Want some great nutritional yeast recipes? If you have ever wondered what nutritional yeast (aka nooch) is or how to use it, this post is for you. It includes everything you ever wanted to know about this golden powder, plus over 30 nutritional yeast recipes that you’ll love!

A wooden bowl filled with yellow nutritional yeast flakes.

Nutritional yeast is a yellow, flaky powder with a cheesy flavor. Also referred to as nooch, this stuff is like magic in vegan cooking. Nutritional yeast is the only vegan ingredient that tastes cheesy. It also has an umami profile that adds depth to your meals! Not only is it delicious, but it’s also packed with protein and vitamins.

Why use nutritional yeast

Nutritional yeast has a cheesy and slightly nutty flavor that’s delicious on popcorn, pasta, rice, bread, and more. Use it in savory dishes to give your meals a rich umami flavor. It’s an easy way to add protein and vitamins to your meals. Most kids love the taste of it, so it’s a great way to get extra nutrients in picky eaters.

How is nutritional yeast made?

Nutritional yeast is made by growing yeast in a glucose solution and then heating it to deactivate it. (This kills the yeast and makes it inactive, so you can’t use it for baking.) Nutritional yeast is washed, vitamins such as B12 are added, and it is dried and packaged.

What is nutritional yeast used for?

Nutritional yeast is used as a cheesy flavoring in many vegan recipes, especially vegan cheese. It’s also delicious sprinkled on popcorn or used in place of Parmesan cheese on pasta dishes. My kids love to sprinkle it on bread or tortillas, and I use it to season vegan cheese crackers for snacks.

A bowl of nutritional yeast with a spoonful on the side with the word nutritional yeast written on the side.

Where to buy it?

You can buy nutritional yeast at most large grocery stores and natural food markets. You can find it in bulk in natural food stores or the natural foods section of most grocery stores. If you can’t find it locally, it’s easy to buy online and have it shipped to your home.

Our favorite brands

There is a slight flavor difference between brands of nutritional yeast. I’ve found that the more yellow the color, the more flavorful the Nooch. You can find it in bulk at many co-ops and natural foods stores, but if it has been left out for too long, it will lose some of its flavor. I prefer to buy it in small bags at Trader Joe’s or in a sealed container like the KAL brand or Anthony’s brand for the freshest and cheesiest flavor.

Frequently asked questions

Is nutritional yeast bad for you?

If you are allergic to yeast or following a Candida diet, you should avoid nutritional yeast; otherwise, it adds vitamins and protein to foods.

Is nutritional yeast good for you?

In just 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast, there are 8 grams of protein, and it’s rich in B vitamins. The vitamin content varies by brand, but most provide about 400% of your RDA for B12.

What is the difference between nutritional yeast flakes and powder?

There is very little difference between flakes and powder other than the size. It will measure slightly more with powder than with flakes due to the lack of air space, but this won’t make a difference in most recipes, since Nooch is just for flavor and is not an active yeast that would change the outcome.

Is nutritional yeast gluten-free?

Yes, nutritional yeast is gluten-free! I would avoid bulk nutritional yeast, as there may be cross-contamination.

Is nutritional yeast vegan?

Yeast is a type of fungus and not an animal. No animal products are used in the production of nutritional yeast, making it vegan.

How to store nutritional yeast

Keep your nutritional yeast in a cool, dry place. If you buy it in bulk, store it in a sealed glass container in the pantry. You can also keep it in the fridge or freezer if you won’t be using it within the next month or so.

A wooden board filled with vegan cheeses, crackers, and grapes.

Recipes that use nutritional yeast

Vegan Cheeses

Nutritional yeast is the key ingredient in most vegan cheeses. If you leave it out of these recipes, they just won’t taste like cheese. Here are just a few of the vegan cheese recipes that I make with it. You can see all of my free vegan cheese recipes here, or check out my guide to vegan cheese-making cookbook.

A blue plate full of vegan fettuccine Alfredo made with coconut milk.

Soups and Sauces

Nooch is great for flavoring soups and sauces, too. Sprinkle it on anything you want to have a cheesy, umami flavor.

A roasted vegan ham sliced on a cutting board.

Vegan meats

Nutritional yeast adds a rich umami flavor to vegan meat substitutes. I use it in lots of my seitan recipes to give them a meatier flavor.

Vegan scrambled eggs made from tofu topped with green onions with vegan bacon and a strawberry on the side.

Vegan eggs

Nooch also gives egg substitutes a more realistic umami flavor. I use it in all of my egg-like recipes.

A spatula full of roasted root veggies held above a sheet pan.

Roasted Vegetables

Nutritional yeast gives veggies a cheesy flavor. Sprinkle it on anything you would top with Parmesan cheese.

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