Vegan Parmesan Cheese
This vegan parmesan cheese is easy to make in minutes with just 2 simple ingredients. Enjoy sprinkled over pastas, soups, salads and more.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1.25 cups
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Food Processor
- Cuisine: Vegan
Description
Blend up this quick and easy vegan parmesan and sprinkle over everything from soups to salad and pasta. You’ll love the nutty, salty, cheese-like flavour of this versatile condiment.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw almonds or cashews
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp sea salt
- optional: 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Add everything to a food processor or high-speed blender and process until it resembled parmesan cheese in texture.
- Sprinkle over pasta, salad, soups, sandwiches, roasted veggies and more. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a month.
Keywords: how to make vegan parmesan, vegan parmesan cheese, almond parmesan, dairy-free
I can NOT get past the taste of nutritional yeast, but this, with other ingredients, might just be what I need. I can’t wait to make a little bit of this to see how it goes.
Any suggestions for a salt substitute to make this low sodium please!
You can just leave it out, no problem. Thanks!
Bookmarking this! It was tasty and so simple. I’m so excited to have a go-to Parmesan recipe that I can easily make in just a few minutes.
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I love this recipe and will make it again and again. Thanks!
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Wonderful!! So glad you like it!