While experimenting with taking yeast out of my diet recently, I found I was without my classic, beloved Vegan Parmesan Cheese.
I like putting cashew parmesan on my favorite meals, like Eggplant Parmesan, roasted vegetables, and pizza. So life just wasn’t the same without it. And I know many of you have been in a similar boat trying to avoid nutritional yeast. So I got to work developing a yeast-free version of the classic recipe.
The trick to making major swaps like this is replacing the ingredient with something that tastes similar or reminds your brain of the flavors of the ingredient you’re omitting.
In this case, it’s all about the salt — and adding in some classic Italian herbs and seasonings like garlic, dried basil and oregano, and a pinch of red pepper flake.
Bonus? This recipe requires just 6 ingredients you likely have on hand right now, 5 minutes, and a blender or food processor to make. Shall we?!
This recipe is simply a blend of sea salt, raw cashews (if you’re sensitive to cashews, try a blend of the nuts I recommend in this Cashew-Free version), garlic powder, dried herbs, and a little red pepper flake.
Besides flavor, the other trick to getting it close to “real parmesan” is the texture! I found blending this into a super fine, powdery meal in a small blender was key.
Real parmesan cheese is easily shaken over dishes and almost melts into them, partly because of how light and fluffy it is. This is why I recommend using a small blender as opposed to a food processor, because it’s able to get the texture even more fine.
I took one bite of this “cheese” and was blown away by how close it is to the real thing!
I hope you LOVE this “cheese!” It’s:
Cheesy
Salty
Flavorful
Quick & easy to make
SUPER close to the real thing
& SO delicious
This would make the perfect topper for things like Veggie Pizza, Vegan Meatballs, and Pesto Breadsticks, or for adding to things like Vegan Mac ‘n’ Cheese and Pesto!
Into dairy-free cheese? Be sure to check out our Original Cashew Parmesan Cheese, Spicy Pimento Vegan Cheese Ball, Garlic & Herb Vegan Cheese, Probiotic-Cultured Vegan Cheese, 5-Minute Vegan Cashew Queso, and Easy Vegan Mozzarella “Cheese!”
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Yeast-Free Cashew Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews (we haven’t tested other nuts, but Brazil nuts and hemp seeds might work)
- 1 ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp dried oregano (you can use fresh herbs, but the “cheese” won’t last as long)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried basil (you can use fresh herbs, but the “cheese” won’t last as long)
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flake (omit for less spice, but it does round out the flavor)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small blender for fine texture, or use a food processor. Mix/pulse until a fine, powdery meal is achieved.
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding garlic for depth of flavor, red pepper flake for heat, basil or oregano for richer herb flavor, and salt to taste (you want this pretty salty to mock the “parmesan cheese” flavor).
- Transfer to container and store in the refrigerator to keep fresh. Lasts for 3-4 weeks refrigerated, or in the freezer for 1 month, sometimes longer. Great for use on top of vegan pizza, breadsticks, pastas, and gratins. It’s also a great addition to vegan meatballs!
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Heather says
Oh yum! 5 stars alright.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Heather. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Juaria says
I’ve tried a lot of recipes from many different blogs and this is MY FIRST time taking the tine to leave an actual review! The “Parmesan” is THAT GOOD! I wondered how it would work achieving that “cheesy” flavor without any nutritional yeast, but here it is. I don’t have an allergy but the taste of nutritional yeast has always been “off” to me- this was the perfect solution to a dairy-free parmesan that also does not have that yeast. This recipe is a keeper. And for what it’s worth, someone who refuses to eat anything but the processed one with the green too IYKYK was blown away when they tried it. Go ahead, get some cashews, get the spices. Do it. It’s a game-changer!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Juaria. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
sakra says
Excellent! (I can’t eat nutritional yeast for health reasons and your recipe is a great solution)
Three tips from my experience-
1. Pine nuts have a taste similar to Parmesan and it’s better to make the cheese with 50% pine nuts.
2. To avoid lumps and extend the shelf life of the cheese, you can lightly fry the cashews and pine nuts on a pan without oil for a few minutes (before they change color)
Cool completely and only then grind.
3. You can use half a cup of almond’s mill and half a cup of pine nuts. The almond’s mill has already the texture of Parmesan.
Thanks so much for the great review and sharing your experience, Sakra!
LMY says
I’ve always heard that raw cashews are toxic. Did you soak them before hand? Awesome recipe, though, especially for a new vegan!
Hi! There’s no need to soak them because raw cashews purchased from the grocery stores aren’t truly raw – they’re safe to eat because they’ve been steamed to get them out of their shells.
SATx says
Thank you so much for this recipe! The version with nutritional yeast was delicious, but I had to remove yeast from the diet, and am so grateful for this replacement! The red pepper does give it some zing, but it is great. So appreciated.
Yay! Thanks for the great review!
Laurie A says
So thankful you shared this yeast-free recipe. It’s amazingly good!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Laurie. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
kim says
I’m in the camp of “what’s the deal w/ nutritional yeast!?!” It’s not actually alive anymore and the B12 is so good for us.
but just for fun tried this cashew parmesan, and dare I say?, you’ve outdone your nutritional yeast recipe! oh my gosh! phenomenal. You guys/gals are aMAzing!!
Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Kim! Thanks for the review!
Susan Ottwell says
Great for Passover, when anything even hinting at any kind of yeast is forbidden.
Marieke says
Great recipe! Had no nutritional yeast at home, so I just made a parmesan inspired by it and what I had in my cupboard: fresh basil, garlic powder, chili powder, unsalted almonds & salt. It’s not exactly recipe, but it’s really yummy. Thanks for the inspiration!
That sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing, Marieke! xo
Kaveri says
Hey I just tried this recipe and oh my lord this is a blessing! I recently was discovered to be lactose intolerant Abd being a teen It was hard for me to eat pasta without my cheese! Thanks a ton for this recipe! Love from India!!
Yay! So glad you enjoy this recipe, Kaveri! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
RJ says
Thank you so much for making this recipe! I’m yeast intolerant with mildly allergic to dairy. I made this recipe to go with pesto and it’s wonderful! It’s very close to dairy Parmesan cheese in taste and is great on its own and in cooking. I’ll be using it to replace Parmesan on top of Bolognese, pesto pasta and carbonara in the future! I can’t wait to try making yeast free garlic bread and Parmesan scones!
We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe and we love all your ideas for ways to use it! Thank you for the lovely review, RJ! xo
Connie R. says
I followed your recipe exactly as you posted….delicious! I sprinkled over vegan chilaquiles with my own vegan red sauce. Wow! Thanks so much!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Connie. Thank you for sharing! xo
Lulu says
Super easy to make. I love that it didn’t include the nutritional yeast. This is honestly more flavorful than traditional parmesean. I can never go back now. Thank you!
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Lulu. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Irene Shah says
Can I add anything to make this into a spread for sandwiches, like mashed sweet potaoto/gold potato?
Hmm, I’m not sure! You could certainly blend it into hummus? Or smashed white beans?
Marieke says
You can soak the cashews in (hot) water for a few hours and do the same process. That’s how I make my vegan cream cheeses :-)
Chris says
This is even better than the original. Its quick and easy to make, and it tastes so good. I do not miss the yeast flakes. I left out the basil and it was still awesome. Thanks for another great recipe. :)
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Chris. Thanks for sharing!
Nirupama Rao says
Yes Dana! That will take care of the clumps! But it’s not finely ground and if I try to give another spin to make it finer, I’m afraid it will thicken like cashew butter…so I guess I’ll seive it once and leave it be. Thanks!! 😊
Nirupama Rao says
Hello my dear!!
Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!! You sure make them look easy !! I tried the parmesan sprinkler, it tastes good, but like you said I don’t have a blender and my sprinkler is now soggy and not even finely ground….any remedy?
Love
Niru
Put it through a colander or fine mesh strainer to shake out the clumps, or put it in a bowl and whisk to get the clumps out. Is that what you mean?
Alina says
A recipe without nutritional yeast! Hallelujah!
Thank you!
=) Enjoy!
Christina Auer says
Thank you so much for this recipe! Nutritional yeast upsets my stomach and I really dislike the flavor. I made this with sunflower seeds in a Kitchen aid high speed blender. Worked great and delicious. I used Penzey’s Pasta Sprinkle, garlic powder, salt and red pepper flakes. Very pleased to find a good Parmesan replacement.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Christina! Thanks so much for sharing!
Alessia Diez says
This recipe is amazing! I’m avoiding nuts so I used a half and half combo of hemp seeds and sunflower seeds instead of the cashews and it came out perfect! I also didn’t have basil but it turned out perfect anyways! 10/10
Jackie Cobbs says
So good! My 3 year old and I are lactose intolerant, so we really appreciate this recipe. He’s super picky, too, so the fact that he loves it should tell you that this parmesan is amazing! I haven’t had real parmesan in years, but from what I remember, this tastes like the real thing. Also I enjoyed that it was fast to make and could made from simple ingredients on hand.
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Jackie! Thanks so much for sharing!
Lindsey says
Comes out awesome with Brazil nuts or cashews— the Brazil but version almost tastes bread-crumby because it has a slightly earthier flavor. Both delicious & amp up dishes with flavor. I’ve used it on pizza, pastas etc.
Thanks for sharing! So glad you enjoyed it!
Susan LAPENSEE says
Hi, can cashew parmesan be used in place of nutritional yeast in any recipe ?
Not necessarily. The flavor and texture are different. But yes, a close substitute.
Monica says
Amazing! I didn’t have red pepper flakes, so I substituted in a dash of crushed red pepper. It was perfect!
Michael says
So good! I’ve made it a few times. I’ve upped the salt a little bit, and I’ve been experimenting with smoke. I’ve tried liquid smoke, smoked salt, and paprika. I don’t have a strong favorite yet, but I’m enjoying how the smoke adds a little extra interest.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Michael! Thanks for sharing!
Shana says
Love it!!
Eliza says
Looks quite tasty. This looks more of a cashew nut sprinkle than a cheese and definitely not Parmesan, no wonder the people of Parmesan want to ban anyone else from using the name.
Shari says
Just found out the through the process of making the nutritional yeast MSG is created! So this is a perfect substitute. Thank you
Andy R. says
I made this using my old vita mix. Not a good idea. It clumped up. The vita mix started creaming the cashews. I did like the flavor though, although I have no problem with yeast so I’ll probably just go back to that one which is fantastic and I use often. Thank you for that! If you’re looking for a quick vegan meal, Trader Joe’s makes very good frozen vegan meatballs, especially if you heat them slowly in good marinara. Put them on a hero roll and top with this cheese. Really good.
My question: I have a recipe for risotto that calls for Parmesan mixed in at the end. What do you feel would be the best recipe for the Parmesan to use in this recipe?
Hi Andy, we’re glad you enjoy our recipe! We think either one would be good, but perhaps the original version would be preferred in that recipe since the addition of the herbs in this one might not go with the flavors in the risotto. Hope that helps!
Jule Osten says
Sooooo good! I haven’t had Parmesan in years so I could cry so happy I am right now. And even my boyfriend who loves the real one is convinced. Thank you!!!!
Dawn Hendrix says
My husband is yeast intolerant. Finding this recipe is wonderful! I just made it and oh my goodness it is soooo good!!
That’s great! Thanks, Dawn!
Katie says
Hi, I am intolerant to cashew nuts so do you think macadamia nut or walnuts would work for this recipe?? Thanks!
Try this recipe!
Mary says
This is one fantastic recipe! I tweaked it a bit and it still came out great. Instead of cashews, I used skinless almonds and instead of garlic powder, I used roasted minced garlic (garlic powder doesn’t agree with us). We put it on our spaghetti and vegan meatballs and it was very delicious. Thank you, Dana, for another keeper recipe!
Lovely – thanks for sharing!
michele weaver says
Why are you and others trying to stay away from nutritional yeast now? Thanks
Jen says
Just FYI, I think people are confused because of the first line, where you state you have been “experimenting with taking yeast out of my diet recently.” Thanks for your great recipes! I’ve been following for years now and have loved so many!
Right, thanks for clarifying! I have experimented with taking it out but didn’t find it to make a difference.
Allison Stanley says
Where did you get that blue triangle design cutting board ? I use your receipes all the time. Soo good!! ????
It’s just a tile from a flooring store.
Brianne says
I’m just curious why you’re trying to cut out yeast from your diet?
Nathalie Smekens says
Oh WoW I have to try this. I’m experimenting with vegan cooking and this seems an easy one!
Kate says
Why are you cutting out nutritional yeast? I was under the impression that the (organic nutritional yeast with NO folic acid added) was healthful …
Oh it is quite healthy for most! Some people just can’t tolerate yeast so I created this recipe!
Kate says
Thanks, Dana! Your recipes are fantastic. I pretty much don’t need cookbooks any longer – have given most of them away – because any recipe I need I can find the best version from Minimalist Baker! I made your garlic aioli (with cashews and garlics and I have forgotten what else – simple ingredients) the other night and it was amazing. Everyone loved it, paired with vegan burgers, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, the works : ) (because I didn’t have any portobello mushrooms on hand). Your emails with new recipes usually result in what’s for dinner tonight for my family :) ps From my own experience eating plant-based/nutrient-dense (lots of cruciferous greens, nuts, beans, seeds, mushrooms, onions, berries, fruit, veg) usually ends up balancing everything perfectly so that there isn’t any issue with “yeast overgrowth” etc – for me and my family plant-based (for most of my life and 5 children) aka vegan = we never, ever get sick, not even a cough or sneeze, year in and year out – no prescriptions, no ailments. Grateful to have learned about the health benefits of nutrient dense, plant-based, foods, no meat, no dairy, no seafood etc. Your recipes just make everything that much more delicious and gourmet (and healthy!)
Thanks for sharing, Kate! Glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
Natalie says
Hi I accidentally used salted cashews- didn’t check the bag! When all done I tasted it and it was suuuper salty of course. Any ideas on how to fix this? I added unsalted cashews to a bit of the salty mixture but it’s still pretty salty! If I just keep blending it, will it make a different type of softer cheese or not really. Thank you!!! Looks delish
– Natalie
Hi Natalie, we’d suggest doing a new batch with unsalted cashews and omitting salt. Then mixing the two together. If you keep blending, it will turn into a cashew butter texture eventually. Or see this recipe for modifying into a spreadable cheese: https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-mexican-cheese-three-ways/
T says
Interesting. Aside from being allergic, or just not liking It, can I just know why would one try to remove yeast from one’s diet? Thanks!
Some people can’t have yeast for various reasons, one major being yeast overgrowth or candida.
Nessa says
Love this recipe and the original. I was out of nutritional yeast and I subbed extra herbs, garlic, dried onion and small amount of dried mustard. I think the mustard really added a depth and a little bit of the pungent flavor that cheese gives! I added a teaspoon or two I believe.
Smart! Thanks for sharing!
Jane says
Love your blog and have tried so many of the recipes! (The choc cake is my absolute favorite!)
Just out of curiosity – why do people avoid nutritional yeast?
Thanks so much for all inspiration and yummy eats.
Jane
Many reasons! We get asked quite frequently how to make “cheese” without nutritional yeast so we created this recipe!
Shannon says
YAYAY! So glad you are now making recipes without the yeast. Nutritional yeast is a pure form of MSG, which is okay for some people, but for people like me with nervous system sensitivities, it wreaks havoc on my body. I cannot wait to try this recipe!
Ilana says
Curious, what made you decide to take yeast out of your diet? I do a lot of nutritional yeast, wondering if there is a reason not to!
Oh, I didn’t! I have played around with adding and removing yeast from my diet but now it doesn’t seem to be a problem.
Toni says
But…but….BUT!!!
I LOVE your YEAST vegan parmesan! I mean, two years in, there’s always either a jar of it on my counter or the food processor is being pulled out to refill the empty one…I love it so much I eat it with a spoon….I never could have made the transition off of dairy cheese without it, for which my no-longer-aching knees will forever thank you…loving this new version feels a little like cheating on my husband of 32 years!
KIDDING, of COURSE. No qualms about adding something this delish to my line-up, especially since both oregano and basil are really thriving in my garden right now…eating the whole batch in a week before the fresh herbs spoil will NOT be a problem!
Love what you do! The pics are gorgeous too, as always.
Susan says
Hi Dana, I have made a few of your recipes over the last few years including your vegan Parmesan cheese. I have thought all recipes excellent. I am wondering why you have taken nutritional yeast out of your diet? Is it a personal sensitivity or a health concern we should know. No need for details. I love it and have it sprinkled on food every day! Thank you !!
Hi Susan! We’ve experimented taking yeast out temporarily to see if it was causing any discomfort but that didn’t seem to be the case. However, plenty of readers ask for recipes without nutritional yeast – either because they can’t tolerate it or can’t find it – so this is a recipe is a solution for those issues. Hope you give it a try!
Melina says
Thank you very much for this recipe! I need to eat yeast free and that means many of the vegan “cheeses” are off limits. I can’t wait to try this!
Kirsten says
Why are you avoiding yeast (if you don’t mind me asking)? And sorry in advanced if you’ve talked about this before…
Alex says
I’m genuinely curious, what are the benefits/reasons for cutting out nutritional yeast? (I’ve also been experimenting with cutting various things out of my diet).
Some people speculate it may contribute to candida / yeast overgrowth in the gut. However, it’s a speculation. Some people just can’t tolerate it, or have trouble finding nutritional yeast at the store, which is why we created this recipe.
Layla says
Is there something bad about eating too much nutritional yeast?
Not to our knowledge. We just created this recipe to help people who can’t tolerate or can’t find nutritional yeast at the store.
Mary says
Thanks for this recipe. Medical medium says nutritional yeast is actually MSG so def want to avoid it from now on.
We don’t know if that’s true. Nutritional yeast shouldn’t contain MSG unless it’s been added in processing.
Valerie says
Thanks very much for this! I am fiercely allergic to yeast, including nutritional yeast, and I’ve been intending to invent a yeast-free vegan parmesan cheese. Now I don’t have to! Thank you!!!
Great! Hope you enjoy it!
Anne says
Oh good! My fiance hates nutritional yeast, which I don’t understand at all, but glad to have this recipe!
Emily says
Hi, would this still work if you soaked the cashews? Thanks
Hi Emily, no, it wouldn’t. Unless you dehydrated them after.