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Vegan Parmesan Cheese

Vegan parmesan cheese #vegan #simpleveganblog

This vegan Parmesan cheese is delectable, super easy to make, it lasts a long time and it’s cheaper than traditional Parmesan, in addition, it’s healthier and it’s gluten and dairy-free, so everybody can eat this wonderful cheese.

You only need 4 ingredients to prepare it (yes, only 4!): cashews, brewer’s or nutritional yeast, fine sea salt and garlic powder. I always use unsalted nuts because they are healthier, but you can also use salted cashews and you won’t need to add salt. You can use brewer’s or nutritional yeast, it tastes quite similar, but nutritional yeast is gluten-free.

This cheese doesn’t melt as the real Parmesan, but it’s perfect for many recipes like pesto. You can also use it as grated cheese with your pastas, appetizers or whatever.

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Vegan parmesan cheese #vegan #simpleveganblog

I recommend you to use a food processor or a grinder to make this recipe, you only need to grind the cashews and mix them with the rest of the ingredients. You can try to make it with a blender too.

Vegan parmesan cheese #vegan #simpleveganblog Vegan parmesan cheese #vegan #simpleveganblog

If you can’t find cashews, you can use other nuts. Use unsalted and skinless nuts if possible. The other ingredients are necessary to get the cheese flavor.

Vegan parmesan cheese #vegan #simpleveganblog

I’ve been addicted to cheese for many years, I’m serious! It was so difficult for me to stop eating cheese. I’m a vegan now, so I never eat it and I hardly ever miss it, but sometimes I do and I eat any vegan alternative. I prefer to make my own vegan cheese because it’s cheaper and healthier and I can avoid preservatives and additives.

Vegan parmesan cheese #vegan #simpleveganblog

If you like cheese and you are vegan or you want to eat a healthier alternative, you need to try this recipe, and you can’t miss our vegan cheese recipe, it’s the perfect dip, you can eat it with tortilla chips, crudités or even you can use it as a cheese sauce to make pastas, pizzas and so many recipes.

I keep the vegan Parmesan cheese in a glass jar at room temperature. It lasts a long time because all the ingredients are dry. You can prepare this gorgeous cheese in less than 5 minutes and you can use it in so many recipes. I love it so much, I could even eat it with a spoon!

Vegan parmesan cheese #vegan #simpleveganblog

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Vegan Parmesan Cheese

★★★★★ 5 from 23 reviews
  • Author: Simple Vegan Blog
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Total Time: 5 mins
  • Category: Ingredient
  • Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten Free

This vegan Parmesan cheese is healthier than the traditional version. It’s ready in less than 5 minutes and you only need 4 ingredients to make it.

Vegan parmesan cheese #vegan #simpleveganblog
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted cashews (150 g)*
  • 4 tbsp brewer’s or nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

  1. Grind all the ingredients in a grinder or food processor until well mixed.

Notes

* You can also use other nuts like walnuts or almonds, although I prefer to use cashews because they have a neutral flavor.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 teaspoon
  • Calories: 26
  • Sodium: 56 mg
  • Fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 1.7 g
  • Protein: 0.9 g

 

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  2. This is a great recipe, except that Brewer’s yeast and Nutritional yeast are completely different. Brewer’s yeast is bitter and even offensive, and nooch tastes cheesy, giving it that Parm taste.

    Reply

    • Hi Julia! Yeah, I know they’re different, but both work 🙂 Here in Spain is really hard to find nutritional yeast and sometimes I use brewer’s yeast debittered instead, it tastes amazing too!

      Reply

  3. Hi! Is there any substitute for nutritional yeast? I live in Africa and the best I can find is instant yeast, that only reacts to water 🙁

    Reply

  4. I just made this and it is wonderful! Does this need to be refrigerated? What is the shelf life? Thank you!

    Reply

    • Hi Ronica! It lasts for several weeks. I recommend you to store the cheese in the fridge to keep it fresh, but if you’re gonna eat it soon, it’s not necessary 🙂

      Reply

  6. Hi!
    Haven’t been able to get my hands on any nutritional yeast, so made this with Brewers yeast. Not good! Will re-try when I find the nutritional, as it did seem promising, just overpowered by the Brewers bitterness…

    Reply

  7. I thought you weren’t supposed to consume brewer’s yeast raw? I know I did so once for a cheese and got a terrible stomach ache.

    Reply

  8. Eagerly went to the “Make veggies delicious with this easy recipe” link right under your recipe and it was basically an ad for Swanson Chicken Broth. Kind of an unfortunate choice to pop up on a vegan blog. :/

    Reply

  9. Hi!

    We use ad networks, which serve ads that we can’t totally control.
    We have animal product filters applied with these networks, that way the ads shouldn’t be about animal products, but I guess there has been some error with the filter of some of the networks we work with.
    We also can block specific ads, but as we live in Spain and the ads served depends on the place on Earth you are, we can’t see the same ads as you, so we can’t block them.

    I’m sorry for the inconvenience and thanks for letting us know!

    Reply

  10. I soaked my cashews overnight, how long do I need to wait for them to dry or can I mix like this.

    ★★★★★

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    • Hi! I think it’s better not to soak your cashews to make this recipe, but if you do, they have to be completely dry 🙂

      Reply

  11. This recipe looks delicious, hoping to make it tonight however I don’t have any garlic powder. Do you think fresh garlic would work?

    Reply

    • Hi Isabelle! I don’t think the recipe is going to work if you don’t use garlic powder, although you could try…

      Reply

  12. This recipe looks great and because it is so quick to prepare, I’ve shared this on my FB page “Super Quick Plant-Based Recipes”. Great timing since I had just posted a Caesar dressing! Hope to see more super quick recipes! Thank you!

    ★★★★★

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    • Hi Shanasy! Thanks a lot for sharing, but please do not share the full recipe, just a picture and a link to our site. Have a nice day!

      Reply

      • Yes I believe that is what I did. My intention is to support other people’s sites, such as yours, by sending my ‘gang’ to your site to ‘pick up’ the recipe. I just want to help other people increase their followers and keep the ‘PB/vegan movement’ growing! (Hopefully it is reciprocal!)

        ★★★★★

        Reply

  13. Hi
    Normally when grinding cashew leaves oil and becomes more like a paste..how did your turn out to be so dryand crumbly. Any trick in grinding? Or did you roast before grinding? I have read that roasting nuts enhances flavour and are more healthy.

    Reply

    • Hi Ishani! No, just place all the ingredients and blend, that’s all! I prefer to use raw nuts, they’re more nutritious 🙂

      Reply

  15. Do I need to soak the cashews? I get a bit confused with cashews as some recipes state soak for 8 hours and some don´t mention soaking.

    Reply

  17. I make this all the time. I love trying it with other nuts and seeds also. I just made a batch with walnuts and sunflower seeds. I like to add extra nutritional yeast to enhance the cheese flavour. Fresh garlic will work as well as garlic powder. I also like to add a small drizzle of olive oil. It will make it stick a little here and there for a little more texture. I like to store it in the fridge in a mason jar. I share a lot of your recipes on my Body by Karen page. In case you would like to check it out. ?

    Reply

  18. This was so delicious!!
    I usually make cashew cheese on the blender for putting on my pizza but it is messy and takes time so I’m glad I tried your recipe- super fast and now I have a jar full in the fridge for instant cheese flavour : )

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  19. This has become my favorite condiment! It enhances everything. Thank you for sharing your recipe. I have found that I prefer a bit more Nutritional yeast than your ratio – just personal taste. And I’ve made it with raw, roasted and roasted/salted nuts (without adding extra salt to them).All work – all are good. I use the food processor.

    ★★★★★

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  20. Amazing! I wish I would have found this recipe sooner. It is now our official parm “go to” 🙂

    ★★★★★

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  21. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe on internet! I’m from Japan and in Japan, vegan is still not as common as western society. This recipe and website is absolutely amazing! I am so grateful to know this website! Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  24. Hello! I’m looking for a vegan parm, but I’m regrettably allergic to all nuts. Do you know a good cashew substitute?

    Reply

  28. Just made to put on pizza and wowsa! My husband (not vegan) liked it so much I had to ask him to save some for me! 😜

    Reply

  29. I admit to being a little skeptical about this, but I loved how it turned out! Used your caesar dressing recipe that this is a part of and it was a hit! I loved it!

    ★★★★★

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  31. Hi,
    I tried this and it just tastes really strongly of nutritional yeast. Is it supposed to, or should I be using less nutritional yeast?

    Reply

  33. just made this and it is delicious perfectly spiced and good texture Thanks

    ★★★★★

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  34. Lovely cheesy vegan parmesan. Topped a penne with homemade grilled pepper-tomato-pastasauce and baked pinenuts with it.

    ★★★★★

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  37. I must have done something wrong or overmixed because it came out lumpy not powdery. Like cashew butter. The other two times were perfect ! O NO

    Reply

    • Hi Jennifer! If you have a powerful blender, just blend a few seconds. I prefer to make this recipe using a food processor 🙂

      Reply

  38. As a current cheese eater, very impressed! Has that cheesy nutty flavor and is a great swap. I’m attempting to try different cheese alternatives and this one is pretty great for a Parm “sprinkle”. Great work!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  39. Stunning! New to vegan cuisine and cheese is a huuuge stumbling block as most taste like lard, love this!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  40. The recipe distinguishes salted versus unsalted cashews, but dies not indicate whether roasted or raw. Would either work?

    Reply

  42. i am allergic to garlic, boo-hoo, so is there a possible alternative for this recipe? usually, in ‘food’ recipes i either leave it out or add a shallot. possibly another dry spice? thanks.

    Reply

  43. Love this recipe! Planning to put it on top of a Walnut Pesto Pasta; a recipe in Vegetarian Comfort Food by Megan Gilmore.

    ★★★★★

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  44. I love this vegan parmesan cheese. It’s so simple and delicious. I love, love, love it! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  45. I love this recipe. It is so easy to make and so delicious. I use it on lots of things including popcorn! Love all of your tasty recipes. They are simple to make from ingredients that are easy to find and not too expensive. I love that most of your recipes contain only a few ingredients which gives me the confidence to try them and doesn’t overwhelm me.

    Reply

  46. This receipe is as good as commercial without the chemicals. I use it a lot. As a sprinkle and in receipts ie alfredo sauce. Thanks.

    ★★★★★

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  48. Hi Iosune, thank you for this recipe which I’m excited to try. I wonder what brand of nutritional yeast you use for this recipe?

    Reply

  50. Nutritional Yeast and Brewer’s yeast are really not the same!!!!!
    Both nutritional and brewer’s yeasts are a type of fungus. So, like mushrooms, they’re neither plant nor animal. Both are good sources of B vitamins, necessary for efficient metabolism of food and to help us withstand stress, and of minerals, protein, and fiber. Although either one can be taken as a supplement in pills, flakes and powders are the most popular forms, adding a nutritional boost when mixed in juices, smoothies, dressings, sauces, or soups, or sprinkled on salads, cooked vegetables, popcorn-or just about any other food. Nutritional yeast is especially popular as a vegan substitute for grated cheese, such as Parmesan.

    Both types of yeast are inactive, meaning they won’t make bread rise or generate a yeast overgrowth in your body. And both are the same species of yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. But in other ways, they differ.

    The taste of nutritional yeast is milder, with a nutty, cheesy flavor. Brewer’s yeast is a bit bitter, although the bitterness is reduced in some products. The concentration of vitamins and minerals differs among products, and the yeasts are cultivated on different media.
    Brewer’s yeast is traditionally a byproduct of the beer-making process, in which case it’s cultivated on malted barley or other grains, which produces some bitterness. However, some brewer’s yeasts are “primary grown,” meaning they are cultivated specifically for use as a dietary supplement, and may be grown on the same types of media as nutritional yeast.

    Nutritional yeast is never a brewery by-product, and is typically grown on molasses from either sugar beets or cane sugar. Much of the sugar beet harvest in the U.S. is genetically modified, but nutritional yeasts grown on non-GMO versions are available, and some are organic.
    Both types of yeast contain similar amounts of protein, fiber, and a very small amount of fat-around 7 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and 1 gram of fat in a 60-calorie serving. Brewer’s yeast naturally contains chromium, whereas nutritional yeast does not. In other ways, the exact concentration of B vitamins and minerals varies from one product to another. Although the yeasts naturally contain all the B vitamins, additional amounts are sometimes added, in which case B vitamins are listed as separate ingredients on the label.

    ★★★★★

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  53. Made exactly how the recipe calls. It taste a lot better than any store bought vegan Parmesan cheese. How long is the self life once made?

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    Reply

    • Months but it won’t last that long. I put it in a shaker bottle and store on the door shelf. I use different nits and seeds for different flavors/textures. I sometimes add onion powder, and/or miso, or dried Italian herbs.

      Reply

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