Capsaicin Free Paleo Cashew Parmesan
This dairy-free spin on a classic finishing cheese is surprisingly convincing — nutty, savory, and just salty enough to make any dish feel complete. Raw cashews blitzed with nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and a pinch of sea salt come together in a food processor in minutes, producing a crumbly, sandy texture that mimics finely grated Parmesan almost perfectly. The trick is knowing when to stop pulsing — you want dry, loose crumbles, not a paste — and the short burst method in the instructions makes that easy to nail every time. For anyone avoiding capsaicin, this is a genuinely useful pantry staple since store-bought vegan cheeses and seasoning blends can sneak in unexpected heat from paprika, chili extracts, or spice blends. Every ingredient here is straightforward and easy to verify, so there are no hidden surprises. Sprinkle it over roasted vegetables, pasta, salads, or soups, and store the rest in an airtight jar where it keeps beautifully for future meals.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp onion powder (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Add the cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, and onion powder (if using) to a food processor.
- 2
Pulse 10–15 times in short bursts until the mixture resembles coarse, dry crumbs — about the texture of finely grated Parmesan. Stop before the mixture turns into a paste; the cashews should still look dry and sandy, not clumped.
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