Name: Vegan Parmesan Cheese 3 Ways (Nut-Free Option)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 ⅓ cups walnut halves OR 1 ¼ cup brazil nuts OR ½ cup pumpkin seeds plus ⅓ cup hemp seeds; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast; ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Vegan Parmesan Cheese made with your choice of brazil nuts, walnuts, or a combination of pumpkin and hemp seeds! Keep a batch in the fridge or freezer and you're ready to add a punch of sharp, rich, umami flavor to any dish. Only 4 ingredients and ready in 25 minutes!

This recipe is free from oil, gluten, and soy, and includes a nut-free option.

three varieties of homemade vegan parmesan in glasses to show color and texture.

This recipe was originally published in 2018 and has been updated with new photos and information. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Why You'll Love It

By now we all know that nuts can be transformed into delicious vegan cheeses, right? Maybe homemade vegan Parmesan isn't new to you, but just in case, I can't risk leaving this stone unturned. It's just too good!

Nut 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!

overhead photo of three different versions of vegan parmesan in glasses on a wood board. — Top to bottom, try homemade plant-based parmesan with either walnuts, a pumpkin and hemp seed combo, or brazil nuts.

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.

ingredients needed to make vegan parmesan cheese with either walnuts, brazil nuts, or seeds.

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.

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Instructions

two photos showing processing seeds or nuts and spreading on baking sheet.

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 Vegan Parmesan Cheese

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 quick and easy vegan cheese recipes:

Recipe

glasses filled with 3 different versions of plant-based parmesan cheese substitute.

Vegan Parmesan Cheese 3 Ways (Nut-Free Option)

Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen

Easy, salty and rich vegan Parmesan cheese substitute that you'll want to sprinkle on everything. Choose a base of walnuts, brazil nuts, or a blend of hemp and pumpkin seeds! Ready in 25 minutes.

Yield: makes approximately 1 ¼ cups.

5 from 4 votes

Servings: servings

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 25

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Equipment

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

Raw Parmesan Variation

As mentioned in the post, if you prefer a raw, no-bake version, simply replace the lemon juice with lemon zest (a very small amount because zest packs big lemon flavor). The cheese is ready to use straight out of the food processor. It's slightly more lemony and less tangy/cheesy this way but still delicious.

Nutrition information represents walnut version.

This recipe was originally published in 2018 and has been updated with new photos and information.