Melts beautifully on toast': the best plant-based spreads, tasted and rated

"Butter has a powerful place in the culinary imagination it's nostalgic, indulgent and rich in flavour. I love the way it holds texture, then melts into a slice of warm toast. But is that really too much to ask from a spread, let alone a plant-based one? The truth is, I haven't eaten margarine since the 1980s at home, it's always butter or extra-virgin olive oil but spreads are hugely popular. Is it mainly the convenience? Culture? Something else?"

"The main benefit of a spread is that it's firm but spreadable straight from the fridge. It ought to taste good, too, but that seems to be an afterthought for many brands, which taste of seed oils and emulsifiers. It should also have a perfect melt time, so it pools slowly and satisfyingly on your toast. Once the bland, ultra-processed alternative to dairy butter, modern plant-based spreads are less processed, creamier, more flavourful and often motivated by ethics or the environment."

"Conventional dairy butter production carries a big environmental cost, mainly through land use and methane emissions. By comparison, many plant-based spreads have a significantly lower carbon footprint. That said, they are not all created equal: some are ultra-processed, rely heavily on palm oil, or come with sustainability claims that don't quite add up. I tasted all the spreads solo, to gauge texture and flavour, and then on toast to test their melting properties."

Butter offers nostalgic richness, resilient texture and a satisfying melt, while the primary practical benefit of a spread is being firm yet spreadable straight from the fridge. Modern plant-based spreads are often creamier, less processed and more flavorful than older margarines and frequently have a lower carbon footprint than dairy butter, which incurs substantial land-use and methane emissions. Variability among plant-based options remains: some are ultra-processed, depend on palm oil, or present questionable sustainability claims. Evaluation priorities include taste, melt behaviour, processing level, oil quality, responsible sourcing and palm-oil-free formulation.

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