14 Creative Ways To Use Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional yeast might be considered a hippie food in today's world. You may have never even heard of it unless you're vegan, but I'm here to tell you that "nooch," as we call it, is for anyone and everyone. Yes, I must confess that I discovered the versatile ingredient in my years working as a plant-based chef and recipe designer, but I would suggest it as a flavor enhancer for just about any savory dish. Chefs spring for the yellow flakey dust to add umami to their recipes, which gives them depth and a meaty and deeply savory flavor.

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So, what is nutritional yeast? Nooch is a deactivated brewer's yeast, which means that the bacteria has been killed. It has potential health benefits for those who consume it, including a stronger immune response and lowered cholesterol. It can be found near the spices at your local grocery store. One of the most exciting things about this lesser-known ingredient is that it is extremely versatile and can be used in endless recipes to enhance the flavor. Beginners are welcome to sprinkle it over their pasta or pizza in place of Parmesan cheese, but its potential has a greater reach. Prepare to up your gourmet game as you discover the umami booster 3000, nutritional yeast.

1. Melt into white wine pasta sauce

Recently, I've been on a white wine pasta kick. After experimenting with endless ingredients from tahini to lemon zest, I've discovered a fool-proof sauce formula and every time nutritional yeast makes the cut. I like to add my nutritional yeast shortly after I've doused my simmering shallots, garlic, and herbs with white wine. This gives it the opportunity to fully melt and dissolve into the sauce, ensuring a smooth outcome. Unlike most spices, you can add more than a pinch. A tablespoon per serving should make a dent, but be sure to taste test and add more to your liking.

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Nutritional yeast will change the coloring of your light pasta sauces, giving it a soft yellow hue which, in my opinion, looks quite appetizing. Nutritional yeast can also be added to macaroni and cheese sauce, or vegan mac sauce, as well as any Alfredo or cream-based pasta sauce you can think of. The subtle cheesy nip and deep umami that come from Parmesan are also present in nooch, so load up that sauce with nutritional yeast for a creamier pasta with double the flavor.

2. Cheese up tacos

Whether you're making vegan tacos, vegetarian tacos, or meat-filled tacos, be sure to sprinkle on a little nutritional yeast for an extra pop of color and flavor. Tacos are famous for holding a fresh yet creamy garnish of crumbled cotija, or creamy and spicy queso fresco. Up north in areas of the United States, we like to sprinkle tacos with sharp cheddar cheese or a "Mexican blend" of cheeses. Luckily, nutritional yeast pairs beautifully with each one of these varieties. Alternatively, it can be used as a non-dairy substitute for cheese for those who are vegan or lactose intolerant.

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Simply cook your ingredients, stuff those taco shells or tortillas, and sprinkle a light dusting or up to a teaspoon of nutritional yeast on each taco. You can also mix the nutritional yeast into cooking beans, meats, or vegetables for an umami boost. Why not do both? Who says you can't use cheese, and nutritional yeast, and include nutritional yeast in your sauces and spice mixes? Nutritional yeast, however, is a must for making vegan tacos sing.

3. Mix into your cashew cream

Cashew cream is infamous for being intimidating to make, especially for the newly vegan crowd. However, it's actually quite easy to throw together once you get the hang of it. Start by soaking your raw, unsalted cashews overnight. If you're like me and don't tend to plan that far in advance, then soak your cashews in warm or hot water until soft, which typically takes a little over 15 minutes to accomplish. Drain the nuts, toss them into a high-speed blender with fresh water, and blend until creamy. Then blend for another 30 seconds. I like to add a tiny drop of sweetener, a squirt of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt for balance. If you're trying to make a cheesy cashew cream, then you'll need our star ingredient: nutritional yeast.

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Use about 3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast per quart of cream. Feel free to do a little taste test and sprinkle some more in. If you're trying to make a cheese sauce or queso, you'll need more, and if you're just going for a mild, slightly cheesy cream like vegan fettuccine alfredo then you will likely need less. Not sure how to use cashew cream in your cooking? Use it in place of any dairy product from yogurt to milk to cheese.

4. Add umami to salad dressing

When people say, "I don't like salad" what they are really saying is "I don't know how to make salad dressing." I'll let you in on a little secret, very few people actively enjoy chopped iceberg lettuce with full cherry tomatoes, pre-shredded carrots, and sliced red onion doused in store-bought dressing. A salad should be heavy with hearty toppings, vary greatly in color, and have an almost drinkable dressing made from tangy acids, flavorful sweeteners, fresh oil, and plenty of spices and herbs to go around. An elite way to make a superior salad dressing that you'll enjoy is to add umami to salad dressing with the use of nutritional yeast.

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Because nutritional yeast flakes melt, they will not alter the texture of your salad dressing, although a dressing with a little textural variety never hurt anyone. Simply create the salad dressing of your choice, whether it be oil-based or creamy, and whisk in some nooch. This works well to enhance store-bought dressings, too, if you just don't have the time to start from scratch.

5. Use it to flavor grains

Grains need a seasoning, full stop. Plain rice is, well, plain. Even the more flavorful grains like quinoa and oats deserve a little pizzaz, so let's get down to business to help those side-kicks shine. Typically, a little vinegar, butter, and salt can do the trick. Sometimes even a sprinkle of sugar or a high-quality extra virgin olive oil find their way into the mix. These combinations bring balance, but if you're in a hurry and want to add some depth and meaty richness to your grains consider using nutritional yeast.

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Start by mixing it right into the water before adding your grain. This will give the flakey inactive yeast the opportunity to dissolve. Adding it afterward may result in some clumping, and as we know with some starchy grains like white rice, we'll want to refrain from stirring it too much after it's cooked. Nutritional yeast will bring a buttery flavor to your grain, while also providing a savory undertone. Without the use of salt (although you are welcome to add it in combination with nooch) the overall flavor will be elevated. Some people even describe nutritional yeast as being salty, although it doesn't contain any salt and is rather low in sodium. Don't settle for bland – add more flavor to your rice and grains.

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6. Garnish pasta marinara

One of the most popular and perhaps the most conceptually simple ways to use nutritional yeast is to use it in place of Parmesan cheese. And while many suggestions made on this list involve melting nooch into a recipe, I would encourage you to wait to add it until the very end when it comes to pasta marinara. Like with Parmesan, if it melts into the dish it's still delicious, but you won't get that direct tastebud-to-flavor contact. This is why you might notice salt sprinkled on top of crackers instead of mixed into the batter.

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A wonderful weeknight dinner recipe can be accomplished by throwing together a quick tomato sauce, boiling chickpea pasta, plating it all, and sprinkling it with nutritional yeast. The combination of protein from the chickpea pasta and the nutritional yeast will pack a powerful punch, and the savory notes from the cooked tomatoes and nutritional yeast will help the dish to soar. For bonus points, sprinkle with fresh minced basil or flat-leaf Italian parsley.

7. Blend into vegan cheesecake or cream cheese

One of the lesser-known nutritional yeast hacks is to include it in desserts and traditionally sweet foods. Two of my favorite applications are vegan cheesecake and cream cheese icing. Vegan cheesecake might sound like an oxymoron, but the truth is that if done properly it can be incredibly delicious. While some folks use tofu, others opt for cashews or other nuts. Either way, a sprinkle of nutritional yeast can help bring the subtly cheesy flavor missing from the alternative ingredients. Just a small dash will do the trick.

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When adding nutritional yeast to a vegan cream cheese or cream cheese frosting, be sure to do it in combination with some lemon juice to mimic the slight tangy undertones. Between the nooch, lemon juice, and sweetener your icing or tofu cream cheese will read much more like a dairy cream cheese. Keep the nutritional yeast minimal as the overall flavor should be mild.

8. Melt into beef or mushroom stew

If you enjoy a nice slow-cooker stew like I do then it's possible that you have your own recipe down. However, great cooks know there is always room for improvement, and if you aren't already using an umami enhancer in your stew, get ready for a game changer. Although nutritional yeast is often associated with a cheese replacer, it is also a flavor booster that can be added to cheese-less recipes.

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Nutritional yeast can be melted into stew to enhance the intense meatiness of a roast, or even already-umami-rich mushrooms. Simply add nutritional yeast once you've added liquid to the stew. You'll notice that your old-fashioned beef stew or hearty mushroom stew will have extra depth along with a meatier undertone. Sometimes a classic does deserve a new ingredient to jazz it up. Who says that nutritional yeast is just for the granola crowd?

9. Dust on nachos

Whether you're making vegan refried lentil nachos or three-cheese spicy beef nachos, it's important to consider using nutritional yeast to enhance your dish. Nachos are unique because they can range from gas-station quality to gourmet depending on the ingredients, and just about everyone loves them in almost any form. Even foodies can't resist a chip doused in orange squeeze cheese, so whatever end of the spectrum you're on in the nacho department know that nooch is still an appropriate addition.

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Proper nachos should have at least two components: chips and cheese. It's important that even vegan nachos have some form of gooey cheese, so using nutritional yeast on its own as a cheese replacer just won't satisfy that craving. Use nutritional yeast in addition to cashew cream or store-bought vegan cheese. It will help to enhance the cheesy flavor but doesn't offer that same melty mouthfeel. Be generous with your sprinkling, add only after they have come out of the oven, and enjoy that famous dish with an extra pop of flavor.

10. Include in your vegan scramble or scrambled eggs

Soy sauce and tamari are the famous umami ingredients that everyone can't get enough of in their scrambled eggs. While echoing the umami from the egg yolks, the sauces also provide salt to enhance the overall flavor of the dish. For those looking to decrease their sodium intake, or just looking for an additional boost in flavor turn to your new best friend, nutritional yeast. Not only is nutritional yeast untraceable in eggs because of its color, but it's also an extremely complementary flavor.

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Simply sprinkle the nutritional yeast into the scrambled egg mix, or on top of your omelet after it's been folded. Alternatively, use nutritional yeast in your chickpea scramble recipe or tofu scramble. This is a particularly important ingredient for any vegan egg you are attempting, and use in combination with black salt that has sulfur undertones mimicking the flavor of eggs. It will also help enhance the yellow coloring but may need a boost from turmeric.

11. Add to a cream soup or bisque

As someone who no longer cooks with dairy, it's important to be able to mimic that same sweet and fresh buttery flavor. The ingredients you choose should be determined by the particular food you are making. When it comes to creamy-based soups and bisques, I like to include either cashew cream or coconut milk along with nutritional yeast. Using nooch in your vegan green goddess soup or creamy vegan roasted cauliflower soup is a huge enhancement that can give it a familiar flavor without changing the concept of the dish.

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However, like most suggestions on this list, I would also advocate for the addition of nutritional yeast in your lobster bisque or cream-based corn chowder. Coupled with real cream and real butter, nooch is unstoppable and can add even more intensity to an already heavenly eating experience. Once you add liquid to the soup, include those little yellow flakes to give them a chance to break down and incorporate.

12. Mix into your dips

Chips and dip are so underrated, and I think it's because everyone's going with store-bought dips these days. Don't get me wrong, there are some incredible classics out there that are consistently crave-worthy, but there's nothing like a dense and delicious homemade dip to dunk chip into. Heck, I've eaten seven-layer dip for dinner and felt incredibly satisfied. Luckily, dips are fairly difficult to mess up as they only sometimes require cooking, and usually only demand measuring and stirring.

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If you do go with a store-bought brand, enhance it with the use of nutritional yeast. If not, try your hands at a creamy vegan dill dip or buffalo spinach artichoke dip, mixed with a hearty amount of nooch. Try to use nutritional yeast in a creamy dip like French onion or a cheese dip instead of something vinegar-based like salsa. Mix it right in, or sprinkle in on after, however, note that it will melt into the top of your dip and won't provide a flakey mouthfeel it has when it's dry.

13. Flavor herby popcorn

Is it just me or does everyone go through phases where they forget about popcorn being such an incredible snack, and then remember it all over again? Just like chips and crackers, popcorn wasn't meant to be enjoyed without a sauce or seasoning. While butter sauce and salt are both classic, we can reach a little further and add some pizzaz to the generally neutral snack food. Keep in mind that you can flavor popcorn just like you would season french fries. A little truffle oil, parsley, and parm could skew it gourmet, while some grill seasoning would make it the perfect barbecue snack food. Personally, I love to use nutritional yeast because it's an easy way to add a cheesy and buttery flavor without any liquid.

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There are a few combinations that are foolproof, and I always gravitate towards herby popcorn. Mix your favorite dried herbs with salt and nutritional yeast. Don't forget onion and garlic powder. This gives it a ranch-like flavor. Another way you could take this is to keep it plain and simple by just including salt with the nutritional yeast. For a stronger flavor, try curry powder and nutritional yeast, but just keep in mind your fingertips might get stained. At the end of the day, you can use nutritional yeast alongside just about any herb or savory spice, or in the place of Parmesan cheese.

14. Enhance your casserole

Potlucks are a gamble, but it's always exciting when someone brings an ooey, gooey, cheese-laden casserole stuffed with hidden veggies and topped with crunchy cereal or fried onions. It's an interesting combination that just kind of works, and nobody seems to mind how many sticks of butter are crammed in there because a few canned green beans are peaking out to say hi. A great way to bring those casseroles to the next level is to mix in nutritional yeast.

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Green bean casserole, vegan scalloped potatoes, egg bakes, Mexican casserole ... the list goes on and on. I would implore you to find a casserole that the use of nutritional yeast can't improve. Nooch is a great way to elevate flavor without dumping more salt onto your plate. It's a wonderful way to add a cheesy nip without upping the cholesterol content for those avoiding it. However, you can also include nutritional yeast in combination with canned cream of mushroom soup or shredded cheddar cheese. Use up to a ¼ cup for a casserole-sized dish, and be sure to include it in any dish with a creamy base. Sprinkle more on top for a warm glow and an extra kick of flavor.

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