Nutritional Yeast

Flakes of deactivated yeast, grown and then dried. They taste savory, nutty and somewhat cheesy, and cooks use them to add umami without any dairy.

Flavor

How to use it

Sprinkle at the End. Stir or sprinkle it on right before serving so you can taste and adjust. It works on popcorn, pasta and roasted vegetables.

Build a Sauce. Blend it with soaked cashews, lemon juice, garlic and a little mustard for a creamy, cheesy-tasting sauce.

Common mistakes

• Adding too much at once, which can turn dishes bitter or yeasty.
• Expecting it to melt or stretch like cheese. It adds flavor, not texture.

What goes with nutritional yeast

• Pasta. Nutritional yeast gives plain pasta a cheesy, savory dusting.
• Cashew. Cashews blend into a creamy base that nutritional yeast turns cheesy.
• Tofu. Nutritional yeast adds a savory, eggy-cheesy flavor to tofu scrambles.
• Potato. Nutritional yeast adds a savory, cheesy coating to roasted potatoes and fries.
• Garlic. Garlic's bite sharpens nutritional yeast's savory flavor.
• Mushroom. Mushrooms and nutritional yeast stack up their savory flavors.
• Kale. Nutritional yeast coats kale chips with a savory, cheesy crunch.
• Broccoli. Nutritional yeast adds savory depth to roasted broccoli.

Try tonight

• Cashew and nutritional yeast mac
• Tofu scramble with turmeric and yeast flakes
• Roasted potatoes tossed with nutritional yeast and garlic

Storage

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard.