The most delicious and easy vegan parmesan cheese flavoured with garlic and herbs. You'll be sprinkling this on everything!
This stuff is seriously addictive. I'm on my second batch.
I could have just made a plain vegan parmesan cheese, but I wanted to boost the flavour, so I played about and created a delicious vegan parmesan with garlic and herbs.
It's lush!
Sprinkling it on everything right now!
Jump to:
- ⭐ Reader's comment
- 💭 Is there such a thing as vegan parmesan?
- 🧀 What you need to make dairy-free parmesan
- 🥜 Plain or salted cashews?
- 💭 What is nooch?
- 📖 Variations
- 🥣 Simple vegan parmesan
- 🍕 How to serve this vegan substitute for parmesan cheese
- 🥫 Storing cashew parmesan
- 💭 Top tips
- 🧀 Vegan Parmesan Cheese FAQ
- 👩🏻🍳 Related recipes
- ⭐ Hit the heart (NEW)
- 👩🏻🍳 How to make easy vegan parmesan cheese with garlic & herbs
- 📖 Recipe
- Comments
⭐ Reader's comment
💭 Is there such a thing as vegan parmesan?
Officially no, there can't be a vegan parmesan.
Parmesan cheese is covered by PDO which stands for Protected Designation of Origin.
A cheese can only be called Parmesan if it is made from milk taken from the cows that graze in Parma in Modena in Italy.
Vegan parmesan is often known vegan hard cheese or vegan pasta cheese.
For the purpose of explaining the style and flavour profile, I'm using the name vegan parmesan, so you can know the flavours to expect.
Of course, I've taken those basic flavours and run with them.
🧀 What you need to make dairy-free parmesan
Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this gorgeous parmesan alternative.
- Cashews
- Nooch
- Garlic Powder
- Dried Oregano
- Dried Parsley
- Salt & pepper
🥜 Plain or salted cashews?
You can use plain or salted cashews to make this cashew parmesan.
However, if you use salted cashews make sure you don't add any extra salt as there will be enough salt on the nuts to season the cashew parm.
📋 Can you use different nuts to make vegan parmesan?
I've not tried this with different nuts yet.
Cashew nuts are perfect as they have a creamy texture that works well to impersonate dairy cheese.
If I was trying this recipe for vegan parmesan with another type of nut I would probably try either almonds or peanuts first.
💭 What is nooch?
If you've not been a vegan for long or are just trying out a few dishes, you may not know the fabulous thing that is nooch!
Nooch is an affectionate nickname for Nutritional Yeast.
Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast that is sold in flake form in tubs.
It has that umami cheesy flavour, which is why so many vegans add it to dishes.
⭐ What is Nooch's superpower?
Nooch is full of vitamins and minerals.
It actually has all 9 amino acids making it a complete protein and it also includes Vitamin B12, which is really important but can be hard to include in a vegan diet.
📖 Variations
This plant-based parmesan, has already been tweaked with the addition of garlic and herbs, but here are a few more ideas to change it up.
- Herbs - change the dried herbs, try dried basil instead of parsley
- Spice it up - why not add some chilli flavours to add some heat
- For a smoky flavour - add some paprika
🥣 Simple vegan parmesan
For a plainer vegan parm. you could leave out the herbs, but I would still recommend adding the garlic as it gives it a wonderful round flavour.
Do try it my way first, you won't be disappointed!
🍕 How to serve this vegan substitute for parmesan cheese
Here are a few serving ideas.
We've been sprinkling this parmesan on everything.
Sprinkle vegan parmesan over ....
- Pasta - a must
- Pizza - for extra flavour, try it on these bagel pizzas or these pizza twists
- Cheese on toast - so, so good
- Cheesy Noodles - sprinkle some on these quick cheese & onion noodles
- toastie fillings - add a pop of flavour
- Salad - works well
- Stuffed mushrooms - the perfect topping
- Stuffed peppers - tasty on these too
- Pan con tomate - Spanish tomato tapas (like a Spanish Bruschetta)
- Soup - just a sprinkle
- Potato wedges - the perfect coating
🥫 Storing cashew parmesan
The ingredients in this vegan cashew parmesan are all dried ingredients so they have a long shelf life.
This parmesan will keep quite happily in a jar for a few weeks
Try this easy homemade pizza seasoning next.
💭 Top tips
To help this vegan parmesan with garlic and herbs last longer, there are a few things you can do.
- When made, store in a clean, dry jar with a tight-fitting lid. It's very important the jar and lid are completely dry and the jar is airtight.
- Make sure your spoon is clean and completely dry before using any of the parmesan.
- Don't use in a steamy kitchen or beside a steamy pot. Moisture is the enemy.
- As soon as you have spooned some of the vegan parmesan out, shut the lid tightly as soon as possible.
- Store the jar in a cool, dry cupboard.
🧀 Vegan Parmesan Cheese FAQ
Cashew-based parmesan doesn't melt as it is nut-based and there is no oil or fat added to it.
Coconut-based vegan parmesan cheese, which is made a similar way to regular cheese does melt as it is fat-based.
Both types of parmesan (nut-based and coconut oil based) can be frozen in an airtight container.
To defrost, take it out of the freezer and leave it in the fridge overnight.
👩🏻🍳 Related recipes
Looking for other recipes to sprinkle this vegan parmesan on, try these:
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👩🏻🍳 How to make easy vegan parmesan cheese with garlic & herbs
Step-by-step photos. Keep scrolling for the full printable recipe (with full ingredient list, calories and nutritional info).
Step 1
- In a food processor or blender jug add cashew nuts and nutritional yeast.
- Then add the garlic powder and the dried oregano.
Step 2
- Now add the dried parsley, salt and pepper.
- Blend to a fairly fine texture.
- Don't keep blending or you will end up with savoury nut butter!
- Spoon into a completely clean and dry, airtight jar.
- Start sprinkling over everything!
- Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Easy Vegan Parmesan Cheese with Garlic & Herbs
Ingredients
- 125 g cashews
- 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast (nooch)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender jug add cashew nuts and nutritional yeast.
- Next, add the garlic powder and the dried oregano.
- Now add the dried parsley, salt and pepper.
- Blend to a fairly fine texture.
- Don't keep blending or you will end up with savoury nut butter!
- Spoon into a completly clean and dry, airtight jar.
- Start sprinkling over everything!
- Enjoy!
Notes
- If you are using salted cashews, don't add any additional salt, there will be enough salt on the nuts to season the parmesan.
- For a plainer vegan parm. you could leave out the herbs, but I would still recommend adding the garlic as it gives it a wonderful round flavour.
- The ingredients in this vegan cashew parmesan are all dried ingredients so they have a long shelf life.
- This parmesan will keep quite happily in a jar for a few weeks.
- Just make sure the jar and lid are super clean and dry and that the lid fits tightly so the jar is airtight. Also, make sure any spoon dipped into the jar is completely clean and dry, you don't want to add any moisture.
Jill says
That sounds so tasty. I am definitely going to try it. I miss parmesan and couldn't find the Violife one you recommended. Jill x
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Yes it is hard to find now I used to buy it from an online vegan cheese shop but it's shut down. This is rather lush though.
Pat says
Thanks so much for giving me the recipe to test. We love it so I can heartily recommend it.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
You are so welcome and thanks for trying it out and letting me know what you think. Much appreciated x
Graham says
Easy to make and so tasty.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
You have been sprinkling it on everything Graham, so you would definitely know.
Anjali says
This tasted just like grated parmesan cheese!! We used it on top of pasta and it was delicious!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. The extra herbs work so well don't they?
Jill says
This was so tasty and delish. I'm going on my second batch too!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Yeah, I am so pleased you are enjoying it and thanks for testing it out.
Dani says
God this stuff is good. Cheers for the recipe.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
You are so welcome Dani. I am so pleased you like it.
Beth says
I learned so much from this post! Such an easy & delicious alternative - yum!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I do hope you try it Beth. It's so so tasty!
Ieva says
So nice! We only just made it and sprinkled it on Neapolitan Pasta, but I have a feeling we will have it on absolutely EVERYTHING from now on!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Awwww that's fabulous to hear although now I am craving pizza!
Ernie Tisinger says
I’m having a weird problem I cannot make my reader pick up your feed, I’m using google reader fyi.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
How odd, I'm not sure what is causing that, however, do you know you can sign up for new recipes to be sent to your inbox. There haven't been any for a while as I was decorating, had a chest infection then had a holiday to visit family, but there will be new recipes again soon. Here is the link for the new recipe email. https://tinnedtomatoes.myflodesk.com/n05ay5bcph