4-Ingredient Vegan Parmesan Cheese Recipe
A vegan parmesan cheese recipe filled with golden sprinkles of delight! This savory, garlicy vegan Parmesan cheese will have you adding it to practically every dish in the universe! Vegan, gluten-free, WFPB, and only 4 ingredients. Make it with cashews, almonds or pecans! So simple, the prep takes less than 5 minutes.
Vegan Parmesan is better than the real deal, don’t you agree? I think you’ll love this easy vegan Parmesan cheese because it pairs well with so many recipes, including my creamy Cavolo Nero Pasta, Tomato Zucchini Tart, Spiralized Zucchini Noodles with pumpkin sage alfredo, and my Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff.
Why This Recipe Works
- healthy and nutritious – nutritional yeast is full of essential B vitamins, with the best brands containing B-12, an essential nutrient for vegans because we don’t eat animal products. Read more about the benefits of nutritional yeast.
- quick and easy – 4 ingredients and 2 minutes. That’s all you need to make this recipe.
- taste-friendly – a delicious nutty taste awaits you with every single sprinkle.
- budget-friendly – the entire recipe will set you back about $3-$4.
- equipment-friendly – all you need is a food processor or a high speed blender to make this recipe perfectly.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- cashews – Choose raw, unsalted cashews for best results. I buy 10 lbs of cashews at a time, I use them so much in vegan cooking, especially with sauces and vegan cheeses.
- nutritional yeast – this is a MUST HAVE for this recipe and shouldn’t be omitted or replaced. It gives this vegan parmesan cheese its nutty, cheesy flavor. I use #Bob’sRedMill as I trust this brand completely and it’s labeled as vegan with essential B vitamins, including B-12.
- garlic powder – this ingredient adds extra flavor to this recipe making it simply irresistible.
- sea salt – real parmesan cheese is very salty, so sea salt is an essential ingredient for this vegan parmesan cheese recipe. If you don’t have sea salt, regular table salt is just fine.
How to Make This Recipe Perfectly
Step 1 – add all ingredients to a food processor or high speed blender. You may substitute almonds for cashews!
Step 2 – pulse until ingredients are well-blended and have reached the perfect consistency, usually about 1-2 minutes. DO NOT OVERPROCESS.
FAQ About Vegan Parmesan Cheese Recipe
If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a high-speed, or regular blender. If using a regular blender, please note, you may have to blend longer to reach the desired consistency.
Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months. When you’re ready to use, there’s no need to defrost. Just scoop a couple tablespoons out of your container and you’re good to go.
If you’re not fond of cashews, you can make this recipe with almonds or pecans instead.
Tips for Making this Recipe
- for best results, use only raw, unsalted cashews.
- to mix it up a bit, try adding 1 tsp onion powder and 1/2 tsp dried parsley or thyme to your food processor before pulsing along with the other ingredients.
- sprinkle on just about everything, including my Vegan Tomato Soup, Tomato Zucchini Tart, Vegan Macaroni and Creamy Tomato Cheese, Vegan Shepherd’s Pie Recipe, and my Walnut Pesto Zoodles with Garlic Cherub Tomatoes.
Related Recipes You’ll Love
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4-Ingredient Vegan Parmesan Cheese Recipe
Equipment
- food processor or high speed blender
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup raw unsalted cashews you may also use almonds or pecans
- 3 tablespoon nutritional yeast organic
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt fine
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Toss all ingredients into a food processor. Pulse for 2-3 minutes until this Vegan Parmesan reaches the desired consistency. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For best results, use only raw, unsalted cashews
- As an alternative, try adding 1 tsp onion powder and 1/2 tsp dried parsley or thyme to your other ingredients before pulsing.
- Store in freezer in a tightly sealed container for up to 6 months.
This was fantastic! I have made it twice and loved it, the second time I added peas to it and loved it. Every recipe I have tried from your blog has been a winner. Thank you
Thank you so much, Juliana. I really appreciate that you love my recipes.
Wow, I never thought about a good vegan replacement for Parmesan cheese! What a cool idea! Thank you!
You are welcome Nancy. I have actually also made it with almonds and pecans! Thanks much for your comment and rating.
It never occurred to me that it’s so easy to make vegan Parmesan. Looks so much better than Parmesan I dare to say that. 😉 I’m definitely gonna try this. Book marked
I know, Jo, who would’ve thought? Thanks bunches for your comment and rating.
Ooh! I love this recipe. Simple ingredients and simple execution!
Yes, indeed, Jenni! My favorite way to make things. Thanks for stopping by.
I usually buy Violife’s vegan parmesan, but this would be great when I run out as I always have cashews and nutritional yeast. Thanks for sharing and do keep blogging.
Thank you Jacqueline. It’s so easy, and tastes great too. Appreciate your comment and rating.
I love to make vegan parmesan and put it on EVERYTHING! Your recipe looks great and it just goes to show that eating vegan can be soooo delicious! 🙂
Yes, Tracy, I agree wholeheartedly. Thanks for your comment and rating.