We wanted to do a review of the best vegan butter because it is an essential item for those following a plant-based diet, and can perfectly replace cow butter with very little downsides.
With numerous options available, it’s important to choose a vegan butter that not only tastes great but also meets your nutritional needs. This guide will explore the best vegan butter options, typical ingredients, and their health benefits.
The Ingredients:
Vegan butter is designed to mimic the taste and texture of cow butter while being made entirely from plant-based ingredients. Commonly used ingredients include:
- Coconut Oil: Provides a creamy texture and is solid at room temperature.
- Palm Oil: Often used for its stability and smooth texture. (Try to avoid but it’s in everything)
- Olive Oil: Adds richness and a subtle flavor.
- Cashews: Used in some artisanal butters for creaminess.
- Soy Milk or Almond Milk: Base liquids that provide consistency.
- Nutritional Yeast: Adds a cheesy, buttery flavor.
- Lecithin: Acts as an emulsifier to blend oils and water.
The Best Vegan Butter Brands
Miyoko’s Creamery
Miyoko’s European Style Cultured Vegan Butter is crafted from organic coconut oil and cashews. This butter is celebrated for its rich, creamy texture and superior taste, making it ideal for spreading, baking, and cooking. Miyoko’s focuses on using high-quality, organic ingredients, ensuring a premium product.
Earth Balance
Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread is a popular choice, made from a blend of oils including palm fruit, canola, soybean, and flaxseed. This spread is versatile and can be used in various culinary applications from baking to sautéing. Earth Balance also offers other varieties such as Soy Free and Olive Oil spreads, catering to different dietary preferences.
Nutiva
Nutiva’s Organic Coconut Oil with Butter Flavor combines the natural richness of coconut oil with a buttery flavor derived from non-GMO plant extracts. Free from dairy, soy, and gluten, it is suitable for those with specific dietary needs. Nutiva’s butter is perfect for high-heat cooking due to its high smoke point.
Forager Project
Forager Project Organic Dairy-Free Butter is made with organic cashews and coconut oil. It offers a smooth texture and a mild, buttery taste, making it suitable for spreading on toast or incorporating into recipes. Forager Project emphasizes simplicity and organic ingredients in their products.
Melt Organic
Melt Organic’s Rich & Creamy Spread is made from organic coconut, palm fruit, and flaxseed oils. This butter is known for its balanced flavour and versatility in both cooking and baking. Melt Organic ensures that their palm oil is sustainably sourced, addressing environmental and ethical concerns.
Health Benefits
Vegan butter is often considered a healthier alternative to traditional dairy butter. Here are some key health benefits:
- Lower Saturated Fat: Many veg butters have lower levels of saturated fat compared to dairy butter. This can be beneficial for heart health. For example, Earth Balance Buttery Spread contains about 3 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon, compared to 7 grams in traditional butter.
- No Cholesterol: Plant-based butter is free from cholesterol, which is beneficial for maintaining healthy blood cholesterol levels. High cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease. Did you know that there are NO plant foods that contain cholesterol?
- Essential Nutrients: Some vegan butters are fortified with essential nutrients like Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D, which are crucial for vegans.
- Healthy Fats: Vegan butters often contain healthy fats from sources like flaxseed and olive oil. These fats are beneficial for overall health and can support brain function and reduce inflammation.
Where to Buy the Best Vegan Butter
Major Supermarkets and Grocery Stores:
- Whole Foods Market: Known for its wide range of vegan products, Whole Foods carries multiple brands of vegan butter.
- Trader Joe’s: Offers their own brand of vegan butter as well as other options.
- Sprouts Farmers Market: Carries a variety of vegan butters from different brands.
- Kroger: Many Kroger stores stock popular vegan butter brands.
- Safeway/Albertsons: Offers a selection of vegan butters, depending on the location.
- Wegmans: Known for their extensive vegan options, including vegan butter.
Specialty Vegan and Health Food Stores:
- Natural Grocers: Offers a variety of vegan butter options.
- Erewhon Market: A high-end health food store with several brands.
- MOM’s Organic Market: Known for their vegan-friendly selections, including butter.
Online Retailers:
- GTFO It’s Vegan: A dedicated vegan online store with many butter options.
- Vegan Essentials: An online retailer specializing in vegan products, including butter.
- Thrive Market: A membership-based online store with a good selection of options.
- Amazon: Offers a wide variety of vegan butter brands, often with customer reviews.
- Instacart: Depending on your location, Instacart can deliver from local grocery stores.
These retailers and stores offer a variety of options to suit different tastes and dietary preferences.
What is the Best Tasting Vegan Butter?
My personal favourite is Miyoko’s Creamery because the taste is amazing and I don’t even miss cow butter at all. It has been a long time since I’ve had cow’s butter but still I think anyone would like this brand.
What makes it so good is that you don’t have to have it melted to taste good. I find with a lot of vegan butters or cheeses they have to be melted to taste good. But not Miyoko’s and thats why I choose it for the best tasting vegan butter.
For the same reasons I would choose Miyoko’s as the best vegan butter for baking because it is coconut oil based which provides a rich, buttery flavour.
Vegan butter is a versatile and healthier alternative to dairy butter, perfect for all your culinary needs.
Brands like Miyoko’s Creamery, Earth Balance, Nutiva, Forager Project, and Melt Organic offer high-quality products that ensure you don’t miss out on the rich, creamy taste of butter.
Whether you’re using it for baking, cooking, or simply spreading on your favourite bread, vegan butter is a fantastic addition to any kitchen.
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