Are Cheetos vegan?

Cheetos are one of the most delicious snacks out there. They’re still the quintessential party food when you’re watching your all-time favorite movies or hanging out with friends.

Also, nowadays there are many recipes that incorporate Cheetos in their ingredients to make the dish crunchier and tastier. But if you’re a vegan, you might be concerned if Cheetos are really vegan.

So are Cheetos vegan?

Unfortunately, Cheetos are not vegan. Cheetos cannot be called vegan because they contain dairy and also animal products. They contain cheese, such as rennet derivative and whey, which are also not vegan. 

In this guide, we’ll talk more about why Cheetos aren’t vegan and what substitutes you can use instead.

What are Cheetos?

Cheetos are a type of cheesy corn snack that is available in the US, as well as other parts of the world. It originally started in 1948, and today both PepsiCo and Frito-Lay have their share of the Cheetos brand. 

Over the years, Cheetos have become a staple snack among many potato chip and party food lovers.

This is undoubtedly due to the fact that Cheetos have a very unique and tasty cheesy flavor, unlike any other snack. They even come in spicy flavors for those who like a little more heat in their appetizers.

However, one big drawback to Cheetos is that they are definitely not made for vegans.

Are the Cheetos vegan?

There are over 20 different types of Cheetos available. Unfortunately, the sad truth is that none of these types of Cheetos in the US are vegan. 

You can clearly see that Cheetos are not vegan due to the presence of milk and cheese in them. The cheese is a cheese derived from rennet (from the lining of an animal’s stomach), which makes it neither vegan nor vegetarian.

If you are looking for a vegan option, you should always make sure that the ingredients do not contain milk or cheese of animal origin. Instead, it should contain vegan options like soy products or vegan cheese.

What ingredients are used in Cheetos?

As we have mentioned before, Cheetos has a wide variety of products, so the ingredients can vary. But certain ingredients make them especially unsuitable for vegans.

For example, if you’ve checked the ingredients on the back, you’ll find “Cheese Seasoning.” This cheese seasoning contains

• Milk - which is a dairy product
• Cheddar cheese - composed of cheese cultures, milk, salt, and enzymes
• Buttermilk - which is a dairy product 

These three ingredients are the main proof that Cheetos are not vegan.

It’s safe to say that if you’re a vegan, you should try to find some vegan alternatives to Cheetos.

Are Hot Cheetos vegan?

Spicy Cheetos or Flamin’ Hot Cheetos have become very popular these days for their extra spicy flavor and crunchy texture. But are they vegan?

Again, the answer is no: they contain ingredients of animal origin, such as cheese and even buttermilk.

Let’s take a look at the list of ingredients that Hot Cheetos contain:

• hydrolyzed corn protein
• Artificial colorant
• garlic powder
• Monosodium glutamate
• Sugar
• Vegetable oil
• Flamin’ Hot Seasoning
• Corn syrup solids
• buttermilk
• onion powder
• Cheddar cheese
• enriched cornmeal
• Salt
• buttermilk
• Citric acid
• Sunflower oil
• Whey protein concentrate
• Yeast extract

As you can see, there are ingredients like whey, cheddar cheese, whey protein concentrate, and whey. The brand sources these ingredients from animals, which makes Hot Cheetos non-vegan.

Many other signs that Hot Cheetos are not vegan, such as

1. They come with the slogan ‘Made with real cheese’.
2. They also mention “ Contains dairy ingredients ” near the ingredients list.

Therefore, it is best to avoid all flavors of Cheetos, including Hot Cheetos, if you live a vegan lifestyle.

Are there Cheetos products that are vegan?

No, there are currently no vegan Cheetos products in the US . You won’t find any in other countries either, like Canada or Mexico.

However, there is one flavor of Cheetos in the UK that is fully vegan , which is Cheetos Twisted Flamin’ Hot.

Let’s take a look at the ingredients used in it:

• hydrolyzed soy protein
• Acidity regulators
• garlic powder
• Flamin’ Hot Flavor
• Corn
• Grape seed oil
• flavor enhancers
• Soy derivatives
• Wheat derivatives
• Fructose
• dried onion powder
• Salt
• Colors (paprika extract, sulphite ammonia caramel)

Here, as you can see, there are no milk-based ingredients, not even cheese, which is a staple in nearly all US Cheetos products.

However, here is a disclaimer.

Although there are no ingredients that are not explicitly vegan, there is a possibility that “flavor enhancers” contain non-vegan ingredients, as the exact components are not specifically listed.

So, if you really want to try Cheetos, you can easily buy this UK Cheetos Twisted Flamin’ Hot product online.

Can you make vegan Cheetos at home?

Yes, it is definitely possible to make vegan Cheetos at home if you have the right ingredients. There is also a proper method that you should follow if you want to make vegan Cheetos at home.

Ingredients

You’ll need three different sets of ingredients to make your own Cheetos, including the dry ingredients, the wet ingredients, and the vegan cheese alternative topping.

Dry ingredients

• ¾ cup cornmeal
• ¼ cup sorghum flour
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ cup potato starch (or use arrowroot, tapioca, or cornstarch)
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• ¾ teaspoons xanthan gum
• ¼ cup superfine brown rice flour
• ½ teaspoon salt

wet ingredients

• ½ cup ice water
• 3 tablespoons vegan butter

For the vegan cheese-based coating

• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast and mix

Steps

Once you have all the ingredients ready, you can start the process of making homemade vegan Cheetos! This is what you will have to do

1. Mix the dry ingredients : The first step is to mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Add the butter to the dry ingredients : To the dry ingredients, add some vegan butter. With a fork, cut and mix the butter so that you get a crumbly mixture. Then start to form the dough by adding ice water a little at a time until the consistency becomes sticky and can be pipetted.
3. Prepare the oven : You have to put the temperature of your oven at 375 °F. Next, take your baking tray and line it with parchment paper.
4. How to make the dough with the pastry bag: Pour the dough into a pastry bag and transfer it to the baking tray. Then pop it in the oven and let the Vegan Cheetos bake for about 12-15 minutes. Take out the tray and let them cool.
5. Coat the cheese : Brush each Cheeto with olive oil. Next, put the oil-coated Cheetos in a plastic bag, add the vegan cheese seasoning, and shake the bag.
6. Return to the bake: Place the cheese-coated Cheetos back on a cookie sheet and allow them to bake for about 5 more minutes.

Take them out and enjoy your hot, crunchy, vegan Cheetos right at home!

Related questions

Now that we’ve looked at Cheetos and seen that they don’t fit into a vegan diet, let’s take a look at some related questions!

What are the vegan alternatives to Cheetos?

Don’t feel bad if you can’t eat Cheetos if you’re vegan! After all, there are plenty of vegan alternatives to Cheetos these days.

Peatos’ Fiery Hot snack is one of the closest to today’s Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. It’s extremely crunchy, spicy, flavorful, and also somewhat similar to Cheetos. 

Keep in mind that while it doesn’t taste exactly like Cheetos, it’s a great alternative if you’re vegan.

There is no dairy inside Peatos snacks, making them the best vegan alternative to today’s Cheetos.

If you love cheese and want to opt for non-spicy vegan Cheetos, opt for Hippeas Vegan White Cheddar.

We highly recommend this alternative as it is very light and crunchy too. The ingredients used are vegan.

It consists mainly of chickpeas. The cheesy flavor of these puff pastries is due to the presence of vegan white cheddar . This makes it taste very similar to Cheetos cheese puffs.

In addition to being vegan, it is also organic, gluten-free, and kosher.

Are the Cheetos vegetarian?

Cheetos aren’t vegan, but did you know they’re not vegetarian either? No, you won’t find any meat-based items inside, but the cheese used in Cheetos isn’t exactly vegetarian.

Cheese can be derived from two types of rennet: microbial rennet and animal rennet. The former is vegetarian, while the latter is not.

This is because rennet of animal origin comes from the intestines of animals.

Now, the cheese used in Cheetos is rennet of animal origin, which makes it unsuitable not only for vegans, but also for vegetarians. Cheetos also contain whey, which is also of animal origin.

Therefore, if you are a vegetarian, you will have to avoid Cheetos due to the presence of non-vegetarian cheese inside.

Are Cheetos gluten free?

If you’re allergic to gluten, here’s some good news:  Cheetos in the US are completely gluten-free!  They’re even listed as a gluten-free snack on the Frito-Lay website.

This is because gluten is normally found in wheat-based products. Cheetos puffs contain corn-based ingredients, such as cornmeal, making them gluten-free and safe to eat.

Are Cheetos kosher?

No, Cheetos are not essentially kosher. If you check the Frito-Lay website for the list of certified Kosher products, you won’t find any Cheetos products or flavors on it.

It could be because the rennet-based cheese used in Cheetos doesn’t come from animals that are kosher-slaughtered and processed.

What other chips and snacks are vegan?

If you’re in the mood for something different than Cheetos, we highly recommend trying the following vegan crisps.

1. Taco Bell French Fries

Taco Bell is one of the most famous and vegan-friendly chains. In fact, they have even brought purely vegan tortilla chips to the market.

You can get three flavors: Classic, Mild, and Fire. So this is definitely a crunchy bite if you want to pass on Cheetos.

2. Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos

And what if you can’t eat Flamin’ Hot Cheetos? You can always go for the Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos, which are very flavorful and have just the right amount of heat and crunch.

You can even make vegan nachos with these Doritos for a filling snack!

4. Tostitos Scoops

Tostitos Scoops are certainly a unique type of snack due to their shape and flavor. The best thing though is that they are fully vegan and a good option if you want to get away from Cheetos.

Since they are tablespoons, you can easily eat them with any sauce of your choice!

Final thoughts

It’s a shame something as delicious as Cheetos doesn’t have vegan flavors.

All Cheetos packets contain some type of dairy-based ingredient, such as cheese seasoning or even buttermilk.

Also, the cheese used is not only not vegan, but also not vegetarian, as it comes from the stomach lining of animals.

Therefore, Cheetos are neither vegan nor vegetarian. 

However, do not despair! We’ve covered plenty of alternatives to Cheetos, as well as vegan potato chips, that can easily satisfy your cravings. You just have to go to them and find your favorite vegan snack.