Is Cheese Vegetarian? What To Know & 5 That Are

The good news: It's not hard to get your hands on vegetarian cheese if you know what to look for. Here's everything you need to know. 

RELATED STORY: The 9 Cheeses Lowest In Lactose

Most hard cheeses, including Parmesan, Cheddar, Manchego, Pecorino Romano, and Swiss, are traditionally made with rennet, while some soft cheeses aren't (scroll down for five you can try). But increasingly, you can find all sorts of cheeses made with non-animal-derived enzymes.

Plant or vegetable rennet is sometimes obtained by soaking plants above to extract an enzyme that functions similarly to animal rennet, while microbial rennet is extracted from certain rennet-like molds in a lab.

Many brands have at least some vegetarian cheese options. Here are a few to consider:

Pro tip: One cheese that can be a bit harder to find in a veggie-friendly option: Parmesan. European Union law actually states that in order to be called Parmigiano-Reggiano, the cheese must contain calf's rennet. But products simply labeled Parmesan are able to be made with vegetarian rennet—BelGioioso makes a Vegetarian Parmesan.

Or, another tactic: Opt for a cheese that's not traditionally made with rennet anyway. See the next section for some tasty picks!

Instead of rennet, the following cheeses are typically made by adding some type of acid (vinegar, lemon juice, or bacterially produced lactic acid) to milk, which helps form loose curds that can either remain as curds or be formed into a soft cheese.

You don't have to say no to pizza night as long as your pie is made with fresh mozz. Not only is this soft cheese almost always vegetarian, but it has the added bonus of packing 15% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA)1 of calcium in a 1-ounce serving.

Cottage cheese is a fresh cheese consisting of loose curds. It's also a protein powerhouse: "Cottage cheese is a fantastic source of protein at up to 15 g of protein per half-cup," says Largeman-Roth. "And several brands contain live active probiotic strains." (Look for "cultured cottage cheese" if probiotics are your goal.)

A fave of the keto crowd, cream cheese is a safe bet for vegetarians. And while it's not the most nutrient-dense cheese on the planet, you can find cultured cream cheese options containing live and active cultures. Try Nancy's Probiotic Cream Cheese.

In addition to being decadently creamy, ricotta has a few surprising health benefits. For one, it happens to be quite rich in whey protein—one of the most easily absorbed and utilized forms of protein, which has been shown to aid in muscle growth and strength. It also contains about 25% of the RDA2 for calcium in a 1-ounce serving.

Paneer is a traditional soft Indian cheese that's made with milk, a bit of lemon juice or vinegar, and salt. It has a mild, creamy flavor that pairs well with spicy flavors. And while it's not widely available in grocery stores in the U.S., it's really easy to make it yourself.

While it may come as an initial shock that not all cheese is vegetarian, rest assured, you still have plenty of options—you may just need to do a little label sleuthing. But keep in mind: Being vegetarian-friendly doesn't necessarily mean a cheese is always the best option. "As with all food, we want to source the highest quality possible from farms engaged in sustainable and organic farming practices," says Cannon.