What Are Nutritional yeast flakes and How Can I Use Them?

Nutritional yeast flakes rewards a little know-how: how to choose them, cook them, store them, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 84 recipes to cook with them.

What are nutritional yeast flakes?

Nutritional yeast, is a deactivated yeast that is popular with vegans and vegetarians. It is available at some supermarkets and health food stores in the form of flakes, or as a yellow powder similar in texture to cornmeal.

Look in the bulk section of your local natural food store to find it.

Nutritional yeast has a strong flavor that is described as creamy, cheesy or nutty which makes it popular as a cheese substitute.

It is a rich source of B-complex vitamins and also contains some protein and other vitamins. It is also low in fat and low in sodium.

Quick facts

Where to find nutritional yeast flakes: Nutritional yeast flakes are usually found in the baking supplies section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

In Chinese: 营养酵母片
British (UK) term: Nutritional yeast flakes
en français: flocons de levure nutritionnelle
en español: copos de levadura nutricional

Recipes using nutritional yeast flakes

There are 84 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Vegan Mac & "Cheese"

Kid friendly and super healthy use of cheese like ingredients!

Vegan Sour Cream-Eggplant Meatballs

Moist and Delicious These Vegan Sour Cream-Eggplant Meatballs Are Great Tasting In My Homemade Sauce!! ..Topped Over A Bed Of Spaghetti Pasta!

Tofu Salmon Croquettes

These Little Croquettes Are Light And Delicious!! Great For Side Dish!!

Soy Sauce Veggie Oat Burgers

Serve in buns or as a main course, hot or cold. Can be frozen.

Healthy Chicken Pasta Bake

A delicious and wholesome, healthy dinner recipe that has under 500 calories per serving and will keep you full for hours. It takes just 30 minutes to make and is perfect for a nutritious week-night meal. It’s family pleasing, creamy and perfect for making the most of any leftover veggies.

Vegetarian Italian Sausage (Seitan)

I was out of Tofurkey Italian Sausage tonight and needed to substitute something else because I can't buy it. I had a cupboard full of Bob's Vital Wheat Gluten and some TVP, so I figured I'd try making it. When my hubby came home, he tried it and immediately said "Write it down! Write it down!" I guess he liked it!

Double Stout

Rich, full-bodied homebrew stout made with dark malt extract, roasted barley, and black patent malt for deep chocolate and coffee notes.

Mushroom & Sweet Pepper Quiche

Vegan crustless tofu quiche with mushrooms, bell pepper, and nutritional yeast. An egg-free, dairy-free brunch dish that bakes up firm with golden edges.

Soy & Sesame Tofu Burgers

Vegan soy and sesame tofu burgers bound with grated potato, whole-wheat flour, and nutritional yeast. Savory plant-based patties baked or pan-fried with sesame seeds and a soy backbone.

Manhattan Chowder

Vegan Manhattan chowder with crushed tomatoes, potatoes, and wakame seaweed for a briny seafood flavor without the clams. Hearty, plant-based, and full of umami.

Karen's Meatless Chili

Karen's meatless chili with jalapenos, five tablespoons of chili powder, molasses, nutritional yeast, and apple cider vinegar. Vegan, bold, and deeply spiced.

Tofu-Vegetable Pizza

Vegan tofu vegetable pizza topped with shredded frozen-then-thawed tofu, sauteed peppers, garlic, fresh tomatoes, and olives. Finished with a snowfall of nutritional yeast for that cheesy umami hit.

Robin's Vegetarian Pot Pie

Vegetarian pot pie with seasoned tofu, sauteed vegetables, and chickenless gravy baked in a double-crust pie shell. All the comfort of classic pot pie, completely meat-free.

Spaghetti & Tofu

Vegan spaghetti with mashed tofu, nutritional yeast, and tamari stirred into tomato sauce. A quick, high-protein plant-based pasta dinner for two.

Vegetable Lasagna Curls

Lasagna noodles rolled around a broccoli, mushroom, and cottage cheese filling, baked in marinara sauce. A fun vegetarian twist on classic lasagna that looks as good as it tastes.

Brown Rice Casserole

Brown rice casserole with tofu, mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, and cheese seasoned with cumin and nutritional yeast. A hearty vegetarian baked main dish loaded with vegetables.

Winter Vegetable Stock

Rich winter vegetable stock made with squash, celeriac, leeks, lentils, and fresh herbs, stewed then simmered for deep seasonal flavor. A vegan soup base.

Eggless Omelets

Besides serving as little omelets, these can be rolled up like crepes. Especially good wrapped around some sauteed mushrooms or ratatouille.

Walnut Burgers

Baked vegetarian walnut burgers with silken tofu, sunflower seeds, herb stuffing mix, scallions, and nutritional yeast. A hearty meatless patty that holds together on the bun and delivers plenty of savory flavor.

Tangy Mushroom Miso Gravy

Vegan mushroom miso gravy with balsamic vinegar, nutritional yeast, and tamari. Rich umami flavor, low-fat, and thickened with cornstarch for a silky pour.

Nutritional Yeast Parmesan

Nutritional yeast Parmesan: a 3-ingredient vegan cheese substitute made from nutritional yeast, sesame seeds, and salt. The dairy-free swap that nails the savory umami of real Parmesan.

Savory Pumpkin Spread

Savory pumpkin spread mixes canned pumpkin puree with nutritional yeast, marjoram, dry mustard, and garlic salt. Vegan, no-cook, and ready in minutes. Thin with water for a dipping sauce.

Peta Spanish Tofu Omelette

PETA Spanish tofu omelette is a vegan take on tortilla española with soft tofu, potato, onion, and green pepper. No eggs, no dairy, ready in 30 minutes. Served with salsa.

Chickenless Gravy

Vegetarian gravy made with nutritional yeast, mushrooms, and vegetable bouillon. Rich, savory, and ready in 30 minutes with zero chicken required.

Vegan Lentil & Tomato Soup

Vegan lentil and tomato soup is a fiber-packed weeknight pot built around red lentils, tomatoes and a cheesy hit of nutritional yeast. Pressure-cooker fast or hour-simmered.

N.Y.Cima Roll

A vegan cima roll: pureed tofu wrapped around a colorful filling of seitan, spinach, roasted red peppers, pistachios, and peas, then steamed into a sliceable log. Plant-based Italian showpiece.

Basic Vegetarian Broth

Vegetarian broth that mimics chicken stock using nutritional yeast, mushrooms, onions, and poultry seasoning. The 5-minute meatless replacement for chicken stock in any recipe.

Stuffed Thanksgiving Pumpkins

Try this new and delicious spin on Thanksgiving where the pumpkins are stuffed with pine nuts, celery and apricots.

MacAroni & No-Cheese

Vegan mac and cheese with butternut squash, tahini, miso, nutritional yeast, and mustard blended into a creamy dairy-free sauce, baked with breadcrumbs. Plant-based comfort food.

Family Casserole

Vegan shepherd's pie style casserole with a mashed potato crust, savory tofu filling, mushrooms, corn and spinach, smothered in homemade brown gravy. Hearty plant-based comfort food.

Family Casserole

Vegan shepherd's pie style casserole with a mashed potato crust, savory tofu filling, mushrooms, corn and spinach, smothered in homemade brown gravy. Hearty plant-based comfort food.

Best Vegan Potatoes Au Gratin

Vegan potatoes au gratin layers baked potato slices with sauteed onion, celery, and carrot in a cheesy plant-based gravy. Topped with paprika and nutritional yeast for that classic golden finish.

Tofu Fu Yung

With the tons of flavor, you will fall in love this Eastern cheese-tofu, the musrhoom gravy adds the layers of taste. Serve it with rice or egg noodles.

Jalapeno-Yeast-Corn Muffins

Jalapeño yeast corn muffins are vegan corn muffins made with silken tofu, nutritional yeast, and chopped fresh jalapeño. Egg-free, dairy-free, ready in 45 minutes. Twelve muffins per batch.

Cheesy Gravy

A savory, dairy-free gravy made from nutritional yeast that tastes remarkably cheesy without a drop of cream. Vegan, versatile, and ready in 20 minutes. Pour it over everything.

Spanish Tofu Omelette

A vegan Spanish tortilla made with blended tofu, potato, tomato, green pepper, and turmeric for that golden egg color. Egg-free, protein-rich, and ready in 30 minutes.

Vegan Eggplant Parm Stew

This would probably be really good with cauliflower or zucchini instead of eggplant.

Cauliflower-Broccoli Cheese Bake

Cauliflower broccoli cheese bake with sauteed vegetables layered in cheesy gravy, topped with nutritional yeast and paprika. A vegan-friendly casserole with a savory, golden crust.

Golden Vegetable Noodle Soup

Golden vegetable noodle soup: a turmeric-tinted vegan broth with split peas, noodles, carrots, and nutritional yeast for cheesy umami. Fat-free, plant-based comfort in one bowl.

Oatburgers with Mushrooms

Vegan oatburgers with mushrooms, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and herbs. Baked until firm with a savory, meaty flavor. Makes a big batch of 20 to 25 patties.

Spinach Pizza

Dairy-free spinach pizza on split pita crusts with a nutritional yeast béchamel, sauteed mushrooms, garlic, and Roma tomatoes. Fast weeknight vegan individual pizzas.

Soysage (Vegan)

Homemade vegan sausage (soysage) made from soybeans, kombu, oats, gluten flour, and classic sausage spices like sage, fennel, and cayenne. Steamed until firm and sliceable.

Popeye Burger

Popeye burgers are hearty vegetarian patties packed with spinach, potato, oats, and veggies, topped with homemade nutritional-yeast "cheese" sauce. A plant-based alternative to the beef classic.

Macaroni & Cheesy Tofu

Vegan baked mac and cheese with mashed tofu, soy milk, and nutritional yeast for a dairy-free cheesy sauce. Worcestershire and tamari add savory depth - hot and bubbly from the oven.

Stuffed Avocados

Vegan stuffed avocados loaded with crunchy cucumber, radishes, scallions, and soy sauce, topped with sesame meal, nutritional yeast, and sprouts. A fresh, no-cook lunch in 15 minutes.

Refried Bean Burgers

Vegetarian bean burgers made with refried beans, rice, toasted sesame seeds, oats, and nutritional yeast. Freezer-friendly patties you can fry or bake.

Savoury Vegetarian Burgers

Homemade vegetarian burgers with pressed tofu, sauteed vegetables, taco seasoning, and nutritional yeast, dredged in wheat germ and pan-fried until crisp.

Pocket Soup - Goldbeck

Pocket soup is a homemade instant soup powder: split peas, bulgur, dried vegetable flakes, sesame and sunflower seeds, and nutritional yeast ground to a fine powder. Add boiling water for a quick vegan broth anywhere.

Eggplant Yeast Bake

Vegan eggplant bake layered with a savory nutritional yeast and tahini sauce. Sliced eggplant and sauteed onions in a creamy, dairy-free, cheese-like sauce with tamari and basil.

Italian Spaghetti Casserole

Vegan Italian spaghetti casserole with tofu ricotta, nutritional yeast cheesy sauce, and a homemade tomato-herb sauce baked until bubbly. A plant-based baked ziti.

All 84 recipes