13 Ways You Never Thought To Use Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional yeast doesn't look like much. At first glance, you'd be forgiven for thinking it's some dry, sawdust-like, tasteless health food powder. But looks, in this case, are very deceiving. Nutritional yeast, or "nooch" as it's affectionately called by its fervent fans, is an extremely versatile, flavor-packed substance that has countless uses in the kitchen, and shouldn't be overlooked just because of its humble appearance and uninspiring name.

As Healthline breaks down, while baker's and brewer's yeasts are active, nutritional yeast is rendered inactive, meaning it won't start the fermentation process like the other two types. Most nutritional yeast you'll find on the market is fortified to pump up its vitamin content — it's a particularly potent source for many B vitamins, as well as protein and minerals. On top of that, it's also packed with antioxidants and has been shown to aid immunity and lower cholesterol.

With all those health benefits, plus its distinctive savory, cheesy flavor, there's no reason not to add nutritional yeast into your cooking and snacking routine. Here you'll find some great ways to do just that, giving your health and your taste buds a boost.

Look no further than nutritional yeast to upgrade your popcorn game. Its savory, cheesy flavor and powdery texture make it the ultimate addition to the classic movie theater snack. Add a little nooch to butter or oil and toss the popped kernels to coat them. If you're trying to avoid adding fat, follow the advice from these Redditors and spritz the popcorn with water, soy sauce, or hot sauce instead to get the yeast to stick. And voila — you have rich, flavorful, cheesy and savory popcorn that also happens to be nutritious.

Nutritional yeast is great on its own, but it also plays well with other flavors. Adding it to spice blends gives them a big umami boost. If you like to get super creative with your spice rack, the next time you're crafting a savory seasoning blend, throw some nooch in it to add another dimension of flavor and texture. Or add some to your pre-made blends like taco seasoning, ranch powder, or Italian seasoning –- and don't forget to try them on your popcorn.

Because nutritional yeast is inactive, it won't react the same way as active or instant yeast in baked goods, so you can't swap out one for the other to make your dough rise. However, it can be used to enhance the flavor of baked goods, just like any other herb, spice, or flavoring element you might add to a dough or batter. 

Because of its intensity, nooch is best suited for breads and other baked goods that are strongly flavored -– it is likely to overwhelm delicate bakes. The nutty taste of nutritional yeast can greatly enhance the flavor of nut or seed breads. Its similarity to cheese makes it an excellent addition to pizza dough, giving it a Parmesan-like flavor boost. You can even use it to boost the flavor of vegan matzah. It can be added to biscuit batter, scones, flatbreads, bagels, or any other savory bake that can use a hit of umami. Just don't expect it to help in the leavening or rising departments.

Home cheesemaking can be a daunting activity, and making dairy-free cheese even more so. But if you're an adventurous project-oriented cook in the kitchen, there are few things as satisfying, and making your own vegan cheese gives you complete control over your ingredients and flavors.

Making a fresh, farmer-style cheese like vegan ricotta is the easiest place to start. These cheeses don't require molding or aging, making them ideal for beginners. Cashews make a great base, providing fat and richness, while nutritional yeast provides the cheesy, savory depth of flavor. Full-fat coconut milk is another option. A few ingredients and a blender are all you need to create a creamy ricotta substitute, perfect for spreading on bread or stuffing into pasta. And because it's homemade, you can vary the flavor however you want, adding herbs, spices, citrus zest, or anything else your culinary imagination can come up with.

Graduating to other, more complex vegan cheeses takes a little bit more work and expertise, as The Hidden Veggies explains, as firmer cheeses need ingredients and techniques that will help them set properly. But if you're a cheese lover on a dairy-free diet, learning to make your own vegan cheese with nutritional yeast may be a skill worth perfecting.

You can sprinkle nutritional yeast on top of salads the same way you can with pasta, as a Parmesan-esque topping. But it's also a great ingredient to include in the salad dressing itself. Nutritional yeast can add layers of flavor to any dressing, whether it's light and tangy or rich and creamy. It can act as a substitute for certain dressing ingredients, or be an added bonus element, boosting the dressing's texture and taste.

Take Caesar dressing as an example. Classic Caesar dressing typically involves non-vegan ingredients like eggs, anchovies, Parmesan cheese, and Worcestershire sauce (most brands are surprisingly not vegan friendly, as they contain fish). Nutritional yeast can act as a stand-in for all of these ingredients — it can enrich and bind the dressing like egg, add a pop of cheesy flavor like Parmesan, and fill it with salty, savory umami flavor like anchovies and Worcestershire sauce. It's hard to imagine any salad dressing that wouldn't benefit from a healthy dose of nutritional yeast.

There are few things in this world more comforting than a warm bowl of soup. If you ever find your soups to be too thin and watery, or diluted in flavor, once again it's nutritional yeast to the rescue. A few spoonfuls stirred into a lackluster soup can add dimensions of flavor and a heartier texture, whether you're beefing up a store bought soup or refining one of your own homemade recipes.

Nutritional yeast can enrich the texture of any soup, but it complements creamy soups particularly well, whether they're vegan or dairy-based. Its cheesy taste works wonderfully in a silky-smooth potato soup recipe, or swirled into a rich broccoli cheddar soup to either enhance or replace the cheese element. It's a welcome addition to other soup styles, too, like this flavorful and simple black bean soup.

If you are the kind of avid home cook who makes their own stock, nutritional yeast is a secret ingredient for adding extra umami flavor to the long-simmering liquid, according to MasterClass. It's especially useful in vegetable stocks that can sometimes lack depth compared to their meat-based counterparts.

Sandwich aficionados know that every layer of a sandwich is crucial to get the combination of textures and flavors just right. If you find a part of your sandwich somehow lacking, the secret ingredient you might want to reach for is nutritional yeast. Its versatility and impact can take a mediocre sandwich and elevate it to greatness, and there are countless ways you can incorporate the ingredient, no matter what kind of sandwich you're making.

Nooch is easy to swirl into condiments to add an extra bump of seasoning and flavor. Add a dash to your mayo or mustard for a quick upgrade. If you've got a salad sandwich on your hands, whether it's tuna, chicken, or egg, mix some nooch into the salad before you scoop it onto your bread. And perhaps the best use for nutritional yeast as far as sandwiches go is adding it to grilled cheese – it can really take it to the next level. You can sprinkle it on the cheese inside your sandwich prior to assembly, or mix it into the butter or mayo spread on the outside of your bread for a savory, parm-like crunch. So the next time a sandwich isn't thrilling you, try adding a little nooch to give it some pep.