With just 5 ingredients and 5 minutes whip up this Vegan Parmesan Cheese Recipe in no time! Using a combination of cashews and nutritional yeast creates both a texture and a taste that is just as good as the real thing!
I think vegan parmesan is probably the most popular plant based cheese. In fact, it was the first type of vegan cheese that I ever tried. For me that first time was out of a store bought shaker and to be honest it wasn't really all that good. But it was "cheese" and it was plant based.
Fortunately, as time has gone by and plant based cooks have gotten more innovative, vegan cheeses have improved a lot! And we who are dairy-free have reaped the benefits.
Even better is the fact that there are so many plant based cooks these days coming up with all sorts of recipes, so you don't even have to buy store bought vegan parm anymore. You can simply make your own. Not only does making your own cut more processed food out of your diet, but it tastes way better too!
But with so many vegan parmesan cheese recipes out there, why this one?
I have recipe tested many different versions of vegan parmesan cheese over the years and I always go back to the version using cashews. Why? I like the rich flavor and texture that the cashews add.
I find the recipe variations that use almonds to be too crunchy in texture for me. The almond recipes are basically exactly the same except for the choice of nut, but I just don't like them as much. I guess it's just a personal preference.
Back in the day, the first vegan parmesan recipe that I ever tried was a well known Cafe Gratitude version that used brazil nuts. I actually made that recipe for about 5 years before ever testing other recipes. It was and still is a good recipe, but it didn't even have any nutritional yeast in it. It was literally brazil nuts, garlic, and salt. That's it!
After finally testing other recipes, it quickly became my opinion that without the nutritional yeast you just have finely chopped, garlic infused, salty nuts! Needless to say, I'm now a big fan of nutritional yeast and the role that it plays in plant based cooking.
What is Nutritional Yeast?
In simple terms nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast. It comes in the form of yellow flakes or a powder. It has a nutty, cheese like flavor which makes it perfect for plant based cheese recipes.
As an added bonus, nutritional yeast is also really good for you and provides several health benefits. There are 8 grams of protein in a quarter cup of nutritional yeast. It is also known to be an energy booster and support the immune system. Not to mention, good for your complexion, nails, and hair along with the potential to improve glucose sensitivity.
Just 5 Ingredients Needed
It just takes 5 simple ingredients to make this yummy plant based parmesan cheese!
- Raw Cashews
- Nutritional Yeast
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Sea Salt
Together the cashews and nutritional yeast produce a rich, nutty, cheesy flavor. Then add a touch of garlic, onion, and salt to get a vegan parmesan that is just as good as the real thing.
You can use whole cashews or cashew pieces as long as they are raw, unroasted, and unsalted.
How to Make Vegan Parmesan
This recipe can be made in under 5 minutes with a food processor.
You simply pulse all the ingredients together in the food processor until you reach a coarse sand like texture. Be careful not to puree and pulse instead. You want a vegan cheese that sprinkles.
This Vegan Parmesan Cheese will become a go to recipe because it's...
- Salty good
- Rich & cheesy
- Sprinkles easily
- Quick and simple
- Gluten-free & Dairy-free
How long will it last?
This recipe makes about 1 cup. Leftovers of the cheese will keep for weeks when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Ready anytime you want to add a little sprinkle of vegan, cheesy, good parmesan to pasta, risotto, or pizza.
I hope you love this recipe! It is easy to make your own vegan parmesan cheese at home.
If you try this recipe please let me know how it turns out by leaving a comment and rating. You can also hashtag #danceswithknives with a photo of your creation on Instagram where you can find me @dances_with_knives.
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Vegan Parmesan Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 4 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until a fine meal resembling parmesan cheese is formed. It will be a coarse sand like texture that can easily be sprinkled.
- Taste for salt and add more if desired. Parmesan is a salty cheese, but your goal is for it to taste cheesy salty not just salty. If you over salt by a mistake just add more cashews and pulse again.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for weeks.
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