Ok, so… I’m a cheese lover. Always been! (must be the French in me)
But lately I’ve been motivated to find vegan alternatives to dairy because I don’t always like how it makes me feel, and I’m trying to eat plant-based the more I can.
I’m happy to share this recipe because it’s definitely the best vegan parm I’ve had, and it’s sooo healthy. I even prefer that to the real stuff, now! Of course it’s not real Parmesan cheese, but it shares a similar profile in terms of taste and consistency. It doesn’t melt, but it’s perfect to sprinkle on top of dishes like pasta, pizza, salads (great for Caesar salads), casseroles, cooked vegetables, and so on.
I didn’t invent this recipe, but I inspired myself from different food blogs and played with the ingredients and quantities to create my own version of it. What you’ll need is a blender, 5 minutes and 4 ingredients:
- Raw cashews
- Nutritional yeast
- Garlic powder
- Salt
It’s easy as 1, 2, 3…
Substitutions
Cashews are a great base for plant-based cheese because of its subtle taste and high fat content. But if you’re allergic to them, you can use other nuts such as almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, etc. Of course, the taste will vary from one to another. If you can’t do nuts in general, try hemp hearts. They’re really nutty and because the seeds are so small, you can ditch the food processor!
About nootch
In case you’re not familiar with nutritional yeast (also called nootch), it’s a staple ingredient in vegan cooking because of its cheesy, nutty and savory flavor. It’s perfect to create creamy vegan sauces, to sprinkle on top of dishes and to use as a popcorn topping.
Contrary to the yeast used to make beer or bread, which is active, nutritional yeast is meant to be consumed as a food product, so the yeast cells are deactivated during the manufacture process. It’s the same yeast species (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), but the inactive form of it. Nootch is a superfood known to boost energy and support the immune system. It’s vegan, gluten-free, rich in B vitamins and minerals and contain all the essential amino acids to form a complete protein.
You can find this vegan goodness in many grocery stores, either in the spices, bulk or health section. There’s two types of it; the fortified and the non-fortified. Both are extremely nutritious, but the fortified one is boosted with extra vitamins like B-12, which is helpful for vegans and vegetarians since B-12 mostly occur in animal products. If you never tried nootch, I highly recommend it!
This recipe makes around one cup of nutty Parmesan, which is the size of an 8oz Mason jar (perfect for storage). Since all the ingredients are dry and pantry friendly, you don’t have to keep it in the fridge. It should last for weeks in a sealed container, but I usually finish mine way before that!
I hope you enjoy this simple recipe. If you try it, please leave a comment to let me know how it turned out and what’s your favorite way to use it. I’d love to hear from you!
Cheers!
Vegan Cashew Parmesan
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Add the ingredients to a food processor and mix until the cashews are finely grounded. Don't let them become butter by blending for too long.
- Store in a sealed container for weeks, either in the fridge or the pantry.
This looks really delicious!!!