Vegan Paleo Cashew Parmesan
That savory, cheesy sprinkle you've been missing on pasta, salads, and roasted vegetables? It's hiding in your food processor, just a few pulses away. Raw cashews blitz down into a dry, sandy crumble that genuinely mimics the texture of finely grated Parmesan — no dairy required. Nutritional yeast brings that deep, umami-rich flavor, while garlic powder and sea salt round everything out into something that tastes far more complex than a four-ingredient recipe has any right to be. The key is stopping the food processor before the cashews release their oils and clump together, so you get that perfect, light crumb rather than a paste. A pinch of onion powder is optional but adds a subtle sharpness that really sells the illusion. Store it in an airtight jar and you'll find yourself reaching for it constantly — it keeps well and works on basically everything. It's one of those small kitchen wins that quietly makes plant-based eating feel effortless and genuinely satisfying.
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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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