Vegan Parmesan Cheese

Making this easy Vegan Parmesan Cheese takes just a couple minutes of your time and the result is a super-satisfying 'cheesy' sprinkle that tops pizza, pasta, calzones, salads, lasagna, scalloped potatoes....  You might love it so much that you find yourself eating it with a spoon!!

Vegan shredded Parmesan

This super easy vegan cheese takes just 5 minutes to make with 5 main ingredients!

Use this crumbled dairy-free Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top of salads, your favorite pasta (such as this Vegan Spinach Artichoke Pasta), as a topping or stirred into savory oatmeal, or for this vegan stuffed mushrooms recipe. It's also amazing on top of these vegan Portobello mushrooms.

What is Vegan Parmesan Cheese made of:

• ½ cup raw cashew pieces
• ¼ cup blanched almonds - these are the almonds without the skin on, so you get that creamy Parmesan color
• ¼ cup sesame seeds - a combination of almonds, cashews, and sesame seeds gives this cheese the best texture and flavor, but feel free to use only one or the other in case of allergies
• ⅓ cup nutritional yeast flakes - to give it that awesome cheesy flavor
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp white vinegar - optional, but it helps add that classy cheesy tang

Related recipe: Vegan Pesto

How to make Vegan Parmesan Cheese:

First, put your nuts/seeds, nutritional yeast flakes, salt, and garlic powder into a food processor.

Pulse until everything is a fine meal.

Now add the white vinegar and pulse a few more times.

(The white vinegar adds a bit of tang, but is totally optional.)

How to store Vegan Parmesan Cheese:

Store your vegan parmesan in an airtight jar or other container in the refrigerator for 6 weeks (or more).

Can I make a nut-free version of this vegan parmesan?

Yes!  Just use sesame seeds to replace the other nut amounts, keeping the ratios the same.

Why are you using a combination of nuts/seeds in this recipe?

I used a combination of nuts and seeds in the recipe because I enjoy the complexity of flavors and textures that this creates.  If you don't have all of the nuts/seeds on hand, you can certainly make substitutions.  The sky is really the limit with this simple vegan Parmesan.

What if I don't have a food processor?  Can I still make this recipe?

I definitely recommend making this in a food processor if you can, but you can also make it in a blender with a little more effort.  Add all the dry ingredients and pulse the blender, stopping frequently to shake up the blender contents.  Work in smaller batches if necessary to avoid creating a paste.

ONE thing this vegan parmesan cheese won't do:

It doesn't melt!  Sorry! But even though it doesn't melt, I don't think you'll be disappointed!  This vegan parmesan garnishes so many things to perfection (pizza, pasta, pesto, roasted veggies, salads - just to name a few!)  IF you'd like a melty vegan cheese, check out my REAL Vegan Mozzarella Cheese recipe.

Now you're ready to pull out your delicious vegan parmesan and sprinkle it on top of everything your heart desires, such as this Creamy Vegan Spinach Artichoke Pasta!

IF YOU LIKE THIS POST YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN:

• Real Vegan Mozzarella Cheese
• Creamy Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Tuscan Style Pasta with Vegan Feta

If you’ve tried this Vegan Parmesan Cheese or any other recipe on my blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I LOVE hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food!!!

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Vegan Parmesan Cheese

This easy vegan Parmesan Cheese is a quick and tasty alternative to grated dairy Parmesan Cheese.  Whip it up in your food processor in a jiffy!  Nut-free option included in notes.

4.91 from 11 votes

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Course: cheese, garnish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Diet: Vegan

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 24 people

Calories: 33kcal

Author: Kate

Ingredients

• ▢ ½ cup raw cashew pieces
• ▢ ⅓ cup nutritional yeast flakes
• ▢ ¼ cup sesame seeds
• ▢ ¼ cup blanched almonds , or 3 Tbs. almond meal
• ▢ 1 tsp sea salt
• ▢ ¼ tsp garlic powder

Add after pulsing the above:

• ▢ ½ tsp white vinegar

Special equipment

• Small food processor

Instructions

• Place first six ingredients into a food processor and pulse until a powdery 'meal' like texture is achieved.
• Add white vinegar and pulse food processor a couple more times.
• Serve as a 'cheesy' garnish on just about any dish you can think of! Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.

Notes

Total Yield: Approximately 1 ½ cup

MAKE A NUT-FREE VERSION OF THIS VEGAN PARMESAN:

Use sesame seeds to replace the other nut amounts, keeping the ratios the same.

Can I substitute other nuts to replace the cashews or almonds?

I used a combination of nuts and seeds in the recipe because I enjoy the complexity of flavors and textures that this creates.  If you don’t have all of the nuts/seeds on hand, you can certainly make substitutions.  The sky is really the limit with this simple vegan Parmesan.

Can this recipe be made without a food processor?

I definitely recommend making this in a food processor if possible, but you can also make it in a blender with a little more effort.  Add all the dry ingredients and pulse the blender, stopping frequently to shake up the blender contents.  Work in smaller batches if necessary to avoid creating a paste.

HOW TO STORE VEGAN PARMESAN CHEESE:

Store your vegan parmesan in an airtight jar or other container in the refrigerator for 6 weeks (or possibly more, but mine never lasts longer than that!).

Nutrition

Serving: 1tbsp | Calories: 33kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 97mg | Potassium: 45mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 0.5mg