Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional yeast has long been a popular ingredient in contemporary plant based dishes due to its savoury, nutty, and almost cheese-like flavour. Although it has the word yeast in its name, it is not in the same category as the kind of yeast used in baking or brewing. While made from the same strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, nutritional yeast is grown specifically for consumption as a food product, and the yeast is not alive in the final product, whereas it is in baking or brewing yeast.

Nutritional yeast  is made up of golden, irregular dried flakes that have a decidedly funky odour, but don’t let this put you off, as the flavour it adds to so many dishes is irreplaceable. It is usually enriched with B vitamins and surprisingly high in naturally occurring protein, making it an essential ingredient for plant-based diets and recipes. “Nut yeast” is a pantry staple that I am never without; I often buy it in bulk and keep it in glass jars, and it seems to last a long time with little detriment to its quality.

Where to find Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional yeast is easily found in just about any health food store, well stocked larger grocery stores, bulk food stores, and from online grocers and vendors.

How to use Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional yeast is an essential ingredient in my Simple Scrambled Tofu or Veggie Tofu Scrambler, and other recipes like cashew cheese, plant-based cheeses, and just about anything plant-based that needs an umami flavour base. Try putting it in a shaker and adding it to popcorn, kale chips, potato dishes, on top of salads, or just about anything that could benefit from some savoury, nutty, and cheese-like goodness.