• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Vegan Huggs
  • Home
  • Search
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Sign up!
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Me
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Me
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » All Recipes » Sauces, Condiments, Dressings

    Vegan Parmesan Cheese

    December 31, 2021 By Melissa Huggins / 38 Comments

    • Facebook
    • Reddit

    This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

    Jump to Recipe

    You'll want to sprinkle this Vegan Parmesan Cheese on everything! It has the perfect balance of salty, cheesy, and tangy flavors that'll make your taste buds happy. Plus, it requires just 6 ingredients and it can be yours in 10 minutes or less!

    overhead view of vegan parmesan cheese in a glass jar with a spoon on the side. Bowl of pasta in the background.

    Everyone has that must-have staple in their home and mine is definitely Vegan Parmesan Cheese. It adds a pop of flavor to so many dishes, and I use it all the time for pizza, pasta, soups, salads, popcorn, and more.

    I just made my Roasted Red Pepper Pasta last night and I didn't hold back. I coated it with a powdery blanket of cheesiness!

    Even in my non-vegan days, I had a big green bottle of Kraft in the fridge at all times (so fancy!). It was quite addicting and I sprinkled it on everything. I loved the saltiness and slight tang that it added to my food.

    Well, this vegan version is just as good and it provides the tanginess that regular cheese has, too. It's a real game-changer!

    What makes Vegan Parmesan Cheese tangy?

    The secret ingredient is vegan lactic acid and it provides a zing that most vegan cheese products are lacking. I highly recommend trying it out. You won't be disappointed!

    Plus, you can use it for a variety of other recipes like my Vegan Mozzarella Cheese or Vegan Nacho Cheese, and more. However, if you don't have lactic acid, you can still make this recipe. It won't have the tang, but it's still delicious without it.

    Ingredients Needed

    ️🌟 This is a quick overview with step-by-step photos. For the complete ingredient amounts and instructions, scroll down to the recipe card below.

    • Cashews - They have a neutral flavor and break down easily. You can also use blanched almonds.
    • Nutritional Yeast - Adds a cheesy flavor and is really needed to bring this recipe together.
    • Lactic Acid - Adds a tangy flavor that tastes close to dairy cheese.
    • Granulated Garlic & Onion - Adds a little extra flavor, but it's optional.
    • Salt - Don't skip this! It brings all the flavors together.
    Ingredients for recipe displayed in bowls on a stone table top.

    How to make Vegan Parmesan Cheese

    This part is super easy! Just place all the ingredients In a high-powered blender or food processor and pulse for 2-3 long pulses, until you have a fine meal-like texture. Don't over pulse or it will start to clump and become cashew butter. Now, taste for seasoning and add more if needed. That's it!

    Over head view of ingredients for recipe in a blender.
    Fully blended ingredients in a blender.

    Success Tips

    • I prefer to use a high-powered blender over a food processor because it creates a fine texture.
    • Remember not to over pulse or it will clump. If some of the cheese gets stuck in the bottom in between pulses, just use a butter knife to release it before pulsing again.
    • The nutritional yeast that I use has a lighter color, so the end result has a whiter appearance like traditional parmesan. I also prefer the taste over most brands on the market. Some brands have a bitter aftertaste.

    Can I use other types of nuts?

    I prefer cashews because they are the most neutral as far as flavor, but you can use blanched almonds, macadamia nuts, and walnuts. Just make sure they are raw and unsalted. If you can't have nuts, you can try using seeds like this recipe for Hemp Parmesan. I haven't tried it but it looks delicious!

    How long will it last?

    This vegan parmesan cheese will last quite a while at room temperature for 3-4 weeks as long as it's stored in an airtight container. However, I prefer to store it in the fridge for optimal freshness and flavor. It'll last a few months, but I usually go through it by then.

    Can I freeze it?

    Yes! You can store vegan parmesan cheese in the freezer for 4-6 months and it'll retain all of its flavors. However, after it's frozen, you'll want to store it in the fridge and not at room temperature. The extra moisture can cause mold to grow.

    Side view of vegan parmesan cheese in a glass jar with a spoon on the side. Bowl of pasta and napkin in the background.

    More vegan cheese recipes to enjoy

    • Vegan Cheddar Cheese
    • Vegan Cream Cheese
    • Vegan Ricotta Cheese

    Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think by leaving a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  rating and sharing your feedback in the comment section below. It would make my day!

    ⭐️ Subscribe to the Vegan Huggs Newsletter and receive weekly recipes straight to your inbox! You'll also receive my FREE eCookbook featuring my top 10 recipes. 

    Recipe

    vegan parmesan in a glass jar and spoon on the side.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    5 from 12 votes

    Vegan Parmesan Cheese

    You'll want to sprinkle this Vegan Parmesan Cheese on everything! It has the perfect balance of salty, cheesy, and tangy flavors that'll make your taste buds happy. Plus, it requires just 6 ingredients and it can be yours in 10 minutes or less!
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Total Time10 minutes mins
    Course: Condiment, topping
    Cuisine: American, Vegan
    Servings: 21 people
    Calories: 38kcal
    Author: Melissa Huggins

    Ingredients

    • ¾ cup raw cashews
    • 3 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • 1 ¼ teaspoons lactic acid (vegan sourced) *see note
    • ¾ teaspoon Himalayan salt (or preferred salt)
    • ½ teaspoon granulated garlic , more to taste
    • ¼ teaspoon granulated onion , more to taste

    Recommended Equipment

    • High-Powered Blender or Food Processor
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Place all ingredients In a high-powered blender or food processor. Pulse for 2-3 long pulses, until you have a fine meal-like texture. Don't over pulse or it will start to clump. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed.

    Notes

    • Storing: Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for 6-8weeks. You can also store it at room temperature for 3-4 weeks. 
    • Lactic Acid: It provides a tangy flavor that dairy cheese has and I highly recommend trying it out. Also, you can use it for a variety of vegan cheese recipes in place of lemon juice or vinegar. However, if you don't have it, you can still make this recipe. It won't have the tang, but it's still delicious without it. You can add ¼ teaspoon of Italian seasoning to bump up the flavor. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Tablespoon | Calories: 38kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 61mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.5mg
    Tried this recipe?Follow me @veganhuggs and mention #veganhuggs!

    Vegan Huggs Weekly Newsletter

    Receive the tastiest vegan recipes straight to your inbox! Join now and get my Fan Favorites ebook FREE!

    More Sauces, Condiments, Dressings

    • side view of pickled red onions in two jars.
      Quick Pickled Red Onions
    • Raspberry chia seed jam in a glass jar with a spoon inside
      Chia Seed Jam
    • vegan sour cream in a jar with chives and lemon in the background.
      Vegan Sour Cream Recipe
    • Vegan Nacho Cheese
    • Facebook
    • Reddit
    melissa

    About Melissa

    I’m Melissa Huggins – the creator of Vegan Huggs. I started this blog to share delicious vegan recipes that everyone will love. Yep, that includes carnivores, too! Read more...

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 12 votes (5 ratings without comment)

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Kathryn O’Neill

      August 27, 2023 at 4:28 pm

      Where do you get lactic acid?

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        August 27, 2023 at 5:49 pm

        Hi Kathryn, I get it on Amazon (it's linked in the recipe card ingredients), but places like Whole Foods or similar health food stores may have it too. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Kimrose

      May 30, 2023 at 11:00 pm

      I see lactic acid is out of stop on amazon, so I was wondering if even lemon zest added to the blender with the nuts would do the same taste.??? but I don't know.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        June 20, 2023 at 9:26 am

        Unfortunately, I don't think it would work/taste the same and may add too much moisture. If you do give it a try, I recommend keeping it refrigerated. Sorry that I can't be more help with this. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Julie

      August 17, 2021 at 8:43 pm

      5 stars
      This is LEGIT!!! So easy and delicious!

      Reply
      • Support @ Vegan Huggs

        August 20, 2021 at 8:12 am

        Hi Julie! We're so happy to hear that you loved the recipe. Thanks for stopping by 🙂

        Reply
    4. Tena

      November 23, 2020 at 4:49 am

      Hello,

      Thank you for this lovely recipe.
      I would like to know if you can use Citric acid instead of Lactic acid?
      Thanks a bunch.
      Tena

      Reply
    5. Rory Lambe

      September 14, 2020 at 3:34 am

      5 stars
      Love this "Parmesan", really gives a kick to a pasta dish. I haven't been able to get the lactic acid so I can't compare with and without. But all said I've made a few batches since I found the recipe!! Thanks

      Reply
      • Support @ Vegan Huggs

        October 02, 2020 at 2:49 pm

        Hi Rory! So glad you loved the parmesan recipe, and happy to hear that it turned out well without the lactic acid! Thank you for sharing! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Rory Lambe

      September 01, 2020 at 9:41 am

      5 stars
      Really nice recipe, gives a great kick to the pasta dish. I can't find the lactic acid you used here in Ireland so can't comment on the difference but loving it anyway!

      Reply
      • Support @ Vegan Huggs

        October 02, 2020 at 3:19 pm

        Hi Rory! So happy to hear you loved the recipe and that it turned out well without the lactic acid! Thank you for sharing 🙂

        Reply
    7. Angel M

      April 21, 2020 at 8:42 am

      I love this recipe but just so you know I’ve been using that same brand of lactic acid for sometime it actually will not ferment vegan cheeses it will simply add amazing flavor the best way to actually ferment a homemade vegan cheese is to use a vegan probiotic you can also make rejuvelac which is simply made from wheat berries that will actually cause fermentation in vegan cheese recipes along with some tremendous flavor

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        June 09, 2020 at 2:47 pm

        Yes, I use the lactic acid strictly for that tangy flavor. It's amazing! I'll have to experiment with fermenting one day. 🙂

        Reply
    8. Laura

      April 03, 2020 at 11:28 pm

      I am kind of new to your website & I just love your recipes, thank you for all your hard work.
      Question: I saw that you said we can omit the lactic acid, but can you substitute or add in apple cider vinegar in this recipe? If you know that would be great. Thanks and take care...

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        April 04, 2020 at 12:10 am

        Hi Laura, I don't think any type of liquid would work since it's a dry powder. I thought about citric acid, but I haven’t tried it yet. It may be too tangy. I did see crystallized lemon online that looks like it could work, but I'm not sure (it’s called True Lemon). The parmesan will still be cheesy tasting without the lactic acid, but it just won't have the tang. It's still delicious though. I wish I could be more help. I'll have to experiment with other tangy ingredients soon. Thank you for stopping by 🙂

        Reply
    9. Marna

      February 01, 2019 at 12:25 am

      5 stars
      I have tried every vegan parmesan recipe out there (it seems)…. they all have been good, some really good, but not fantastic, until now! I ordered the Druids Grove, received it today and immediately made this recipe (had to use half slivered almonds and half cashews because they were all I had). I had another batch of vegan parm from another recipe that I had already made that seemed to be the best I had found. So I compared. My taste testers.... my husband, my son and me. Yours was unequivocally, hands down, absolutely THE one! You are right, the lactic acid did it! Thank you!!! So.....how about in vegan cheeses? Have you tired it in your mozzarella? How about vegan butter?????
      Did I say thank you!!!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        February 01, 2019 at 12:55 pm

        Hi Marna, this is wonderful to hear! You've made my day...thank you!!! I love using lactic acid in so many recipes - frosting, cream cheese, mozzarella, cheese sauce etc. It's especially great in recipes that need tang but can't have a liquid form. It's a kitchen staple of mine and I use it all the time. I'm so happy you like it too. Have a great weekend! 🙂

        Reply
        • Marna

          February 01, 2019 at 5:00 pm

          Hi Melissa, so I was wondering , if I were to use the lactic acid in, say, your mozzarella or cream cheese recipes, how, when and how much would I use? I didn't see it mentioned in your recipes. Can't wait to try them ! Thank you again!

        • Melissa Huggins

          February 09, 2019 at 4:25 pm

          Hi Marna, I'm sorry for the late reply. I usually use 1 teaspoon in most recipes. You can taste and add more if needed. It can go in the blender/processor at the same time as the other ingredients. Hope this helps. Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂

        • Barbara

          April 02, 2020 at 7:10 am

          Hi what can I use in place of the lactic acid.I’m stuck at home and it will take quite a while to get a delivery from Amazon. Thank you so much.

        • Melissa Huggins

          April 02, 2020 at 9:38 am

          Hi Barbara, you can just omit it. It just yields a nice tang that dairy cheese has, but not 100% necessary. It'll still be delicious and taste cheesy (just not tangy). I would say citric acid may work, but I haven't tried it. Also, I have seen crystallized lemon online that looks interesting, but I haven't tried it either (it's called True Lemon). I hope this helps. Thank you for stopping by 🙂

    10. Melissa Huggins

      May 26, 2018 at 5:35 pm

      Hi Julie, this is so nice to hear! I'm so happy you liked it! I'd love to try this with different nuts too. Do you have a preference?

      Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend 🙂

      Reply
    11. Julie

      May 21, 2018 at 12:51 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is the one! I knew something was missing from all the others. I've tried different nuts, I have my preferences. But it's the lactic acid! It's brilliant. I went ahead and ordered the Druids Grove. Worth every penny! It gives it the missing tang. Thank you SO much! ; )

      Reply
    12. Peter

      February 22, 2018 at 8:55 am

      Ingredients on the way so I will try this one for sure.
      Do you have any other cheese ideas?
      Having to eat GF and now now dairy really makes me search for other solutions.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        February 22, 2018 at 11:34 pm

        Hi Peter, yes, I have a vegan mozzarella cheese and I also have a vegan mac n cheese. Would those interest you? I'm working on a sliceable cheese too. I hope to have that up soon. I have lots of gluten-free recipes too. Just type it into the search bar on the homepage. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

        Reply
    13. Anna

      October 07, 2017 at 10:01 am

      I must admit, never tried vegan parmesan, but I've seen many recipes circling around, and now, after seeing yours, I'm really tempted! Thanks for sharing Melissa!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        October 13, 2017 at 2:20 pm

        Oh, it's the best and so darn easy to make! So much cheaper than store-bought too. Have a great weekend, Anna! 🙂

        Reply
    14. Lynn

      September 28, 2017 at 4:44 pm

      Where do you get lactic acid for the vegan parm?

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        September 29, 2017 at 5:01 am

        You can find it at health food stores. I buy mine on Amazon though. I use Druids Grove brand. 🙂

        Reply
    15. Anje

      September 27, 2017 at 10:54 am

      I'm allergic to yeast. Do you know of any substitute I could use because this sounds delicious!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        September 27, 2017 at 1:17 pm

        Hi Anje, oh, that is a tricky one. Do you know if you're allergic to deactivated yeast? Nutritional yeast is not active.

        I have tried this without the nutritional yeast (by accident) and it wasn't bad at all. It does miss the hint of cheesiness but has a nice tang from the lactic acid. Also, the texture is still like parmesan. You can try bumping up the seasoning a little bit.

        I just discovered miso powder, but I haven't ordered it yet. It seems like it would be hard to find in stores too. I'm so curious if it will work in this recipe. Miso paste would be too wet.

        I hope this helps. 🙂

        Reply
        • Anje

          October 11, 2017 at 6:25 pm

          Thank you so much for the kind answer. I'd be very interested to know how miso power works.

          Frankly, I'm so allergic to yeast I would be afraid to try. Do you know why inactive yeast might be less allergenic? I think I've heard that before but not from an allergist.

    Newer Comments »

    Primary Sidebar

    I’m Melissa Huggins – the creator of Vegan Huggs. I started this blog to share delicious vegan recipes that everyone will love. Yep, that includes carnivores, too!

    More about me →

    • vegan huggs facebook
    • vegan huggs Instagram.
    • vegan huggs pinterest
    • YouTube

    My Most Popular

    • Vegan crab cakes on a white serving plate. Topped with tartar sauce, green onion and paprika.
      Vegan Crab Cakes
    • One slice of vegan quiche on a white plate. Tomatoes in a bowl on the side with full quiche.
      Easy Vegan Quiche
    • closeup view of sesame cauliflower in a bowl.
      Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
    • Horizontal photo of two bowls of vegan potato leek soup.
      Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup
    • vegan-cauliflower-casserole-6a-340x340.jpg
      Cheesy Vegan Cauliflower Casserole
    • overhead view of two portobello mushroom steaks on a white plate. Asparagus and potatoes on the side.
      Grilled Portobello Mushroom Steaks

    Footer

    SEEN ON

    ^ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Recipe Index

    Newsletter

    Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Subscribe

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 Vegan Huggs

    We use cookies to ensure that you have the best experience possible on our website. By continuing on the site you agree to the use of your cookies by www.veganhuggs.com

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.