This particular Parmela product has been discontinued. See our Dairy-Free Cheese Reviews for options currently available.
It’s true, those cravings for cream, and yes, even cheese really do vanish (for most of us) with some dairy-free time. Nonetheless, that doesn’t mean I don’t still enjoy amazing food when I taste it, and Parmela Vegan Parmesan Replacer did dazzle my taste buds.
Does it really taste like Parmesan? Honestly, I think this vegan Parmesan alternative is the closest that I’ve tasted to the “real thing.”
When I first heard of the product I thought it would be just another nutritional yeast blend, but Parmela has done something special. They’ve used several all-natural “aged” ingredients to reproduce that pungent and rich flavor that’s typically reserved for dairy cheese. The ingredients include fermented rice, soy, wheat, sugar beets, and nutritional yeast, combined with a nutty almond-cashew base that quite frankly, works.
Yes, I’m sorry to say that this isn’t a gluten-free or soy-free product, but it is vegan and dairy-free. Those of you without additional diet restrictions should put this vegan Parmesan on your indulgent wish list.
If you do pick up a cute little jar of Parmela (you can bet I’ll be re-using that wonderful shaker!), I recommend sprinkling it atop garlic bread or enjoying it in a dish of pasta with broccoli. Parmela is one of those wonderful convenience foods that can heighten the simplest comfort-food dishes.
2 Comments
After reading your review, we got some Parmela and I really like it! I missed Parmesan cheese so much after discovering my dairy allergy.
I wanted to mention that it looks like they changed the packaging. It now comes in a small yellow container that kinda looks like a mini ice-cream container. It’s 2.3 oz (65g) and the price seems to have dropped (probably because of the cheaper packaging). We paid $3.99 (at veganessentials.com).
So glad you enjoyed it Sanna! It sounds like you got their new shelf-stable variety (in the yellow package). They still offer the refrigerated one in the glass, but I’m guessing the shelf-stable one will hit shelves most. I’ll be sure to update this review with that variety also. Thanks!