How To Make Vegan Parmesan Cheese

Do the cashews need to be soaked first?

This is AMAZING!!! Your proportions are SO spot on! Thank you thank you thank you!!!

DELICIOUS. Couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.

SO delicious! This blog continues to impress! I’m a longtime pesto fan and have been wanting to try a vegan option, so I tried this after so many other amazing recipes on this site and thought it had to be decent. I actually doubled the recipe because I had so much fresh basil out of the garden, used 5 Huge garlic cloves, the traditional pine nuts + a couple walnuts and the rest per the recipe. my husband couldn’t tell the difference and couldn’t stop raving about it! we were both impressed at how amazing it was – very basily/garlicky and perfect consistency and awesomely vegan. my new fave! :)

I LOVE this stuff! I’ve already made it three times since I discovered this recipe. It is sooooooooooo good!

Thanks for this recipe can’t wait to try it. Valerie

Thank you so much for this! I’m a flexitarian with a preference for lacto-ovo vegetarian food, but I’ve been eating more and more vegan meals. I LOVE my cheese, but I’ve had cashews in my freezer for ages, and have planned to make some vegan cheese substitutes with them. I finally got around to making your vegan Parmesan, and I’m HOOKED! Next step is to try your Green Chili Mac n Cheese. ?

I’ve been making this in my Vitamix & i keep getting chunks of moisture that are for sure water ghosts because I start out with a dry machine. The part that crumbles is so delicious. Thanks for sharing. Really appreciate this yumma yum.

THIS IS AMAZING!!!!!

Another vouch for sunflower seeds being a sub for the cashews, I weighed them out as the same amount as the cashews and it turned out perfect :)

I made this with roasted cashews instead of raw and I loved the additional nutty flavor of the roasted nuts! So good. I have this on hand in the fridge always!

:)

So as I sit here eating my perfected spag Bol recipe (which I’ve perfected over the past 2 years after going vegan) it still needed something more, something I’d missed… And then I found it! Well you actually! Thank you Dana this parmesean has brought so much joy to my little world – thank you!!!

Do this need to be refrigerated? Or how long can it be kept?

Hello ! I really want to make this however I dont have a food processor ! (cries for being too broke to afford them). will crushing the cashews without the food processor work and will mixing them using my hand work ??

I see this using soaked cashews that were well drained and it’s came out out quite wet, not like in the pictures at all. Any suggestions as to what I did wrong? Was still very tasty!

This was absolutely delicious. My husband couldn’t believe how amazing it was, and went back for thirds! The best part was how low calorie it is, compared to regular lasagna with ricotta cheese. We finished it in about 3 days, and it tasted great with reheating too. This recipe is SUCH a gem, and you are an amazing chef! Thank you for having so many gluten-free vegan recipes – they are superb and fit my dietary needs perfectly!

Made this last night, but I subbed sunflower seeds for the cashews. It’s GREAT! Exactly what I would want from vegan parm, plus it’s good for you! Thank you!

Do you need to soak the nuts beforehand?

I’d really love to try this recipe, however we can’t use nutritional yeast. Can this still be made by omitting that ingredient, or is there a substitute we could use?

We really loved this recipe. It was straightforward and easy to follow. We already finished the first batch and I am making another one tonight. The parmesan is great on pasta and I plan to try it as a seasoning when making homemade croutons.

Any suggestions for cashews brands that aren’t cross contaminated with peanuts? Or just a replacer for those with nut allergies. I saw you suggest sunflower seeds. Can I buy them shelled?

Is this the Parmesan you recommend to use in the Mac and Cheese?

I loved this recipe. So easy and absolutely delish. Thank you for something so simple and so good. Its hard to be vegan when the recipies are complicated. So thank you! Arlene

Absolutely perfect. I make this every week as we can’t live without it.

Thank you ?

What is the nutritional yeast used for? Is it just for protein or does it help bind the ingredients together or some other reason? Just wondering if it is completely necessary. Thanks

Do I have to soak the cashews before blending?

I see that u recommended finely ground almonds as a substitute for the cashews. Could I just use some almond flour/meal instead of processing them myself?

Amazing!!! I LOVE every single recipie ive tried from you, each one is superb ? just made this and was amazed ? thank you

I just made this for the first time and tried it on pasta- wow! I was definitely pretty skeptical about vegan cheeses but I’ve loved every recipe of yours that I’ve tried, and I’m happy to report that this one did not disappoint! Seriously fantastic! Especially in an omni family it is nice to have yummy alternatives to share with them!

Hi Dana! My son is allergic to ALL nuts. Is there an alternative and how much of it should I use?

Hello Dana! I am new to your blog (love the pictures!) and this is the second recipe that I have tried. The baked Falafel burgers were amazing!! I am eager to try the lentil “meatballs” which calls for this as an ingredient. My interest in this recipe is actually twofold. One is that I am on a diet that restricts the amount of dairy and cheese that I am allowed to have. The comments on this recipe lead me to believe that this will be an unbelievable substitute. Second, I keep the rules of Kosher and cannot mix meat and dairy. How awesome does Chicken Parmesan sound? This could be the answer!
I have never used nutritional yeast. When I opened the container, I thought the smell was reminiscent of fish food. The taste is eh. But hey, I’m game. I followed the recipe as precisely as possible (I only had kosher salt not sea salt on hand) and the result was fantastic. I am amazed!! It tasted great! Thank you for the recipe and all the other healthy recipes that I look forward to trying!!

I’m new to your blog (I love your pictures) and this is the second recipe that I have tried. The baked falafel burgers were amazing!! and I want to try the lentil “meatballs” which calls for this as an ingredient. My interest in this recipe is twofold. One is that I’m on a diet that significantly reduces the amount of dairy and cheese that I am allowed to have and this has extremely high ratings as a great substitute. Second, I keep the laws of Kosher and cannot mix milk and meat products. How great does Chicken Parmesan sound! This could be the answer.
I have never used nutritional yeast. When I opened the container I thought that the smell was reminiscent of fish food and the taste was eh. I’m not sure it tasted like cheese by itself. But hey, I’m game. I proceeded to make the recipe and I was incredibly surprised! It tasted really good! I even sent the recipe with your blog and a picture of what I made to a Vegan friend of mine!
Thank you for the great recipes!!

Amazing. It works well without garlic powder too . I absolutely love it. Can’t wait to try it on pasta!

It is great with walnuts too.

Do the cashew nuts need to be soaked and dried prior to using? I’m looking forward to trying this out. Thanks!

I could eat this by the spoonful. In fact, that’s exactly what I do sometimes.

Put it on spaghetti and it tastes very similar to real parmesan. Just be careful about how long you pulse it, first time I made it was perfect, second time I pulsed it too long and it was not crumby anymore.

How to get nutritional yeast in France???

This must be the most important, simple recipe for every “cheese-loving” vegan to have. I made sure I had some in my fridge at all times and could just sprinkle it on anything to make a dish yummy and classy. Sadly, I realized that I and cashews do not have a very good relationship, so I can not use this regularly anymore. :-(
Have you had any success making a Parmesan with other types of nuts?
Thanks.

Should it store at the fridge?

Just made a batch to top my black bean ‘meat’ balls, home made marinara sauce AND spaghetti squash. Wanted to include a pic but no way to do that. YUMMY!!

What great flavor and texture! I used the Penzeys roasted garlic powder for an even bolder flavor. This will go on so many dishes I make to add the finishing touch.

Can you use cashew butter?

I want to put this on everything!

I have wanted to try this for so long but was worried about the nutritional yeast. I get a lot of migraines and am sensitive to cultured food. Also MSG. There is so much out there in questions on wether it nutritional yeast has MSG or not. Do you know? And do you know how this product is made? Is it a cultured product like yogurt, etc. Thank you!

It taste Amazing !! I can even say it taste better than real Parmesan cheese : )

I need to go dairy free, and of course cheese is the hardest to give up. I like cashew cheeses but was extremely skeptical that this would taste similar to real Parmesan. I was so wrong! It tastes amazing, it’s giving me hope that I can actually go dairy free. Thanks!!

This is a simple, quick and delicious topping and I always have some ready in the fridge. My partner loves it, perhaps even more than genuine Parmesan. Thanks Dana.

Can you please tell me what and where I can find nutritional yeast?

Just made the vegan Parmesan
I feel it tastes better than Parmesan
I do not have a food processor so brought out the magic bullet-
I used the flat blade attachment and the short cup – speedy fast – and it comes with a shaker top
Possibilities are endless – Thank you

I feel really delighted to see this recipe. I haven’t tried it yet but I certainly will. When you have to go dairy free, cheese is the biggest sacrifice. This sounds good and I will try it as soon as i get the right ingredients together.

What nutritional yeast do you use?! I’m from Brazil and i can’t find it here…so i want to a friend to bring it for me!!

Wow!! My husband and I are not vegetarians, not vegans, but were having a dinner party that included a vegan friend. We decided to make the vegan pizza and wanted it to look like the pizza everyone else was being served. This vegan parmesan is so surprisingly parmesan like!!! We are going to be making it and using as a healthier choice, it’s that good! Oh, and the vegan pizza? It looked and tasted great!

I have instant yeast instead of nutritional yeast. Does it work also?

Thank you,
Alexe

How long do you think this will keep in the fridge?

do you think it will turn out well if i use fresh garlic instead of powder? thanks!

Made it right after I read this. Add a little bit of salt for my taste. Fantastic! Thanks for sharing.

Even better than regular parmesan!

This “parm” took my vegan mac and cheese from a 3/5 to a 5/5…so incredibly delicious. I will definitely give your pizza recipe a go this weekend :)

This is an absolutely amazing recipe. Thank you so much for sharing it! So simple and yet so tasty and 100% cruelty free! It added a real kick to my pasta and pizza dishes! I am eternally grateful.

I just found your site and I’m fully convinced that you guys are rainbow farting unicorns. I love you! And thank you!

make sure there is 0 moisture in your food processor or you will end up with a savory nut butter! XD

Hi, newly veggo, aspiring vegan, and this looks awesome!! I can’t wait to try it! I wonder though, would this be best stored in the fridge or cupboard, in a sealed jar or air tight container? Also, how long would leftovers of this vegan cheese last? I eat A LOT of pasta (probably more than is good for me, haha!), and this would be a great alternative to using regular dairy cheese.

Any suggestions on what I could use instead of garlic? (I have multiple food allergies and garlic is a severe one.)

Love it!

I always have a jar in the fridge now. I love that vegan staples can always be whipped up with items from the pantry, No milk, no problem if you have a almonds and a blender, for example…..

Hi Dana, I’m wondering if you can comment on an appropriate substitution for nutritional yeast in many of your recipes. As you may know, a common health issue in this country is the genetic variation MTHFR, which affects how your body processes B vitamins . Nutritional yeast is full of B vitamins and for some people eating nutritional yeast brings on serious symptoms, even though nutritional yeast companies may say that they don’t add things like folic acid.

Can I use roasted and lightly salted cashews instead of raw?

Hi Dana, my daughter is allergic and intolerant to dairy so I make a lot of dairy-free alternatives at home. I absolutely love this vegan Parmesan recipe. My daughter more importantly loves it (and she’s a picky eater)! We have tried several of your other recipes and I can’t thank you enough–your recipes and suggestions have simplified my life! I hope you could post more vegan cheese substitution recipes such as this one in the future. I cannot wait to make more of your recipes! Thanks again, Charlene

Hi there just found your blog today , just trying to learn about becoming a vegan, so much to learn and I’m 74 , anyway I found your blog at a post someone put on vegan Richa for vegan Parmesan Cheese , just had to try it , just made some and it is awesome , thank you so much , will definitely check out your recipes and site , thanks again .

I must admit I was extremely skeptical of this and in all honesty a bit irritated -how could it possibly taste like cheese? But my goodness was I wrong! It is absolutely wonderful and adds a real cheesy texture and taste. I have been a vegetarian for 25 years but a vegan for only about 6 months. I never thought I could give up cheese, but with such a wonderful substitute, that is environmentally friendly, animal kind and healthy whats to miss! Tomorrow I am going to try it on your Roasted Red Pepper Pasta. Thank you!

This Nutritional yeast is the same of active dry yeast???

With the sea salt you did not mention if it was to be coarse or fine. I will comment later as tonight will be the first time that I try this out. I purchased coarse so I hope that will work.

This was so delicious! I have a new vegan staple- yay!
I added extra garlic, some almond slivers, and dried basil. Super delicious.

Can I use cashews from a can?

What a great knockoff … thank you so much! And easy, too!

Thanks for bringing this recipe back, it’s one I have been making for decades. I first ran across it in the Ten Talents cookbook and have been making it ever since. I do very lightly toast the nuts after soaking and drying them, gives a great flavor. any soft nut like walnut, macadamia or pine works well, almonds too interestingly enough…just grind them a bit finer. bon appetit!

Is there any substitute for garlic powder? I just realized I don’t have any, and I can’t make it to the store before this recipe needs to be done.

I’ve NEVER left comments when I try a recipe from a blog; I’m just a find, try, eat kinda girl. This vegan parm is SO good I needed to leave you some love. I’ve also made your Mediterranean sweet potatoes several times now and since I’m here, I’m going to praise you for that as well! Your blog is my go to for my new vegan life style!

This is great, so tasty! I just made it and I can’t wait to try it with some recipe. Thank you!

this is great!! even my very non vegan husband gave me credit that it was good!! excited to use it in your vegan Alfredo pasta tonight!!

This is great – made a batch tonight and had it on wholewheat penne with butter beans and veggies. Only problem is I think I’ll be eating a spoonful every time I pass the fridge! Thank you ☺

There are no words to describe how sublime this is!!! I used this on vegan pizza and it added so much pizzaz to the pizza! This is so easy and quick to make! Love this in the amazing creamy spinich and kale dip. All your recipes and tips rock. Can’t wait for the new cookbook :)

I want to veganize a variation of Julia Child’s mini-pizzas. The adjusted recipe calls for generous amounts of “freshly grated Parmesan” and “finely grated low-fat mozzarella blend.” After adding the cheese, we are to put the mini-pizzas “under the broiler, just until the cheese is melted.”

Can vegan parmesan cheese be broiled and, if so, for how long? Would it be better to just sprinkle the pizzas with vegan parmesan cheese after taking them out of the oven and leave it at that?

Thank you. I love your site and have learned a lot from it.

Thanks!

I have been reading your blog for a long time, now, and have made many of your recipes! I just made vegan parm tonight and put it on top of vegan pasta primavera. It was so incredibly good! Can’t wait for your cookbook to come out this year! Wonderful, wonderful recipes! So so happy for you that you have flourished–way to go, Dana! :)

Addictive.

Thank you for sharing. Just made it with hemp hearts and it tastes great. A
Though, hemp hearts have a little green tint but as long as that doesn’t bother you!

Just tried this vegan parm for the first time and am in love! I can’t believe I can finally eat pizza without dairy. Thank you so much for sharing this awesome recipe!

any options for those who cannot eat nuts? Trying to cook more plant based meals and my husband is allergic to nuts (with the exception of pine nuts). He can eat peanuts too.

Superb!

Can I use roasted cashews instead of raw?