Xanthan Gum Free Paleo Cashew Parmesan
Raw cashews, nutritional yeast, and a handful of pantry spices come together in a food processor to create something genuinely magical — a savory, crumbly topping that mimics the salty, umami punch of real Parmesan without any dairy in sight. The trick is in the pulsing: short bursts keep the texture dry and sandy rather than turning the cashews into a paste, so you get that perfect coarse crumble every time. Nutritional yeast does the heavy lifting here, delivering a deep, cheesy flavor that pairs beautifully with the mild richness of the cashews. Garlic powder and a touch of onion powder round out the savory notes, making this taste far more complex than a three-step recipe has any right to. Many store-bought cheese alternatives rely on thickeners and stabilizers that can be hard to track down on labels, so making your own from whole ingredients is a genuinely cleaner option. Sprinkle it over pasta, roasted vegetables, soups, or salads — it keeps well in an airtight jar and is ready whenever you need a finishing touch that actually delivers.
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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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