Wow! Cheese without the cow! This savory sprinkle can be made in a jar and ready in under 5 minutes. No food processor needed! Quick & Easy Vegan Parmesan is a healthy kitchen staple for topping pastas, soups, salads and more.
Once upon a time, cheese was the “secret ingredient” in most of my cooking. I mean, name a food that couldn’t benefit from a slice of that buttery goodness. So when I turned vegan, I had to find new ways to bring that cheesy flavor to my favorite recipes. Back then, vegan cheeses were just becoming a thing and let’s just say they were pretty……unappetizing. With the texture of rubber and the flavor of cardboard, they weren’t a viable replacement for the real deal. Then I discovered this Easy Vegan Parm and my cooking leveled up!
What sets this version apart from others is that I use almond flour instead of raw nuts. You can easily make and store this Vegan Parmesan in the same jar. Adding hemp seeds for texture and protein and nutritional yeast and seasonings for umami results in a rich, nutty and tasty topping to sprinkle on pretty much everything.
Ingredients
Almond Flour – (aka Blanched Almond Flour). Almond flour is simply almonds with their skins removed and ground into flour. If you only have unblanched almond flour, often sold as almond meal, you can still make this vegan parmesan. The result will be cheese with a coarser texture and darker color, but still very delicious!
Hemp Hearts – hemp hearts are what remains of the hemp seed after the hard shell has been removed. They add a rich, nutty flavor along with fiber, protein and omega-3 fatty acids. And they’re totally legal (wink!).
Nutritional Yeast – provides an irresistible savoriness and is key to achieving a cheesy flavor.
Garlic & Onion Powder – these add depth of flavor to the vegan parmesan.
Salt – a must to replicate the saltiness of ‘real’ parmesan cheese.
Optional: Distilled White Vinegar – the kind you use to make pickles. (Or clean your coffee pot). Vinegar adds a subtle tang and elevates all the flavors.
That’s it! Just 6 simple ingredients (7 if you add the vinegar).
Making Quick & Easy Vegan Parmesan
And I mean quick! This Vegan Parmesan Cheese comes together in less than 5 minutes. No food processor and no dirty dishes required!
I like to use a half-quart (2 cup) wide mouth mason jar with a lid, but a bowl or sealable container will work, too.
Place the dry ingredients in the jar, secure the lid and shake.
Stir in the optional vinegar for a sharper tang.
Now get ready to sprinkle!
Leave your Vegan Parmesan Cheese in the lidded glass jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Vegan Parm can also be stored for 3 months in the freezer.
Where to Use Vegan Parm
Once you have a jar of this quick and easy vegan cheese in your refrigerator, you’ll find it to be indispensable. Here are some of my favorite ways to use it:
As a savory topping on these Vegan Zucchini Lasagna Stacks
To elevate your favorite spaghetti dish or vegan mac and cheese
Generously sprinkled on top of minestrone or vegetable soup
As a fun addition to vegan bruschetta
To add interest and flavor to any salad, especially kale salads
Tossed into a bowl of warm, roasted veggies
I hope you love this vegan parmesan as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments section below. I value your opinions.
Quick and Easy Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 20 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Made with simple, healthy ingredients and ready in 5 minutes, this Quick & Easy Vegan Parmesan is sure to become your go-to kitchen staple. Perfect for topping pastas, soups, salads and more.
Ingredients
1/2 cup almond flour (see note)
1/2 cup hemp hearts
3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white vinegar, optional
Instructions
1). Place the almond flour, hemp hearts, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder and salt in a small glass jar with a lid. With the lid secured, vigorously shake the jar until the ingredients are evenly combined.
2). Remove the lid and add the optional vinegar to the jar. Using a fork, stir the mixture until the vinegar is evenly distributed. Use the fork to break up any large clumps that may form.
3). Taste your vegan parmesan and adjust seasonings as desired. Add more nutritional yeast for a cheesier flavor or more salt and garlic for a bolder flavor.
4). Store your jar of vegan parmesan cheese in the refrigerator for up to a month, or for 3 months in the freezer.
Notes
Blanched almond flour is preferred here for its lighter color and texture, but you may substitute with almond meal, which is made from unblanched almonds, if that’s what you have on hand. Your cheese will have a darker color and coarser texture, but all of the delicious flavor.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Vegan Cheese
- Method: Hand Mix
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Tablespoon
- Calories: 44
- Fat: 3.4 grams
- Carbohydrates: 1.4 grams
- Fiber: 1 gram
- Protein: 2.6 grams
