Receta Nutritional Yeast 101 – What is it!?
Nutritional Yeast 101 – What is it!?
Nutritional Yeast – Clean & Delicious®
Nutritional yeast is a new ingredient in my life.
I honestly didn’t even know what it was 6 months ago, but after receiving multiple questions from readers and viewers inquiring about this ingredient, I knew it was time for me to do a little investigation!
What is Nutritional Yeast?
Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast that is cultured on the surface of molasses. It’s different then yeast you would use for say bread or pizza because this yeast does not rise, it’s not alive.
While nutritional yeast is cultivated on molasses, the flavor is NOT sweet. It has a cheesy, nutty, savory, “umami” flavor profile, yet it is dairy-free! And because it has this ability to mimic cheese, it has become very popular for people who are vegan or simply don’t do dairy.
The easiest way to think about nutritional yeast is like a dairy-free option for Parmesan cheese.
It has an impressive nutritional profile; it’s rich in folic acid, selenium, zinc and B-vitamins (including Vitamin B-12).
It’s also gluten-free, low in fat, and high in protein, 2 tbsp. of the yeast has 8 grams of protein, so it’s a great way to get added protein to your diet especially if you are vegan or vegetarian.
There are lots of creative ways to use it. You can sprinkle it over your popcorn or on a hot roasted sweet potato, use in place of Parmesan for a vegan pesto, or make this Vegan Queso Dip.
If you want to learn all the little details about this dairy-free seasoning, be sure to check out the video below.