You may have heard of nutritional yeast being praised as the perfectly nutritious vegan flavor booster. And a tasty one, at that!
With a cheesy and nutty flavor, nutritional yeast is often used in dishes as a cheese substitute. It’s used for everything from vegan mac and cheese to vegan quiche.
Nutritional yeast has proven to be especially beneficial for vegans, as it can help prevent vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 is found naturally in animal products (like eggs, poultry and meat) and in fortified products like nutritional yeast.
But what other nutritional health yeast benefits are available? And is nutritional yeast good for you if you’re a carnivore, or just the strictly vegan folks?
Let’s take a closer look at nutritional yeast nutrition facts and see what all the fuss is about!
What Is Nutritional Yeast?
Nutritional yeast is a vegan and soy-free powder supplement that is used in many different recipes because it provides a variety of vitamins, minerals and protein. Nutritional yeast may offer health benefits from immune support to lower cholesterol. Not only does nutritional yeast contain important B vitamins and minerals, it’s also a good source of fiber and protein.
Nutritional yeast is sometimes referred to as nooch, yeshi, brufax or savory yeast. You can find nutritional yeast flakes or yellow nutritional yeast powder in health foods stores, natural markets and here at Bob’s Red Mill.
Not to be confused with baking yeast such as active dry yeast, nutritional food yeast is cultivated specifically for use as a supplement. It is dried at higher temperatures than baking yeast, which inactivates the yeast’s leavening ability. Bob's Red Mill nutritional yeast is Candida albicans negative.
It’s found that many individuals who have trouble digesting yeasted or fermented foods have no problem with this product (as it’s grown on a carbohydrate and contains no gluten, dairy products, sugar or preservatives).
The suggested daily serving size is 15 grams, or approximately 1/4 cup of flakes. Our nutritional yeast can be incorporated into morning juice or cereal, dusted over hot popcorn, used as a salad seasoning, or added to sauces, gravies, soups, casseroles, burgers and spreads. It can be sprinkled over spaghetti, pizza or used as an alternative to grated cheese.
Common Food Uses for Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional yeast is used as a topping or even as a common cooking ingredient on a variety of different recipes. Whether you are looking for a new topping for your popcorn, or you are looking for something to add to your risotto or even to your salad seasoning, these are common foods that are made using nutritional yeast:
- Baked chicken
- Creamy risotto
- Healthy potato chips
- Nacho “cheese” sauce
- Soup
- Vegan pesto
- Popcorn
- Vegan hollandaise
- Vegan quiche
- Vegan mac and cheese
- Salad seasoning
- Kale chips
- Roasted veggies
- Biscuits
- Pizzas and spaghettis
- Veggie burgers
Nutritional Yeast Benefits: Health Benefits & Nutritional Facts
Nutritional yeast has many benefits, from providing various vitamins and minerals, to being a good alternative for some dietary restrictions. Some of the main nutritional yeast benefits include:
- Nutritional yeast provides B vitamins such as thiamin, folate, niacin, riboflavin and vitamin B6
- Offers important minerals such asiron
- Is a complete source of protein that contains all nine essential amino acids that humans must get from food
- Nutritional yeast is vegan, making it a great source of protein for those who have dietary restrictions
- Is soy-free
- Is a good source of fiber
- Is low in fat and sodium
Two Types of Nutritional Yeast
There are two types of nutritional yeast: fortified and unfortified. Here are the differences between the two.
Fortified Nutritional Yeast
Fortified nutritional yeast contains vitamins that are added to the product when it is being produced. Discover if you’re purchasing fortified nutritional yeast by checking the packaging and ingredients list. Make sure to purchase this type if you are looking to incorporate more vitamins and minerals into your diet.
Unfortified Nutritional Yeast
Unfortified nutritional yeast does not contain added vitamins or minerals. Rather, it contains the vitamins and minerals that are produced naturally by the yeast cells as they ferment. If you aren’t trying to get more vitamins and minerals into your diet, you can opt for this unfortified type of nutritional yeast. This variety will still contain B vitamins (as they are formed naturally while the yeast grows).
Nutritional Yeast Recipes
When it comes to nutritional yeast usage, there are many recipes where this cheesy-tasting ingredient can be utilized. From quiche to popcorn, here are some of our team’s favorite ways to use nutritional yeast.
Potato and Kale Vegan Quiche
This Potato and Kale Vegan Quiche is amazing for brunch with vegan friends! It relies on garbanzo bean flour for an incredible gluten free egg substitute and uses nutritional yeast in its filling as an extra tasty added bonus. The crust is made with Gluten Free Pie Crust, coconut oil and water and is the perfect consistency for the filling. Once the filling is transferred to the pie crust, smooth it out and bake it for 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving. We recommend eating this quiche in the sunshine on a warm Sunday. Pair it with iced coffee and almond milk or whipped coconut cream for the ultimate dairy-free brunch treat.
Nutritional Yeast Cheese Sauce
This delicious and simple recipe for Nutritional Yeast Cheese Sauce is made with Bob's Red Mill Nutritional Yeast and All-Purpose Flour. Whether you’re opting to create this sauce to forego dairy or just to get some extra vitamins when you’re craving something cheesy, this recipe is a wonderful one to keep in your vegan recipe book. It can be used on vegetables and pasta, though our favorite way to enjoy it is over baked potatoes. To create it, whisk together nutritional yeast flakes, flour and salt in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in cold water until the sauce thickens, bring to a rolling boil, reduce heat, cook 1 minute and remove from heat. Whisk in non-dairy butter (or vegetable oil) and mustard and voila, you have your magic sauce! Keep in mind the sauce will thicken as it cools, but thins down when heated.
Chickpea Flour Omelette with Chipotle-Grilled Tomato
This Chickpea Flour Omelette with Chipotle-Grilled Tomato offers a unique twist on a breakfast classic. The omelette is made with Garbanzo Bean Flour, nutritional yeast, salt, turmeric powder, olive oil, curly kale and soy sauce. The grilled tomato is a beefsteak tomato flavored with chipotle powder, olive oil and salt. Although it might be a bit different in appearance than your typical omelette, the taste is one to rave about. If you’re an avocado lover, top it with sliced of avocado and some fresh herbs (and maybe, even an additional sprinkle of nutritional yeast for more “cheesy” goodness).
Vegan Mac and Cheez
This Mac and Cheez is made with macaroni, cashews, nutritional yeast salt, garlic powder, lemon juice and paprika. It’s a wonderful alternative to traditional dairy mac and cheese and has a fantastic flavor due to the nutritional yeast in combination with the other ingredients. Serve this dish to vegan friends or when you’re looking to experiment with a nutritious alternative to a classic dinner favorite. If you aren’t vegan or vegetarian, this dish pairs beautifully with grilled sausage.
Hemp Burgers
Burgers and cheese are a match made in heaven, and these Hemp Burgers offer a vegan twist on a traditional taste pairing. They’re made with tofu, Hulled Hemp Seed, Shelled Sunflower Seeds, dried breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, garlic, basil, parsley, thyme and garlic powder. They can be made into small or large “meatballs” before being baked until evenly browned. We suggest a toasted brioche bun, a nice leaf of butter lettuce, a thick slice of tomato and a hefty spread of the secret sauce of your choosing.
Vegan Quinoa Mushroom Risotto
Risottos offer a wonderful vehicle for nutritional yeast. This Vegan Quinoa Mushroom Risotto is simple to prepare yet packed full of flavor. It’s made with garlic, mushrooms, shallots, quinoa, vegetable broth, homemade cashew milk and nutritional yeast. We love this dish in the cooler months when we’re yearning for something cozy and comforting. If you aren’t vegan or vegetarian, pair it alongside roasted turkey or chicken.
Nacho Popcorn
This Nacho Popcorn is made with Yellow Popcorn, coconut oil, nutritional yeast, salt, ground paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, ground cumin and cayenne pepper. Start with unpopped popcorn and place it in a large pot over medium-high heat with melted coconut oil. Cover with lid and shake periodically, allowing the popcorn to pop. Once your popcorn has been popped, remove it from the heat and add your spice mixture of nutritional yeast, salt and spices. Toss and serve alongside a good movie and good company.
Whether you’re looking to incorporate nutritional yeast into your diet to get more vitamins,try something new, or to taste something amazing, we hope this article has you feeling excited about this versatile ingredient!
If you’ve never used nutritional yeast in your diet, start with something simple like adding a sprinkle to your movie night popcorn. Its cheesy, nutty flavor works well in everything from popcorn to eggs to risottos.
Do you utilize nutritional yeast in your kitchen? If so, feel free to share a recipe or an idea with us in the comments below! We’re always searching for morsels of recipe inspiration (especially when they involve one of our favorite tasty ingredients).
From all of us at Bob’s Red Mill, thanks for reading! Wishing you happy and healthy eating and recipe creating ahead.
