Upgrade Your Salad With A Cheesy Topping That's Totally Dairy-Free

It's not easy going dairy-free or plant-based (a term many prefer to "vegan"). It seems like just about every food is topped with cheese, and you can't eat any of it. Even salads, with their base of greens, topped with freshly sliced vegetables, protein of choice, and crunchy croutons — or fries, in a Pittsburgh salad — are better topped with a sharp cheddar, smoky gouda, or shredded mozzarella. So, how are you, oh cheese-less one, supposed to deal?

How about a sprinkle of nutritional yeast? Yes, that yellow flaky stuff you've seen at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's and wondered how to use, makes a delightfully savory and delectably nutty topping on salads. Nutritional yeast is so tasty that you won't miss the cheese.

Nutritional yeast is just that — yeast — and it comes from the same strain as that which livens up your bread and wine. However, the nutritional variety, like this Premium Nutritional Yeast from Bragg, is pasteurized  to remove the active aspects, and vitamins are often added.

There isn't a lot that nutritional yeast can't improve, which is great if you follow a vegan diet, and still pretty awesome if you don't. You can mix it into your homemade salad dressing to give it a creamier texture or, thanks to its ability to thicken, use it as a flavor-enhancing addition to soups and stews. Nutritional yeast also makes an excellent popcorn seasoning, giving the kernels a rich umami flavor. Or it can be sprinkled onto roasted vegetables for an extra pop of flavor. It's even awesome on rice or pasta.

If you're dairy-free but still crave lasagna, you probably thought it was out of reach. While you can use vegan mozzarella, vegan ricotta can be terribly difficult to find (if you can find it at all). Just like you can make dairy ricotta at home, you can make a seriously good vegan substitute by blending nutritional yeast with almond flour, lemon juice, garlic powder, water, and a pinch of salt. It might not look like much on its own, but trust us, you won't be able to tell the difference once it's layered up in your lasagna.