Easy Vegan Parmesan Cheese 🌱 You'll be amazed how simple it is to whip up a fast batch of this super tasty & nutrish parmesan cheese. With only four basic ingredients and in less than a minute . . . you've got cheese! Gluten-free & no added oil.
Who says vegans can't have cheese? Oh yes we can!
Parmesan cheese is one of those basic staples most of us like to keep on hand in our kitchens. Spaghetti without a sprinkle of parmesan? Unimaginable. Never fear! Need some parm in a pinch? You can throw together a batch so fast your pasta won't get cold!
It's perfect on top of our vegan meatless meatballs. Sprinkle some over a batch of our amazing vegan zucchini ravioli or enjoy some vegan parmesan with our scrumptious spinach ricotta stuffed shells.
One of the wonderful benefits of being vegan is enjoying all of the amazing, healthy and delicious plant based ingredients you can use to re-create and frankly - improve - many of your favorite traditional foods & dishes. This cheese looks and tastes just like good old-fashioned Italian restaurant style parmesan, only better since it is dairy-free! Plus it's gluten-free and has no added oil.
I love the flavor of vegan parmesan toasted on top of this colorful & delicious garden squash casserole.
What's Better than Cheese? Vegan Cheese!
There's never been a better time than now to enjoy the goodness of vegan and plant-based living. Why cause harm to animals when we can make our own easy & delicious dairy-free cheeses, butter, yogurts and ice creams?
Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Charlie's Acres, a beautiful and inspirational farm animal sanctuary located in Sonoma, California. The sanctuary is home to more than 120 animals rescued from the meat and dairy industries and is managed by a small team of very compassionate and dedicated individuals. In addition to providing around-the-clock care for the animals, the staff conducts tours and educational programs to raise awareness about the plight of animals used in factory farming .
Learn more about my visit to Charlie's Acres.
While I was there, I spent some time in the kitchen with Ryan, the Facilities Manager at Charlie's Acres. Ryan is a fellow vegan and avid cook who showed me how to create this fantastic easy vegan parmesan cheese
How to Make Easy Vegan Parmesan Cheese
Ready to whip up a fast batch of this super tasty vegan parmesan cheese? All you need are four basic ingredients, a blender and about 30 seconds! I'm not kidding - this is taking immediate gratification to the next level. Once I learned how simple & quick it is to prepare, I now keep a container full in our fridge all the time.
Ingredients
- 1 C raw cashews
- ¼ C nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Pulse for about 30 - 45 seconds. That's all there is to it! Instant delish, nutrish, easy peasy cheesy goodness!
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.
What is Nutritional Yeast?
One of the key ingredients in this recipe is nutritional yeast, aka "nooch". Nutritional yeast has a cheesy, nutty, savory, umami flavor that many people enjoy sprinkled on foods like potatoes, pasta, popcorn, pizza and veggies.
Nutritional yeast is the same type of yeast used for bread baking and brewing beer - with a few differences*.
- Baker's yeast: Baker's yeast is purchased alive and used to leaven bread. The yeast is killed during cooking but adds an earthy, yeasty flavor to bread.
- Brewer's yeast: Brewer's yeast can be purchased alive and is used to brew beer. The dead yeast cells leftover from the brewing process can be consumed as a nutritional supplement but have a very bitter taste.
- Nutritional yeast: This yeast is grown specifically to be used as a food product. The yeast cells are killed during manufacturing and not alive in the final product. It is used in cooking and has a cheesy, nutty or savory flavor.
*Reprinted from healthline.com
Is Nutritional Yeast Good for You?
Yes it is! It's super nutritious. According to this article, nutritional yeast is a great source of protein, B vitamins and trace minerals.
It is a complete protein: Nutritional yeast contains all nine essential amino acids that humans must get from food. One tablespoon contains 2 grams of protein, making it an easy way for vegans to add high-quality protein to meals.
It contains many B vitamins: One tablespoon of nutritional yeast contains 30-180% of the RDI for B vitamins.
It contains trace minerals: One tablespoon contains 2-30% of the RDI for trace minerals, such as zinc, selenium, manganese and molybdenum. Trace minerals are involved in gene regulation, metabolism, growth and immunity
To learn more about Charlie's Acres and how you can help reduce the suffering of animals used in the meat and dairy industries, please visit:
very vegan 🌱 very good
Recipe
Easy Vegan Parmesan Cheese
Equipment
- blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 C raw cashews
- ¼ C nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Pulse for about 30 - 45 seconds. That's all there is to it!...Instant delish, nutrish, easy, peasy, cheesy goodness!
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
If you've enjoyed this recipe, please consider rating it using stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️in the comments below. It helps other readers and allows more people to find it online. I love hearing from you! Let's keep in touch!
Jetta says
Great tasting, I will be making extra next time and store in the freezer, I will be using it alot. Thanks for this great recipe.
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
I'm so happy you like the parm, Jetta. Smart idea about freezing it. We go through a batch practically every week, I may follow your lead & make extra! Thanks so much for sharing your great comments!
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
You won't believe how quick & easy it is to make the best tasting vegan parmesan made from just 4 simple ingredients!