EV’s Take: Our New Go-To Cheese
I recently wrote a review of Daiya’s Swiss cheese slices, and I admitted that I didn’t like most plant-based cheese slices. Daiya and Follow Your Heart are forcing me to eat crow (and vegan cheese) because I am definitely picking up what they’re putting down. Ready to learn more? This review digs into everything I loved most about Follow Your Heart Smoked Gouda Slices. Let’s go!
I give Follow Your Heart’s Smoked Gouda Slices the edge simply because I think this cheese tastes amazing, both cold and melted. I think it’s almost a little better cold, which I never thought I’d hear myself say about plant-based cheese. They’ve perfected the balance of flavors. It’s salty, smoky, and subtly sweet, but none overpower each other. They work in perfect harmony while the creamy texture brings it all home for a knockout vegan cheese that I don’t want to stop eating.
It’s no surprise that Follow Your Heart nailed the vegan cheese. They’ve been doing this for a while–since 1970, to be exact! Their first offering? The classic and award-winning Vegenaise has been a godsend on my vegan journey for all my favorite salads, like this Thai basil chickpea salad. Given how much I like the Vegenaise, I went into this review expecting their cheeses to be pretty decent. The smoked Gouda cheese slices exceeded my expectations, so if you’re looking for a go-to cheese, I highly recommend adding it to the rotation. Don’t let the “smoked” intimidate you. There are smoky undertones, but they do not overpower the palate, making this a versatile cheese you can pair with anything.
If I had to complain about anything, peeling the cheese without breaking it can be challenging. A little slice of wax paper would be nice, but I also don’t know if the extra waste is worth it. I used a butter knife to gently lift a slice from the corner and shimmy it from the stack.
Follow Your Heart Smoked Gouda Slices Ingredients:
I always love a lean, simple ingredient list, and Follow Your Heart delivers there too. The ingredient list is very simple, with mostly whole ingredients, including water and coconut oil, and they use potato and corn starch as a binder. They add sea salt, smoke flavoring, olive extract, and beta-carotene for coloring.
Here is the full ingredient list from the Follow Your Heart website:
Filtered Water, Coconut Oil, Modified Potato and Corn Starches, Potato Starch, Sea Salt, Natural Smoke Flavor, Olive Extract, Beta Carotene for Color.
Follow Your Heart Smoked Gouda Slices nutrition:
| Serving Size | 1 slice |
| Calories | 60 |
| Total Fat | 4.5g |
| Saturated Fat | 4g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Sodium | 180mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 4g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g |
| Total Sugars | 0g |
| Protein | 0g |
Source: Follow Your Heart
How did EV use Follow Your Heart’s Smoked Gouda Slices?
Like a feral raccoon, I ate most of the cheese straight from the package. I’m telling you, it was that good! Naturally, I had to test the meltability, so I also used them on my Morningstar Farm garden veggie burgers. I added a cheese slice to the burger and then broiled it briefly to melt it. The result? Ooey, gooey, bubbly goodness. This cheese melts beautifully. And so quickly, too! It only needs 30–45 seconds under the broiler, so keep an eye on it if you use this method!
My next mission? Grilled cheese! I have a few more plant-based cheese brands to review, and then I plan on making a grilled cheese flight. I’ll be reporting back with my results!
Where can I buy Follow Your Heart Smoked Gouda Slices?
Ready to grab a pack? You can get these in many grocery stores, though I found mine at Sprouts. They don’t seem to be on Amazon currently, but you can use the Follow Your Heart store locator to find a retailer near you.
What do you think?
Have you tried Follow Your Heart Smoked Gouda Slices? Love them or hate them? Tell us in the comments!
