Vegan Foodie Review: Rebel Cheese
As the warm late summer days are slowly giving into cool and breezy evenings, we gathered in our garden for a simple yet indulgent ritual: an outdoor fire, a crisp crémant, and a thoughtfully assembled vegan cheese board. The air carried a gentle breeze that stirred the leaves overhead—setting just the right mood. At the heart of our cozy spread was Rebel Cheese: entirely vegan, entirely plant-based, and thoroughly scrumptious. We’d selected an assortment, but the soft offerings from Rebel Cheese—their truffle brie, plain brie, tomato-herb fromage, and honee-pistachio chèvre—particularly stole the limelight. Alongside sharper options like sharp cheddar and gruyère, these soft cheeses elevated our evening.
The Vibe & Vision: Embracing Plant-Based Indulgence
There’s something deeply satisfying about gathering around firelight with good company, fine wine, and thoughtful food. But when the cheese is entirely vegan and plant-based, it takes on an extra layer of meaning. Rebel’s cheeses allow us to indulge without compromise—no animal-derived rennet, no dairy, but also none of the bland excuses that sometimes haunt vegan alternatives.
These cheeses don’t just simply replace traditional dairy; they offer their own identities and pleasures. Their very existence feels celebratory: bold, creative, mindful. Against the backdrop of that glowing fire and rustling garden, it felt like the principled choice and the pleasure-seeking one were one and the same.
The Soft Stars of the Show
Truffle Brie
Imagine unwrapping a soft cheese that reveals a velvety ivory heart, shimmering faintly in the firelight. The first bite is an elegant whisper of creaminess, lush and pillow-soft, followed by the earthy perfume of truffle—not cloying, but a gentle, luxurious aroma that lingers. The texture is impeccable: tender enough to yield to your knife without resisting, yet dense enough to deliver substance. Spread over a crisp sourdough cracker or grain-cracker, it becomes a silky stage for that woody truffle nuance. The flavor is rich without heaviness, nuanced without being faint—a bold statement of what vegan creaminess can be.
Plain Brie
Next to the truffle version, Rebel’s plain brie may seem restrained—but it is quietly commanding in its own right. Its flavor is delicate, milky-sweet yet clean, with those same buttery, supple tones. Without the fanfare of truffle, its richness shines with purity. On our board—with nectarine slices nestled alongside—it offered a refreshing balance. A bite combining brie, fruity nectarine, and a hit of lemon-zested olives was unexpectedly harmonious: sweet, creamy, citrus-bright, and just a touch savory.
Tomato-Herb Fromage
This one brings sunshine to the plate. With a center made of tomato and an outer coating of herb, its color suggests savory freshness. The texture is a bit firmer than the bries—creamy yet lightly crumbly—making it fantastic scooped onto crackers or even spread onto a tortilla chip before adding guacamole. The tomato flavor is clean and familiar, lifted by herbaceous notes—think basil, perhaps thyme—that play nicely with the sweetness of dried cherries or the palate-cleansing snap of grapes. It’s a cheese with personality: rustic, bright, vegetal, and wholly approachable.
“Honee” Pistachio Chèvre
Of all the soft cheeses, this one was the most unexpected delight. The gentle tang of chèvre, perfectly executed in a plant-based form, mingles with the sweet-nutty whisper of pistachio and just the right hint of honey (all vegan, of course, using Rebel’s “honee” formulation). There’s a minerally richness from the pistachios—compact, slightly gritty in an appealing way—that punches up the creamy tang. Pairing it with cashews on the board was brilliant: nut-on-nut synergy. A shard of nectarine brought fruit-bright acidity that made each bite sing. This chèvre truly felt like an inventive masterpiece.
Texture, Contrast, and the Joy of Soft Cheese
Soft cheeses are sensory gold. Their tactile yield—sometimes delicate, often richly smooth—turns eating into an experience rather than a transaction. Rebel’s soft offerings are remarkable in how they carve their own identity: not cow-milk impersonators, but fully formed, plant-based creations with their own flavor logic.
Yield: A knife glides into the bries as if through velvet. The fromage holds its shape but spreads easily. The chèvre is slightly firmer to hold, but gives way creamily when pressed.
Mouthfeel: Creamy and lush for the bries; slightly denser and crumbly for the tomato-herb; piquant yet smooth for the chèvre.
Flavor release: The bries unfold slowly—you taste the initial creaminess first, then later the nuanced notes. The fromage’s herbs and tomato pop in distinct layers. The chèvre’s tang, nut, and sweetness assert themselves in a delicious sequence.
While the soft cheeses undeniably stole the show, the Gruyère and Sharp Cheddar brought balance and contrast to the board. The Gruyère offered a nutty, slightly sweet depth with a firm yet creamy bite, perfect alongside grapes or a crisp cracker. The Sharp Cheddar delivered a satisfying tang and robust flavor, especially good with dried cherries or a sip of crémant to cut through its richness. Together, they grounded the spread with structure and boldness, complementing the soft, luxurious textures of the bries and chèvre.
The Supporting Cast
To support these star cheeses, we curated a thoughtful array of accompaniments:
Grapes—their freshness and juicy pop cut through the creamy richness.
Olives with fresh lemon zest—their briny, citrus-kicked edge was a perfect foil to soft cheese.
Sourdough and grain crackers—some sturdy, some delicate; each added texture contrast and flavor foundations.
Fresh nectarine slices—summer-sweet and subtly fragrant, they added a burst of fruit brightness.
Cashews—their buttery crunch paired beautifully with the chèvre.
Dried cherries—a chewy, sweet counterpoint that worked especially well with the sharper cheddar or the tomato-herb fromage.
Guacamole and whole-grain tortilla chips—though not cheese, the creamy guac and hearty chips allowed us to switch gears and enjoy savory-spicy bites in between cheese explorations.
The crémant—light, crisp, and effervescent—was the perfect wine pairing. Its refreshing acidity cut through creamy textures beautifully, and the bubbles carried flavors across the palate so each bite felt new
The Ethical & Culinary Satisfaction
This isn’t just a review about tasting—we also reflect on what it means to choose Rebel’s vegan cheeses. There’s a pleasure in aligning one’s palate with one’s values, and Rebel makes that harmony effortless. You’re not sacrificing flavor or texture; you’re choosing innovation, sustainability, and kindness. In that glowing garden scene—glasses of crémant sparkling, conversation rising, the fire offering warmth—it felt like the best of summer indulgence was in full bloom, untethered from compromise.
Final Reflections
By nightfall, the cheeses had dwindled, glasses were half-empty, and the fire was reduced to glowing embers. But the memory lingered: the weightless cream of creamy brie, the unexpected tang of “honee” chèvre, the brightness of tomato-herb fromage, all washed down with satisfying sips of crémant—that’s the kind of evening Rebel Cheese helped craft.
What strikes me most is how Rebel’s soft cheeses don’t just mimic dairy: they’re rediscoveries, reimagined with plant-based ingenuity. They sit confidently on a cheese board, ready to be paired with fruit, nuts, olives, crackers, and wine—not coddled or apologized for, but celebrated. In that soft, glowing summer evening, surrounded by nature and good company, Rebel Cheese made everything feel elevated. They truly proved that vegan cheese can be luxurious, flavorful, and deeply satisfying.
