This flavorful vegan parmesan cheese recipe is perfect for cheese lovers who are looking for a delicious dairy-free parmesan cheese alternative. Ready in only 5 minutes, this easy salty, savory, plant based cheese alternative is incredible on your favorite vegan Italian recipes!
This dairy free parmesan cheese is nuts! A vegan parmesan substitute that is similar in texture to the grated parmesan cheese that comes in a shaker. Easy to make, great flavor and texture, and has a long shelf life. This vegan style shakeable parmesan cheese makes everything more flavorful!
Cashew Parmesan Ingredients
This plant based parmesan cheese substitute takes only a handful of ingredients to make, and it's super fast. Plus it's naturally gluten free and high in protein.
- Cashew nuts: Raw, unsalted, cashews. Buy in bulk, the big bag at Costco or online.
- Nutritional yeast: Super popular, nutritious, vegan pantry ingredient aka 'nooch'. It's a deactivated yeast (not to be confused with Brewers yeast or baking yeast) that adds cheesy, nutty, savory notes and a golden yellow color to vegan parmesan.
Widely available in grocery stores (natural food aisle) and online. - Hemp hearts: Super nutritious, hemp hearts add that signature slightly oily mouthfeel of parmesan cheese.
- Garlic powder: Enhances the complexity of the cheese-like flavor profile. Add more or less to your taste.
- Salt: Dairy parmesan cheese is salty! I use fine ground sea salt but table salt will work too.
I think this combination makes THE best vegan parmesan cheese. I've tried making it with raw walnuts, almonds, and pistachios instead of cashews; but this recipe as written has been our family favorite for many years.
How to Make 2 Minute Vegan Parmesan
I think you'll love this cheese recipe because it's quick and easy, has a long shelf life (I store mine in the fridge for several months), is a great non dairy, vegetarian substitute for parmesan cheese, and it's super nutritious and delicious!
- Place the raw, unsalted cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and salt into the food processor.
- Pulse a few times until it's mealy (similar to the texture of Kraft grated parmesan that comes in a shaker). Don't over process or you'll end up with cashew butter!
- Stir in some hemp hearts (optional) for extra nutrition and an added mouthfeel of parmesan cheese. Pulse one or two times to lightly break up the hemp hearts.
- That's it! Taste it, adjust the seasonings to your preference.
- Store in a jar in the fridge for several months.
5 Ways to Use Vegan Parmesan
Sprinkle cashew parmesan cheese over pasta, salads, grilled veggies, and tofu scramble - anywhere you would shake dry, grated parmesan (not fresh, meltable parmesan). Here's a few of our favorite vegan recipes that use vegan parmesan:
- Vegan Sausage Rolls - epic vegetarian sausage rolls that EVERYONE raves about!
- Vegan Lentil Bolognese - family favorite, extraordinary Italian flavors!
- Vegan Caesar Salad - the best tasting Caesar salad!
- Italian Marinara Sauce - authentic and spectacular!
- Easy Vegan Walnut Pesto - super adaptable, tangy, and delicious.
Vegan parmesan cheese made with nutritional yeast, cashews (or other nuts and seeds), garlic powder, and salt makes a great non-dairy substitution for shakeable/grated parmesan cheese.
There are two types of parmesan cheese used in recipes, the shakeable dry parmesan cheese that doesn't melt and the fresh, shredded parmesan cheese that melts.
The dry parmesan cheese is easy to replicate in flavor and textures using cashews, hemp seeds, and nutritional yeast which is a cheesy tasting deactivated yeast (aka nooch).
There are many brands that make tasty dairy-free, meltable parmesan cheese. Two popular vegan parmesan cheese brands are Violife and Follow Your Heart.
More Vegan Cheese Recipes
Feta cheese - the most delicious vegan feta cheese ever!
Creamy tofu ricotta - easy, creamy, great texture and flavor.
Vegan mozzarella - grateable, shredable, sliceable, meltable - coming soon
Incredible queso cheese sauce - big smoky cheese flavors - impossible to resist!
Did you make this vegan parmesan cheese recipe? If so, please leave a review and comment below. I appreciate your support!
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Vegan Parmesan Cheese (quick + easy)
Rate this recipe!
Equipment
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 3-4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ - 1 teaspoon garlic powder (to taste)
- ½ - ¾ teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
- 2-3 tablespoons hemp hearts
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place all ingredients (except hemp hearts) into the food processor and pulse until mealy like dry parmesan. Makes ~ 1 cup.
- Add the hemp hearts and pulse 2-3 times to lightly break up the hemp hearts. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Store in a glass jar in the fridge for up to several months.
Jacqueline
This was really easy and very yummy.
Tracy Halasz
Agreed! I love this vegan parmesan - so happy you do too! Thank you for the review.
Michelle
Hi, do I soak the cashew?
Tracy Halasz
No soaking required for this parmesan recipe.
AngelaKin
Need to try this once!!
Janet
This is the best vegan Parmesan cheese recipe I’ve tried yet. Salty, cheesy and a little bit oily from adding the hemp seeds. Love it!!
Tracy Halasz
Thank you! I'm so happy you enjoy it. It's the perfect vegan parmesan cheese substitute.