Rhett & Link Taste Their Way Through Vegan Cheeses

Rhett & Link tried six cheeses from well-known known vegan brands to find out “which are trash and which are treats.” They were able to determine the best of the best vegan cheeses through sniffing, tasting, and pairing each one to bring out their very best notes. For all the lactose intolerant folks and vegan eaters out there, this one’s for you! Check out our boys’ ranking below to find out how the vegan big-leaguers stacked up. (And for even more vegan cheese, check out the Sporked ranking too.)

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Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese

Rhett & Link weren’t big fans of this cream cheese. Link, being the lover of bland foods that he is, said that he “went from hating this to kinda starting to like it.” He wasn’t overtly offended by the cheese, to him it seemed to be just a blank food product. “Nails the consistency, doesn’t taste bad, it just doesn’t taste,” he said. Rhett was also not terribly impressed. He was hoping for there to be at least some kind of flavor or tang, but sadly, he was met with a bland paste. He also didn’t love the slogan on the Tofutti container stating that it was “better than cream cheese.” After tasting it, he responded, “This is not better than cream cheese. I’m indifferent to it.”

Miyoko’s Creamery Classic Double Cream Chive Artisan Vegan Cheese

“Man-Cheg-No Way!” goes to Miyoko’s classic chive cheese spread, likely due to its interesting flavor. Even though this was the most expensive cheese on the list, neither Rhett nor Link took a liking to this spread. “It had a cat food quality to it at the very beginning. And this is coming from dudes who’ve had cat food,” said Rhett. Link said it tasted “like very lemony tuna,” which is surely not something you want in a cheese. By the end of their time with Miyokos, Rhett apologized and said, “That’s just not good, guys, I’m sorry—I wanted to like this.”

Follow Your Heart Shredded Parmesan Cheese

These parm bits were great on their own—until they weren’t. Rhett & Link agreed that they both liked the classic pungent smell that you get from both this cheese and standard parmesan. Rhett tried it on its own and marveled at the fact that it “doesn’t have the slight nastiness that you get from the Daiya.” Link really liked the tang and said, “It’s the type of sour that you want.” Everything was all smiles until they tried it on pasta. This potato starch-based cheese didn’t play well with the pasta the guys were eating, however, it is worth noting that they were eating it with gluten-free pasta. 

Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds

Rhett admitted that he not only bought this cheese, but that it was currently sitting in his fridge. He also admitted that he understands “it’s a little shocking to eat straight” because he felt that it’s not very good by itself. And while Rhett didn’t condone smelling it, he did recommend melting it! After trying it in melted form on a quesadilla, Link chimed in as well to say that, “It’s amazing how, when melted, it’s wonderful, but if you eat it just shredded, it’s not good.” 

Violife Just Like Smoked Provolone Slices

Rhett & Link were extremely convinced that this was real provolone cheese. Despite not being partial to smoky foods, Link said he was “pretty impressed,” especially after trying it on a cracker. “As someone who does enjoy smoked flavored cheese, I wouldn’t know this wasn’t cheese,” Rhett said. These vegan cheese slices are free from many allergens including soy, gluten, and nuts, and are largely food (potato and corn) starch based. 

Field Roast Chao Slices

This cheese had our boys in a self-diagnosed “cheese fog,” but they assured us that cheese fog is indeed what we want from our favorite vegan cheese. Rhett tried a bite and said,  “That’d be good on a grilled cheese.” Link was also very pleased with this cheese, which he felt was very mild and smelled like American cheese. “I think it’s pretty freakin’ great,” he said. After unanimously deciding to place this cheese in the “mozza-hell-yeah” category, Rhett commented, “This isn’t trying to be anything, it’s just trying to be Chao.” 

best vegan cheese

The 5 Best Vegan Cheeses for All Your Vegan Cheese Needs

I would have never expected to say the words, “Yum, this vegan cheese is good.” And yet, here we are. I have eaten and enjoyed vegan cheese. Over the past few years, the category of plant-based, non-dairy cheeses has grown alongside the explosion of plant-based meat alternatives.


About the Author

Naajia Shukri

Naajia Shukri is the legit biggest fan of candy corn. She is interested in all things food, art, and beauty. After living in Korea for the past two years, she has gotten back to her L.A. roots, frequenting thrift stores and art museums.

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  • I really like Rhett and Link’s vegetarian and vegan tastings. I’ve tried products based on their suggestions, including Violife based on this episode. I’ve gotten to know their palates over the past year or so and how they compare to my own, so their critiques are helpful when buying expensive new products!

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    • That’s awesome to hear! Thanks for the support! 🙂

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  • Really pointless

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