Spend just a short amount of time around vegans and you are likely to hear the words ‘nutritional yeast’ – often called ‘nooch’. But what is nutritional yeast and how do you use it?
Those are great questions, especially if you are new to this deliciously mysteriously cheesy, nutty, flakey substance!
In this article, we explore everything you need to know about nutritional yeast, including what it tastes like, how to use it, and where to store it.
Table of contents
What is Nutritional Yeast?
Let’s start with the basics and understand exactly what nutritional yeast is.
Firstly, when you hear the word ‘yeast’, you may automatically think of baking or beer. This is understandable because yeast is traditionally used to leaven bread or create the alcohol in your favorite brew.
The yeast used in these scenarios is a single-celled fungus known as Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Nutritional yeast is actually a form of the same yeast. However, it is grown with the specific purpose of being used in cooking, so it’s deactivated.
With its distinctive yellow flakes, nutritional yeast has become a staple in the kitchens of vegetarians and vegans for both its cheesy flavor and nutritional value.
What Does Nutritional Yeast Taste Like?
There’s a reason people love nutritional yeast – it tastes amazing!
It has a distinctively nutty, cheesy, umami flavor. This means it’s great when used in cooking and as a finishing touch, much like parmesan cheese.
Because of its taste, nooch is often used to add a cheesy flavor to plant-based recipes that don’t use dairy cheese. For example, our delicious baked vegan mac and cheese. Without it, recipes like this wouldn’t be half as delicious.
What Are the Nutritional Benefits?
With a name like nutritional yeast, you may expect this stuff to be pretty nutritional – and you would be right!
In terms of macronutrients, it ticks a lot of boxes. It’s very low in sugar and saturated fat, but high in fiber and protein. In fact, nooch is a complete protein, containing all nine of the essential amino acids that humans require from food.
Of course, it’s probably not practical to eat nutritional yeast as your main vegan protein source, as one tablespoon only contains 2g of protein. Still, it can add a welcome protein boost to your recipes.
It also contains around 5g of fiber per tablespoon, which is around 1/5 of your recommended daily intake.
As for micronutrients, nooch is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. In fact, one tablespoon can contain more than 100% of your RDI for B vitamins, including folic acid, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, and the often-elusive vitamin B12.
Nutritional yeast also usually contains other nutrients such as zinc, selenium, magnesium, potassium, and manganese (although each brand’s nutritional profile differs).
Compare this to other flavor enhancers, such as parmesan cheese or salt, and nooch is clearly a champion seasoning!
How Do You Use Nutritional Yeast?
Nutritional yeast is so versatile, so you can use it in a variety of ways.
One of the most popular uses is as a cheese or salt replacement, sprinkled over pasta, popcorn, or salads to add a savory flavor and a nutritional boost.
It can also be used during cooking, wherever a cheesy flavor is required. Think mac and cheese, vegan alfredo fettuccine, mashed potato, cheese biscuits, kale chips, and pesto.
It’s also ideal when a recipe requires some depth and umami, such as our crispy vegan butternut squash fritters.
Note that you can also certainly use it in baking. However, as it is deactivated, it can only be used as a flavor enhancer as opposed to a leavening agent.
How Do You Store Nutritional Yeast?
Nutritional yeast is pretty easy to store and requires no refrigeration (although storing it in the fridge will extend its life even longer).
Ensure to keep it in a sealed container, as moisture is not a friend of nutritional yeast! In many circumstances, you can store the yeast in the same container it came in – usually a resealable bag or cardboard tub.
If you purchase it in bulk, you will want to transfer the yeast into a glass airtight container.
Then store it in a cool, dark place; usually where you store your spices and seasonings. If stored correctly, it should last for a few years.
Where Do You Buy Nutritional Yeast?
Finally, where do you actually buy nutritional yeast from?
The good news is that nooch is now very popular and most grocery stores sell it. You can also buy it online, which is handy if you have a particular favorite brand. For example, we are big fans of Bragg Premium Nutritional Yeast.
If you want to buy it in bulk, head to a health food store or a zero-waste store, and then store your yeast as described above.
Enjoy your vegan gold dust!
