This vegan Parmesan cheese recipe is quick, easy, and it tastes amazing—and you only need 5 ingredients and 5 minutes to make it!
Parmesan cheese is one of those magical foods that has a way of making just about everything taste better. When I went vegan, I knew I needed to find a plant-based alternative, and this is IT!
So, how and why does this taste like Parmesan cheese? It all starts with ground cashews, which mimic Parmesan cheese in texture and consistency. This provides the perfect base to add nutritional yeast , which has a cheese-like flavour and tons of B12, making it delicious AND nutritious. Then the other three ingredients—garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt—add even more flavour, slight saltiness, and an extra hint of cheesiness.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Parmesan Cheese Recipe
- Only 5 ingredients . Who needs store-bought cheese substitutes?! This recipe calls for 5 simple ingredients: cashews, nutritional yeast , sea salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- And only 5 minutes to make . Five minutes, a lifetime of happiness, and LOTS of cheesy vegan pizzas .
- The vegan condiment you need in your life . If you miss adding that crumbly, shakable cheese on all the things, you’re going to want to keep this vegan Parmesan on hand!
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Raw cashews – For the right texture and flavour, raw cashews (not roasted or salted!) are a must.
- Nutritional yeast – You can find this in the bulk section or with the seasonings in many grocery stores. It can also be ordered online
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt.
What Is the Purpose of Nutritional Yeast?
Nutritional yeast is commonly used in vegan recipes because it brings a funky, cheesy flavour to the table when traditional cheese isn’t an option. It’s also an excellent addition to vegan diets because it contains protein and vitamin B12 , along with many other vitamins and minerals.
Add ingredients to food processor.
How to Make Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Grind the cashews. Add the cashews to a food processor and process until they form a coarse meal, similar to the shelf-stable grated Parmesan sold in plastic containers at the grocery store.
- Finish. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse a few times until everything is combined.
Tips for Success
- Nut allergies? No problem! You can substitute the cashews for sunflower seeds or pepitas. Just note that this will alter the colour and flavour—you’ll still get that funky-cheesiness, but with more seed flavour.
- Don’t over-mix. If you run the food processor too long, you’ll end up with Parmesan paste—not very appetizing! Just pulse until everything has come together.
- Use a food processor. A blender just won’t cut it here. If you don’t have a food processor, you can place the cashews in a plastic bag and pound them with a rolling pin to crush them. The result will be a coarser vegan Parmesan, but it tastes just as good.
How to Use Vegan Parmesan
Use vegan Parmesan cheese any way you’d use regular Parmesan! Here are some of my favourite ideas:
- Grilled Mexican Street Corn
- Grilled Lemon Garlic Zucchini
- Creamy Cashew Pea Pesto
- Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Burst Cherry Tomatoes
- Vegan Garlic Parmesan Dinner Rolls
- Vegan Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pasta
- Vegetable Lasagna
How to Store
- Refrigerate : Store your vegan Parmesan cheese in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. (Although all of the ingredients are technically shelf-stable, the fridge will keep the raw cashews from going rancid.)
- Freeze : If you want your vegan Parmesan cheese to last longer, you can place it in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze it for up to 6 months. As long as there’s no moisture in the container, you should still be able to scoop it and use it directly from frozen.
More Vegan Substitutes
- Vegan Butter
- Homemade Oat Milk Creamer
- The Best Vegan Cream Cheese
- Vegan Heavy Cream Substitute
- Vegan Feta Cheese (Tofu Feta Cheese)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon raw cashews
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- In a food processor, add the cashews and blend until they became ground down into a meal.
- Add all the other ingredients and mix together until combined.
- Enjoy!
Notes
This vegan Parmesan cheese recipe is quick, easy, and it tastes amazing—and you only need 5 ingredients and 5 minutes to make it!
Parmesan cheese is one of those magical foods that has a way of making just about everything taste better. When I went vegan, I knew I needed to find a plant-based alternative, and this is IT!
So, how and why does this taste like Parmesan cheese? It all starts with ground cashews, which mimic Parmesan cheese in texture and consistency. This provides the perfect base to add nutritional yeast , which has a cheese-like flavour and tons of B12, making it delicious AND nutritious. Then the other three ingredients—garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt—add even more flavour, slight saltiness, and an extra hint of cheesiness.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Parmesan Cheese Recipe
- Only 5 ingredients . Who needs store-bought cheese substitutes?! This recipe calls for 5 simple ingredients: cashews, nutritional yeast , sea salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- And only 5 minutes to make . Five minutes, a lifetime of happiness, and LOTS of cheesy vegan pizzas .
- The vegan condiment you need in your life . If you miss adding that crumbly, shakable cheese on all the things, you’re going to want to keep this vegan Parmesan on hand!
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Raw cashews – For the right texture and flavour, raw cashews (not roasted or salted!) are a must.
- Nutritional yeast – You can find this in the bulk section or with the seasonings in many grocery stores. It can also be ordered online
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt.
What Is the Purpose of Nutritional Yeast?
Nutritional yeast is commonly used in vegan recipes because it brings a funky, cheesy flavour to the table when traditional cheese isn’t an option. It’s also an excellent addition to vegan diets because it contains protein and vitamin B12 , along with many other vitamins and minerals.
Add ingredients to food processor.
How to Make Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Grind the cashews. Add the cashews to a food processor and process until they form a coarse meal, similar to the shelf-stable grated Parmesan sold in plastic containers at the grocery store.
- Finish. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse a few times until everything is combined.
Tips for Success
- Nut allergies? No problem! You can substitute the cashews for sunflower seeds or pepitas. Just note that this will alter the colour and flavour—you’ll still get that funky-cheesiness, but with more seed flavour.
- Don’t over-mix. If you run the food processor too long, you’ll end up with Parmesan paste—not very appetizing! Just pulse until everything has come together.
- Use a food processor. A blender just won’t cut it here. If you don’t have a food processor, you can place the cashews in a plastic bag and pound them with a rolling pin to crush them. The result will be a coarser vegan Parmesan, but it tastes just as good.
How to Use Vegan Parmesan
Use vegan Parmesan cheese any way you’d use regular Parmesan! Here are some of my favourite ideas:
- Grilled Mexican Street Corn
- Grilled Lemon Garlic Zucchini
- Creamy Cashew Pea Pesto
- Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Burst Cherry Tomatoes
- Vegan Garlic Parmesan Dinner Rolls
- Vegan Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pasta
- Vegetable Lasagna
How to Store
- Refrigerate : Store your vegan Parmesan cheese in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. (Although all of the ingredients are technically shelf-stable, the fridge will keep the raw cashews from going rancid.)
- Freeze : If you want your vegan Parmesan cheese to last longer, you can place it in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze it for up to 6 months. As long as there’s no moisture in the container, you should still be able to scoop it and use it directly from frozen.
More Vegan Substitutes
- Vegan Butter
- Homemade Oat Milk Creamer
- The Best Vegan Cream Cheese
- Vegan Heavy Cream Substitute
- Vegan Feta Cheese (Tofu Feta Cheese)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon raw cashews
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- In a food processor, add the cashews and blend until they became ground down into a meal.
- Add all the other ingredients and mix together until combined.
- Enjoy!
Notes
This vegan Parmesan cheese recipe is quick, easy, and it tastes amazing—and you only need 5 ingredients and 5 minutes to make it!
Parmesan cheese is one of those magical foods that has a way of making just about everything taste better. When I went vegan, I knew I needed to find a plant-based alternative, and this is IT!
So, how and why does this taste like Parmesan cheese? It all starts with ground cashews, which mimic Parmesan cheese in texture and consistency. This provides the perfect base to add nutritional yeast , which has a cheese-like flavour and tons of B12, making it delicious AND nutritious. Then the other three ingredients—garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt—add even more flavour, slight saltiness, and an extra hint of cheesiness.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Parmesan Cheese Recipe
- Only 5 ingredients . Who needs store-bought cheese substitutes?! This recipe calls for 5 simple ingredients: cashews, nutritional yeast , sea salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- And only 5 minutes to make . Five minutes, a lifetime of happiness, and LOTS of cheesy vegan pizzas .
- The vegan condiment you need in your life . If you miss adding that crumbly, shakable cheese on all the things, you’re going to want to keep this vegan Parmesan on hand!
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Raw cashews – For the right texture and flavour, raw cashews (not roasted or salted!) are a must.
- Nutritional yeast – You can find this in the bulk section or with the seasonings in many grocery stores. It can also be ordered online
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt.
What Is the Purpose of Nutritional Yeast?
Nutritional yeast is commonly used in vegan recipes because it brings a funky, cheesy flavour to the table when traditional cheese isn’t an option. It’s also an excellent addition to vegan diets because it contains protein and vitamin B12 , along with many other vitamins and minerals.
Add ingredients to food processor.
How to Make Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Grind the cashews. Add the cashews to a food processor and process until they form a coarse meal, similar to the shelf-stable grated Parmesan sold in plastic containers at the grocery store.
- Finish. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse a few times until everything is combined.
Tips for Success
- Nut allergies? No problem! You can substitute the cashews for sunflower seeds or pepitas. Just note that this will alter the colour and flavour—you’ll still get that funky-cheesiness, but with more seed flavour.
- Don’t over-mix. If you run the food processor too long, you’ll end up with Parmesan paste—not very appetizing! Just pulse until everything has come together.
- Use a food processor. A blender just won’t cut it here. If you don’t have a food processor, you can place the cashews in a plastic bag and pound them with a rolling pin to crush them. The result will be a coarser vegan Parmesan, but it tastes just as good.
How to Use Vegan Parmesan
Use vegan Parmesan cheese any way you’d use regular Parmesan! Here are some of my favourite ideas:
- Grilled Mexican Street Corn
- Grilled Lemon Garlic Zucchini
- Creamy Cashew Pea Pesto
- Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Burst Cherry Tomatoes
- Vegan Garlic Parmesan Dinner Rolls
- Vegan Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pasta
- Vegetable Lasagna
How to Store
- Refrigerate : Store your vegan Parmesan cheese in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. (Although all of the ingredients are technically shelf-stable, the fridge will keep the raw cashews from going rancid.)
- Freeze : If you want your vegan Parmesan cheese to last longer, you can place it in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze it for up to 6 months. As long as there’s no moisture in the container, you should still be able to scoop it and use it directly from frozen.
More Vegan Substitutes
- Vegan Butter
- Homemade Oat Milk Creamer
- The Best Vegan Cream Cheese
- Vegan Heavy Cream Substitute
- Vegan Feta Cheese (Tofu Feta Cheese)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon raw cashews
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- In a food processor, add the cashews and blend until they became ground down into a meal.
- Add all the other ingredients and mix together until combined.
- Enjoy!
Notes
How to Make Vegan Parmesan Cheese
Ingredients
- ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon raw cashews
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- In a food processor, add the cashews and blend until they became ground down into a meal.
- Add all the other ingredients and mix together until combined.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
How to Make Vegan Parmesan Cheese https://jessicainthekitchen.com/how-to-make-vegan-parmesan-cheese/ September 30, 2024
These vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are thick, soft, and chewy, with loads of chocolate in every bite!
After about a dozen trials and tweaks, (I wanted to get these cookies just right for you!), these vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are finally here and ready for you to take a bite. They are everything I dreamed they would be: thick, chewy, slightly crisp on the edges, perfectly spread in the oven and loaded with chocolate chips. Plus, we get it all done without eggs or butter!
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- A treat with some substance . I do love classic vegan chocolate chip cookies , but adding oats to the mix makes them that much more satisfying. (They’d make a great breakfast just like my pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal breakfast cookies !)
- The perfect texture . These cookies are thick and soft, but the edges get crisp in the oven and the middles are irresistibly chewy. Absolute perfection!
- Easy to make . Like vegan oatmeal cookies , these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are a cinch to whip up. This is a great recipe to make when you are craving something sweet!
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Solid coconut oil – If you don’t have coconut oil, you can substitute another oil that doesn’t solidify, but just know the cookies will spread more.
- Brown sugar – This adds moisture, colour and a depth of flavour. You can use dark or light.
- Flax eggs – Here’s how to make flax eggs .
- Old-fashioned oats – Also known as rolled oats. Use gluten-free certified oats if you need these chocolate chip oatmeal cookies to be gluten-free.
- Gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour – I like to use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-1 Baking Flour , but you can use regular all-purpose flour if you’re not on a gluten-free diet.
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Sea salt – You can sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top of the cookies too if you’d like.
- Vanilla extract
- Pure cane molasses – This is optional but highly recommended if you have it on hand. It gives the cookies added moisture and great flavor.
- Vegan chocolate chips – I love mixing chocolate chips with chocolate chunks for a beautiful combination of textures, but you can use whatever you have!
How to Make Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Mix the dry ingredients . Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and sea salt into a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Mix the wet ingredients . Cream the coconut oil and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes. Beat in the flax egg and vanilla extract.
- Combine wet and dry . Beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two portions. Fold in the molasses, then the oats and chocolate chips.
- Chill . Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Form the cookies . Roll 2 tablespoon portions of dough into balls, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake . Bake in a 350ºF oven for 14 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Tips for Success
- Weigh your ingredients if you can . It makes such a difference for your baked goods and makes human error a lot less likely!
- Let the flax egg set before using . You want it to be thick and egg-y before adding it to the recipe. This helps with the binding of the cookies!
- Don’t use quick or steel-cut oats . Old-fashioned oats are the perfect texture for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies because they thicken up the batter during the chill time and bake up perfectly to make these cookies delightfully chewy.
- Don’t over- or under-mix . Following the mixing times I provide makes a big difference. Since you’re not using butter here, the creaming process of the flax eggs, sugar and oil is crucial.
- Chill the dough . Don’t skip this step! This makes the difference between very spread out and thin cookies, cookies that spread perfectly, and cookies that don’t spread at all.
- Let the cookies cool before you eat them . The baking process will continue from the residual heat on the pan, helping them set without over-baking.
Variations
- Add some dried fruit . Swap half the chocolate chips for raisins, dried cranberries, or dried cherries.
- Make them nutty . Or, try swapping half the chocolate chips in these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for your favorite chopped nuts.
- Use a chopped chocolate bar . Using a chocolate bar instead of chocolate chips gives you more variation in texture, with little bits of chopped chocolate melting into the dough and bigger chunks providing big bursts of chocolate flavor.
How to Store
Once these vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies have cooled completely, place them in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
You can freeze these chocolate chip oatmeal cookies for up to 3 months. Store them in an airtight container or freezer bag and let the cookies thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Vegan Cookie Recipes
- Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies
- Chai Sugar Cookies
- Kitchen Sink Cookies
- Gingersnap Molasses Cookies
- S’mores Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup solid coconut oil , ( 100 g)*
- 1 cup brown sugar , ( 200 g)
- 2 flax eggs , properly set up before
- 1 ½ cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Old Fashioned Rolled Oats , aka rolled oats
- 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour , ( 148 g)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoons pure cane molasses , optional BUT highly recommended**
- ¾ cup vegan chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line a large baking sheet or two smaller baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- In a bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and sea salt to combine. Set aside.
- In a larger bowl, mix together the coconut oil and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes to cream together. Add in the flax egg and the vanilla extract, and mix for another 2 minutes on medium speed until the mixture is light and creamy and emulsified.
- Add in the dry ingredients in two batches, mixing for 30 seconds each until the dry mixture is just combined, scraping down the sides to combine. If you’re using the molasses, fold it in completely here. Fold in your oats, then your chocolate chips, until completely folded in. I use a spatula for this step.
- Cover your dough and place in the fridge for 1 hour to chill. Preheat your oven near the last 15 minutes of chill time.
- Using 2 tablespoons per cookie, scoop the dough and roll into a ball. The dough should be thick and easy to roll. Feel free to add extra chocolate chips on top. Place on the baking sheet, allowing at least 2 inches of space between each cookie.
- Bake for 14 minutes until the cookies are finished.
- Remove from oven.
- Allow to cool on the baking sheet for at least 5-10 minutes (trust me) outside of the oven, then transfer to a wire rack. You don’t want to disturb them before that – the cookies are still cooking from the residual heat. Serve and enjoy! Store the cookies in an airtight container once cooled, or leave them on the wire rack.
Notes
- Get your cookie dough balls nice and round. This yields a beautiful end cookie.
- Give each cookie enough space to bake. You want to leave at least 2 inches between each because they spread. I used two cookie sheets and put them on the middle rack.
- Allow the cookies to cool. Trust me! When they’re done, I let them cool on the cookie sheet OFF (I move them to an oven mitt or trivet while still on the cookie sheet) the stove for 5 minutes. This helps them to set, without over baking them.
- Don’t substitute the ingredients, or if you do, don’t expect they’ll need the same time. That also counts for smaller or larger cookies. Smaller cookies will bake quicker, larger cookies will take longer.
- The chill time of 1 hour means you can pop your cookies out, roll them into balls and then make them for the perfect result. Remember to preheat your oven within about the last 15 minutes so it lines up beautifully. If you chill them for too short, they’ll spread too much. If you overchill them, they won’t spread as beautifully. If you have to leave them in for longer than the 1 hourup to 2 hours, take them out and place them on your counter for about 15 minutes to slightly soften up. If you have to leave them in longer to overnight, take them out and place them on your counter for about 20 minutes to slightly soften up. Then roll them up!
- Once these vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies have cooled completely, place them in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- You can freeze these chocolate chip oatmeal cookies for up to 3 months. Store them in an airtight container or freezer bag and let the cookies thaw at room temperature before serving.
