How to Make Vegan Parmesan Cheese
This vegan Parmesan cheese recipe is quick, easy, and it tastes amazing—and you only need 5 ingredients and 5 minutes to make it!
Parmesan cheese is one of those magical foods that has a way of making just about everything taste better. When I went vegan, I knew I needed to find a plant-based alternative, and this is IT!
So, how and why does this taste like Parmesan cheese? It all starts with ground cashews, which mimic Parmesan cheese in texture and consistency. This provides the perfect base to add nutritional yeast, which has a cheese-like flavour and tons of B12, making it delicious AND nutritious. Then the other three ingredients—garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt—add even more flavour, slight saltiness, and an extra hint of cheesiness.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Parmesan Cheese Recipe
- Only 5 ingredients. Who needs store-bought cheese substitutes?! This recipe calls for 5 simple ingredients: cashews, nutritional yeast, sea salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- And only 5 minutes to make. Five minutes, a lifetime of happiness, and LOTS of cheesy vegan pizzas.
- The vegan condiment you need in your life. If you miss adding that crumbly, shakable cheese on all the things, you’re going to want to keep this vegan Parmesan on hand!
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Raw cashews – For the right texture and flavour, raw cashews (not roasted or salted!) are a must.
- Nutritional yeast – You can find this in the bulk section or with the seasonings in many grocery stores. It can also be ordered online
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt.
What Is the Purpose of Nutritional Yeast?
Nutritional yeast is commonly used in vegan recipes because it brings a funky, cheesy flavour to the table when traditional cheese isn’t an option. It’s also an excellent addition to vegan diets because it contains protein and vitamin B12, along with many other vitamins and minerals.
How to Make Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Grind the cashews. Add the cashews to a food processor and process until they form a coarse meal, similar to the shelf-stable grated Parmesan sold in plastic containers at the grocery store.
- Finish. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse a few times until everything is combined.
Tips for Success
- Nut allergies? No problem! You can substitute the cashews for sunflower seeds or pepitas. Just note that this will alter the colour and flavour—you’ll still get that funky-cheesiness, but with more seed flavour.
- Don’t over-mix. If you run the food processor too long, you’ll end up with Parmesan paste—not very appetizing! Just pulse until everything has come together.
- Use a food processor. A blender just won’t cut it here. If you don’t have a food processor, you can place the cashews in a plastic bag and pound them with a rolling pin to crush them. The result will be a coarser vegan Parmesan, but it tastes just as good.
How to Use Vegan Parmesan
Use vegan Parmesan cheese any way you’d use regular Parmesan! Here are some of my favourite ideas:
How to Store
- Refrigerate: Store your vegan Parmesan cheese in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. (Although all of the ingredients are technically shelf-stable, the fridge will keep the raw cashews from going rancid.)
- Freeze: If you want your vegan Parmesan cheese to last longer, you can place it in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze it for up to 6 months. As long as there’s no moisture in the container, you should still be able to scoop it and use it directly from frozen.
More Vegan Substitutes
- Vegan Butter
- Homemade Oat Milk Creamer
- The Best Vegan Cream Cheese
- Vegan Heavy Cream Substitute
- Vegan Feta Cheese (Tofu Feta Cheese)
Enjoy friends! If you make this vegan Parmesan cheese, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
How to Make Vegan Parmesan Cheese
Ingredients
- ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon raw cashews
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- In a food processor, add the cashews and blend until they became ground down into a meal.
- Add all the other ingredients and mix together until combined.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
My daughters both have a yeast allergy. Can you think of a substitute for the yeast?
Hey Dana,
This recipe makes it without yeast! http://christensenka.squarespace.com/imported-20100106014405/2010/2/28/yeast-free-soy-free-vegan-parmesan-cheese-gluten-free-acd-ve.html
Holy cow! I had my doubts, but this could not be easier to make or more delicious. I’d even say it tastes way better than Parmesan. I’m using it to top on a baked rice and butternut squash casserole, which is now, thanks to you, 100% Vegan. Yay! Thank you!
Hey Betsy!! Aww wow this makes me sooo happy!! You’re so welcome and thanks so much for your comment!!
Great and easy recipe! Thanks for the share.
Thanks so much Daniel and you’re so welcome!!
I just made this parmesan cheese to sprinkle over my vegan pizza. It looks great. Can’t wait to taste it. Thank you so much for this easy recipe.
Hi Sandra,
So happy to hear you enjoyed so much!! You’re so very welcome and thanks for your feedback!
Hi. I found this article via Goigke search and was enticed by the “so how and why does this taste like parmesan cheese?” caption. I din’t actually see any answer to that question — just an explanation of why the texture is the Sam’s and how the ingredients compliment each other. But I am wondering if it tastes exactly like parm, where does the super sharp, robust aged taste come from that differentiates it from other nutritional yeast/cashew/salt/spices recipes? Cheers! I am sure this is tasty but I am trying to solve the ultimate challenge of vegan cheeses not ever tasting sharp and aged.
Hi Mindy,
It’s really the combination of all the ingredients: cashews, nutritional yeast, sea salt, garlic powder, and onion powder that give the flavor. Feel free to try it and let us know what you think!
Curious as to why the 1 Tbsp additional of cashews and not just 3/4 cups? I have another one that says 3/4 c so was curious what the other Tbsp does.
Hi Pam,
I just preferred the texture with the extra tablespoon! I hope that helps! 🙂
Delicious, flavorful, quick and easy. My four teenagers and husband loved it. They were surprised it tasted so good and I’m excited to have a have a healthy plant based alternative. I’m going to double or triple my next batch.
Thank you so much Allison! We’re so happy that you and your family enjoyed it.
Delicious! I skipped the onion powder because onions are on the growing list of things I can’t eat and it was still wonderful
We’re so happy that you like it Kasandra! Thank you for leaving such a nice review.
I never thought I would find a vegan parmesan that was this delicious and taste like the real thing! Thanks for sharing and creating Jessica!
Wow this is a big compliment thank you so much!
So Delicious I am putting this on everything and nothing! (straight from the container…!)
love that this is quick and easy to make with natural ingredients!