What is nutritional yeast? I get this question a lot, and the simple answer is: one of my favorite things in the kitchen.
Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast, so it won't make things rise and is not a replacement for yeast when baking.
If you're like me and on a first name basis with it, you might call it nooch. It is also known as savoury yeast flakes or brufax.
It has a cheesy, nutty flavor that you can use in sauces or as a topping, like sprinkled on popcorn.
It is most often used to make that cheesy flavor in a vegan dish, like in my Mock Tuna Salad , Charleston Grits (pg. 31, EHH ), or any of the cheese sauces in HHC .
Nutritional yeast can be bought online or at most health food stores, and comes either as a powder or flakes. It is a complete protein, a good source of vitamins and is dairy & gluten free . Most brands are also fortified with B-12.
It took me several times before I got used to it, I thought it was smelly. Now I can't stay away from it. I put it on almost everything, from soups to bean burritos!