If you've ever wanted to sprinkle something cheesy and savory over pasta, salads, or roasted vegetables without reaching for dairy, this cashew-based blend is about to become a pantry staple. Raw cashews blitz down into a dry, sandy crumble that genuinely mimics the texture of finely grated Parmesan — it's one of those little kitchen tricks that feels almost too good to be true. Nutritional yeast brings that deep, umami-forward flavor, while garlic powder and sea salt round everything out into something that tastes far more complex than a five-ingredient recipe has any right to. The food processor does all the heavy lifting; the key is pulsing in short bursts so you land on that perfect coarse, crumbly texture rather than accidentally making cashew butter. Grain-based thickeners and fillers are nowhere in sight, so this works beautifully for anyone navigating grain-free or ancestral-style eating without sacrificing the finishing touch that makes a dish feel complete. Store it in an airtight jar and you'll find yourself reaching for it constantly — on soups, grain-free bowls, zucchini noodles, you name it.
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Add the cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, and onion powder (if using) to a food processor.
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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