Just like everyone else, we stand at our fridges snacking on cheese. But there’s something about pairing a good cheese with springy produce, fresh bread, or even an herbaceous garnish that can really make us sit back and say, whoa. When you find just the right match, it magically heightens plant-based cheese’s richest, most interesting flavors. Fruity balances rich, creamy balances tangy, and mild balances piquant, for a deep level of satisfaction that can only be found in cheese.
We’ll never give up classic flavor combos like cheddar and apples, or smoked gouda and apricot jam—we all need a quick fix for entertaining, or for when we just want a tried-and-true comfort food. But gourmet cheese lovers have been feasting on cheese and seasonal fruit together for centuries, and it’s time to innovate.
When it’s snack time, we like to taste-test Daiya’s new plant-based cheeze blocks with everything but the kitchen sink. We’ll smear a spoonful of sweet chutney on cheddar, or heap earthy beets and smoked gouda on tangy rye bread. Then we close our eyes and just wait for it: that magic hits where the sweetness, tanginess and creaminess combine. The reason these Daiya blocks are so rich and smooth? A little miracle ingredient called oats. This wholesome grain adds the luscious bite and warmth on the palate that every turophile craves.
This fearless snacking is how we make each bite perfect. Medium Cheddar, Jalapeño Havarti, Monterey Jack, Smoked Gouda, and Classic Mozza—each taste tells a different story. This cheese awakens culinary memories in us, with rich historical traditions.
If you like your cheese as chill as can be, keep on cubing, slicing, and dicing (though we love to just tear off big hunks with our hands). Drizzle a crusty baguette with EVOO and tuck your cheesy hunks inside with some fresh arugula and a dab of pesto. But if cooking shows are your besties, and you need every bite to whisper ‘umami’ seductively in your ear, get ready to experiment. We got you.
Mo’ cheddar, mo’ better
Flavor combos: cheddar and chutney
We love this rich, rustic cheddar that’s easy like Sunday morning. A flavorful, ready-to-please cheese that you can eat straight out of the package, Daiya’s Medium Cheddar pairs nicely with slices of Honeycrisp apples or red Anjou pears, served up on fig jam-slathered crackers or toast. But to get your creative juices flowing, we’ve taken a page out of a classic English ploughman’s lunch to create an appealing sandwich that will power you through your day. Start by lathering chutney and vegan butter on thick bread, then add sumptuous slices of Daiya cheddar, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a bit of crispy, fresh lettuce. Serve whole or slice into quarters for tea sandwiches, and pair with a side of cornichons or pickles and crispy kettle chips. If you’re feeling those country gastropub vibes, have this rustic sandwich with a pastoral English ale or a fresh, classic Pimm’s Cup.
Farmhouse Cheddar Ploughman's Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 package (7.1 ounces) Daiya Medium Cheddar Style Block, sliced into ¼-inch thick slices
- 4 thick slices sourdough or thick white country bread
- ½ cup sweet, vinegary chutney or onion jam, like Branston (substitute: sweet onion mixed with 1 tablespoon vegan mayonnaise and ½ teaspoon vinegar)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted plant-based butter
- 2 small ripe plum tomatoes, or 1 large farmers’ market heirloom tomato, thinly sliced
- 1 English cucumber, sliced
- 2 to 4 leaves fresh green leaf, romaine, bibb, or butter lettuce, or other local seasonal greens
- Vegan mayo, optional
Preparation
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1
Lay out four slices of lightly-toasted bread in two pairs on a cutting board.
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2
Apply butter or mayo to both slices, and chutney to both slices.
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3
Lay a bed of two lettuce leaves on top of your bottom slice, then layer two to four slices of Daiya cheddar on top.
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4
Layer tomatoes and cucumbers on top and close the sandwich.
Swap it like it’s hot
Flavor combos: havarti, fruit, and spice
Havarti is one of our favorite cheeses. Buttery and balanced, it’s a winning combination when married with spicy chili flavors in Daiya’s new Jalapeño Havarti cheeze. If there’s anything this Jalapeño Havarti makes us crave, it’s backyard shindigs. For this kebab, grab some skewers and spear fresh fruit and Jalapeño Havarti cubes. Go with the sweetness of your local seasonal fruit, whether that’s the bright, refreshing taste of pineapple, the sugary sunshine of watermelon, the dulcet tones of fuzzy peaches, slightly tart strawberries, cotton candy grapes, or bountiful citrus—havarti loves them all, and jalapeño adds the spice!
Jalapeño Havarti Fruit Kebabs
Ingredients
- 2 packages (14.2 ounces) Daiya Jalapeño Havarti Style Block
- 8 cups colorful, pre-cut seasonal fruit in rainbow colors, like strawberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, oranges, pineapple, mango, honeydew, kiwi, cotton candy grapes, blueberries, grapes, plums, blackberries, and passion fruit
- 8 six-inch skewers
- Tajín seasoning, hot sauce, or chamoy sauce, optional
Preparation
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1
Chop fruit into 1-inch cubes or use pre-cut seasonal fruit in approximately the same size.
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2
Chop Daiya Jalapeño Havarti Style Block into ½-inch by 1-inch slices.
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3
Skewer fruit in a rainbow design, starting with red and ending in blue or purple. Alternate one piece of cheese between every two pieces of fruit, until the skewer is full. Serve on a board or plate, or standing up in a tall cup or vase.
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4
If you like your fruit seasoned or spicy, sprinkle your fruit skewers with Tajín seasoning, hot sauce, or chamoy sauce.
It’s all gouda
Flavor combos: gouda, beets, and rye
Smoked Gouda is agreeably sweet and slightly nutty while maintaining just enough assertive flavor, which makes it the perfect complement in rich, hearty dishes like vegan mac n cheese, vegan meat roasts, potato casseroles, and even pizza. But did you know that smoked gouda makes a knock-your-socks-off smørrebrød? The versatile Danish-Norwegian toast is a classic that should be in your repertoire, if it’s not already. Here’s the secret to its popularity: its dense rye toast base starts you off healthy, and the rest of the ingredients let you be as indulgent as you’d like. Topping your toast isn’t just an easy way to make a meal—it’s also the best way to show off the bountiful colors of spring produce coming your way.
Smoked Gouda Smørrebrød
Ingredients
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1 package (7.1 ounces) Daiya Smoked Gouda Block, sliced into ¼-inch slices
- 8 slices pre-cut dense, whole-grain rye bread (substitute: dense pumpernickel, but do not use regular soft sandwich bread)
- 2 to 3 medium store-bought pickled or canned beets
- 5 radishes, thinly sliced
- Microgreens or chopped herbs such as dill or parsley, to garnish
- Edible flowers, to garnish
- Vegan mayo, optional
Preparation
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1
Generously butter your slices of Danish rye bread.
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2
Add several slices of Daiya Smoked Gouda on top of each smørrebrød.
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3
Slice your beets into one-inch thick wedges or half-inch wide slices, and place three or four wedges on each slice of buttered bread.
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4
Top each bread slice with three to five radish slices.
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5
Pipe small dots of vegan mayo or sauce of your choice on top of each beet.
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6
Garnish with microgreens, herbs, and edible flowers.
Get jacked
Flavor combos: Monterey jack, radishes, red pepper, and chili crisp
Buttery-smooth and tangy-sweet, Monterey Jack is that meal helper you love—it basically goes on everything. While you might be tempted to automatically melt this cheese for topping a burger or sprinkling on tacos or nachos, it’s easy to eat straight out of the fridge for snack time. Fill a crispy gem lettuce cup with hummus, then add some roasted red bell pepper and seasonal watermelon radishes, and shred some Daiya Monterey Jack right over the top. Drizzle your Monterey Jack cups with halos of fragrant chili oil and top with crunchy chili crisp and toasted pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds. And done! You’ve got a dozen mini masterpieces perfect for entertaining company or streaming your favorite show.
Monterey Jack Lettuce Cups
Ingredients
- ½ package (3.5 ounce) Daiya Monterey Jack Style Block
- 12 lettuce cups, preferably gem lettuce or green leaf lettuce
- 1 (10 ounce) container hummus, any flavor
- 6 small radishes, thinly-sliced
- 1 large red bell pepper, sliced into thin ¼-inch strips or rings, or ½ cup store-bought roasted red pepper
- ½ cup toasted pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds, to garnish
- Chili oil and chili crisp, to garnish
- Herbs like chopped Italian parsley, chives or basil, to garnish
Preparation
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1
Lightly toast pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds in a small pan until golden.
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2
Spoon two tablespoons of hummus into each lettuce cup.
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3
Add four or five slices of radish to each cup.
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4
Top each lettuce cup with two slices of fresh or roasted red pepper.
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5
Shred a generous amount of Daiya Monterey Jack over each cup, or pinch four to five generous crumbles into each cup.
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6
Drizzle each cup with chili oil, and top with half a teaspoon of chili crisp, to taste.
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7
Sprinkle a teaspoon or two of pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds on each cup, and garnish with herbs.
