Can You Freeze Vegan Cheese
You’re probably wondering… Can you freeze vegan cheese?
Well, you do want to make sure that it’s always available and none of it ever goes to waste!
When vegan cheeses first came on the scene, they had a reputation for being nothing like the “real thing”. Nowadays, there is a huge range of high-quality vegan alternatives to choose from.
If you’re looking to lead a vegan lifestyle, or have just been lucky enough to stumble on one of the many great plant-based kinds of cheese out there, then you’re probably wondering about the best ways to incorporate it into your eating routines.
So, lets dive in and make sure that your beautiful vegan cheese doesn’t back come out of the fridge, looking and tasting like it’s dropped out of an alien’s nostril.
Well, the short answer is yes, you can freeze vegan cheese. In many ways, it’s the same deal as with freezing dairy cheese.
It certainly won’t bring forth any health concerns. Having said that, freezing vegan cheese will change its taste and the texture of it.
The general rule that most eaters of vegan cheese follow is that you should freeze it if you’re planning to use it for cooking purposes. If you like to eat it raw, then you’re probably not going to enjoy it once it is thawed after freezing.
However, putting it in a cooked dish (mac & cheese etc), to melt and infuse will leave you with very much the same results with vegan cheese whether it has been frozen or not.
Exactly how different vegan cheeses respond to freezing will change depending on which type of brand using.
The general rule if you want to be safe is that you shouldn’t freeze anything you’re planning to eat raw afterwards, but here we are going to look at some of the differences that different products have when it comes to freezing.
Can you freeze vegan mozzarella?
Vegan mozzarella is often very neutral flavoured and rather mild. Its real selling point is its texture, which is usually rather creamy and rich whilst retaining that satisfying chew that so many people use mozzarella for.
Some people say that vegan mozzarella tastes like string cheese. It’s also often the go-to cheese topping of choice for people who are looking for a meat-free alternative.
People often use refined coconut oil, tapioca flour and nutritional yeast flakes as the foundations of their vegan mozzarella cheeses, but once you got your hands on some either from the store or home-made you probably want to know the best way to store it
There’s no doubt that vegan mozzarella will taste best before freezing, but if you do have a little bit leftover then there is no problem at all with freezing it. What you’ll probably find is that after thawing it is a little softer in texture, but it will still be perfectly safe and usable.
Most people never get to that point however as it tends to be so hard to resist nibbling on!
How do you make vegan cheese last longer?
Many of the best steps that you can take to make vegan cheese last longer are the same things that you do to make dairy cheese last longer.
You’ll want to make sure that you’re always using it with clean hands and clean utensils to minimise the introduction of new germs and bacteria to the cheese. This will ensure that there is no acceleration of the ageing or moulding process.
But hopefully, you’re already keeping care of your kitchen with such an approach anyway!
When you are done using a portion of your meat-free cheese, it’s best to store it in an airtight container. The best thing to do is get your hands on a Ziploc plastic bag or secure Tupperware box that can fit in your fridge and freezer.
Once you’ve found a suitable container keep it in, put it in a dark place. In the vast majority of cases, the best place will be your fridge.
If you’re really hoping to keep your vegan cheese for longer then it’s time to turn to the freezer. This isn’t going to do anything to make your cheese unhealthy or inedible although it is likely to affect its texture and taste slightly.
For this reason, you should use your freezer as a last resort for storing your plant-based cheese, although you needn’t worry too much if you’re planning to use it in cooking when you get round to thawing it.
For those who want to go the extra mile and make their cheese last longer in the fridge, some people make a brine in which to store it.
The salt in brine helps to create a hostile environment for bacteria that helps to delay the growth of mould. Brine is very simple to make and can be put in with the cheese in your airtight container.
Can you freeze vegan cheese sauce?
Whether you want to freeze your vegan cheese sauce will depend on exactly what type of sauce it is that you’ve made or bought.
Some people actually use the ingenious move of temporarily freezing their vegan cheese sauces so that they can then grate it as desired. This nifty little trick gives you even more options in terms of what you can do with your sauces.
In terms of how well most vegan cheese sauces will keep in the freezer, in the vast majority of cases it is perfectly safe to do so. You may find that the texture and taste changes slightly upon thawing, but since most sauces will be cooked once they come back out of the freezer this change is likely to not be very noticeable.
If you find a rare recipe that uses a cold cheese sauce then freezing it is still going to be safe, however it may suffer slightly in terms of taste and texture.
You normally find that you don’t want to keep your sources in the freezer for more than three months and up to then they should be perfectly safe and ideal for use in cooked recipes.
We really do recommend giving that technique a go of freezing your sauce for 30 minutes to harden it so it can then be grated on whatever it is you’re cooking. Truly a game changer!
Can you freeze vegan cheesecake?
There’s no doubt that you can freeze your vegan cheesecake. Exactly the best way to ensure your cheesecake longevity will depend on whether you made it yourself or you’ve got a premade one from a shop.
It’s definitely perfectly fine in terms of health to freeze your vegan cheesecake in almost all cases.
However, just as with plant-based cheese, you may find that your cheesecake changes texture slightly after being frozen. In most cases home-made cake’s crust may lose the crunch that a lot of people enjoy.
The thing is, you know that in general vegan cheesecakes are okay to freeze because many of them are bought frozen.
As a general rule, you want to, when possible, eat your home-made vegan cheesecakes when they’re made, or to store them in the fridge for a few days.
With cheesecakes that you get from the store that are meat free, you’re likely to be recommended by the manufacturer to store them in your freezer until they’re ready to eat.
There are some recipes out there for home-made plant-based cheesecakes that will be specifically suited to freezing and should have their texture and taste affected less by the process.
Whenever you’re taking a cheesecake out of the freezer, whether it’s home-made or store bought, you’re going to want to make sure that you have time for it to thaw.
This process can often take a few hours so if you’re looking forward to enjoying it for a meal soon, make sure you think ahead!
How long does vegan cheese last?
How long your vegan cheese last will depend on many things.
Unfortunately, things are as easy as just giving you a number of days and you setting a stopwatch to get it all eaten by!
First of all, the answers can change depending on what type of plant-based cheese it is that you’re using. Even if you’re using the same type of cheese, you may find that different brands last longer or shorter than one another.
Vegan cheese that you’ve bought from the store will last for a number of months if it remains unopened. Once you have cracked it open to get a delicious taste however, it’s unlikely to last much longer than a week unless you’re freezing it.
However, there are a few things you can do that make this approximate week last 10 days rather than 5.
Firstly, it’s important to always handle it with clean hands and clean utensils. This prevents unnecessary additions of bacteria to the cheese.
How you store it and what in could also make a big difference. You’re likely to find that if you leave it in a hot place with lots of light that it only lasts a couple of days. If you have somewhere cool and dry however you’re going to be able to squeeze much more storage time out of it.
Hopefully, you have a fridge around which should ensure that your cheese is usable at a moment’s notice whilst also living as long as it reasonably can.
If you’re willing to risk a slight drop in taste and texture, and won’t need instant access to it, then feel free to chuck it in the freezer where, even if opened, it should last for a few months if kept in an airtight container.
In short, vegan cheese can last you over a week if you take the right steps, and a number of months if you’re happy with it going in the freezer.
Can you freeze vegan cream cheese?
To put things simply, you can freeze vegan cream cheese, but we wouldn’t recommend it.
There are absolutely no health risks involved with freezing it so, if you’re really committed to the cause, then the option is there.
However, you are unlikely to enjoy what you get back out of the freezer, even if it won’t kill you.
The creamy texture that is a main part of what most people enjoy about cream cheese will almost be completely gone after freezing.
To what extent exactly the cream cheese will be affected will depend on the recipe that you used to make it or the brand that supplied it. In the worst cases, you’ll find that your vegan cream cheese has become either grainy or watery after being frozen.
The only way to know exactly how the specific vegan cream cheese that you have will be affected is to freeze it, but you’ve been warned that you are unlikely to be happy with what you get back out regardless.
There are differences in how well your cream cheese holds up in the freezer but, to be honest, the difference is between bad and very bad in most cases.
There is no arguing with the fact though, that it is going to last longer and be perfectly safe after freezing.
Can you freeze vegan cheese slices?
You’re going to like what you hear here.
There is no doubt about it, you can freeze vegan cheese slices. In fact, it is definitely the single best way for you to freeze vegan cheese.
Cheese that has been grated or sliced is in the best form to be frozen because it allows for quick and easy defrosting.
When your plant-based cheese is in slices it’s much easier to get out just the slices that you need.
On the other hand, when you’re stuck with a whole block of cheese, you have a much bigger responsibility in your hands when you get it out to thaw. You can’t really keep thawing and refreezing a lump of cheese so taking out the whole block from the freezer is a big commitment as you have to get through all in time.
If you have vegan cheese slices, make the most of that freezer. And if you just have a big block of vegan cheese, turning it into slices for freezing becomes a much more viable option.
Can you freeze Daiya cheese?
Daiya recommends that the vegan cheeses it produces including the shreds, blocks, slices, cream cheese style spreads and cheese sticks all remain in the refrigerator once opened. However, these are suitable to be frozen according to the company.
Their pizzas and cheesecakes however, are also vegan and are intended to be stored in the freezer. It is important not to thaw and refreeze these products as they are not suitable for that, but they will last a long time in the freezer as that’s what they’re intended for.
Can you freeze Applewood vegan cheese?
Applewood is quite a name in the cheese world. Luckily, as the market has raced forward in recent years you can now get a fantastic plant-based alternative to the dairy original.
Many people who prefer to live on a plant-based diet now use Applewood the vegan cheese as their going to cheese to have with sandwiches, pasta, crackers and more.
Whilst it’s hard to deny how great this product tastes, it’s not necessarily something that will last too long once opened unfortunately.
If kept in the fridge you should eat it within five days after opening. For freezing, however, it will last a long time but most recommendations will tell you to stay clear as its taste and texture will come off a lot worse.
In terms of food safety, you’re not going to have a problem with freezing it, but if you’re eating it because you enjoy the experience of Applewood vegan cheese as so many people do, then it’s recommended you stick to the five days or so that it lasts in the fridge.
Once it’s opened and you’ve had a nibble however, there is little chance that any will be left after five days!
What happens if you freeze Violife cheese
There’s no doubt that Violife make some of the leading plant-based alternative products out there.
They are keen however, for people not to undermine the tastiness of the products by storing them incorrectly.
The company has explicitly stated that their products should be refrigerated, not frozen. According to them “if frozen, texture will spoil during the thawing process”.
They even say that this is the case for their cheese slices which are normally the best option in terms of freezing vegan cheeses.
What we recommend doing is just planning slightly for when you open your packet so you know that it will be used up in the week or so that it remains in good condition.
They tend to come in fairly reasonable sizes and taste delicious so getting through packets before it goes off whilst keeping in the fridge should be no trouble at all.
At most, you just need a little bit of planning!
Can Violife vegan cheese be frozen?
Whilst is not recommended, you can technically freeze Violife vegan cheese if you really want to.
Nothing will happen to it during the freezing process to make it unsafe to eat, although there is no chance it will be as pleasant. Just make sure that it is thawed the whole way through first before eating, and preferably use it in a hot dish.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the best way to enjoy your vegan cheese is without freezing it. Exactly how your type will respond to being frozen will vary, and many will taste fine after thawing, but it’s unlikely to ever make eating it more enjoyable.
If you do choose to freeze it though, it’s perfectly safe in most cases and you can make life easier for yourself by preparing slices or grating it.
Although these are general suggestions, please always check the product label for specific storage instructions!
Why not browse our range of delicious vegan cheeses.
