Once upon a time, if you wanted to be vegan, you had to give up all the delicious, salty, tangy, crumbly, creamy cheese. There were few alternatives; the available ones were all weird, plastic knockoffs.

However, those dark times are behind us, and vegan cheeses are plentiful now. Brooklyn, New York, is home to a completely vegan cheese shop due to the abundance of vegan cheese options. These new cheese alternatives are produced using a variety of non-dairy alternatives, including soy, nuts like almonds and cashews, and even vegetable oils.

Many are aged, and some even have bacterial cultures to give them some savory characteristics of traditional cheeses. We sampled various vegan cheese slices to narrow it down to the six we think most deserve a spot in your cheese drawer.

Herb-Garlic Treeline Soft French Cheese

This cheese from Treeline is a solid pick if you're searching for a spreadable dairy-free option. The herb-garlic flavor is subtle and delicious, leaving you satisfied without a nasty aftertaste or a lingering odor. Cashew is the star of the show here, offering a buttery, velvety texture and a subtle nutty taste. There's a wheel included for your charcuterie platter. To make a night even more sumptuous, serve with gourmet crackers, fig jam, and wine.

Cheese Shreds From Follow Your Heart

Make sure you always have a supply of these cheddar shreds on hand if you're seeking a replacement cheese that will deceive even the most discerning cheese connoisseur. When melted, the orange cheese's crumbly texture resembles gooey Kraft's, making it an excellent choice for satisfying late-night nacho cravings or impromptu mac and "cheese" meals.

Feta Crumbles Follow Your Heart

In addition to a wide variety, Follow Your Heart features some of the most incredible vegan cheeses available, including feta made from plants. It's one of the few substitutes available, and it tastes just like authentic feta—crumbly and acidic. The massive crumbles are perfect for melting into flaky spanakopita or scattering over a Greek salad.

Ricotta Kite Hill

Are you looking for a tasty condiment that you can use as a filling for lasagna, that you can pour over ice cream, or that you can dip crackers into while you wait? It ends here. Kite Hill is a well-known vegan firm that manufactures items such as yogurts that do not include dairy. However, ricotta made from almond milk is an absolute must for the refrigerator of every vegan. It retains the lightness and fluffiness of classic ricotta but has a drier texture. In the end, its malleability and subtle sweetness make it appealing to practically any listener.

Kite Hill Chive Cream Cheese

If you are trying to avoid dairy products, it would be helpful if you weren't forced to give up deliciously toasted bagels that are covered with cream cheese. Because of its silky consistency and tangy aftertaste, the Kite Hill cultivar in question lends itself well to spreading. The chives cover up any trace of almond milk taste that may have been there in the fluffy base, which is everything you could want in a cream cheese. If you want to host people for brunch, it's a smart idea to stock up on a few more containers than you'll use so that you don't run out of anything. You won't regret it.

Daiya Mozzarella

It has been in business for close to ten years, and Daiya is currently one of the most well-known brands of vegan cheese. Having it is practically certain if you've ever placed an order for pizza in a restaurant that only serves vegan food. Not only are the shredded and sliced varieties tasty when consumed on their own, but they have also mastered the technique of melting. These slices are wonderful when used in sandwiches, but if you're looking for anything that tastes like mozzarella, you're going to be quite disappointed in what you find here.

Trader Joe's Vegan Mozzarella Shreds

Trader Joe's has earned a reputation for having an exceptional cheese assortment, which includes alternatives that do not include dairy. The vegan mozzarella shreds are delicious, but our favorite form is when they are melted. When melted, shredded cheese enhances the flavor of pasta dishes, eggplant parmesan, and pretty much any other dish you like eating that originates in Italy. It is the ideal topping for a pizza made with a cauliflower crust or any other vegan choice.