What Is Nutritional Yeast?

A Guide to Buying, Using, and Storing Nutritional Yeast

nutritional yeast

Lindsay Kreighbaum / The Spruce Eats  

The name "nutritional yeast" sounds a bit clinical, but this vegan-friendly ingredient adds a cheesy flavor to everything from popcorn to garlic bread to pasta. Aficionados often refer to it as "nootch." It's been in the spotlight in vegan cookbooks and vegetarian restaurants for a long time and for good reason: Fortified nutritional yeast provides a rare non-animal source of vitamin B12. But even the most committed meat-eaters can appreciate the savory seasoning Bon Appetit magazine called "nature's Cheeto dust."

What Is Nutritional Yeast?

An inactivated form of yeast commonly used to leaven bread, nutritional yeast looks like red pepper flakes, only yellow, or powdered Parmesan cheese, with which it shares a deceptively similar flavor, despite being non-dairy. Brewer's yeast comes from the same species, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but don't confuse the two: While you can use the live version to make beer, the spent cells following fermentation would taste far too bitter to consume with any pleasure.

How to Use Nutritional Yeast

Vegetarian, vegan, or not, dried nutritional yeast is a versatile seasoning to keep right next to the salt and pepper. Shake a dusting on toast or a bagel, use it to flavor popcorn, add it to soups before serving, replace the classic Parmesan sprinkle on a plate of pasta, or watch it improve the kid-appeal of any type of vegetable.

Vegan-adapted recipes use nutritional yeast to add creaminess to sauces or to replicate traditionally cheese-laden dishes such as mac and cheese, au gratin potatoes, or Italian-style pasta casseroles.

What Does It Taste Like?

The words "nutty" and "cheesy" appear in nearly every description of nutritional yeast, yet the flavor does not replicate those ingredients exactly. It adds umami, that savory background note often referred to as the fifth taste, and similarly to salt, enhances the overall savoriness of dish, although it contains almost no sodium.

Recipes With Nutritional Yeast

Many vegetarian and vegan recipes call for nutritional yeast, either as a flavorful table seasoning or as an incorporated ingredient. But don't let your status as an omnivore keep you from trying the rave-worthy dishes.

Where to Buy Nutritional Yeast

Look for nutritional yeast in the bulk foods or supplement section of just about any natural foods store or health co-op, even the small ones. Most grocery stores, especially larger ones, also stock nutritional yeast. You might find it in a dedicated health-food section, with the packaged spices and seasonings, or on the baking aisle. Bragg and Bob's Red Mill are two widely distributed brands marketing packaged nutritional yeast, which you can also find online.

Storage

Transfer nutritional yeast purchased in bulk or in non-resealable bags into a completely dry glass container with an airtight lid when you get home. If you purchase nutritional yeast packaged in an airtight plastic container similar to spices and other seasonings, you can keep it in the store packaging in the pantry. In a cool, dark location, it should last for a couple of years. Put it in the refrigerator or freezer to extend the shelf life even more.

what is nutritional yeast
The Spruce Eats / Catherine Song
Article Sources
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  1. Hever J. Plant-Based Diets: A Physician's Guide. Perm J. 2016;20(3):15-082. doi:10.7812/TPP/15-082