Calling this a cheese is definitely a stretch, but this vegan parmesan sprinkle is one of the most versatile things I make. As one reader put it: “I can’t believe how good this is on pretty much everything. This will be a staple in my kitchen forever.” I included it in the notes of recipes for years but felt called to bring it up to official status. Sprinkle it on my lentil bolognese or pizza night salad and you’ll understand what I mean!
I have tried the store bought options and a bunch of different ratios before landing on this one. A note on what this is and is not: it will not melt like cheese. If you are looking for a melty vegan cheese situation, this is not it. What it does do is add savory, salty, nutty depth to whatever you sprinkle it on. Think of it as a flavor booster rather than a cheese substitute.
Vegan Parmesan Cheese Ingredients:
- Nuts & Seeds: I like to use a particular mixture of nuts and seeds, my favorite combination being: raw walnuts, sliced almonds, and hemp seeds. You can mix this up however you like, but it’s important to note that some nuts can be quite “wet” and clumpy in this mixture ie pecans, pine nuts, and walnuts. For this reason, I limit them to a third of the total volume. Sliced almonds and raw cashews grind up into more of a “dusty” consistency that’s perfect for even sprinkling. I always leave a third of the total volume as seeds because I like the milder flavor in the mix.
- Flavor boost: I use garlic and onion powders to bump up the overall savory depth.
- Salt & Pepper: A lot of vegan parmesan recipes call for salt alone, but I think that both salt and pepper are necessary. Pepper helps to bring those peppery piquant qualities that real parmesan is known for.
Store it in a sealed jar in the fridge for about a month. My cookbook has a version made with pine nuts if you want to explore another option.
5-Minute Vegan Parmesan for Sprinkling
Ingredients
- 1 cup mixed unroasted nuts/seeds (see note)
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Equipment
- Food Processor
Notes
- For the nut and seed mix, my favourite combination is: ⅓ cup raw walnuts, ⅓ cup sliced almonds, and ⅓ cup hemp seeds.
- A mix of hemp seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds is delightful for a nut-free version.
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the “S” blade, combine the nuts/seeds, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Pulse until you have a mealy and slightly “dusty” mixture.
- Transfer the vegan parmesan sprinkle to a sealable jar or other container and close the lid on top. This will keep in the fridge for a month.
Best nutty parm around. I usually make mine with Brazil (for selenium), walnuts and almond flour ( for speed) in equal quantities. It tops pasta, salads and veggies.
Hello. This recipe looks great. Can I omit the powders if possible? My partner dislikes the taste of onion/garlic powder.
Hi Bron, yes can omit them! The overall flavor will be a bit milder, but still savory and salty.
-L
I can’t believe how good this is on pretty much everything. I used nuts and seeds I had on hand (pumpkin seed, hemp seed, sunflower seed, cashews and pecans) and it’s perfect. This will be a staple in my kitchen forever!!!
Just made my second batch! I put this on everything…it’s so flavorful!
Just made this for our pasta dinner. Delicious! Thanks for the recipe. Because my husband is allergic to nuts, I used your seeds suggestion: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and hemp seeds. I’ll be making this over and over again.
Previously had used a cashew version, then tried an almond one – just made this one and it’s definitely the winner with the great combo!! Delicious!
I often make the vegan parm from Minimalist Baker which used cashews. Looking forward to trying this version with different nuts! Yum! Is there a benefit to using sliced almonds over regular raw almonds?
Hi Hannah!
I just find that the sliced almonds are a bit drier, and therefore they grind up a bit finer. This makes for a nicer sprinkling texture in my opinion! Of course, you could also use whole raw almonds–they just won’t grind up as fine.
-L