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With its cheesy, nutty, and savory flavor, Nutritional Yeast is a dairy-free seasoning that should be in everyone’s pantry–whether vegan or not.
These nutritional yeast recipes are going to make you a believer with their amazing flavor!
Nutritional yeast is a healthy culinary must-have. If you aren’t familiar with its flavoring superpowers, that is going to change right here, right now.
We’ve got it all with these delicious nutritional yeast recipes. Everything vegan–from parmesan cheese to quiche to breakfast scramble. And, you’re going to love it all!
What is nutritional yeast?
Nutritional yeast, unlike baker’s and brewer’s yeasts, is a deactivated yeast used for seasoning.
It’s an inactive form of the yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Though it is the same strain of yeast bakers use to leaven bread, nutritional yeast has been pasteurized to dry out the yeast. This process helps to extract its nutritional benefits.
Nutritional yeast is exclusively for seasoning and cannot be used for leavening in baking. Even so, it can normally be found in the baking section of many grocery stores. I usually purchase my nutritional yeast online.
What does it taste like?
Known by vegan enthusiasts as nooch, this seasoning yeast has a nutty, cheesy flavor and is yellow in color. It can be purchased in flakes and granules as well as a powder that can be used interchangeably.
Nutritional yeast can be used in recipes the same way you might use grated cheese to add flavor to foods like popcorn, baked potatoes, and pizza.
Uses for nutritional yeast
Sprinkle over salads, roasted vegetables, pasta, rice, popcorn, and more
Use in vegan cheese sauce recipes
Stir into soups and stews
Add to casseroles and other dishes
Two types of nutritional yeast
There are two types of nutritional yeast available — unfortified and fortified.
Unfortified- This type only contains the vitamins and minerals that are naturally produced by the yeast cells as they grow. No additional additives or salt are included.
Fortified- This is the most common type found in grocery stores, and it has synthetic vitamins added during the manufacturing process. They will be listed on the ingredient list.
Is nutritional yeast good for you?
Nutritional yeast has many health benefits. It contains all nine essential amino acids and the fortified type can be a source of some vitamins and minerals.
It is considered safe for most people, but those who are on certain medications or who are sensitive to yeast products may need to talk with their healthcare provider.
Another lesser-known fact is that nutritional yeast is high in purines and may cause an abundance of uric acid which can lead to gout flare-ups if consumed in larger quantities. This actually happened with my husband who had never experienced gout before and hasn’t again after limiting his nutritional yeast intake.
This post may contain affiliate links.Read my full disclosure here.
Nutritional Yeast Recipes
These delicious recipes range from vegan cheese sauces to breakfast casseroles and quiche. It's the nutritional yeast that adds all the flavor, so pull out that container and give some of these a try! Click on each of the photos, recipe titles, or 'Get the Recipe' buttons to see full recipes with ingredients, measurements, instructions, and a print button.
This simple and delicious Savory Spice Blend Seasoning is perfect to keep on hand to add flavor to dishes in place of salt. It livens up even the blandest recipes.
“Nutritional yeast is high in purines. Large quantities of purines in the diet create an abundance of uric acid, which has been associated with several ailments, including gout. Furthermore, over-reliance on a single food in the diet may eventually cause sensitivity or possibly even an allergy to that food.” —GrassRootsVegan
Other great vegan recipes
30-Minute or Less Recipes
Black Bean Recipes
Gluten-Free Recipes
For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
No consensus exists regarding how much nutritional yeast a person can eat daily. But eating even a 5 g serving per day can benefit you. However, you may want to start with 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast per day. You can increase that amount if you do not have any reaction.
Digestive problems: Nutritional yeast contains a high amount of fiber. Too much nutritional yeast added too quickly to one's diet can cause problems with digestion, such as abdominal cramps and diarrhea.
It's safe to use nutritional yeast in moderation, typically up to several tablespoons (10–30 grams) per day. It would require relatively large amounts of nutritional yeast to exceed the tolerable upper intake levels (UL) for the various vitamins and minerals it contains.
While it's uncommon, tyramine may trigger headaches in people who experience migraines. People with a sensitivity to yeast products should not consume nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast may also worsen symptoms in people with inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's disease.
Nutritional yeast is a rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory plant compounds. Every day, our cells work tirelessly to protect themselves against free radicals, molecules that can damage and ultimately destroy the healthy cells in your body.
You do not need to refrigerate nutritional yeast, so you may see it stored in bulk bins in health food stores or grocery stores. It has a shelf life of about two years when stored correctly; keep nutritional yeast in a jar on the countertop or in a cool, dark place like a pantry.
With every tablespoon of nutritional yeast, you give a nutritional boost to your diet. And yes, all these nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, as well as aroma and flavor resist heating.
Nutritional yeast is all you need to add a savoury (and healthy) kick to this go-to breakfast. Just whisk in 1 Tbsp with two eggs, 1/4 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp of milk (dairy or plant-based). Cook slowly in a non-stick pan over medium heat.
You also want some nutritional yeast. This seasoning is packed with vitamin B12 and also adds a cheesy/nutty flavor to the savory oatmeal, so I like to pile it on. It's one of my favorite seasonings ever, so of course I had to include it in this recipe.
Since it's a dry product, you want to lid tightly sealed to keep moisture out — as long as nutritional yeast stays dry, it can last for up to two years.
Some research has suggested that nutritional yeast may be irritating to those with Crohn's disease and other types of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). In general, adding too much fiber to your diet too quickly can cause issues like gas, bloating and cramping, according to the Mayo Clinic.
A source of complete protein, you can use nutritional yeast to thicken and flavor soups and stews, sprinkle it onto crunchy snacks and so much more. For those following a vegan diet, it's a good source of cheese flavor when making pastas or anything where you'd want cheese.
You also do not want to add excessive nutrients at the beginning of fermentation. Large additions of nutrients early in the ferment may lead to overvigorous fermentations and alter the aroma compounds produced by the yeast. In addition, residual nutrients in the wine may contribute to microbial spoilage during aging.
A teaspoon of yeast “nu*trient” or “energizer” should be sufficient for a 5-gallon (19-L) batch of wort, with proportionately less used in a smaller volume of starter wort.
While it can be safely consumed by itself, it's rather bitter and unpalatable. Nutritional yeast, on the other hand, is fermented on sugar cane or beet molasses. It's then heat-treated to become inactive, meaning you can't use it to make bread.
Nutritional yeast: eating just 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast contains more than the full daily value (DV) for vitamin B12 and 480% of the DV for vitamin B6. Studies have found significant correlations between B12 and duration of sleep, while B6 helps boost serotonin levels, which, when depleted, disrupt sleep. 3.
Introduction: My name is Lidia Grady, I am a thankful, fine, glamorous, lucky, lively, pleasant, shiny person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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