Vegetarian Cheese
Every cheese here is made without animal rennet, and there's plenty of choice: Cheddars like Snowdonia Black Bomber and Dale End, Yorkshire cheeses like Swaledale and Yoredale, soft cheeses like Wigmore, Waterloo and Maida Vale, Colston Bassett and Cropwell Bishop Stilton, Swaledale Blue and Leeds Blue for blue lovers, and goat's cheeses from Ribblesdale. Everything is cut to order at our shop on Gillygate in York and sent chilled, with free UK mainland delivery on orders over £55. Not sure what makes a cheese vegetarian? Our vegetarian cheese guide explains.
Leeds Blue Cheese
Made to a Gorgonzola recipe, Leeds Blue is another belter from Mario Olianas at Yorkshire Pecorino. Soft, creamy and rich, it has wonderful blue clusters throughout, giving a fantastic saltiness to the cheese.
Maida Vale Soft Cheese
This is a semi-soft, washed rind cheese is made from Channel Island cow’s milk and is washed with Soundwave from Siren Craft Brewery whose brewery is situated just 6 miles from their dairy. This west coast IPA helps to promote a tangy, punchy flavour in the cheese while still keeping to the brie code of having a buttery texture. In a nutshell, Maida Vale is pungent, full of flavour but soft, buttery and creamy. A fully-fledged British cheese at its finest.
Montagnolo Affine Cheese
A fantastic German cheese! Montagnolo Affine is a surface-ripened, triple cream cheese with a soft, velvety natural rind. This is a wonderful blue to try for those who may not be the biggest blue fans - as it comes with a delicious saltiness that's hard not to like. Voted the world's best cheese 2 years in a row we dare you to take the plunge and see what all the fuss is about!
Murcia al Vino (Drunken Goat)
Murcia al Vino is a goats cheese from the Murcia region of Spain. It's name literally translates to "drunken goat" and this is due to the red-wine bath the cheese receives, giving it a distinct purple rind. Murcia al Vino is a hard yet creamy goats’ cheese that is slightly milder compared to others.
Rachel
Rachel is an unusual, semi-hard goats cheese with a firm texture. The lightly washed rind gives it a sweet, nutty and lingering flavour. During its maturing stages, the cheese is regularly washed in braine which leads to its pinky rind. Rachel is the perfect cheese for those who enjoy a lighter cheese that is not too “goaty” in flavour. It was named after a friend of the cheesemaker who says - like the cheese she is sweet, curvy, and slightly nutty!
Ribblesdale Mature Goats
Here is a cheese that will demand second helpings - and with good reason! It's sweet and grassy aroma combined with a superb crumbly texture giving a perfect combination. This is a goat's cheese that is subtle on the goat. Ribblesdale Mature provides nutty, fruity flavours with a slight caramel hint that compliment each other in unison to create a well-rounded and balanced cheese that becomes slightly more 'goat-y' as it gets to the rind.
Ribblesdale Superior Goats Cheese
Another award winning cheese from Ribblesdale dairy. This goat's cheese is semi-firm, incredibly light and easy on the goat-y flavour. It is strikingly white, impeccably smooth in texture and comes with a subtle nuttiness associated with good goat's cheese. It is unusually yet wonderfully mild and has a delicious sweetness that calls for a second taste.
Shropshire Blue
Colston Bassett Shropshire Blue, from the Nottinghamshire dairy behind Colston Bassett Stilton. Annatto in the milk gives it a striking orange colour, with blue veins running through. Creamier and more mellow than Stilton, and a lovely way into blue cheese.
Smoked Northumberland Cheese
This is a strong place to start on a journey into artisan smoked cheese. It has won multiple awards and for good reason! It is cold-smoked over wood chippings for 12 hours, to develop a bronzed outer core and a beautifully smoky taste. Smoked Northumberland cheese is the real deal; once the cheese has been smoked for 12 hours, it is then matured for 3 months to deepen the flavour.
Snowdonia Black Bomber Cheese
A top notch, extra matured cheddar that is loved for its creamy texture and deep flavour. Black Bomber is the flagship cheese of Snowdonia Cheese Company and with good reason. This incredible cheese has won multiple awards and while it is a classic cheddar, it comes with incredibly rich flavours, a smooth texture and mouth-watering length that will leave you wanting more.
Snowdonia Black Bomber Mini Cheese
A top notch, extra matured cheddar that is loved for its creamy texture and deep flavour.… In mini form! Black Bomber is the flagship cheese of Snowdonia Cheese Company and with good reason. This incredible cheese has won multiple awards and while it is a classic cheddar, it comes with incredibly rich flavours, a smooth texture and mouth-watering length that will leave you wanting more.
Snowdonia Red Storm Hard Cheese
A vintage Red Leicester, aged to perfection. This wonderful cheese from Snowdonia has gorgeous crystalline crunches and a surprisingly intense flavour profile. It comes with a slight sweetness, with lovely caramel undertones. Its texture is wonderfully refined due to its 18-month ageing process. We cannot get enough. If your cheese board needs a bit of colour, look no further!
About Vegetarian Cheese
Vegetarian cheese FAQs
What makes a cheese vegetarian?
Rennet. Most cheese is set with rennet, and traditional rennet comes from calves. Vegetarian cheese uses a microbial or plant rennet instead. Everything else about how it's made is the same.
Is Parmesan vegetarian?
No. Parmigiano Reggiano has to be made with animal rennet, and so do Pecorino Romano, Comté, Gruyère and Manchego. Our guide lists the vegetarian swaps.
Is vegetarian cheese vegan?
No. It's still made from milk, just without animal rennet.
Which vegetarian cheeses make a good board?
Try Black Bomber, Wigmore, Swaledale Blue and Ribblesdale Superior Goats: one hard, one soft, one blue and one goat's.
Can I get a vegetarian cheese subscription?
Yes. Every cheese subscription has a vegetarian only option, and your choice is saved for every box.
What is Vegetarian Cheese? A Cheesemonger’s Guide
Vegetarian cheese is cheese made without animal rennet, not a plant-based substitute. Here is how to tell the difference, which classics are and are not vegetarian, and the ones we sell.
Read The Guide →