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Here’s the thing: we have ALL been told that a little nutritional yeast ground up with walnuts and salt is vegan parmesan cheese… but like, for real? Does anyone think that challenges the real thing? Are you gonna pass a bowl of that yellow sawdust nonsense to your non-vegan dad and expect him not to laugh/cry himself to sleep?
Wave goodbye to your vegan cheese woes with this drop-dead gorgeous recipe!
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Like a proper hard cheese you can shave it over a salad with pears and arugula, grate it over pasta with vegan bolognese, finish your vegan baked ziti with it, or garnish your escarole and bean soup with this legit, melty vegan parmigiano reggiano.
This past year, I’ve been on a cheese mission to develop vegan dairy recipes that don’t taste like straight-up tofu, and can fool even staunch haters of all things vegan. As a former cheese-freak before I was vegan, I knew the exact slightly musky, acidy, cheesy flavor this recipe had to get right, and the unique texture it had to have to perform great in the most demanding vegan Italian recipes. I also wanted to put a recipe together that people could knock out without requiring long fermentation times.
For anyone who’s ever felt let down by vegan cheese alternatives, I feel your pain deeply. I’ve been vegan long enough to remember some of the straight-up repulsive options that used to be on the market 25+ years ago. For new vegans, I am so glad you live in the golden age when slamming recipes like this is easy. You'll nail it on the first try, because this recipe is foolproof. So, what are you waiting for? Let's turn that vegan parmesan dream into a reality!
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🥰Why you'll adore this vegan parmesan cheese recipe
✊ Vegan AF & GF: Like all of my vegan cheese recipes, this parmesan doesn't moo, cluck, or bleat. Wait, what’s that? You hate gluten with all of your heart? Fear not; this is one of my gluten-free vegan recipes to boot!
🔬 Cocoa Butter Magic: I have done a TON of experimentation to find the right fat that makes this cheese melt, but also remain firm at room temperature. After playing around with many things that either left a strong taste, or melted when handled, I settled on deodorized cocoa butter (don’t be terrified, it’s natural), and it makes this easy vegan parmesan cheese recipe seriously kick ass!
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: This recipe has globe-trotted more, and is also considerably more delicious than a seasoned backpacker. Shared with a diverse group of testers, it’s been replicated with thumbs up by cooks worldwide making it one of the more foolproof vegan recipes in your arsenal.
🧀 Ingredients for vegan parmesan
Cocoa Butter
A game-changer in vegan cheesemaking, deodorized cocoa butter wafers provide the creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture without any of the chocolatey flavor you might expect. It's packed with healthy fats that solidify at room temperature, giving our vegan parmesan its necessary firmness. If you can't find deodorized, opt for refined cocoa butter as a substitute, keeping the neutral taste intact.
Almond Butter
Dairy-based cheeses are formed through a careful balance of fats and proteins. This recipe gets some of that from smooth almond butter. In addition to lending the cheese some natural vitamin E, magnesium adds to its flavor, texture, and color.
Nutritional Yeast
This is the non-dairy MVP for cheesy flavor, which is why I use it in everything from vegan nacho cheese, to vegan Italian sausages and plant-based breakfast sausages. Its umami-packed profile enriches our cheese with a deep, savory tang akin to traditional parmesan, except with the bonus of vitamin B12, protein, and fiber.
White Miso
Ignore the black salt you see in the ingredients for a sec. This is the primary source of salinity in this recipe, as it is in Japanese nasu dengaku. Miso is also a probiotic, and that mild fermented flavor is important in nailing the cheese parm. Flavor. White miso is the best in this recipe, but if you don’t mind the darker color, Korean doenjang, Chinese bean paste (which I use in my vegan chicken recipe) or taucu all work well here too.
Rice Vinegar
This is my go-to vinegar for vegan dairy recipes, as it is less sharp, and more well-rounded tasting than white vinegar. I use it in everything from vegan mascarpone, to dairy-free sour cream. Apple cider vinegar, or mirin can work in the recipe if you want a milder flavor.
Amchur Powder
Ding ding ding. This. Right here, is the secret to ripe cheese flavor without adding more liquid. Made from dried, unripe mangoes, amchur powder lends a subtle, fruity acidity to dishes like masala phool makhana and arbi sabji. If you don’t have amchur, a squeeze of lemon juice can provide a similar tang, though it will lessen the texture of the cheese a bit. A better substitute is sumac (the tart spice used in Turkish ezme), though it will discolor the cheese a little.
Black Salt
Kala namak (Kala means black- as in Sukha Kala Chana) is black salt, which is used a lot in sattvic Indian recipes. It’s the secret to the lightly sulfuric aroma found in traditional parmesan. In its absence, sea salt with a tiny sprinkle of asafetida can be used instead.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯Variations
VEGAN PECORINO ROMANO: SALTY, SHARP, CRUMBLY
Add 1 teaspoon of umeboshi plum vinegar to this recipe to intensify the salty umami flavor, and to change the texture to be slightly crumblier.
VEGAN PARMIGIANO REGGIANO: FLAKY, GRAINY, FLAVOURFUL
To nail a classic Parmigiano Reggiano, use raw almond butter, add a tiny sprinkle of onion powder, and add 20 grams of additional deodorized cocoa butter into the mix to nail that flaky texture that is insanely lovely grated on vegan pizza or spaghetti with vegan meatballs.
📖 How to make Vegan Parmesan Cheese
Nail this dairy-free parmigiana on your first shot by following these step-by-step photos with helpful tips. Or scroll down to the bottom of this page for the easy-to-print recipe card.
Step One
Melt with Care
Carefully dissolve your cocoa butter wafers using a double boiler setup over low heat.
No double boiler? No problem! Just grab a large heat-proof bowl and perch it atop a pot of lightly simmering water, ensuring no water sneaks into the cocoa butter.
Give it a gentle stir now and then, letting the wafers liquefy completely for about eight minutes before taking it off the heat.
Step Two
Blend to Perfection
Pour the now-liquid cocoa butter into a blender along with the rest of the ingredients. Blend on high speed for 90 seconds, until you've got a smooth, emulsified concoction.
Step Three
Chill and Set
Transfer this velvety mixture into a shallow dish or your chosen mold, smoothing out the top for an even settle.
Allow it to cool to room temperature for about ten minutes before moving it to the fridge to firm up. A solid two-hour chill should do the trick, ensuring it's thoroughly set.
Step Four
Serve and Store
Your vegan parmesan is now ready to grace your dishes with its gloriously cheesy presence.
Grate it, or use a vegetable peeler for delicate shavings atop salad or your pasta with vegan marinara. Keep any leftovers tightly sealed in the fridge, where they'll stay fresh for up to a month. For longer storage, wrap it well and tuck it into the freezer, dodging any dreaded freezer burn.
💡Serving Ideas
Imagine your next pasta night transformed by a generous grating of this cheese atop a hearty serving of Vegan Bolognese. Before baking, add some grated parm to your Vegan Garlic Bread with thin roasted slices of vegan pepperoni.
Finishing off a meal with Vegan Tiramisu, made with proper homemade vegan ladyfingers, or Bomboloni filled with vanilla-speckled pastry cream is just the final act your parmesan has been crying out in the night for. “Do not forsake me” says your humble cheese. Please, don’t fuck up here and not answer its siren song.
👉Top tips
- Don’t use the blender you found in your mom’s cobweb-filled attic: Sorry, but a food processor fitted with a s-blade will not cut it for this recipe. I am such a friggin fan of Blendtec blenders which I have been using both personally and in my restaurants and food trucks for over 20 years. A high-speed blender is crucial for achieving a smooth, well-emulsified cheese.
- Long-term Parking: If you opt to freeze a portion for later use, ensure it's wrapped tightly in a freezer-safe wrap and placed in an airtight container. This will help prevent freezer burn and flavor loss. When ready to use, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight to preserve its texture and flavor integrity.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can freeze it tightly wrapped and in an airtight container for up to 3 months, preserving its flavor and texture.
This particular recipe is gluten-free, making it suitable for those with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease.
Cashew butter (especially if made from raw cashews) work really well in this recipe, but chances are if you are allergic to almonds, you might not be able to mess with any tree nuts, and should stick to butters made from pine nuts, sunflower or hemp seeds. Sunflower butter has the least neutral taste of those three options.
While deodorized cocoa butter is preferred for its neutral flavor, you can use refined coconut oil as a substitute, although the final taste and texture may slightly differ.
The preparation time is quick, requiring about 10 minutes to melt and blend the ingredients, followed by a minimum of 2 hours of chilling time until it sets completely.
✌️My faves to grate vegan parmesan cheese all over:
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Vegan Parmesan Cheese
Equipment
- Shallow dish or mold
Ingredients
- 120 g deodorized cocoa butter wafers (a little more than 1 cup)
- ⅓ cup almond butter smooth
- 1 cup nutritional yeast
- 4 teaspoons miso paste
- 5 teaspoons rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons amchur powder
- ½ teaspoon kala namak
Instructions
- Gently melt the deodorized cocoa butter wafers by placing them in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, use a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bowl is larger than the saucepan, so no water or steam gets into the cocoa butter as it melts. Stir occasionally for about 8 minutes until the wafers are fully melted, then remove from heat.
- Pour the melted cocoa butter into a blender with all remaining ingredients. Blend on high speed for 90 seconds until smooth and thoroughly combined.
- Pour the contents of the blender into a shallow dish or mold, spreading it evenly. Let it cool at room temperature briefly before transferring it to the refrigerator to set. Chill for at least 2 hours until it is completely solid.
- Once set, the Vegan Parmesan can be grated over your favorite dishes or shaved with a vegetable peeler over pasta or salad. Store any leftover cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where it will keep well for up to one month. If you need to store it longer, wrap it well and freeze it to prevent freezer burn.
Notes
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Deborah says
Is this almond butter made from roasted almonds like what is commercially available?
Adam Sobel says
I used Trader Joe's "raw" almond butter, but the recipe should work with any. The lighter the butter, the more natural the color of the parmesan will be. Cashew butter can be a good option too.