Long-adored by the vegan community—and lovingly dubbed “nooch”—nutritional yeast is finally coming into its own in the mainstream food world. Dairy-free cooks use it as a seasoning or flavor agent, of sorts. Made from a dried deactivated yeast strain (the same one bakers use to leaven bread), nooch packs a whole lot of umami, cheesy flavor in as little as a teaspoon.
When most people are introduced to nutritional yeast, they’re advised to treat the yellow flakes like grated cheese—and while that advice is mostly true, you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you only break out the nooch to sprinkle on top of your pasta every once in a while.
Plus, nutritional yeast is a nutritional powerhouse. It’s rich in vitamin B-12, fiber and protein—so why not load up where you can?
Below, find some delicious ways to start using nutritional yeast in your every day meals.
1. Popcorn Seasoning
The easiest (and best) way to enjoy the “raw” flavor of nutritional yeast is to generously sprinkle it over popcorn. Simply pop your own kernels (you can do it on the stovetop or in the microwave with a brown paper bag) in oil or vegan butter, and then toss the popcorn in salt and nutritional yeast.
2. 4-Ingredient Vegan Parmesan Cheese
Nutritional yeast has a cheesy flavor, but it doesn’t have the texture or salt that a traditional parmesan cheese has. However, something magical happens when you chuck some cashews (you can sub almonds), nooch, salt, and garlic powder into a food processor—Minimalist Baker calls it “Vegan Parmesan Cheese” and it’s incredibly addictive.
3. Breakfast Fare
Two tablespoons of nutritional yeast is all it takes to transform a block of crumbled up tofu into an egg-like breakfast scramble fit for champions. Lauren Toyota’s recipe on her Hot For Food blog is particularly flavorful.
More of a quiche person? Look no further than this recipe by Create Mindfully for a hearty Spinach and Broccoli Vegan Quiche.
4. Creamy Polenta
Nothing screams comfort food like a nice, warm bowl of cheesy polenta on a cold winter’s day. This recipe by Emilie Eats takes you through all the steps required to make a Creamy Vegan Polenta with Mushrooms and Beans that you’ll be proud to serve to any guest.
5. Homemade Vegan Cheese Sauce
Buying meltable vegan cheese shreds at the grocery store has never been easier, but there is something special about truly from-scratch vegan mac and cheese—just ask my cat, who wouldn’t let go of the jar.
This recipe by Chocolate Covered Katie teaches you how to use nooch and cannellini beans (yes, really) to make the most luxurious and creamy vegan cheese sauce
6. Cheesy Broccoli Soup
The childhood favorite is back on the menu and infinitely more healthy for you. This recipe by Love and Lemons uses potatoes, nooch, broccoli and cashews to create savory, comforting perfection.
7. Baked Chips or Crackers
Most any homemade chip—be it kale chip, zucchini chip or traditional potato chip—or cracker can be roasted, baked, or even air fried with a sprinkle or two of nooch in addition to salt and other seasonings for an extra umami-punch.