QUICK SUMMARY
Vegan Parmesan cheese is a savory, dairy-free topping made in minutes with cashews, pine nuts, hemp hearts, nutritional yeast, sea salt, and garlic powder. Pulse everything into a crumbly, Parmesan-style sprinkle for pasta, salads, roasted vegetables, pizza, and more.
Make a double batch and keep it in the freezer, just like I do! This recipe contains cashews and pine nuts, so it isn’t suitable for anyone allergic to those ingredients.
Every Italian dish needs a little sprinkle of cheese, but if you’re eating dairy-free, this may be a challenge! You don’t have to miss out, though.
Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite foods. You just need to find creative alternatives that are delicious and easy to make. This recipe fits the bill!
My homemade vegan Parmesan cheese has the salty, savory flavor you want without dairy. Best of all, you can make it in just a few minutes with ingredients you recognize.
Table of Contents
Make Cashew-Based Cheese
This recipe comes together within minutes and is easy to make. Your food processor does all the work for you! I love doubling this recipe so I always have a great vegan cheese substitute.
Homemade Parmesan Cheese (Vegan)
Servings
Ingredients
- ¾ cup organic raw cashews
- 2 tablespoons organic raw pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon organic hemp hearts/seeds
- ¼ cup organic nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt OR sea salt, ground
- ¼ teaspoon organic garlic powder
Supplies
- Food processor OR blender
Instructions
- Add the cashews, pine nuts, hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, sea salt, and garlic powder to a food processor or blender. Pulse until the mixture reaches the consistency of Parmesan cheese.
- Use in your favorite Italian recipes, or as you would traditional cheese.
Step One: Blend Ingredients
Add the cashews, pine nuts, hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, sea salt, and garlic powder to a food processor or blender. Pulse until the mixture reaches the consistency of parmesan cheese.
Pulse the ingredients until they’re the consistency of Parmesan cheese. Be watchful as the ingredients break down quickly. Use as you would traditional Parmesan cheese!
Don’t Over-Process It
The nuts contain natural oils, so use short pulses and stop as soon as the mixture resembles finely grated cheese. Blend too long and it can turn into a paste instead of a sprinkle.
How to Use Vegan Parmesan Cheese
You can use vegan Parmesan cheese for so many things! I keep a batch in my freezer at all times and use it in many of my kitchen hacks. Here’s a little chef’s inspiration.
- Top your homemade spaghetti with a sprinkle of Parmesan. This cheese is also a crowd-pleaser for dinner parties!
- Shake a little dairy-free cheese over your salads. Yum!
- Turn on your favorite movie and pop some organic, non-GMO popcorn. Top it with coconut oil, a dash of sea salt, and vegan Parmesan cheese. Movie night done right!
- Use it in place of bread crumb topping.
- Need a kid-friendly side dish? Try sprinkling our Oven Roasted Potatoes with a bit of vegan cheese!
- Add it to the crispy topping mixture on my favorite Tuna Noodle Casserole.
- Use it to add extra flavor to your omelets!
- Are you missing ultra-cheesy pizza? Sprinkle some vegan Parmesan on your pizza along with a bit of crushed red pepper. Ah, pizza heaven!
This alternative cheese freezes well, so you can add it to your freezer meals with confidence. We love making Gluten-Free Lasagnas in advance, so we always have a healthy meal on hand.
What Does Vegan Parmesan Taste Like?
It isn’t identical to aged dairy Parmesan. Instead, you get a salty, nutty, savory sprinkle: rich cashews, delicate pine nuts, cheesy nutritional yeast, and just enough garlic to bring it all together.
Vegan Parmesan Ingredients
Some packaged vegan cheeses have long ingredient lists. I love that you can pronounce everything in this one, and each ingredient has a purpose.
Organic Raw Cashews
Cashews are mild and blend into a lovely crumbly texture. They contribute unsaturated fats, protein, minerals, and plant compounds, too. (1)
Organic Raw Pine Nuts
If you’ve had pesto, you’ve probably had pine nuts! Their slightly sweet flavor fits beautifully with Italian dishes. They provide healthy fats and minerals, though they aren’t a particularly rich omega-3 source compared with flaxseed, chia, or walnuts. (2)
Organic Hemp Hearts or Seeds
Hemp hearts add protein and essential fatty acids. Food-grade hemp seeds come from Cannabis sativa but contain only trace amounts of THC. Research has explored hempseed oil for skin health, but this recipe is a food, not a treatment. (3)
Organic Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional yeast creates the savory, cheesy flavor without dairy. It also contributes protein. Some brands are fortified with vitamin B12, but not all are, so check the label if you’re counting on it for B12.
Pink Himalayan Salt or Sea Salt
We recommend using Colima sea salt because it’s hand-harvested and tastes incredible. You can also use Himalayan salt. Both are primarily sodium chloride, and specialty salts usually aren’t iodized, so be mindful of getting enough iodine elsewhere in your diet. (4)
Organic Garlic Powder
Garlic makes every recipe better! We use garlic powder because it blends smoothly into the Parmesan-style texture. Garlic has been studied for various health effects, but research using concentrated supplements doesn’t establish those effects for the small amount of powder in this recipe. (5, 6)
Choose Clean, Fresh Spices
Be mindful of where your spices come from! Buy from suppliers you trust, store them dry and sealed, and discard anything musty or moisture-damaged. Contamination can occur with poorly handled spices from any region.
Use It With Your Favorite Italian Recipes
My family loves all things Italian. Pizza, lasagna, dips, appetizers, you name it. So, I got creative and transformed our old standbys into recipes free of gluten, sugar, and dairy. Eliminating those factors doesn’t mean giving up flavor, though.
In my Gluten-Free Italian Cooking Class, I show you how to make these recipes and more. It’s just one of the cooking classes in our Bible Health Academy that you may find helpful to get you started.
My homemade vegan Parmesan cheese may be dairy-free, but it still adds the same savory touch traditional Parmesan does. Give it a try!
How to Store Vegan Parmesan
Store the finished cheese in a clean, airtight container in the refrigerator, or keep it in the freezer like I do. It stays loose enough to scoop out what you need without thawing the whole batch.
Keep moisture out of the container. If the mixture smells rancid, develops an unusual bitter taste, or shows mold, discard it. The natural oils in nuts and seeds can oxidize over time.
Vegan Parmesan Cheese FAQs
Is this vegan Parmesan dairy-free and gluten-free?
It contains no dairy, and the basic ingredients are naturally gluten-free. Check packaged ingredients if you need to avoid gluten cross-contact.
Is this recipe nut-free?
No. It contains cashews and pine nuts and should be avoided by anyone allergic to either ingredient.
Can I freeze vegan Parmesan?
Yes! That’s my favorite way to keep it fresh and ready for a quick sprinkle over dinner.
How do I keep it from turning into nut butter?
Pulse briefly and check often. Stop as soon as it reaches a fine, crumbly texture.
Final Thoughts on Homemade Vegan Parmesan
Eating dairy-free does not mean your Italian food has to feel unfinished.
This is one of those little recipes that makes a big difference because it is easy, versatile, and ready in minutes.
Keep the ingredients in your pantry, make a double batch, and store it in the freezer. Then the next time spaghetti, pizza, roasted vegetables, or casserole needs a little something extra, you already have it.
Healthy cooking gets easier when your favorite substitutions taste good enough that you actually want to use them.
This one does.
References
- Bolling BW, Chen CY, McKay DL, Blumberg JB. “Tree Nut Phytochemicals: Composition, Antioxidant Capacity, Bioactivity, Impact Factors. A Systematic Review of Almonds, Brazils, Cashews, Hazelnuts, Macadamias, Pecans, Pine Nuts, Pistachios and Walnuts.” Nutrition Research Reviews. 2011;24(2):244-275. Source.
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. “Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.” Source.
- Callaway J, Schwab U, Harvima I, et al. “Efficacy of Dietary Hempseed Oil in Patients With Atopic Dermatitis.” Journal of Dermatological Treatment. 2005;16(2):87-94. Source.
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. “Iodine: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.” Updated November 5, 2024. Source.
- Lissiman E, Bhasale AL, Cohen M. “Garlic for the Common Cold.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2014. Source.
- Percival SS. “Aged Garlic Extract Modifies Human Immunity.” Journal of Nutrition. 2016;146(2):433S-436S. Source.
