Vegan Parmesan Cheese

5 from 2 votes

on Jan 02, 2020, Updated Jul 18, 2024

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This vegan parmesan cheese is easy to make in minutes with just 2 simple ingredients. Enjoy sprinkled over pastas, soups, salads and more.

Sealed Weck jar filled with vegan parmesan cheese.

Ingredients
What is Nutritional Yeast?
Can you make it without yeast?
Seasonings
Tips and Notes
How to Use
Recipes to Use With
Vegan Parmesan Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

Let’s go over the main ingredients you’ll need to make this dairy-free version of parmesan cheese.

Nuts or Seeds

Vegan parmesan can be made with nuts like cashews or almonds and can be made nut-free by using hemp seeds or sunflower seeds. I like it best with almonds or almonds but any of these or a combination of these will work:

almonds
walnuts
cashews
sunflower seeds
hemp seeds
Brazil nuts

What is Nutritional Yeast?

Nutritional yeast is what gives the recipe it’s cheese-like flavour and yellow colouring. If you’re unsure what nutritional yeast is, I have a whole post all about it here.

Nutritional yeast also adds protein and most brands are fortified with B12 which is handy for plant-based eaters. My favourite brands are Hoosier Farms, Bragg’s, Frontier Coop and Bob’s Red Mill.

Can you make it without yeast?

You can make vegan parmesan yeast-free but omitting the nutritional yeast and adding extra salt as well as additional seasonings like oregano, garlic powder and onion powder. It’s more parmesan-like when made with nutritional yeast though.

Nutritional yeast and raw almonds in a blender.

Seasonings

The only additional seasoning I add to vegan parmesan is sea salt, however, feel free to experiment with other herbs and spices like garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil and dried oregano.

Blended vegan parmesan cheese in a blender.

Tips and Notes

Use raw, unsalted nuts. Salted and/or roasted nuts will change the taste and consistency of the recipe.
Don’t over blend. Pulse until everything comes together and resembles dry parmesan cheese. Over blending can turn it into a paste, especially if you’re using a softer nut like cashews.
Use a food processor. I usually use my Vitamix but only because my food processor has seen better days. If you have a food processor, this comes together a little easier using the wider base of a food processor over a blender. That being said, a high-speed blender works too.
Store in the fridge or freezer. Store the finished product in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Vegan parmesan cheese in a jar with a spoon.

How to Use

Sprinkle over your favourite pasta dish. It also goes well over these vegan lentil meatballs, lentil pasta sauce, vegan bolognese or vegan marinara.
Sprinkle it over roasted veggies like broccoli, cauliflower or potato.
Add it to vegan mac and cheese.
Sprinkle it over your favourite soup. It works well over this cauliflower potato soup, this vegan minestrone and this roasted red pepper tomato soup.
Use it as a coating for baked tofu, cauliflower or zucchini.
Sprinkle it over any salad or buddha bowl.
Sprinkle it on homemade or takeout vegan pizza.
Use anywhere else you’d use parmesan cheese!
Sprinkle it over my spinach artichoke dip or vegan buffalo dip.

This dairy-free vegan parmesan is easy to make in minutes in a food processor or high-speed blender. Sprinkle over pasta, salads, soup, roasted veggies and more for a nutty, salty, cheesy burst of flavour much like parmesan cheese.

Recipes to Use With

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
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5 from 2 votes