The idea of “vegan cheese” may seem a bit strange, especially to die-hard dairy cheese lovers, but there are countless ways to mimic cheese in vegan recipes. Going vegan doesn’t mean giving up on the ultra-comfort food classic, the loveable grilled cheese sandwich! Check out these 10 vegan cheeses to add in your epic grilled cheese:

1. Vegan Moxarella

This Vegan Moxarella cheese can brown and stretch, and it stays in a melted form until it is baked. This salty, homemade vegan cheese is great to use on pizzas, since it forms a hardened crust when baked, but try experimenting with it in your grilled cheese.

2. Vegan Cashew Cheese

Cashews are fantastic ingredients for making vegan cheese, and the good fats from these nuts will help absorb fat-soluble vitamins.

3. Vegan Pepper Jack Cashew Cheese

The red pepper flakes, onion powder, and garlic powder in this recipe will give you a burst of spice to perk up your grilled cheese.

4. Vegan Jalapeno Garlic Havarti Wedge

With a couple slices of this vegan Daiya cheese, you can make one mean southwestern vegan grilled cheese sandwich, complete with salsa infused mashed beans and grilled sweet potatoes.

5. Extra Sharp Raw Vegan Cheddar Cheese

This kick ace sharp raw vegan cheddar cheese ball doesn’t have to be formed into ball form. Skip the fancy additions that make this recipe great for a party, and instead make a tasty, ooey-gooey grilled cheese.

6. Hummus

Yes, it’s not a vegan “cheese” technically, but did you know that hummus is a wonderful stand in for dairy cheese in sandwiches? Try using hummus on this “Grilled Cheese” Hummus Quesadilla, complete with a recipe for a bowl of tomato soup.

7. Pimento Cheese

To add some great textural balance to your grilled cheese, try this pimento cheese spread. Instead of cheddar cheese, the recipe calls for shredded carrots, making this dish a bit lighter then a regular version of this cheese.

8. Gourmet Dairy-Free Cheese

The secret ingredient in this recipe is kombucha tea. The author of this recipe actually snuck this spread onto a platter alongside brie, goat, and blue cheese, and no one knew it was of the plant-based variety!

9. Smoked Coconut Gouda

This versatile cheese melts fantastically and is made of healthy ingredients like coconut milk and nutritional yeast.

10. Smoky Pesto Cashew Cheez

Stuff your grilled cheese with the delicious tastes of basil and garlic. Try it grilled between two tortillas.

Rockstar ingredients like cashews, nutritional yeast, and pectin can give you a consistency that will remind you of real cheese. Cheers to experimenting!

Lead Image Source: Southwestern Vegan Grilled Cheese Sandwich