Artisanal Cheeses Made With Vegetarian Rennet

Vegetarian Cheese

St. Pat is made with vegetarian rennet

The Spruce / Jennifer Meier

Rennet is used to coagulate (thicken) milk during the cheesemaking process, making curds form. Rennet comes from the following sources:

  1. Enzymes extracted from the stomach lining of a calf, ewe or baby goat (traditional/animal rennet)
  2. Plants (plant-based rennet)
  3. Microbes in fungus and yeast (microbial rennet)
  4. Genetically engineered or fermentation produced rennet

In short, traditional (animal) rennet is avoided by strict vegetarians. Plant-based rennet is acceptable but not widely used; in most cases, cardoon thistle is used to coagulate the milk. This is found most often in Spanish and Portuguese cheeses. Microbial rennet isn't used much in cheesemaking because it's unpredictable and can produce unwanted flavors, like bitterness. And genetically engineered/fermentation produced rennet is considered okay by some vegetarians and not by others because it originates from the cell of an animal.

Unfortunately, the FDA does not require cheesemakers to specify what type of rennet they use. However, many cheesemakers who use plant-based rennet do choose to share this information. A good cheese store will be able to provide information about which cheeses are vegetarian. You can also consult the list below.

The cheeses listed below are made with vegetarian rennet. Double-check with your local cheesemonger, though, as production methods can change.

vegetable rennet cheese
The Spruce / Michela Buttignol 

Artisanal Cheeses Made With Vegetarian Rennet

Soft Cheese

  • Bermuda Triangle, Fog Light, Humboldt Fog, Truffle Tremor - Made by Cypress Grove in California
  • Coach Farm Goat cheese (all products): Made by Coach Farm in New York
  • Blythedale Camembert: Made by Blythedale Farm in Vermont
  • Bijou, Bonne Buche: Made by Vermont Butter & Cheese in Vermont
  • Buche Noir, Merry Goat Round: Made by Firefly Farms in Maryland
  • Camellia: Made by Redwood Hill Farm in California
  • Crocodile Tear: Made by Capriole in Indiana
  • MouCo Camembert: Made by MouCo Cheese Company in Colorado
  • Mt. Tam, St. Pat, Red Hawk: Made by Cowgirl Creamery in California
  • Hoja Santa: Made by Mozzarella Company in Texas
  • Hudson Valley Camembert: Made by Old Chatham Sheepherding Co. in New York
  • Marin French Cheese Co. Triple Crème: Made by Marin French Cheese Co. in California
  • Wasabi Disk: Made by Westfield Farm in Massachusetts

Semi-Soft Cheese

  • Ardrahan: Made by Ardrahan Farmhouse Cheese in Ireland (imported by Neals Yard Dairy)
  • Barely Buzzed: Made by Beehive Cheese in Utah
  • Gravestein Gold: Made by Redwood Hill Farm in California
  • Carmody: Made by Bellwether Farms in California
  • Fleur de la Terre: Made by Trader's Point Creamery in Indiana
  • Smoked Scamorza: Made by Mozzarella Company in Texas
  • St. George: Made by Matos Cheese Factory in California
  • Otentique: Made by Juniper Grove Farm in Oregon
  • Just Jack & other jack cheeses: Made by Beecher's Handmade Cheese in Washington
  • Torta de La Serena: Made in Spain
  • Torta del Casar: Made in Spain

Aged Cheese

  • Appleby's Cheshire: Made by Abbey Farm in England (imported by Neal's Yard)
  • Lamb Chopper, Midnight Moon: Made by Cypress Grove in California
  • Cabot Cheddars: Made by Cabot Creamery in Vermont
  • Black Butte: Made by Pedrozo Dairy in California
  • Bravo Cheddar, Silver Mountain: Made by Bravo Farms in California
  • Goat Cheddar: Made by Redwood Hill Farm in California
  • Flagship Cheddar: Made by Beecher's Handmade Cheese in Washington state
  • Dry Jack Special Reserve, Mezzo Seco: Made by Vella Cheese Company in California
  • Hook's 5-year Cheddar: Made by Hook's Cheese Company in Wisconsin
  • Promontory Cheddar: Made by Beehive Cheese in Utah
  • San Joaquin Gold, Fiscalini Bandage-Wrapped Cheddar: Made by Fiscalini Farm in California
  • Serena, Serenita: Made by Three Sisters Farmstead Cheese in California
  • Wensleydale: Made by Wensleydale Creamery in England
  • Winchester Gouda: Made by Winchester Cheese Company in California
  • Shelburne Farms Cheddar: Made by Shelburne Farms in Vermont
  • Roth's Private Reserve: Made by Roth Kase in Wisconsin

Blue Cheese

  • Beenleigh Blue: Made by Sharpham Estate in England
  • Big Woods Blue: Made by Shepherd's Way in Minnesota
  • Buttermilk Bleu: Made by Roth Kase in Wisconsin
  • Cashel Blue: Made by Grubb Family Farm in Ireland
  • Great Hill Blue: Made by Great Hill Dairy in Massachusetts
  • Hubbardston Blue: Made by Westfield Farm in Massachusetts
  • Ewes Blue: Made by Old Chatham Sheepherding Co. in New York
  • Oregon Blue Vein, Oregonzola, Rogue River Blue, Smokey Blue: Made by Rogue Creamery in Oregon
  • Pt. Reyes Farmstead Blue: Made by Pt. Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.
  • Shropshire Blue: Made by Colston Bassett in England