Wine, tortillas and even vegetable soup are clearly vegetarian, proper? Nicely, should you’re on a plant-based or vegan eating regimen, you may need to double-check. Some meals which are seemingly animal-free won’t truly be. Shocking substances, together with animal byproducts, sneak into on a regular basis staples with out a lot warning.
We spoke with foods and drinks specialists to study 10 frequent meals that are not at all times vegetarian-friendly. This is all the pieces to know.
Do not miss any of our unbiased tech content material and lab-based critiques. Add CNET as a most popular Google supply.
Cheese
Actual Parmigiano-Reggiano is not a vegetarian product, resulting from using rennet throughout manufacturing.
Alarmist headlines prefer to particularly name out Parmigiano-Reggiano as a nonvegetarian cheese, however Parm is way from the one perpetrator within the cheese class that incorporates extra than simply milk.
“Cheese is commonly not vegetarian due to using rennet, which helps the milk coagulate and separate into curds and whey,” defined Emily Monaco, a global cheese decide and journalist. “Historically, rennet comes from the abdomen of a child animal: calf, child or lamb. Whereas comparable, [plant-based] enzymes can be utilized for comparable results, many cheeses depend on animal-based rennet, particularly in France,” and all through Europe.
Verify your ingredient lists, or ask your cheesemonger should you’re not sure. “Rennet” will just about at all times point out animal rennet, however “vegetarian rennet,” “microbial rennet,” “thistle (cardoon) rennet” or one other coagulant similar to lemon juice, acid or vinegar point out a really vegetarian cheese.
White or processed sugar
Sure sorts of white sugar are produced utilizing bone char.
Yep, even one thing as fundamental as sugar may need nonvegetarian elements to it. “There are sugars which are processed utilizing bone char, which is comprised of charred animal bones,” stated Maricel Gentile, cooking teacher, chef and proprietor of Maricel’s Kitchen. “Bone char whitens the sugar within the course of.”
Happily, this does not apply to all sugar, however sure manufacturers or particular sugar processing crops could use bone char, which ought to rightfully give some vegetarians pause. “Not all white sugar is processed like this. Some use filtration strategies that use carbon as a substitute,” stated Gentile. “Verify the label, or search for natural or beet sugar, which generally do not use bone char strategies.”
Wine
In the event you’ve ever seen a label on a bottle of wine that signifies the wine is vegan and puzzled why that even wanted to be talked about — certainly all wine should be vegan, sure? — effectively, there is a purpose. “Though it could sound unusual, not all wines are vegan-friendly,” stated wine journalist Vicki Denig. “Some producers will use animal-derived merchandise to ‘advantageous’ — which primarily means to make clear — wines.”
Relying on what methodology a producer chooses to advantageous its merchandise, many wines would nonetheless be thought-about vegetarian, however not at all times. “Through the fining course of, these merchandise mainly bind and take away undesirable sediments or substances and are then filtered out,” Denig defined. “Such merchandise embody — however aren’t restricted to — egg whites, casein, gelatin and extra.” Isinglass, one other aspect that is generally used to filter wine, is definitely a fish by-product.
Learn extra: Greatest Wine Golf equipment and Subscriptions to Reward in 2025
The surest method to know {that a} wine is vegan is to search for wines which are labeled accordingly. In any other case, till there’s laws requiring winemakers to incorporate ingredient lists on bottles, you may have to go deep right into a producer’s web site to seek out out.
Tortillas
Conventional tortillas are sometimes made utilizing lard.
You do not essentially have to be overly cautious about tortillas that you simply carry residence from the grocery retailer, however when eating out for Mexican meals, it is good to remember {that a} staple element of many Mexican dishes is not mechanically vegetarian. “Historically, Mexican tortillas, significantly flour tortillas, are made with lard, which provides a wealthy taste and a fascinating texture,” defined Wes Avila, chef of MXO in Los Angeles. Lard is rendered animal fats, and its use can range by area.
“In distinction, most grocery retailer manufacturers of tortillas, particularly the mass-produced varieties, usually use vegetable oils or no fats in any respect, to cater to a wider viewers,” stated Avila, “together with those that favor vegetarian or vegan choices. All the time verify the ingredient checklist should you’re searching for a particular sort of tortilla.”
Refried beans
Be careful for lard or bits of pork on this Mexican staple aspect dish.
Numerous preparations involving beans use noticeable bits of pork, however one other aspect from Mexican delicacies that will appear vegetarian however is not, is refried beans. “With conventional Mexican recipes, refried beans will usually be ready utilizing lard,” stated Mexican-American chef and cookbook creator Kristyn Merkley. Verify labels when looking for packaged refried beans, and do not make assumptions when eating out — remember to ask.
You may discover that cooks adapt their refried beans to swimsuit vegetarian clientele. “A shortening like Crisco additionally works,” stated Merkley, and you’ll simply adapt a refried beans recipe that requires lard. “Residence cooks can use vegetable oil as a substitute to make it vegetarian, or use plant-based milk or cheese,” she stated, for a completely vegan model.
Pie crust
The explanation pie crust is so good has loads to do with lard.
Lard additionally occurs to be a standard ingredient in one thing you may discover on the dessert menu. “Pie crust usually makes use of lard,” stated Gentile. “It makes a stupendous flakey texture.” Meat pies are one factor, however sure, lard is often most popular by pastry cooks even for candy pies. Regardless of being meat-based, lard has a impartial taste, so that you would not be prone to inform the distinction between a pie crust that used lard and one which used a unique form of fats.
Lard is not common, nevertheless, both in eating places and bakeries, or in ready grocery retailer crusts. “Some use butter, and others use shortening,” Gentile defined. “In case you are not making the crust your self, verify the label or ask your baker.”
Caesar dressing
Caesar dressing usually has pureed anchovy in it.
There is a specific aspect to Caesar dressing that offers it its wealthy taste. In the event you’ve by no means witnessed Caesar dressing being made, you then is likely to be tempted to consider it is simply cheese (which once more, won’t be totally vegetarian both) that offers Caesar its distinctiveness. With no offense to cheese, the depth of Caesar dressing goes approach past what cheese alone can obtain.
“Caesar dressing catches plenty of vegetarians off guard as a result of it is made with anchovies, which are not at all times apparent within the ingredient checklist,” stated Dennis Littley, chef and recipe professional at Ask Chef Dennis. “Many individuals assume it is only a creamy dressing made with parmesan, garlic and lemon, however conventional recipes depend on anchovies for that deep, savory umami taste.”
Worcestershire sauce
One other frequent condiment which may be in your fridge proper now can be a hidden supply of anchovies. (Or not so hidden, as long as you are studying the label intently.) “Lots of people do not realize that Worcestershire sauce normally incorporates anchovies as a result of it simply provides a wealthy, savory depth to meals moderately than a fishy style,” stated Rena Awada, proprietor and head chef at Wholesome Health Meals. “Since you do not actually style the fishiness, it is simple to miss,” she stated, “till you verify the substances and notice it isn’t vegetarian in spite of everything.”
What’s extra, Worcestershire sauce is a standard ingredient in different merchandise — salad dressings, steak sauce, barbecue sauce or marinades — whose daring flavors could not make it apparent that they could additionally comprise surprising seafood.
Gelatin
Jell-O and comparable merchandise get their jiggle from gelatin.
You could already know that gelatin itself is an animal by-product, but when not, “gelatin is comprised of the collagen discovered within the cartilage, bones and pores and skin of animals,” stated Gentile. “Cows and pigs are the most typical supply. When these elements are simmered down, the collagen breaks down into gelatin.”
Avoiding gelatin means way more than simply avoiding Jell-O, although, should you’re a strict vegetarian. “Issues like marshmallows, gummy candies, and fruit snacks in all probability are what all of us consider after we consider gelatin, however even yogurt, ice cream, bitter cream and cream cheese can comprise gelatin to stabilize it,” defined Gentile. “‘Food plan,’ ‘mild,’ or ‘low-fat’ meals may also usually use components like gelatin to make up for the shortage of pure fats binders,” she stated. Even the coating of some vitamin capsules may be manufactured from gelatin.
Vegetable soup
You would be shocked by what number of vegetable soups use hen inventory as a base.
Soup can usually be a supply of hidden animal merchandise, as many use an animal-based inventory similar to beef or hen, which provides a deep taste. Double-check soups like cream of broccoli, mushroom, carrot, and so forth. They will all have a meaty base.
Even simple vegetable soup, which might appear to have a tomato base, can have animal inventory as a basis. Many manufacturers that produce vegetable soup are vegetarian or vegan, however soup ought to at all times be a label-check scenario.