This Vegan Parmesan is excellent for sprinkling on top of your pasta or pizza. Nutty, cheesy, and super easy to make. And, so close to parmesan cheese your friends may never notice.
I love covering my food in sauces and toppings. One of my “pre” plant-based favorites was spaghetti covered in grated parmesan. But, deciding to ditch the dairy put an end to that and I’m not gonna lie, there was a brief period of grieving. Well, that was the past and all is right in the world once more. Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to make Plant-Based Parmesan Cheese!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “cashews are wonderful little things.” There’s so much you can do with them and one of my favorites is to make cheeses and creams. My Game Day Cheese Dip and Cashew Sour Cream are perfect examples.
You only need 4 ingredients and less than 10 minutes of your time for this recipe. And, you thought this whole “plant-based, eating healthy” thing was going to be hard. Shame on you…
What makes this wonderful little topping so “cheesy”? NUTRITIONAL YEAST! If you’re not familiar with it, now is a perfect time. It will change your life! This stuff is packed with B-vitamins, is full of nutrients and super cheesy.
Beyond the cashews and nutritional yeast, it’s just a little Italian seasoning and salt and you’re good to go!
Why do I think you’ll love this Plant-Based Parmesan Cheese? Because it’s delicious, savory, super simple to make and CHEESY!
Sprinkle this stuff on top of your spaghetti, veggie pizza, or better yet, my Easy Vegan Lasagna Rolls with Tofu Ricotta. Pretty amazing!
Be sure and let me know if you make this! Leave a comment; take a picture; post it on Instagram; tag the photo #shaneandsimple; because I want to see your dish. Peace and feast!
Plant Based Parmesan Cheese
A simple plant-based parmesan cheese made with raw cashews or almonds, nutritional yeast, a little Italian seasoning, and a pinch of salt. It’s great on top of pastas, pizza, veggies and anything else you can think of.
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup of raw cashews (or raw almonds)
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in a food processor and mix, pulse, mix, pulse until it’s fairly fine and looks like parmesan. If you do want it “chunkier”, blend a little less.
Notes
*If cashews aren’t your thing, try raw almonds, brazil nuts or even walnuts. Feel the freedom to experiment. *Feel free to adjust the flavors as you go. If you want a more “cheesy” flavor, add a little more nutritional yeast, etc. It’s your world, do what you want! *You can store this in the fridge in an airtight container for a few weeks.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: Vegan
- Diet: Vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Tbsp
- Calories: 54
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 68.4 mg
- Fat: 3.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 3.2 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Protein: 2.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: vegan parmesan, plant-based parmesan, parmesan cheese, vegan parmesan cheese, raw vegan
Very good topping! May I yet share one suggestion?
I had made a very similar recipe, before, that called for just a few drops of lemon juice (so little you hardly notice), then let it dry a bit before filling in a jar.
Just adds a little extra tang, maybe some of you might have fun to try it out, for a change.
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Hi;
I actually heard of this a long time ago, using pumpkin seeds. Works great, and a great aprinkle on salads, etc.
I tried the cashew version and find I prefer the other – the cashew is too bland somehow.
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Can’t use nutritional yeast so what can I use in place.
I’m sorry, Sharon. Sadly, there is no sub for nooch.
Hi Shane! Made this to go with the spinach & artichoke dip today! Huge hit in my home!
What nutritional yeast do you recommend for great flavor? I haven’t really found one I like a whole bunch yet, thank you!
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THAT IS AWESOME!!! Thank you for taking the time to reach out. It means so much!
Love this! It’s delicious, and so easy to make. Can’t wait to try it on your Mac and cheese! I’m allergic to nuts, so I used raw sunflower seeds. It worked great. I made a large batch and put it in a Ball jar in the fridge. Do you think if will last for 4 weeks? I’d like to use it on some of my Thanksgiving recipes.
Hey Colleen, I make a batch about once a month or so since it’s just Hubby and I, and it still tastes amazing! Just make sure to keep it in the fridge with a proper lid that seals. Since I used up all my regular (actual) parmesan cheese before going fully plant based, I found out that making a batch and a 1/2 will fill the 8 oz shaker that had the actual parm cheese in it and last a nice long time.
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I made this tonight for the first time. I am not vegan but it tastes delicious to me. Not exactly Parmesan but just as good. My vegan son loved it I can tell I will be making this many times. Instead of straight nutritional yeast on vegan spaghetti we will use this instead.. Wish I would have found this recipe sooner! Thank you Shane. You have so many delicious recipes.
Thank you, Maryo!
Love this! I put a lot on a large bowl of a stew that I make frequently of DIY broth with tons of seasoning as the liquid for a grain pot cooked with spices (oat groats), beans cooked with spices (black-eyed peas), caramelized onions & mushrooms, and garlic. But still it needs SOMETHING. Sometimes I mix in a few tablespoons of dijon mustard or Trader Joe aioli, But tonight was Shane’s vegan parm and it is GOOOOOOOOD! Pretty sure that I’m fuller due to the nuts. The only tweak was 1/4t salt. I have a no-salt italian seasoning and maybe I’ll up that next time. Love it, Shane!
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Thank you!
Hi Shane
Just as you said took like 4 to 5 minutes!!! Had everything in the pantry 🙂 Does this have to stay in the fridge or can it sit on the counter? Thanks so much ! Now let me whoop up this dish!
Great! I usually put it in the fridge but as long as you keep in an airtight container it can sit out at room temp. as well.
Would this work in a blender? I don’t have a food processor. This is a problem for me with a lot of recipes.
Yes, you can totally use a blender. Start slow and increase speed. And, you might have to stop occasionally and shake, but that’s normal.
I made this today and sprinkled some of it on top of the pasta veggie dish I had for dinner. It tastes pretty good. I halved the recipe and still ended up with quite a bit. I was able to fill an 8 ounce maaon jar with an additional 2 spoonfuls left over. As for the time it took to whip this up, it literally took all of a few seconds…two to three pusles in my food processor.
My only critique is that I found the amount of nooch (nutritional yeast) to be a bit much and I actuallly happen to like nooch, but I found that the nooch overpowered all of the other ingredients. So next time I will cut the amount of nooch in half and then add more, if necessary, based on my taste.
All in all, this is a good recipe for vegan parmasean. 👍
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Love this stuff – 2nd time we’ve made it – and my Hubby actually made it this time !
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NICE.
Love everything about this recipe! The simplicity of preparation, the taste and versatility and……cashews! Need I say more?
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Thank you so much, Barbara! Blessings.
This is so delicious! I made it today for your lasagna tonight. It is so good! Better than any other I’ve made. I now go first to your recipes when I want a guaranteed wonderful meal! Thanks
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Wow, thanks, Julie! So glad you enjoyed it.
Nailed it! Obviously, this doesn’t taste just like Parmesan…. but it is an excellent substitute. It is also the third version of this I have tried from different food blogs, and it is the best for my personal taste. The Italian seasoning really is a great addition. Thank you so much for keeping these delicious recipes so simple!
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Thank you, Nicole!
Thanks! I looked up Anthony’s nutritional yeast from the picture (you link sends you to Bob’s Red mill). I was so excited to see that Anthony’s has an unfortified nutritional yeast!!
The more I find out about my health issues, the smarter I need to be. Due to a relatively common genetic mutation, my body can’t process folic acid (synthetic); only methyl-folate (the active form). Neither can it process cyanocobalaman (B12), only methylcobalamon (the methylated form).
Mine just came in and I am looking forward to trying it in this recipe and my tofu scramble. 🙂 I really missed parm!! Excited to try it.
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Ohhhh, thank you, Elizabeth for letting me know! And, I’m sorry to hear about your issue with B12. I hope you enjoy the recipe. Blessings.
Elizabeth, thank you for this tip! I have the same mutation (I’m guessing). Can you please provide me with more info on this? My doc recently tested my levels and they were off the chart high – I’m guessing because of nutritional yeast! Do you have any info about this I can read? Thanks!
Hi Shane! Love, love, love your recipes! Is there something I could use to replace nutritional yeast. I don’t REALLY don’t like it! Thanks! Rebekah
Hi, Rebekah! And, thank you so much. Unfortunately, nutritional yeast doesn’t really have a substitute. You could try just grinding up the nuts with the spices. I know some people who have done that and really enjoy it.
OK we are brand new to plant based. A new venture for 2020. Parmesan (or lack of) was going to be my challenge, as it was my low fat – go to for everything. I’m encouraged to find your recipe. Hoping the fat content isn’t too high. Looks easy enough tho! Thanks
Thank you and hope you enjoy it. Happy New Year!
I cannot thank you enough for your recipes, they taste good and are really so simple. I love you encourage us to change it to fit our taste. (I would do it anyway, but it’s good to know you don’t get offended)
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LOL! Suzie, I love this message. It encourages me so much. First, I’m thankful and honored you love the recipes. But, I’m even more excited you make things fit to your liking. That’s what it’s all about. And, really…us food bloggers are just taking things we like and making it our own. We should be encouraging others to do the same. Peace and blessings.
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Hi Shane, I think your recipes are fantastic. Thankyou for sharing with us. I live in the UK so best wishes from a cold winter day.
Thank you, Barbara! I hope to get to the UK soon. One of my favorite places. Blessings!
This is absolutely delicious. So popular in my house that as soon as one batch is finished, I make another.
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Haha! Thanks, Roger. I know exactly what you mean. 🙂
Great idea and tasty!
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