Vegan Cheese?

Yes, there’s delicious cheese that even non-dairy folks can eat! 

At Pagliacci, we love cheese. Mozzarella, Kasseri, Parmesan, Gorgonzola, White Cheddar, and on and on. We love the way it melts, and we love its salty, creamy goodness. When someone suggested we add a vegan cheese, we were skeptical. No cows involved? No sheep or goats?  

We went into the tasting prepared to say, “Thanks, but no thanks.” We came out saying, “Really, no dairy? Wow. That’s good.” The mozzarella from Bellevue-based Good Planet Foods looked like cheese, melted like cheese, had a texture like cheese, and tasted like cheese. Well, pretty darn close to it anyway.

This 100% plant-based cheese is made using cheese making techniques, but instead of dairy, they use coconut oil and a combination of potato and tapioca starch. Fermentation, just like traditional cheese, is key. No dairy, no problem.  

If you avoid dairy for health or environmental reasons, or you’re just curious, try one of our pies with vegan mozzarella. You’ll be amazed at how much it resembles the gooey mozzarella you grew up loving.