Nutritional yeast is an amazing food that has so many benefits. It’s full of protein, fiber, and vitamins, but it also tastes delicious! You can use it to make vegan cheese sauce or sprinkle on popcorn. There are so many ways to enjoy this tasty treat!
Nutritional yeast is one of my favorite ingredients because it adds cheesy flavor without dairy or soy. But many people don’t like its cheesy flavor.
Luckily, there are several great nutritional yeast substitutes out there that taste just as good as the real thing! And they won’t break the bank either – so what are you waiting for? Read on and discover some new favorites today!
Table of Contents
11 Best Nutritional Yeast Substitutes
The best substitutes for nutritional yeast are chickpea flour and yeast extracts. You can also use parmesan cheese, soy sauce, and white miso paste as nutritional yeast substitute in most recipes.
So, if you are all out of nutritional yeast and need a replacement fast, then any of these substitutes will do the trick.
1. Chickpea Flour
Chickpea flour is one of the best nutritional yeast substitute because it adds a similar cheesy flavor as well as many nutrients. It’s made from ground chickpeas and is high in protein, calcium, and amino acids.
It can be used on its own or mixed with other flours to make bread, chips, or baked goods.
2. Yeast Extracts
Yeast extract is another great substitute for that savory, umami flavor that nutritional yeast provides. It’s usually sold as a paste and can be added to soups, dips, spreads, sauces, marinades, and salad dressings. It has a very concentrated flavor, so you only need to use it a little bit at a time.
3. Parmesan Cheese
If you’re looking for an all-purpose, sprinkle-on topping that’s both delicious and nutritious then look no further than Parmesan cheese! It hasthe same tangy and umami flavor.
It’s made from cow’s milk or sheep’s milk and doesn’t contain any added oils, but it does have high amounts of saturated fat and sodium.
Parmesan cheese can be grated onto pasta, soups, salads, sandwiches, and more. It is also high in protein, calcium, and vitamin B12.
4. Soy Sauce
Soy sauce is a perfect substitute for nutritional yeast when you’re looking for a savory flavor boost. It’s made from fermented soybeans and contains glutamate, which gives it that umami flavor.
It’s also a great source of protein, iron, and sodium. Soy sauce also has a long shelf life and can be used in both savory and sweet recipes. It can be used in soups, sauces, marinades, dips, and dressings.
5. White Miso Paste
White miso paste is another great nutritional yeast substitute because it’s made from fermented soybeans and has a savory, umami flavor. It has a salty, slightly sweet flavor and is often used in soups, sauces, and dressings. It’s also high in protein, calcium, and vitamin K.
It can add a cheesy taste to soups, dips, spreads, marinades, salad dressings, and sauces.
6. Dried Mushrooms
Dried mushrooms can give a great umami flavor to whatever dish you’re adding it to and also have plenty of vitamins and minerals themselves! Try rehydrating them in hot water first, then sauteing with the rest of your ingredients.
Crimini, porcini, and shiitake mushrooms are all great options.
7. Brewer’s Yeast
Brewer’s yeast is a deactivated yeast that’s often used as a nutritional supplement. It is high in B vitamins and other essential nutrients, but it doesn’t have that same cheesy flavor. It comes in either a powder or flake form and has a slightly bitter and nutty taste.
Brewer’s yeast can be added to smoothies, juices, cereals, granola, and baked goods. It is also high in vitamins B1 and B2, chromium, zinc, magnesium, selenium, iron, phosphorus, and copper.
8. Coconut Aminos
Coconut aminos are a great nutritional yeast alternative because they have the same naturally salty and umami flavor as soy sauce sauce sauce sauce! It’s made from coconut tree sap and is a much healthier alternative to soy sauce.
It’s also lower in sodium than soy sauce and is oil-free, but it doesn’t have as long of a shelf life. Coconut aminos can be used in soups, salad dressings, marinades, sauces, or in place of soy sauce when cooking.
9. Cashews
Although you can’t sprinkle cashews onto your favorite dishes, they make a great cheese sauce base! Cashews naturally have a savory flavor and when blended together with lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and other ingredients they become rich and creamy.
Cashews are a great way to add creaminess and richness to sauces, dressings, and dips. They’re also high in protein, magnesium, and zinc. If you want to make a vegan cheese sauce without nutritional yeast, cashews are the way to go!
10. Vegetable Broth
Vegetable broth can be substituted into any recipe that calls for nutritional yeast, miso paste, or soy sauce. It has the same savory umami flavor and boosted nutrition as those other ingredients!
It’s great in soups, sauces, marinades, dips, dressings, and stews. Vegetable broth is also high in vitamins A, C, B1, and B3.
11. Vegetable Bouillon Cubes
Vegetable bouillon cubes are very similar to vegetable broth in that they have a savory flavor and can be used as a substitute for nutritional yeast for vegan cheese sauce or any other dishes you’d like to add it to, but it also contains less sodium and more potassium.
Vegetable bouillon cubes are full of extra umami flavor and lots of other nutrients! As an added bonus it’s also free of preservatives and artificial colors!
These cubes can be used to flavor any dish you like and dissolve in hot water before adding to your recipe. They can be used just like yeast extracts and other yeast-based ingredients as well as in soups, stews, sauces, and dips.
So there you have it! Eleven great substitutes for nutritional yeast that will make all of your vegan cheese dreams come true.
What is Nutritional Yeast?
Nutritional Yeast is an inactive yeast that comes in either yellow or red flakes. It is a great food for vegans because it contains B vitamins and many other important nutrients.
It also has a nutty, cheesy flavor that’s often described as “umami” – a fifth taste that follows the four basic tastes of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter.
This unique flavor makes it a great ingredient for vegan cheese sauce and other dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does nutritional yeast taste like?
Nutritional yeast has a cheesy, nutty, and slightly bitter flavor. It can be used to add a cheesy flavor to dishes or as a nutritional supplement.
What does nutritional yeast do in a recipe?
Nutritional yeast can be sprinkled on top of dishes or added to recipes in order to give them a cheesy flavor. It is high in B-vitamins and other essential nutrients.
Can you leave nutritional yeast out of a recipe?
If you want to leave nutritional yeast out of a recipe, you can use any of the substitutes listed above. Each one will give your dish a slightly different flavor, but they will all be delicious!
Can you use normal yeast instead of nutritional yeast?
No, nutritional yeast and normal yeast are not interchangeable. Nutritional yeast is much fluffier and has a different flavor than active dry yeast. If you’re looking for that same cheesy flavor in your recipe, try using one of our substitutes!
Final Words
The best nutritional yeast substitutes are just a click away. We hope this post has been helpful to you and that you’ll be able to find the perfect substitute for your favorite recipe.
Have you tried any of these yeast substitutes? If so, which one is your favorite and why? Let us know in the comments below!
