Sauces, pastes & condiments · Seasonings
Nutritional yeast
Deactivated yeast flakes with a cheesy, nutty savour; sprinkled on popcorn and pasta and used in vegan 'cheese' sauces.
Also called: nooch, yeast flakes, savoury yeast flakes
Photo: myself/my spouse, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)
What it is
Yeast grown on a sugar source, heat-deactivated so it cannot leaven, then dried into yellow flakes or powder. It tastes savoury, cheesy and nutty and is a staple of vegan cooking. It is not the same as active baking yeast (which is alive) or brewer's yeast (bitter) or yeast extract spreads.
How it’s used
- Vegan cheese sauces and mac and cheese
- Sprinkling on popcorn, pasta and salads
- Tofu scramble
- Seasoning vegan pesto and gravies
Characteristics
- Taste
- Savoury, cheesy and nutty.
- Texture
- Light, dry flakes or powder.
- Appearance
- Pale to bright yellow.
- When cooked
- Dissolves into sauces, thickening them slightly; does not melt or stretch like cheese.
- Sold as
- flakes, powder
- Cooking uses
- Mainly a seasoning, Used as a garnish
- Common in
- American, International
Storage
Cool, dry and dark. Keep airtight away from moisture and light.
Diet, allergens and safety
No major allergens in typical versions.
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Dairy-free
- Egg-free
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
- Soy-free
- Caffeine-free
- Cannot be used to raise bread. Often fortified; check labels. Made in facilities that may handle gluten.
Nutrition per 100 g
- Energy
- 325 kcal
- Protein
- 40.44 g
- Carbohydrate
- 41.22 g
- Fat
- 7.61 g
- Fibre
- 26.9 g
- Sugars
- 0 g
USDA FoodData Central: Leavening agents, yeast, baker's, active dry (a close stand-in).
Substitutes
Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.
Related ingredients
Recipes with nutritional yeast
No recipe in the catalogue uses it yet.