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Five minutes. Five ingredients. That’s all you need to make this savory, cheesy, and salty vegan parmesan cheese! Sprinkle it over pasta, pizza, soups, roasted vegetables, or green salads!
I’ve shared quite a few vegan cheeses in the past, from aged camembert to blue cheese (with real veins!) and smoked vegan cheese, but sometimes you don’t want to wait weeks for your cheeses to mature. Sometimes you just need a quick cheesy fix.
This vegan Parmesan comes together in 5 mins and is delicious sprinkled over pasta, pizza, soups, or even popcorn. It’s one of those recipes that’s almost effortless to make, uses just a few pantry staples, and somehow never disappoints. Now, does it taste exactly like parmesan? No. But it comes close, delivering all the salty, slightly nutty, umami-packed flavor. I almost always keep a jar in my cupboard because it instantly upgrades everything from pasta to roasted vegetables.
Why this recipe works: Cashews naturally release oil as they’re processed, allowing the nutritional yeast and seasonings to coat every tiny crumb. This creates an evenly seasoned Parmesan that’s perfect for sprinkling everywhere!
⭐️ Why This Homemade Vegan Parmesan Deserves a Spot in Your Fridge
- A savory, cheesy staple you’ll reach for again and again. Once you have a jar in your cupboard, you’ll find yourself sprinkling it on everything. Whether your pasta needs a little extra flavor, your pizza is lacking some cheesiness, or your soup could use a boost of umami, a generous sprinkle of this vegan Parmesan instantly brings everything together.
- Made with just 5 ingredients in 5 mins. Simply add everything to a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles finely grated Parmesan. That’s it!
- Shelf-stable, it keeps for months! Since this recipe only relies on shelf-stable ingredients, you can keep it in a glass jar for up to two months at room temperature.
🧀 Ingredient Details
Here are the ingredients that you will need to make this vegan parmesan cheese. Remember that you can find the exact measurements in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
- Cashews – Raw cashews create the rich base of this Parmesan. Use raw cashews, not roasted. Raw cashews have a much milder flavor, preventing an overly nutty taste.
- Nutritional yeast – This is where the cheese flavor comes from. Additionally, nutritional yeast brings plenty of umami.
- Garlic and onion powder – You can’t notice each powder individually, but they add depth and complexity.
- Salt – To enhance the cheesy flavor. Use fine salt or table salt. Coarse salt won’t blend evenly.
Make it tangy
I wanted this recipe as simple as possible, so I kept the ingredient list to a minimum. However, if you like your Parmesan a little sharper, add a small pinch of food-grade citric acid. It adds a pleasant tanginess that mimics the slight acidity of aged Parmesan. Trust me, it really takes the flavor to the next level. Just be careful not to add too much, as a little goes a long way.
Note: Because all ingredients must be dry to be shelf-stable, you cannot add any liquid (for example, vinegar) to achieve that tanginess. That’s why I relied on citric acid powder.
📔 Tips
- Do not overprocess the cashews. Process the ingredients just until the mixture resembles finely grated Parmesan. If you process for too long, the cashews will turn into a nut butter.
- Food processor vs. blender. While you can use a blender to process the cashews, I highly recommend using a food processor instead. The reason is that a blender tends to turn the mixture into a butter very quickly if you don’t frequently scrape down the sides. So it can work, but it’s more time-intensive and not as reliable.
🥣 How to Make Vegan Parmesan
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor. Add the cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt to a food processor.
- Process. Process for about 30 seconds or until the cashews have the texture of finely grated cheese. You can then transfer it to a glass jar, and it’s ready to use!
🍝 Where to Use It
The possibilities are endless! You can sprinkle it over anything that could use a boost of savory, cheesy flavor. Here are some of our favorite ways to use it:
- Pasta: Sprinkle it over spaghetti, lemon pasta, vegan Carbonara, gnocchi, or ragu.
- Soups: Finish tomato soup, pumpkin soup, or bean soups with a generous sprinkle.
- Pizza: Sprinkle it over homemade pizza just before serving.
- Salads: Add 2-3 tablespoons to Caesar salads, pasta salads, or simple green salads.
- Risotto: Stir it into your favorite risotto toward the end of cooking.
- Roasted vegetables: Delicious over roasted broccoli, potatoes, or asparagus. A quick tip: slightly underseason your vegetables if you plan on serving them with vegan parmesan.
- And more! Toss warm popcorn with a few tablespoons of vegan parmesan for a savory coating.
❄️ How to Store It
- You can store this vegan Parmesan in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to 2 months, or in the fridge for 3 months.
💬 FAQs
No, it doesn’t melt. I’m working on another recipe for a version that melts, so stay tuned!
It doesn’t taste identical to an aged dairy Parmesan, but it’s surprisingly close for such an easy recipe.
No. Nutritional yeast is essential here as it adds the cheese flavor.
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Simple Vegan Parmesan Cheese
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (112 g) raw cashews
- 3 tbsp (24 g) nutritional yeast
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp citric acid (Optional, it adds some tang)
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor. Add the cashews, nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and citric acid (if using) to a food processor.
- Process. Process for about 30 seconds or until the cashews have the texture of finely grated cheese. Transfer to a glass jar, and it’s ready to use!
- You can store this vegan Parmesan in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to 2 months, or in the fridge for 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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