca as the base for your vegan cheese pizza, a kind of meltability happens that closely resembles the classic pizza dairy cheese. Another popular vegan ingredient is coconut which lends a velvety creaminess to vegan cheese, although some adjustments in taste may be needed to get that authentic cheese flavour due to the distinct coconut taste.mentation Process: Similar to t
What’s in a Fermentation Process?
If you didn’t already know, vegan cheese pizza also goes through a fermentation process just like its dairy cheese counterparts. During this process, plant proteins are separated which results in vegan cheese being made and following the separation, thickening agents such as oils and other ingredients are added in until the vegan cheesemaker gets to the point of ideal balance of taste and texture of the vegan cheese.
Cheese Shapes and Sizes
Vegan cheese aesthetics is not overlooked, fyi. When stepping out cheese or grocery shopping, you’ll find vegan cheeses shaped just like dairy cheeses in blocks, shreddable and grate-able. It’s clear here that vegan cheesemakers and fromagers have gone all out in making vegan cheese all about the experience as well as being a countable alternative.
Artisan Cheesemakers in the Market
The art of vegan cheese making has given rise to a multitude of artisanal cheesemakers who excel in creating high-quality, flavourful plant-based cheeses. Miyoko’s Creamery, known for its European-style cultured vegan cheeses, offers a range of options that appeal to both vegans and non-vegans alike. Violife, another notable brand, has gained acclaim for its meltable and delicious vegan cheese varieties, suitable for diverse culinary applications.
The rise of vegan cheesemaking means more artisanal cheesemakers in the market. There are a few that stick out as vegan cheesemakers that excel in whipping up the best and most mouthwatering plant based cheeses.
- Miyoko’s Creamery: Known for its European-style cultured vegan cheeses, offers a range of options that appeal to vegans and non-vegans.
- Violife: Another notable brand, has gained acclaim for its meltable and delicious vegan cheese varieties, suitable for diverse culinary applications.
- Basic Roots: Family owned company offering non-dairy, vegan cheeses. Popular for their Truffle Brie Style Cheese.
- Fresh Start Fauxmage: Founded by actor and singer, Julain Molnar who has been a plant-based most of her life, Fresh Start’s dairy free cheese products are mostly based on almond cheese formulations.
Does the Cheese Fit?
You may be a lifelong vegan/vegetarian or new to the game of dairy-less diets. If you’re finding out if a dairy-free cheese pizza is for you, knowing how dairy free cheeses are made will only either intrigue you into trying out more dairy free cheese dishes or at least reassure you that they are just as creamy and flavourful. And as more artisanal cheesemakers explore the vegan cheese market, there’ll only be more and better dairy free pizzas to have.
