Dairy Free Paleo Cashew Parmesan
That savory, salty sprinkle you've been missing on pasta, salads, and roasted vegetables? It's back — and it's made entirely from plants. Raw cashews blitzed with nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and a pinch of sea salt come together in a food processor to create something that genuinely mimics the dry, crumbly texture of finely grated Parmesan. The key is pulsing in short bursts so the cashews stay sandy and light rather than turning into a paste — a small detail that makes a huge difference in the final result. Nutritional yeast brings that deep, umami-forward cheesiness without any actual dairy, so this works beautifully for anyone avoiding animal-based ingredients. It takes just minutes to make and keeps well in an airtight jar, ready to finish off whatever needs a little extra something. Sprinkle it generously — there's no reason to hold back.
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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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