I should put “Parmesan cheese” in big quotations here, because this vegan version is definitely not cheese. Yet, it tastes quite similar to the real deal! I’m loving this vegan Parmesan cheese recipe and I think you will, too.
This vegan Parm is great sprinkled over savory meals in lieu of real Parmesan. Whether you’re vegan, dairy free, avoiding animal rennet, looking to limit your consumption of animal products, or just plain curious—this recipe is for you.
I’m not the first person to come up with a vegan Parmesan cheese substitute. I’ve tried several recipes over the years, but none quite hit the mark. When I was wandering around Whole Foods the other day, I came across a vegan Parmesan blend in the refrigerated section. It used hemp seeds instead of raw cashews like I’ve used before. I was intrigued.
I didn’t buy that vegan Parm, but the idea stuck with me until I couldn’t ignore it any longer. Hemp seeds seemed like a great choice since they’re tender, nutty, nutritious, and nut free (a bonus for my friends with nut allergies). Hemp seeds are also tiny, which meant that I could simply stir the ingredients together instead of making a mess in my food processor.
So, I bought some hemp seeds on another grocery store run, and came home and started experimenting. Bingo! Meet the best vegan Parm I’ve ever had. You’ll only need five ingredients for this dairy-free wonder.
Vegan “Parmesan” Ingredients
Hemp Seeds
Hemp seeds have a slightly nutty flavor and tender chewy texture, which makes up for Parmesan’s similar qualities. Hemp seeds are very nutritious, offering polyunsaturated fat, protein, manganese, magnesium and more.
I bought my hemp seeds at Whole Foods in the supplement section, but they are less expensive on Amazon (affiliate link).
Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional yeast contributes cheese-like flavor and golden yellow coloring. Nutritional yeast is also loaded with B vitamins, which is why just 1 tablespoon of this vegan Parmesan accounts for roughly 50 percent of your daily suggested intake of vitamins B1, B2 and B6 (click the “nutrition information” label below the recipe for more exact details).
My favorite brand of nutritional yeast is Frontier Coop, for its superior flavor and small flake size. You can buy a big 1-pound bag of it inexpensively on Amazon. Another good store-bought option is Bragg’s. Do not mistakenly use brewer’s yeast here—they are not the same thing!
Garlic Powder and Onion Powder
These offer some extra flavor complexity that help make up for all the subtle flavors found in real Parmesan. Garlic and onion powder make this vegan Parm irresistible!
Salt
Real Parmesan cheese is quite salty, so salt is an essential ingredient for this vegan version! I used fine sea salt, but you can use regular table salt if that’s what you have.
Uses for Vegan Parmesan Cheese
You can sprinkle this vegan “Parmesan” with abandon all over your favorite Italian recipes, salads, cooked vegetables and more! Use it like you would use Parmesan (however, if you’re baking the recipe, you might want to reserve it for sprinkling until after it’s out of the oven for maximum flavor and presentation value).
You might also enjoy it in place of feta cheese, or any time you need some extra-savory flavor. Here are some ideas:
- Sprinkle vegan Parmesan over marinara sauce and pasta (for heartier options, check out my hearty spaghetti with lentils and marinara and vegan puttanesca with zucchini noodles).
- Omit the Parmesan cheese from basil pesto, then sprinkle vegan Parmesan on top of your pesto dish, to taste. It would be great on my double tomato pesto spaghetti recipe!
- Sprinkle it over roasted vegetables, like roasted broccoli or roasted cauliflower. You might also enjoy it over steamed or sautéed veggies.
- Take your vegan mac and cheese up a notch by topping it with a light sprinkle of vegan Parm.
- You might also enjoy it over homemade minestrone soup, or Italian chopped salad (in lieu of the provolone).
Please let me know how you like this vegan Parm in the comments! I’m excited to hear how you use it.
Easy Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Author:
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 3 minutes
- Yield: ¾ cup 1x
- Category: Condiment
- Method: By hand
- Cuisine: Italian
Make this simple vegan Parmesan cheese recipe and sprinkle it over your favorite Italian recipes! This vegan Parm is made with hemp seeds, so it’s nut free. No food processor required—just stir together the ingredients and you’re done. Recipe yields about ¾ cup.
Ingredients
- ½ cup hemp seeds
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Simply stir together the ingredients in a bowl or jar until they are evenly dispersed. Taste, and add more salt for more intense flavor (I usually add another pinch or so). You’re done!
- Store this vegan Parmesan cheese in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months.
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Kara
Hemp seeds! What a great idea. I’m trying to cut back on dairy and I love making vegan Parmesan cheese. I’ve made it with cashews but it takes some planning ahead to soak, dry, and blend the nuts. This recipe looks easy and quick to whip up while making pasta. I can’t wait to try!
★★★★★
Kate
I know! I thought so too. Thank you for commenting. Let me know what you think when you try them, Kara!
Kara
I made the vegan Parmesan cheese tonight and sprinkled it over my spaghetti and marinara. It added so much extra flavor! Delicious!
★★★★★
Jeannine
You have a knack for reading my mind and producing a recipe that I’m in search of – Thank you!!!
Can you recommend a hemp seed substitute? My husband is allergic. Would sesame seeds work?
Kate
You’re welcome! It’s always great when that happens. To answer your substitution question, I tried sesame seeds instead of hemp seeds and they were nice, but had a significantly more pronounced nutty flavor. Another option would be raw sunflower seeds, pulsed in the food processor into tiny bits.
Wendy
Love this idea! I can’t abide the smell of Parmesan, and I have some hemp seeds that need to be used. Definitely making a batch of this soon.
Kate
Be sure to report back on what you think!
Deborah
You make my day too! I will be trying this recipe. Thank you for continuing to be such s creative “healthy” cook.
Kate
You’re welcome, Deborah!
Kim
Amazing! Cashews upset my tummy so was thrilled to find this recipe. Thank you!
★★★★★
Marcia
Trying to cut back on dairy, so I’m definitely going to give this a try.
A couple of questions: Should this be stored in the fridge or is the pantry okay? And how long do you think it can be stored?
Thanks for the great idea, Kate! Your experimenting benefits all of us :-)
Kate
Store this vegan Parmesan cheese in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months. Thanks for the question and commenting, Marcia! Be sure to report back!
Janet
I just made this, and it’s really quite good! Thanks for a great cheese substitute, Kate. Thanks, too, for so many other great recipes. You’ve helped to move us toward delicious vegetarian eating!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Janet!
Rosie
mm, i love that this would be a super nutritious cheese substitute! hemp seeds are one of my favourite wholefoods :)
Kate
Let me know what you think!
JOSIE
Just made this. However, I blended it all so as not to have the whole hemp seeds. I added extra salt which has made it a bit too salty. It’s good but a little too gritty I find. I’ll be adding it to my pasta this lunchtime! Thanks for the recipe.
★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Josie! Did you try it pre-blending? I appreciated the light chew of the hemp seeds, but didn’t find them gritty in their whole form.
Forest
This is exactly what I have been doing for the last few years. I was a big Parmesan cheese eater and when I went vegan I discovered mixing this together and prefer it way over Parmesan .
Kate
Be sure to report back when you try it, Forest!
Gaby Dalkin
Making this stat! Never met a cheese I didn’t like.
Kate
I would love to hear what you think, Gaby!! :)
Yee Kok Siong
Excellent. I typically opt to make parmesan at home, since it’s faster than running to the store!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you!
Healthy Kitchen 101
I find it really interesting in the definition of the Vegan Parmesan here. Try it soon to compare the differences ;)
– Natalie
Kate
Let me know what you think!
Jan
This looks yummy and so much easier than making it with cashews. Thanks, Kate! One question: you mentioned that you should sprinkle it on after baking for maximum flavour. Can you use it in baking, not on top (eg. as an ingredient in a lasagna) instead of Parmesan?
Kate
Great question, Jan! I think it would be great layered in lasagna instead of Parmesan. I would use less of it, since it’s so flavorful. I think a light sprinkled layer will do!
Jan
Thanks, Kate. I’ll give it a try.
RJW
This recipe is great! SO easy and it tastes just like parmesan–and a perfect way to use up a bag of hemp seeds in the back of my pantry. Thanks for such a creative and tasty recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re so welcome, RJW! I’m really glad it passed your taste test. Thanks for the review!
Elissa McDonald
I had no idea nutritional yeast was so rich in B’s! Also thrilled because the chunk of parm I usually buy ends up mummified in the cheese drawer before I finish it :-)
★★★★★
Kate
It’s really packed full of nutrients! Thanks for your comment, Elissa!
Sarah
I may have exclaimed, “Kate!!!” after mixing this up and trying a bit – such a fabulous recipe! It’s so simple and so good. The flavour is complex – much more so than nutritional yeast alone – and the texture of the hemp seeds is super satisfying. This will be a pantry staple from now on and I’m so excited to sprinkle it over basically everything.
★★★★★
Kate
Ha, ha love it! I’m so glad you love it. Thanks for sharing, Sarah!
marge201
What a nice blend. Can’t wait to make it! I have all the ingredients!
★★★★★
Lexi Happersett
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! I have a severe nut allergy and I can never eat vegan parmesan cheese recipes because they always involve nuts. This is going to be a staple recipe for me. Thank you for always posting nut alternatives in your recipes. Keep up the amazing work!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re very welcome! It has been on my mind for while. I’m so happy it works for you!
Linda
Looks delicious! . Can’t wait to try these!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks! Love to hear what you think when you try it.
Carolyn Swett
Hi Kate,
I have been trying to ween myself off cheese (so hard!). This simple recipe is the best “faux” Parmesan I’ve ever tasted! Not a fan of the fake cheeses in the stores as they seem to have so many ingredients that don’t seem natural. Your recipe is perfect on pizzas, pastas, salads-everything; plus, it’s heslthy and delicious. Thanks a TON!! :-)
★★★★★
Kate
Oh goodness, more power to you! I’m glad this worked well for you though to help you with your transition, Carolyn.
Jeanne
Made this yesterday and love the taste, texture and ease of prep. I’ve made other faux parms over the years, using ground almonds, white miso and nutritional yeast most recently, but this is definitely better, not to mention so much easier. Thank you, thank you! Oh, and since I didn’t have fine sea salt on hand, just ground in some Himalayan pink salt, which I don’t think appreciably changed the flavor profile.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m glad this one met your expectations. Thanks so much for the review, Jeanne.
Melissa R
Just what I’ve been looking for! I’ve been trying to go dairy-free and had not found a good Parmesan substitute until this. I tried it with pasta first and then when it passed that test, I tried using it on an entree for dinner for my husband who hates the smell and taste of real Parmesan cheese. He loved this! So excited to have this in my Vegan Wannabe arsenal!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray!! That’s great to hear, Melissa. I’m glad it passed your test. :)
G
I’ve tried another vegan parmesan recipe with cashews but never remade it because it was too much of a hassle. This recipe is easier and tastes better. Last night we used it on the Tuscan White Bean, Kale & Farro Stew recipe from your cookbook and it was fantastic! That recipe gets 5 stars too! I’m excited to be able to keep vegan parmesan on hand at all times with no effort.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, G!
Genevieve Baker
I’ve tried another vegan parmesan recipe with cashews but never remade it because it was too much of a hassle. This recipe is easier and tastes better. Last night we used it on the Tuscan White Bean, Kale & Farro Stew recipe from your cookbook and it was fantastic! That recipe gets 5 stars too! I’m excited to be able to keep vegan parmesan on hand at all times with no effort.
★★★★★
Kate
Delicious combination, Genevieve! I love it. Thanks so much for letting me know what you thought!
Thera
I made this and it was fantastic and everybody loved it. Because we’re recommended to avoid too many oil seeds here in Finland (heavy metals), I made the second batch using almond meal instead of hemp seeds. Not as melt-in-your-mouth delicious but serviceable.
★★★★★
Kate
That’s interesting! Thanks for sharing. I bet others will find that helpful!
Thera
Yes, one of the recommendations I hate, but I guess it’s good not to mess around with heavy-metal risks and small children. Will still make the real version occasionally, though, ’cause it’s SOOO good.
Natalie
finally made this tonight for my son & I. very delicious & I was afraid there would be a weird tang flavor from the nutritional yeast and there was not! I hope it’s OK to store in the fridge instead of room temperature because i already keep my Nutritional yeast in the fridge so i figured why not keep consistency
★★★★★
Kate
I bet that will work just fine, Natalie! Thanks for letting me know what you thought!
Shelly L
Love this easy and delicious recipe! Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Shelly!
Emily
This review is overdue as I make it so often now. It is excellent! What I love about it is that it tastes great, couldn’t be easier to put together, and is a healthy vegan alternative. The trifecta of goodness! I don’t eat pasta normally, but I use it as a soup topper, sprinkle over a sweet potato, and popcorn. Another family member loves it over pasta. Oh, and it is great tasting by itself – kind of embarrassing to admit, but it is that good! Thank you Kate! I’m off to try your vegan sour cream – looks delish!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for coming back to review, Emily! I’m glad you love it.
Barbara
I needed Parmesan cheese for a kale pesto recipe and decided to try your recipe. It’s simple to make and tastes awesome! Thanks for sharing!!
★★★★★
Darlene
Can you use hemp hearts in place of hemp seeds?
Kate
Hemp hearts is the seed, with the outer layer removed. You will want the heart part of the seed for this. I hope that helps!
Eva
Thank you for this easy recipe, I now I’m going to like it:)
Kate
I hope you do, Eva!
Caroline
I made this last night for a risotto I was making as I was trying not to add dairy and the recipe called for Parmesan. I was going to get some vegan cheese but I’m not really a big fan due to all the stuff they put in it, so I started looking for a recipe. I read your blog and enjoyed reading everyone’s feedback. It was all so positive I thought I’d have to give it a try. Verdict… we loved it, even my husband who loves cheese! As someone else commented, I tried it on its own and even liked the taste of it just like that. It made a delicious addition to our risotto and I will definitely try it again. In fact, I’m already planning to make pesto with it later this week now that we have all the ingredients! What I like best is how good for you this is
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you loved it! I love that idea too, Caroline.
Lisa
I just made this vegan parmesan and it is so good! And healthy! Thank you so much for posting it!
★★★★★
Michelle
This shocked me how good it was! I love how I can make this in minutes, with shelf stable ingredients and it tastes so good!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy to hear it, Michelle!
Jodi Wibbels
I need to make some parmesan but have no hemp seeds. Would ground flax seed do in a pinch?
Kate
I haven’t tried it with that, sorry!
Jodi Wibbels
Definitely unpalatable!
Jodi
I’ll make a little and let you know if it’s at all palatable. My hopes aren’t high!
Kate
I’m sorry to hear that, Jodi. What did you think?
Alyssa
Really wanting to try this recipe!! I’ve been restricted from eating gluten and dairy and I miss my Parmesan! Unfortunately I can’t have garlic or onion either! Would there be anything I could substitute it with? I’m afraid that without them, the flavor will be gone!
Crystal
Thanks for this super easy and delicious recipe. I finally made it it’s great. Obviously won’t melt like real Parm but for sprinkles it’s awesome. I put it on advocado toast today. So yummy.
★★★★★
Kate
Sounds delicious, Crystal!
Sara Jane
A new twist from my walnut recipe. I like the easy version with no mess of the food processor. And it had a nice texture. I sprinkled it on roasted brussels speouts for a change of flavor.
★★★★★
Kate
That sounds like a great idea! Thank you for sharing, Sara.
glo
Oh dear, thanks, so, so much for this wonderful recipe. I just made it, and it tastes simply delish – and so super-easy & quick ! . . . :)
★★★★★
Janet
Put it on my veggie chilli. Great on it!
★★★★★
Sara
I give it 3 stars for the substitutability but 5 stars for the fact that it’s healthy and provides some vague sense of a salty crumbly substitute to put in foods. I suppose it’s possible that the taste might depend partly on the brand of hemp hearts and nutritional yeast used, because the new brand I got has a stronger nutty flavor than the old brand, and that might be throwing the taste off. I’m glad for ways to get creative with hemp hearts though — I think they’re the best thing ever as far as easily boosting meals’ nutritional profile, and given the ethics of cashew farming I want to avoid cashews in vegan cheese substitutes, so thanks for this anyways even if the taste was (to me) way off from normal parmesan cheese!
★★★★
Kate
Thanks for your transparency and feedback, Sara!
Jodi Wibbels
Add me to the list of fans. This parm is amazing!
★★★★★
Hayley
So many vegan parmesan dupes are made with cashews, which I can’t eat. I was happy to find this. Was super delicious sprinkled over top a lentil mushroom stew :)
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy this one worked for you, Hayley!
Rose Brown
Thanks for this recipe! I too had some hemp seeds waiting to be used. I didn’t have any onion powder so I just used the garlic and it turned out fine. Next time I make it I’ll try it with the onion and it’ll be even better yet. I had garlic granules so I just ground them in the mortor and pestle for a few seconds and ground them to a powder. I wanted to try and make it more of the consistency of parmesan so I put it in the Vitamix but just for about 3 to 5 seconds and it’s perfect.
★★★★★
Rebecca
Hemp seed or hemp hearts? I’d think hemp hearts would be what you’d use….right?
Kate
They can be used interchangeably sometimes. :)
Kelly
This is awesome! Like another reader, I put this on avocado toast and it tasted delicious! Thanks for adding more inspired vegan recipes to your ensemble, Kate!
★★★★★
Jose
This is a nice recipe. I love how quick and easy it is to make. I’ve made it twice now and it’s a really welcome addition to pasta sauces. I’ve increased the garlic and onion powders a bit for more flavor and it seems to work well. Thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for trying it, Jose! I’m happy you were able to adjust it to your tastes.
David Noel
Kate,
This is a fantastic and delicious recipe! So easy to put together too!
Thank you! Your recipes are always great and I’m never disappointed in how they turn out.
★★★★★
Whitney
I found this recipe minutes after returning home with my first ever purchase of hemp seeds and nutritional yeast, and whipped it up – great flavor! I can absolutely see myself using this in place of parmesan cheese!
★★★★★
Shaelah Bloemzaad
As a new vegan and former dairy addict I have been trying extremely hard to find comparable recipes. I am SO HAPPY I came across this one! The hemp seeds are delicious and a good replacement for the commonly seen nut recipes (I have a nut allergy). It was so simple to make and tastes better than regular parm in my opinion.
★★★★★
Kim
After three years of trying different recipes for Vegan Parmesan, and today, I came across this one. This is the only one I will Use.I had decided I didn’t ‘need’ a vegan Parmesan. Why the trouble, extra calories and expiration dates. I didn’t need another occasional product stored in my freezer. This is the Bomb! This one is shelf stable! I will use this. Often. And maybe on popcorn and more! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am a happy camper. Adding nutrition with out the care. Thanks, Kate!
★★★★★
Shelley Pawlus
I really like this recipe. Are used it in Lieu of grated Parmesan cheese on top of my roasted kale in the oven. I have to say however, the actual cheese takes out the fight of the Kale. So, I have to get used to the flavor. I can’t wait to use it on roasted vegetables and other recipes.
★★★★★
Christopher
Made this tonight to sprinkle on a vegan version of American Chop Suey. It is healthier and closer tasting to real grated Parmesan than the Go Veggie parm I used to purchase. Awesome, thank you!
★★★★★
marie owen
I am so excited to find these recipes for cheese substitute. My son has been lactose intolerant since returning from his Afganistan tour of duty. He misses cheese so much as he was raised in the great dairy state of WISCONSIN and his great grandfather was a cheesemaker. He misses mac and cheese and pizza.. I will be trying the parmesean cheese recipe to see if he can tolerate it.
Thank you.
Jamie Wieland
Hello, do you know what this would be in grams? Searching for conversions online and apparently not all cups are equal :S
Kate
Hi! Sorry, I don’t provide conversions.
Jana J
Delicious! This topping is delicious as a parmesan replacement, a salad topper, and as a topping for comfort food dishes like creamy vegan mac ‘n cheese(not real cheese, either).
★★★★★
Leigh
I’ve been Vegan for 6 years, and I’ve tried many Parm recipes. Some of them were pretty good, but this one is better than pretty good. I found this recipe, made some, and immediately made another batch. A double batch! This is so good! And I love that it’s made with hemp seeds. Thank you. I’ll never have to look for another Parm recipe!
★★★★★
Anita
I have given up cheese, but parmesan was my last holdout, because I had to use up my last block, AND because I didn’t use much in a serving anyway.
This was SO easy to make. I whirred it up in my super tiny food processor because I wanted it to be finer. Also used an extra 1/4 tsp. salt. Nutritionally, it was great to get a hit of fibre and B12 too. I am not a big fan of calorie-dense nut recipes, so this was a great recipe.
I tried it this evening and sprinkled it on top of roasted spaghetti squash, and home made marinara. It was so good!!
Next up, want to see how it tastes on my baked potato and broccoli!
Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Anita! I love that you are excited about this one already.
Marilyn
There is gluten intolerance in my circle of friends; is there a nutitional yeast substitute?
Kate
HI Marilyn, from my knowledge, nutritional yeast is gluten free. Just be sure to look at your ingredients list.
Kate
Hands down the best vegan parm I’ve found. Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Kate!
sherry taxman
Can this be used to make Chicken Picatta? Will it brown like real cheese?
Ellen
So easy to make and honestly I like the texture better than with raw cashews! Smells amazong too! Spooned a bit on my soup and enhanced 5he flavour of the soup. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing!
amanda
I blended this in the NutriBullet and it became a little damp- but maybe that’s because my NutriBullet might not have completely dried?
Anyways…. it’s freaking amazing!!!! So so happy I found this recipe! Thanks for sharing it with us <3
★★★★★
Kate
Hi, That’s interesting. That could be or the friction heated it up and can cause moisture.
Rose
Delicious and nutritious! Absolute perfection. Thank you for sharing!!! =)
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Rose!
SA
I have up dairy but really missed the Parmesan cheese on the pasta- until now! This is DELICIOUS and even better than Parmesan (in my opinion). This was the final nail in the dairy coffin – thank you!!!!
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing, SA. I’m happy you came across this vegan parm to enjoy.
Heather Brandt
I wonder if these would work on a rolls recipe (garlic parmesan recipe). sounds yummy!
Syl
Thank you for this recipe, turned out good had it over zucchini noodles and marinara sauce . Definitely a keeper.
So easy and ingredients that I always have on hand.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Syl! Thank you for your review.
Sparkie
I cannot thank you enough for this great recipe. It taste great and its healthy. Food doesn’t get better than that
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m happy you enjoyed it.