Vegan Parmesan Cheese

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Vegan Parmesan cheese is a quick and easy alternative to dairy-based cheese. 5 minutes and just 4 ingredients are all it takes to create a savory, cheesy, and umami-rich recipe. Sprinkle it on pizza, pasta, garlic bread, and more!

💛 Why you’ll love this recipe

• Quick: Just throw the ingredients in a blender or food processor, then blitz it until crumbly. It’s that easy!
• Versatile: Use dairy-free Parmesan to make vegan pesto, sprinkle it on pizza, or use it as a garnish for your favorite pasta dishes. What can’t this condiment do?!
• Diet-friendly: This dairy and gluten-free recipe doesn’t contain any cholesterol, making it a heart-healthy option. 
• Flavorful: It’s incredible how 4 ingredients can be so flavor-intense! A little goes a long way.

If you love vegan cheese, you should check out our vegan cream cheese, vegan queso fresco, vegan cotija cheese, and vegan spreadable cheese.

🧀 What is vegan Parmesan cheese?

Vegan Parmesan may be one of the first at-home vegan cheeses that went mainstream, and for good reason. It’s easy to make, affordable, requires minimal ingredients, and actually emulates Parmesan quite well.

Of course, we won’t sit here and try to convince you the two taste exactly the same. But, the umami flavor and versatility of traditional Parmesan cheese are truly exemplified in this version.

In our recipe, we use a combination of cashews, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, and salt. All you have to do is add them to a blender, mix them for about 30 seconds, and you’ll have your very own dairy-free Parmesan perfect for adding to pizza, pasta, and pesto!

🌱 Is Parmesan cheese vegetarian?

You may be surprised to learn that traditional Parmesan cheese is neither vegan nor vegetarian-friendly. The primary culprit here is animal rennet, which is derived from the stomach lining of calves.

This enzyme (chymosin) is used in the production of Parmigiano-Reggiano to set the cheese. While it may be a common practice for traditional cheese-making, it doesn’t have to be! Enjoy this dairy-free and vegan-friendly recipe instead for an equally delicious option.

🛒 Ingredients & substitutions

• Cashews: For the most neutral flavor, use unsalted raw cashews. If you don’t have cashews, replace them with sunflower seeds or almonds instead.
• Nutritional yeast: Provides intense savory, cheesy, and umami elements that emulate dairy-based Parmesan. No nutritional yeast? Try white miso paste.
• Garlic powder: The roasted characteristic of garlic powder helps create a full-bodied savory flavor. You can also use onion powder (or a bit of each).
• Sea salt: For that quintessential saltiness that makes Parmesan so addicting, don’t skimp on the sea salt!

For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.

📝 How to make vegan Parmesan cheese

Step 1: Add the ingredients

Add the cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and salt to a high-speed blender or food processor.

Step 2: Blend the cheese

Pulse everything together for about 30-60 seconds, or until you achieve a meal-like consistency. Taste and adjust the salt or garlic powder to your liking.

Step 3: Transfer the Parmesan

Transfer the vegan cheese mixture to a mason jar or glass container for storage. Happy eating!

If you have questions about this vegan Parmesan cheese recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!

🍕 How to use vegan Parmesan cheese

Once your dairy-free Parmesan is ready, use it in or on top of recipes like these:

• Pizza: Sprinkle some Parmesan on top of your favorite pizzas for the perfect finishing touch.
• Pesto: Use dairy-free Parmesan cheese to make vegan pesto.
• Garlic bread: Nothing beats a little Parmesan atop a zesty piece of garlic bread.
• Pasta: Sprinkle vegan Parmesan on top of your favorite pasta dishes like lemon garlic pasta, dairy-free mac and cheese, vegan alfredo sauce with fettuccine, or espagueti blanco.

🌡️ Storage

We have good news! Vegan Parmesan cheese lasts a long time, so you can keep it on hand for all kinds of recipes. Just follow these storage tips:

• Room temperature: You can store dairy-free Parmesan cheese at room temperature for up to a week, but we recommend keeping it in the fridge and freezer.
• Fridge: Transfer it to an airtight container and store it for up to 6 weeks.
• Freezer: If you’d prefer to play it on the safer side, keep your jar in the freezer and you’ll get at least 3 months out of it.

♻️ Variations

• Other nuts: If you don’t have raw cashews available near you, try raw blanched almonds or macadamia nuts. The overall flavor and texture will vary slightly.
• Herbs and spices: Make a flavor-infused Parmesan by adding oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, paprika, or cayenne.
• Nut-free: Nut allergies in the house? Try making this recipe with sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, or pumpkin seeds. Again, the overall flavor will vary.

🧑‍🍳 Top tips

• Don’t over-blend: Overblending the ingredients will lead to a sticky, wet texture. Pulse or blend the mixture just long enough for it to appear crumbly (similar to grated Parmesan).
• Use raw nuts: The neutral flavor of raw cashews works best in this recipe. You can use roasted nuts, but they will impart a stronger taste.
• Adjust salt slowly: This recipe is meant to be quite salty (like traditional Parmesan). It may be too salty for your liking, so add salt slowly, taste it, and increase it from there.

💬 FAQ

🍴 More vegan basics 

If you enjoyed this vegan Parmesan cheese recipe, be sure to check out some more basic staples of vegan cooking:

• Vegan Pizza Dough: Quick and easy pizza dough made without dairy.
• Consomé: A simple broth that can be used in soups, stews, and more. 
• Peanut Butter: Homemade peanut butter that turns out silky smooth.
• Refried Beans: Creamy refried beans without any lard.

Note: We’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.