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Ever wonder if there is a good, dairy-free substitute for fluffy, rich Parmesan cheese for salads? I have always wondered myself. Well, sometimes you come across a gem of an idea. I recently did myself in a Bon Appétit magazine that answered the above question. They mentioned a restaurant that used a micrograter to make a fluffy cheese-like topping for one of their salads with nuts. I knew I had to try it! With roasted and salted macadamia nuts, and my micrograter in hand, I grated some right over a green salad, that had been tossed with low-mercury tuna, avocado, and steamed beets.
Wow!
It was delicious! Using the micrograter really does give you a cheese-like texture, and the richness of the nuts mimics what you get with cheese too. Whether you eat cheese or not, this is a delicious idea.
(I am sure that you can use any micrograter. I own this Microplane Zester/Grater
I am really curious as to what other nuts would be like. Making a green salad with apple slices and shredded chicken and then using hazelnuts to grate over the whole thing, is another idea I had. Or what about other ways to use this type of “cheese”?
I have to say that the macadamia nuts are pretty delicious this way! I got mine at Trader Jo’s, where they are a good price. However, you really only need one large nut per smallish salad, so it’s not an expensive option when you consider how little you need per serving.
- Macadamia Nuts
- Using a micrograter, grate the macadamia nuts directly over individual servings of salad that have been tossed already with salad dressing. Serve immediately.
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I bought one of those graters where you put the cheese (carrot, now macadamia nuts…) inside and turn it with the handle. I’ve felt it’s a bit useless because I was always just using my regular grater, but this would be the perfect application!
Great idea. Thanks. I’d been using a mixture of brewers yeast and sesame seeds (toasted) ground. Now something new to try. Can’t wait.
So clever, I must try it
How cool is that!!!
I’m in!
What a clever idea! I wonder how we can work with the flavors to give that sharp, cheesy tang. Maybe pre-soak the nuts in water with a bit of ACV? I am definitely trying this!
ooh, this looks delish! I will have to try it.
Thanks so much! I was looking for a vegan parmesan cheese that is low in potassium and phosphorus for a kidney patient whom I am a caregiver of and came upon your recipe when I tried to google macadamia nut vegsn parmesan (all the other sites used cashew in their vegan parmesan cheese recipes). Tha ks so much for experimenting and featuring it online!