Vegan Parmesan Cheese

When I first stumbled upon the concept of vegan cheese I couldn't really understand how was it possible. How could it be as creamy as dairy cheese? Or how does it taste so good? How do you even make it? Today we have one of the most simple recipes, vegan parmesan cheese, to start getting answers to all those questions. 

There are so many different kinds of vegan cheese out there you would be amazed. I had no idea it was such a big thing until I had vegan parmesan cheese for the first time. And I couldn't believe it was plant based!

You can find almost any kind of cheese in its vegan version. May it be vegan parmesan cheese, mozzarella, brie, blue, ricotta, cheddar; you name it! But the variety goes beyond that. You can also find shredded vegan cheese, crumbled, as a block, slices, even as a spread. 

This is one of the biggest struggles when transitioning to a vegan diet. A lot of people either miss cheese or just won't give it up. With all these options available now you don't have to give up a thing. Nowadays, we even have vegan cheese that melts! So pizza, quesadillas, melted cheese sandwiches, fondue, they're all back in the game. 

The texture, consistency, and it's meltability are gonna depend on what the cheese is made of. This is the part where it gets really interesting. Vegan cheese can be made out of soy, tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, coconut milk, vegetable proteins and even nuts. 

When it comes to the flavour, the base of the vegan cheese will have something to do but it all comes down to what you are seasoning it with. It can be as simple as salt, garlic powder and paprika. Or you can go all out and make something like blue cheese by adding roqueforti culture. It will all depend on what you are after. 

The vegan parmesan cheese we are making today is on the simple side. I love this recipe because you can make it in 5 minutes and will last you forever as long as it's in the fridge. I think I've had a batch for over two months, with the same taste and the same consistency as day one. 

Since we want out vegan parmesan cheese to be both crumbly and creamy we are using cashew nuts and nutritional yeast to get that texture. Cashew nuts are perfect for your cheese making adventures since they blend into a creamy mix. Also, they have a very subtle nutty flavour that's easy to season and make into all kinds of different vegan cheese variations. 

We don't really need much to season this vegan parmesan cheese. Blend it with a bit of miso paste and garlic powder, and there it is. You can add it to all sorts of dishes for extra flavour. I like adding it to my kale salad with cranberries recipe but it will do wonders for pasta, rice dishes, eggplant parmesan or a veggie lasagna.