Vegan Cashew Parmesan
This vegan cashew Parmesan is a quick, dairy-free topping that adds a nutty, cheesy flavor to pasta, salads, and roasted vegetables. Made with raw cashews, nutritional yeast, and a few pantry seasonings, it comes together in just 5 minutes without any cooking.
If you're vegan, try my homemade almond milk and homemade coconut yogurt recipe for more everyday essentials that you can scratch-make.
The cashews give it the crumbly texture of finely grated Parmesan, while nutritional yeast adds that savory flavor.
Keep a jar in the fridge for easy finishing touches throughout the week- just like I do with my crispy Italian breadcrumbs, which are another excellent flavor-packed topping to try using for your salads and pasta dishes.
Quick Look: Vegan Cashew Parmesan
- 🔪 Prep time: 5 minutes.
- ⏲️ Cook time: No cooking required.
- 👪 Servings: 6.
- 📋 Main ingredients: Raw cashews, nutritional yeast flakes, sea salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- ♨️ Cooking method: Add ingredients to a blender → pulse into fine crumbs → taste and sprinkle.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy.
- 🥣 Serving ideas: Over marry me chicken pasta, pizza, roasted vegetables, garlic mushroom soup, and salads.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
- You only need five ingredients and a blender. There is no soaking, cooking, or waiting for anything to set.
- It adds a savory, cheesy finish to everyday meals without dairy. Sometimes, I use it to make a vegan version of my favorite Parmesan cheese salsa.
- You can make a small batch ahead and adjust the garlic, salt, and texture to suit your taste.
Recipe Ingredients
Raw cashews: These form the base and give the topping a mild, nutty flavor. Use unsalted cashews so you can control the seasoning. There is no need to soak them for this dry recipe.
Nutritional yeast flakes: The key to the cheesy, savory flavor. Use nutritional yeast, not baker’s yeast or active dry yeast.
Sea salt: Brings the flavors together and gives the mixture a Parmesan-style salty finish. You can also use an infused salt like mixed herb salt if you want to.
Garlic powder: Adds a savory kick without introducing moisture.
Onion powder: Rounds out the flavor and complements the garlic.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Swap the cashews for blanched almonds for a slightly firmer, nuttier topping. Unsalted sunflower seeds are another option if you want to make a version without cashews.
- Add a little dried parsley, dried oregano, or mixed herb seasoning for an herby variation.
- For a spicy finish, pulse in a pinch of chili flakes or freshly ground black pepper.
- Use roasted, unsalted cashews for a toastier flavor. Let them cool completely before blending.
How to Make Vegan Cashew Parmesan
Step 1: Add the raw cashews, nutritional yeast flakes, sea salt, garlic powder, and onion powder to a clean, dry blender jar.
Step 2: Blend in short pulses until the mixture has a uniform, fine, crumbly texture. Check it frequently during the 1–2 minutes of blending so it stays loose rather than turning into a paste.
💭Top Tip
Pulse rather than blending continuously. Cashews release their oils as they break down, and too much blending can turn your fluffy parmesan topping into a clumpy paste. Stop as soon as you have fine crumbs.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Start with a completely dry blender jar and dry utensils. Added water changes the texture and makes the topping harder to store.
- A small blender jar or food processor works well for this batch. If the ingredients collect on the sides, stop and scrape them down before pulsing again. I always do this when I make my Air Fryer ginger powder and Air Fryer jalapeno flakes.
- Taste the mixture before adding more salt, especially if you plan to sprinkle it over an already-seasoned dish.
- Keep the texture slightly sandy rather than trying to grind it as finely as flour.
- Use garlic and onion powders rather than fresh garlic and onion to keep the mixture dry.
How to Serve Vegan Cashew Parmesan
Sprinkle it over warm pasta, pizza, roasted broccoli and potatoes, or baked potatoes just before serving. It is also great scattered over salads like lemon Parmesan lettuce salad and even baked Mac and cheese bites.
For a crunchy topping, mix it with homemade breadcrumbs and sprinkle it over French onion soup chicken. In fact, I like using this as a topping for my homemade Parmesan croutons too. Add it toward the end of cooking or after baking so the finely ground nuts don’t burn.
Troubleshooting and FAQs
Transfer it to a clean, airtight jar and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Always use a dry spoon and keep moisture out of the jar.
No. Use dry, unsoaked cashews for a loose, crumbly topping. Soaked cashews would make the mixture damp and creamy.
The cashews were blended for too long and released their oils. Use short pulses and stop at a fine, sandy texture. If it has already become a paste, use it to add flavor to a sauce or dressing instead of as a sprinkle.
Nutritional yeast provides most of the cheesy flavor. You can blend the other ingredients into a nutty seasoning, but it won’t taste the same without it.
No. This is a dry, crumbly topping rather than a melting cheese. Sprinkle it over a finished dish for flavor and texture.
More Vegan Essentials to Prep
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this vegan cashew Parmesan or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Vegan Cashew Parmesan
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup raw cashews
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast flakes
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender jar.
- Blend for 1-2 minutes or until you get a uniform powder-like consistency.
Notes
- Use raw, unsalted cashews for the best results. There is no need to soak them, as they should be completely dry for this recipe.
- Pulse the ingredients in short bursts rather than blending continuously to prevent the cashews from releasing their oils and turning into a paste.
- Keep the texture slightly coarse and crumbly, similar to finely grated Parmesan cheese, rather than grinding it into a very fine powder.
- Make sure the blender jar and utensils are completely dry to prevent moisture from affecting the texture and shelf life.
- Adjust the salt and garlic powder to taste, especially if you plan to sprinkle the Parmesan over already-seasoned dishes.
- Add dried oregano, parsley, Italian seasoning, or red pepper flakes for extra flavor.
- Swap the cashews for blanched almonds or unsalted sunflower seeds for a different flavor and texture.
- Sprinkle over pasta, pizza, salads, soups, roasted vegetables, or baked potatoes just before serving.
- Store the vegan Parmesan in a clean, airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Always use a dry spoon when serving.
