Vegan Parmesan Cheese

BySireesha
23 Comments

This Vegan Parmesan Cheese is made with pumpkin seeds instead of cashews, making it a great nut-free alternative. Requiring just 4 ingredients and a food processor, this pumpkin seed "Parmesan" is also easily made in a matter of minutes. Perfect for sprinkling on pasta, pizza, soups and more!

Jump to Recipe
slight overhead of vegan Parmesan cheese in mason jar

If you're looking for a nut-free alternative to the multitude of cashew-based vegan Parmesan cheese recipes, I've got you covered. 😉

The answer?

Pumpkin seeds.

Raw pumpkin seeds, or pepitas, to be exact.

Jump to:
holding spoonful of pumpkin seed cheese over mason jar of the rest

It all started one day when I saw the bag of pepitas sitting just begging to be given a chance to create something BIG...something an ex cheese addict would want to sprinkle all over her pasta...something like VEGAN PARMESAN CHEESE!

overhead of pumpkin seed cheese in mason jar

Yes, you got me. Ex cheese addict here!

Taking it day by day, vegan cheese experiment after vegan cheese experiment. 😉

Anyway, whether you are a recovering cheese addict, have a cashew allergy or are looking for something a little different, you've got to try this vegan Parm. 

overhead of pumpkin seed cheese in mason jar with spoon in it

I don't know about you, but I always preferred the sharp Parmesan cheeses over the mild ones, and this pumpkin seed version has definitely got some sharpness to it!

Perhaps that's why my "unwilling-to-admit-I'm lactose intolerant" daughter and husband are totally down with it. 😉

holding spoonful of vegan "cheese" with rest blurred out below

And, hopefully you will be too! 🙂

Ingredients you'll need

  • Raw pumpkin Seeds (pepitas)
  • Nutritional Yeast
  • Kosher Salt
  • Garlic Powder

How to make nut-free vegan Parmesan cheese

This vegan cheese is incredibly easy to make. To do so, you'll need a food processor or food chopper.

For smaller jobs like this, I like to use my 3.5-cup KitchenAid food chopper.

It only features two settings, chop and puree, and is perfect for chopping nuts and seeds.

ingredients in food chopper before combining

All you have to do is add all of the ingredients to the bowl of your food processor/chopper.

Use the pulse or chop setting and pulse/chop until the "cheese" is ground to your liking. 

ingredients in food chopper after combining

Enjoy!

slight overhead of vegan "cheese" in mason jar with spoon in it

How to use this pumpkin seed Parmesan

Sprinkle this vegan version anywhere you would a dairy-based Parmesan.

We enjoy adding it to the gluten-free pizzas we get at the pizza shops that don't yet have a vegan cheese option.

We also love it on top of some gluten-free pasta with our pumpkin pasta sauce or vegan Bolognese and sprinkled on our vegan pasta fagioli soup.

And it's the "cheese" featured in our vegan cacio e pepe.

close-up front view of pasta on white serving dish garnished with pepper and pumpkin seed Parmesan

Does this vegan Parm melt?

No, it doesn't melt, but if you're looking for a dairy-free Parmesan that does, I'd recommend Violife or Follow Your Heart. 

Storage

This pumpkin seed Parmesan can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed mason jar or other airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

More Vegan "Cheese" Recipes

holding a scoop of vegan Parm up over the mason jar of the rest
Print Recipe Pin Save Recipe
5 from 10 votes

Vegan Parmesan Cheese [Nut-Free, Gluten-Free]

This Vegan Parmesan Cheese is made with pumpkin seeds instead of cashews, making it a great nut-free alternative. Requiring just 4 ingredients and a food processor, this pumpkin seed "Parmesan" is also easily made in a matter of minutes. Perfect for sprinkling on pasta, pizza, soups and more!
Course Condiment
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Keyword dairy-free, gluten free, meatless monday, nut free, nutritional yeast, pepitas, pumpkin seeds, vegan, vegan cheese, vegan parmesan
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 20 tablespoons
Calories 20kcal
Author Sireesha A.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of your food processor/chopper. Use the pulse or chop setting and pulse/chop until the "cheese" is ground to your liking.

(Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs and other helpful information for this recipe)

Suggested Equipment/Tools

Food Chopper

Notes

"Cheese" can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed mason jar for up to 3 weeks.
Recipe makes 20 tablespoons. Nutrition information is based on a serving size of 1 tablespoon.
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Information shown should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 20kcal | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g

©Watch Learn Eat. All content and images are copyright protected. Recipes and images are not to be used or republished without prior permission. If you adapt this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, and link back to this post for the original recipe.

You Might Also Enjoy...

5 from 10 votes (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

23 Comments

    1. it stays fresh for upto 3 weeks. after that moisture starts to kick in. if you want a longer shelf life, you can freeze a batch of it for 3-6 months!

      Reply

  2. 5 stars
    Hello Addison,
    WOW, this Vegan Parmesan made with Pumpkin Seeds/ Pepitas is fantastic! Thought I might have to add to it, but this tastes so wonderful on its own! Pairs great with your Pumpkin Tomato Sauce on Pasta too. I usually have Pepitas on hand in the fridge. This Pumpkin Parmesan may be my favorite over my regular Slivered Almonds Parmesan and Cashew Parmesan versions. I'm checking out your other recipes and always enjoy finding new and different ones. Blessings.

    Reply

  3. 5 stars
    I found a jar of pepitas in my pantry and thought hmm pepita butter? Why not? Took it for a spin in my MagicBullet and thought, this tastes good. Then I added a pinch of salt and BOOM. I was blown away by how much it tasted like ripe cheese. Another 30 seconds gave it a creamy Gorgonzola taste and texture (maybe it's because I've had these sitting around for a while).

    I'm glad I found your recipe so I could confirm it wasn't just me imagining it. Your additions are great and will definitely make a fine vegan Parmesean option for guests

    Reply

    1. Thanks Mr. Tim! It's amazing what nuts and seeds can make! I loooove the sound of that Gorgonzola flavor too...yum! 🙂 Hope you have an awesome day!

      Reply

    1. Thanks Philisha! It will last about 3 weeks in the fridge if stored in a mason jar or other airtight container. I have kept it a little longer but it does start to lose flavor over time. I haven't frozen it myself but I don't see any reason why it can't be frozen. I think it would do well in a freezer bag. Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply

  6. 5 stars
    I've always wanted to learn how to make my own vegan parm and this is the perfect recipe!!! So easy to follow. Thanks for sharing so many plant based goodies with us!

    Reply

  8. I am going to have to share this lovely recipe with my friend Melissa, she recently became Vegan a year ago and is always looking for new inspiration. I bet she would love this idea.

    Reply

  10. 5 stars
    I would love to pass this creative vegan recipe to my vegan friends. Loved it. Thanks for the awesome share.

    Reply

  11. 5 stars
    I'm not vegan but this is such a creative idea! I'd love to try it and keep the recipe on hand for when I have vegan guests!

    Reply