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Vegan Parmesan Cheese is made with 3 simple ingredients, and is the perfect non-dairy substitute in your favorite recipes. You can make it in just minutes!

vegan parmesan cheese in white bowl

Ingredients You’ll Need

What is Vegan Parmesan made of? All you need is 3 ingredients!

  • Cashews
  • Nutritional yeast
  • Salt

cashews nutritional yeast and salt in glass bowls

The nutritional yeast is responsible for the “cheesy” flavor here, just like it is in my famous Vegan Mac n’ Cheese recipe.

How to Make It

To make this cashew Parmesan cheese, you’ll need to process the ingredients into fine powder. You can use a blender or food processor to do this!

cashew parmesan ingredients in food processor

Since real Parmesan cheese is quite salty, I’m pretty heavy-handed with the salt in this vegan recipe, so you can use it just like the original.

You won’t need much to add a nice punch of flavor. But, if you’d like a less-salty cheese, you can always use less salt.

How to Use It

You can use this vegan Parmesan cheese just like you would regular Parmesan, but keep in mind that it won’t melt. Here are some suggestions for making the most of it!

finished parmesan cheese with a spoon

How to Store Vegan Parmesan

Vegan Parmesan can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 month, as long as you keep it free from added moisture. You can also freeze it for up to 6 months, and use it straight from the freezer.

Since it doesn’t have any added liquid, it should stay crumbly, even when frozen.

vegan parmesan cheese in a glass jar

Substitution Ideas

Need to make a swap? Here are my best guesses when it comes to substitutions.

  • Cashews. You can swap cashews with hemp hearts, for a nut-free alternative. I use hemp hearts as a substitute in my vegan ranch dressing all the time! You could also use macadamia nuts, for a similar texture.
  • Nutritional Yeast. This deactivated yeast gives this recipe its cheesy flavor, but you can leave it out if you need to. The salt will still add flavor, and you can boost that even more by adding in other spices, like garlic or onion powder, for a variation.

I hope you’ll enjoy this Vegan Parmesan soon, and I can’t wait to hear what you think!

plate of pasta topped with cashew parmesan

Vegan Parmesan Cheese

5 from 12 votes
Vegan Parmesan Cheese is made with 3 ingredients, for an easy non-dairy substitute. You can make it in 5 minutes!
prep5 mins cook0 mins total5 mins
Servings:6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup raw cashews (140 grams)
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (20 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (8 grams; plus more to taste)

Instructions

  • Add the cashews, nutritional yeast, and salt to a food processor or blender, and process until powdery. Make sure your machine is totally dry, so you won't introduce any moisture into the mixture.
    cashew parmesan ingredients in food processor
  • Taste, and add up to 1/2 teaspoon more salt, as desired. Use right away, or store in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 1 month. You can also freeze this for up to 6 months.
    vegan parmesan cheese in a glass jar

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 6 servings; roughly 1/4 cup each. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Nutrition

Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 390mg | Potassium: 179mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cashew Parmesan, vegan parmesan

If you try this Vegan Parmesan recipe, please leave a comment below letting me know how you like it. And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too. We can all benefit from your experience!

Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite recipe to add Parmesan to?

Megan Gilmore leaning on her white countertop.

Megan Gilmore

Hi, I’m Megan. A former fast food junkie turned best-selling cookbook author. I create healthy recipes made with simple ingredients to make your life easier.

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