Vegan Parmesan Cheese is easy to make at home and adds a punch of rich, salty, cheesy flavor to any dish! Choose between brazil nuts, walnuts, or a combination of pumpkin and hemp seeds as the base. Keep a batch in the fridge or freezer, and you're ready to sprinkle homemade vegan Parm on pasta, salads, vegan lasagna, and more. Only 4 ingredients and 25 minutes to make a batch!
Why You'll Love It
By now we all know that nuts and seeds can be transformed into delicious vegan cheeses, right? This dairy-free Parm is so simple to make, lasts for weeks (if not months), in the fridge or freezer, and instantly adds excitement to pasta, salads, pizza, and more.
Choose from one of three options:
- Brazil Nut Parmesan
- Walnut Parmesan
- or a nut-free option made with a blend of pepitas and hemp hearts!
Each one is as rich, sharp, and tasty as the next, but with slight differences in flavor. Let's get to it and whip up a batch!
What's in vegan Parmesan cheese?
Cashews are often used in a lot of vegan cheese recipes, but I find them to be a bit too sweet for a Parmesan substitute. Same goes for pine nuts.
So after a lot of taste testing, we decided our favorite nuts and seeds to use in vegan Parm are walnuts, brazil nuts, or a hemp-pepita combo. All three of these versions are 100% savory, which is really what we're looking for in a Parmesan substitute.
In addition to the nuts or seeds, you'll need salt, nutritional yeast, and a touch of lemon juice, which creates a surprisingly authentic tanginess once the Parm is baked at low temperature.
Most of these nuts and seeds should be available at your local grocery store, which is another reason why they're my top choices.
If you can't find hemp seeds, feel free to substitute raw sunflower seeds. Remember to check the bulk bins! Of course, you can also purchase any of them online.
Ingredient Notes
- nuts or seeds - of the three options, my favorite is a toss up between walnuts and brazil nuts. They're both just so fatty and rich and perfect for this recipe. However, the seeds offer other benefits, and the green color of the pumpkin seeds is fun! So use your favorite or whatever you can get your hands on.
- lemon juice - adds a tanginess and brightness to the overall flavor profile; I can't recommend any substitutes. It's possible that a lesser amount of white vinegar could work, though I haven't tested it.
- fine sea salt - obviously Parmesan is very salty, so this is important for overall flavor.
- nutritional yeast - my favorite is the non-fortified one by Sari Foods; if you must omit this ingredient, add a few dashes of garlic powder for extra savoriness.
How to Make Vegan Parmesan Cheese
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- Place the nuts (or seeds) in a large food processor and pulse until they're the texture of coarse crumbs. Add the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt, and pulse several times to combine.
- Spread the mixture on the prepared pan and bake in a preheated, 250 degree F oven for ten minutes. Remove from oven and stir. If the mixture still seems moist, return to the oven and bake for another 2 to 4 minutes, keeping an eye on it so the nuts/seeds don't begin to brown.
Super easy, right? Enjoy right away, or allow to cool before storing.
Ways To Use It
Now, get ready to sprinkle this plant-based Parmesan on everything!
- salads
- soups and chili
- pasta
- stuffed mushrooms
- steamed, sautéed and roasted veggies
- beans and grains
- potatoes
- and pizza
Pretty much the only thing you won't want to put Vegan Parmesan Cheese on is dessert!
Equipment Needed
You'll need a large food processor to break down the nuts or seeds. This 14-cup Cuisinart has served me well for many years. It's helpful for everything from hummus, to nut butters, to frozen banana nice cream.
You'll also need a large baking sheet and parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
No-Bake Option
If you prefer a no-bake, raw vegan Parmesan, simply replace the lemon juice with lemon zest (it takes a very small amount, though, because zest packs big lemon flavor).
Your "grated parmesan" is ready to use straight out of the food processor. It's slightly more lemony and less tangy/cheesy this way but still absolutely delicious.
How To Store
I like to keep the prepared vegan parmesan in a jar or container in the refrigerator or freezer for extended freshness, but it's also fine at room temperature for at least one week.
Often I make a double batch and put half in the freezer for the coming weeks.
More Easy Vegan Cheese Recipes
Recipe
Vegan Parmesan Cheese 3 Ways (Nut-Free Option)
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups walnut halves OR 1 ¼ cup brazil nuts OR ½ cup pumpkin seeds plus ⅓ cup hemp seeds - The pumpkin/hemp combo has a fairly strong hemp flavor, so if that's not your thing, increase the pumpkin seeds and decrease the hemp, or sub raw sunflower seeds.
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Place the nuts (or seeds) in a large food processor and pulse until they're the texture of coarse crumbs. Add the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt, and pulse several times to combine.
- Spread the mixture on the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir. If preparing the seed version, it may be done at this point. It should be dry but not browning. If the mixture still seems moist, return to the oven and bake for another 2 to 4 minutes, keeping an eye on it so the nuts/seeds don't brown.
- Allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several weeks, or freeze for longer storage. Can be used straight from the freezer.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
AngelaKin says
I always choose Parmesan for my salads, pizzas and pastas... Thank you for this amazing recipes
daisy says
I made this for our New Year’s tapas bar, and paired it with the stuffed mushrooms instead of adding cheese. Absolutely scrumptious!
Simple to make with just a few ingredients. What could be better?
Kathy says
What is the serving size for this, please? I'm assuming 2 tablespoons?
Lori says
Yes, approximately 2 tablespoons.