A Vegan Lemon Parmesan Cheese that is toasted and the perfect topping to pasta dishes, pasta bakes, spaghetti and even pizza! It is so flavorful and is made without any nutritional yeast and can be made nut-free as well! With only 4 ingredients and 10 minutes, you have the perfect dairy-free parmesan!
VEGAN LEMON PARMESAN CHEESE
I love it when I wing something and it turns out to be fabulously, delicious! 2 years ago when I was writing recipes for my cookbook, I created a yummy coating for asparagus that was baked and then topped with a lemony sauce. The toasted almond meal immediately made me think, “wow, this really reminds me of parmesan cheese!” I even remark on the parmesan accident discovery in the head note of that recipe, haha! I’ve been meaning to get back to that coating and tweak it for quite some time and finally did it.
There are lots of vegan parmesans made with every nut out there…almonds, cashews, pistachios, hemp seeds, you name it. This recipe is nothing new where that is concerned, but I wanted something brighter and really to stand out in dishes, so I decided to hone in on the lemon flavor since it was the combo of that lemon sauce and asparagus in my book that I loved so much.
So, the almond flour, lemon juice, dried oregano and salt is so simple, yet so fabulous. BUT, toasting it afterwards is what really turned it magical for me. It really adds some zing to anything you top it with!
Most vegan parmesan recipes rely on nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor. However, since neither my husband (triggers gout) or my daughter (triggers headaches) can consume it, I knew I had to come up with something just as delicious and flavorful to sprinkle on top of dishes with. I made this amazing Easy Tomato and Garlic Pasta above to put it on top and the whole meal was incredible!
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN LEMON PARMESAN CHEESE
First, gather these easy 4 ingredients:
- blanched almond flour (or raw sunflower kernels for nut-free)
- fresh lemon juice
- dried oregano
- salt
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Add the almond flour, dried oregano and salt to a small bowl and whisk very well. Add the lemon juice and use a fork (not a spoon) to press and mix for a couple of minutes until all of the almond flour is coated evenly. It will clump a bit so use your fingertips to rub the mixture between your hands into small meal crumbles.
Once it is all evenly coated, spread out onto the pan. Bake for just 5 minutes just until the edges are turning golden brown. Watch closely as it will quickly turn from golden to burnt!
After it has baked, it will be nice and crunchy, yet have that similar moisture that real dairy parmesan cheese has. If there are any larger clumps, just break them with your fingertips.
Check out that gorgeous golden color! The flavor is sooo good, it doesn’t need nutritional yeast!
The end result is so so good and one that is hard to stop eating it with a spoon. My daughter moaned and moaned, eating spoonfuls. The extra burst of lemon flavor really is a game-changer. We all love lemon around here, especially these Lemon Cookies for dessert.
It’s exceptionally fabulous on pizza!! That melty cheese, by the way, is also a new recipe that literally changed our lives and can be found in my Vegan Meal Plan collection. No more buying cheese for pizza. This new cheese sauce bakes up and firms up and turns golden, just like real cheese. And there is no weird ingredients or added starches. It is a new recipe that is featured in my Vegan 8 Meal Collection that will be revealed this week!
OTHER VEGAN CHEESE RECIPES TO TRY:
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!
Vegan Lemon Parmesan Cheese
A Vegan Lemon Parmesan Cheese that is the perfect topping to pasta dishes, pasta bakes, spaghetti and even pizza! It is so flavorful and is made without any nutritional yeast and can be made nut-free as well!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (112g) blanched almond flour (see Recipe Notes for sub)
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Add the almond flour, dried oregano and salt to a small bowl and
whisk very well. Add the lemon juice and use a fork (not a spoon) to
press and mix for a couple of minutes until all of the almond flour
is coated evenly. It will clump a bit so use your fingertips to rub the
mixture between your hands into small meal crumbles.Once it is all even, spread out onto the pan. Bake for just 5 minutes
just until the edges are turning golden brown. Watch closely as it will
quickly turn from golden to burnt!After it has baked, it will be nice and crunchy, yet have that similar moisture that real dairy parmesan cheese has. If there are any larger clumps, just break them with your fingertips. Serve over pizza, pasta or any dishes you like! Store in the fridge sealed for a couple of weeks.
Recipe Notes
If you are allergic to almonds, then sub with ground raw sunflower seeds instead. You will grind the sunflower seeds in a food processor into as fine of a powder as you can get it. This option works for my coated asparagus in my book (where this recipe inspo comes from) so it will work here. However, keep in mind that the flavor is definitely going to yield more of a sunflower taste and not quite as parmesan-like but the lemon juice does help to mask it some. Also, the color will change. For this reason, it tastes better on dishes, versus on its own.
This is a MIRACLE !! I LOVE your other cheeses…because I can’t do noutritional yeast either. I will SO be making this. But I have a really embarrassing question…what is blanched almond flour? I feel so dumb asking that..but can’t seem to figure it out. Thanks for this and all the fantastic recipes you take time to create for us. ❤️
Thank you Marilyn! Oh please don’t feel dumb, it’s just almonds without the skins that have been blanched and then dried and ground into a superfine flour. It’s soft and fluffy and looks just like the flour on the pan photo in this post. You can find it pretty much any store these days in the flour isle. Target sells it, most grocery stores, Kroger, Sprouts, etc. I used Bob’s Red Mill “superfine” blanched almond flour for this, but really, any brand should work here!
Bless your heart!!! ❤️❤️❤️ Thank you SO much….happy it’s something I can find at a store! 😉.
You ROCK ! Love your book..my most used recipe book……
Aww, so glad to hear that!! Thank you for buying my book! Can’t wait to hear what you think of this parmesan!
Oh good!!! My fiance hates nutritional yeast which I cannot understand so I’ll give this a try!
It’s definitely an acquired taste, but evenso, it does cause negative reactions in many people. It personally gives me stomach aches when I use to consume it more. Small amounts don’t bother me. The best part though is that this parmesan is so delicious and flavorful, it honestly 100% doesn’t need it!
Wow! I can’t wait to try this. You so imaginative and creative.
Could I use the almond meal that is left over after I make my almond milk?
Hi, I’ve not tried that, but the almond pulp would have to be completely dried, otherwise it will end up soggy.
I’d love to make this as I’m trying to avoid dairy. I dislike oregano though. Is there another spice that would work with this? Thanks a lot. I can’t wait to try it!
Hi Cathy! Dried basil would work too!
THANK YOU, BRANDI! My daughter has Crohn’s Disease, and per Dr Michael Greger of Nutrtionfacts.org, those with Crohn’s should not consume nutritional yeast. It’s after 11pm here, or I’d go to the kitchen and make this now. I will (hardly) be patient and wait until tomorrow 🙂 .
Made this to go with pasta for lunch today. SOOOOOO delicious! It adds a special flair to liven up plain ol’ pasta. Thank you!
Yay!! Thrilled to hear this Maria!!
Any thoughts of lemon zest in place of the juice or stick with the juice? Can’t wait to try this.
Yes, definitely make as written, it needs the moisture and strong flavor from the full tablespoon of lemon juice. The lemon juice also helps it to crisp up in the oven.
I’ve just found your website today and made the lemon Parmesan for a pasta topping for lunch. Outstanding! Even my non-vegan husband loved it. I will definitely be tying a lot more of your recipes. Thank you so much!
Yay! Really happy to hear that Sally, thank you so much for making it!
Hi, there! I am really excited to give this a try. Quick question…is this better made and used immediately, or can I make a big batch to keep in the fridge for a bit?
Thanks!
Hi! Yes, it lasts a week in the fridge! I’m sure it’d last even longer freezing it!
I’m confused and a “doubting Thomas”. How does this taste like cheese? Almonds don’t taste like cheese! I’m glad you’re not putting nutritional yeast in it since I’m trying to keep the carbs down since I’m pre-diabetic. Why the oregano? Real dairy parmesan cheese does NOT have oregano or any other herb(s) in it? Why lemon juice? Real dairy parmesan cheese does NOT contain lemon juice. Please convince me since I really want to try this, but don’t want to be disappointed after purchasing blanched almond flour which isn’t exactly inexpensive. THANKS! 🙂
Hi Jim, I explain in the beginning of the post how this recipe came about. Have a brief read over the post and that will help explain why I named it the way I did and used the ingredients I chose and how this reminded me of the taste of parmesan cheese. 🙂 The end result doesn’t taste like almonds. It is not 100% like parmesan cheese of course, but the taste, texture, mouthfeel and topping it on pasta is very reminiscent of it, which is why I named it that. I love to create recipes based on tastes I love and love to RECREATE classics in a unique way, which this recipe is a twist on what most vegan parmesan cheese recipes typically do. I wanted to offer something different. Every reader has absolutely loved this and so does my family, but I can never say with 100% if you will like it or not.
SUPER SIMPLE & SO SCRUMPTIOUS! Wow Brandi, i’ve come to trust that your recipes will amaze me but I was still a tiny bit hesitant with ‘almond flour, lemon and oregano’ equaling a Parmesan cheese-like topping…Silly me! Of COURSE it’s fabulous-it’s Brandi’s recipe! 😄 This was phenomenal on top of your lemon Florentine pasta, wonderful on top of your creamy chili sauce with zucchini, spinach and pasta, and adds a nutty crunch to avocado toast! Thank you for this keeper! I know I will be trying it on top of just about everything!
This looks great. I recently saw a video in which a woman served vegan schnitzel to her family. It was a commercial product and likely contained oil. I wonder if this parmesan would work as a coating for a plant based baked schnitzel? I wouldn’t know how to make it stick to veggies, though. Some kind of flaxseed egg, maybe? Every recipe I try from your site is delicious. I just ordered your book off Amazon! Thanks for everything you do for us.
Thank you so much Steph, that means a lot!! I’m not sure, I’ve heard Chickpea liquid works well as an egg wash, maybe try that!
We can’t do nutritional yeast, so I was delighted to find your recipe. We’ve been missing Parmesan cheese for so long, and this fills the void SO well! A new staple in our kitchen!
I ground up raw almonds this morning (didnt have almond flour so made my own) and made this -WOW so good. Who would have thought this would be so spot on tasting. I love it more than the one I make with nutritional yeast! Mine is not light colored due to it being ground almonds vs the flour, but delicious!!