Our Guide To Vegan Options At The Cheesecake Factory

When you think of The Cheesecake Factory, vegan options might not be the first thing that comes to mind—after all, cheesecake isn’t exactly plant-based! 

However, if you find yourself dining there with friends or family, you’ll be pleased to know that The Cheesecake Factory offers a variety of vegan-friendly dishes.

While some items require small adjustments, many can be easily modified to suit a plant-based diet. From hearty salads and delicious burgers to tasty appetizers and sides, there’s plenty to enjoy.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the vegan options available at The Cheesecake Factory, highlight what modifications you may need to request, and help you navigate the menu with confidence.

Let’s dive in!

Vegan-Friendly Choices at The Cheesecake Factory

The Cheesecake Factory offers plenty of vegan-friendly options. While some dishes require small adjustments, others are already plant-based. Here’s what you can enjoy:

Appetizers

Start your meal with these tasty, vegan-friendly bites:

• Chips and Guacamole – Fresh and simple. Just order without sour cream.
• Thai Lettuce Wraps – Comes with grilled avocado, bean sprouts, carrots, lettuce leaves, and coconut curry noodles. Three sauces are served on the side: tamarind-cashew, peanut, and sweet red chili. Ask if the tamarind-cashew sauce contains honey, as this can vary by location.

Salads

Several salads can be made vegan with simple swaps:

• Thai Chicken Salad – Order without chicken. This salad includes carrots, bean sprouts, rice noodles, sesame seeds, peanuts, cucumbers, cilantro, and a Thai vinaigrette.
• Greek Salad – Remove the feta cheese. The salad includes red onion, cucumber, tomato, Kalamata olives, and a tangy vinaigrette.
• Little House Salad – Vegan-friendly when ordered with a plant-based dressing (see the dressing options below).
• Vegan Cobb Salad – Fully vegan as-is! This hearty salad includes grilled asparagus, roasted beets, lettuce, tomato, quinoa, cucumber, toasted pepitas, avocado, farro, almonds, and the house vinaigrette.
• Tossed Green Salad – Choose this salad without croutons and ask for a vegan-friendly dressing (see below).

Vegan Salad Dressings at The Cheesecake Factory

Not every location carries the full range of dressings, so it’s best to check with your server. Here are the vegan-friendly options:

• House vinaigrette (balsamic vinegar-based)
• Shallot vinaigrette
• Lemon vinaigrette
• Red wine vinaigrette
• French mustard vinaigrette
• Thai vinaigrette (typically served with Thai Chicken Salad)
• Skinny mustard vinaigrette

Snacks and Smaller Dishes

If you’re looking for something lighter, these small plates are vegan-friendly:

• Edamame – Simply steamed soybeans, served plain.
• Avocado Toast – Fully vegan and delicious. Topped with extra virgin olive oil, red onion, radish, avocado, and marinated tomato.
• Little House Salad – The salad itself is vegan but swap the dressing for a plant-based option from the list above.

Vegan Main Dishes at The Cheesecake Factory

For something more filling, try these mains:

• Skinny Impossible Burger – Make it vegan by removing the dairy-based mayonnaise and checking that the bun is vegan (as this can vary by location). It comes with a side salad and mustard vinaigrette.
• Impossible Burger – Fully vegan! This burger includes a plant-based patty, vegan cheese, tomato, onion, pickles, lettuce, and vegan 1000 Island dressing, all on a toasted vegan brioche bun.
• Skinny Asian Chicken Lettuce Wrap Tacos – Order without the chicken. You can substitute avocado if you’d like, but it’s optional. The dish comes with rice noodles, cilantro, bean sprouts, and carrots, served in lettuce leaves with cashew and spicy peanut sauces.
• Evelyn’s Favorite Pasta – This dish requires some adjustments. The pasta is vegan, but the sauce may vary, so check with your server. You may need to remove some ingredients, but the dish can still be made vegan with a few tweaks.

Vegan Side Dishes at The Cheesecake Factory

These sides are confirmed to be vegan, but keep in mind they are cooked in shared fryers with non-vegan items. If cross-contamination is a concern for you, be sure to ask your server.

• French fries
• Sweet potato fries
• Steamed asparagus (order without butter)
• Steamed broccoli (order without butter)
• Sautéed spinach (order without butter)
• Fresh corn (order without butter)
• Green beans (order without butter)

Vegan Dessert at The Cheesecake Factory

Unfortunately, there’s only one vegan dessert option at The Cheesecake Factory:

• Fresh Sweet Berries – A simple bowl of fresh berries. Make sure to order it without whipped cream, as it’s dairy-based.

Final Thoughts

While The Cheesecake Factory may not be the first place that comes to mind for a vegan meal, there are still plenty of delicious options available. 

From appetizers and salads to burgers and pasta, you can enjoy a satisfying plant-based meal with a few adjustments.

Although you won’t be able to indulge in their famous cheesecake, The Cheesecake Factory offers enough vegan-friendly choices to ensure you leave full and happy.

Frequently Asked Questions