Ingredient Spotlight: Nutritional Yeast

I was first introduced to the notorious ‘nooch’ when I went vegan about 3 years ago. It was presented as a replacement for cheese. I was offered “mac and cheese” that was basically noodles in nooch flavored paste, and was told to just sprinkle it on everything I wanted to taste ‘cheesy’. LIES! Not only did I not think there was anything cheesy about it, but I didn’t like the taste. At all.

In my eyes it was a fail! But I have to say…I’ve come around.

If you are not vegan chances are you haven’t even heard of this ingredient. So what IS Nutritional Yeast?

As its name implies, its a yeast that is grown on a growth medium, usually glucose, and often from sugarcane or beet molasses. When it’s ready, the yeast is heated, harvested, washed, dried and packaged.

It is sold in the form of flakes or a yellow powder in natural food stores and is high in protein and Folate. Some are fortified with Vitamin B-12, but many are not, so if you want that, make sure to check.

Now a few years and lots of recipes later, I have to come to truly appreciate this ingredient. The key is to use it as an accent and not a main flavor. Barring one exception…Popcorn.

Now this is one suggestion that was made that was right on. It is THE way we eat popcorn at my house. After popping it, I spray it with olive oil and toss in nutritional yeast and salt. In fact, my kids will rub their fingers on the bowl to pick up the last flakes left behind in the bowl.

I also use it in my basic scrambled tofu. Sometimes I don’t want my tofu with mushrooms and spinach and all the rest of that stuff. This is a neutral flavored ‘scrambled egg’ version. I eat it with all the other breakfast players, like toast and hash browns, or waffles, or pancakes, or wrapped up in a breakfast burrito.

Check out my recipe for Basic Scrambled Eggs with just the right amount of nooch!

Recipes with Nutritional Yeast:

My Kids’ Mac and Cheese

Vegan Cauliflower, Zucchini and Brown Rice Quiche