Nutritional Yeast

Last week I posted a Pasta Bake that uses nutritional yeast for flavor in the place of cheese. I didn't know about nutritional yeast until a few months ago. Someone recommended I start using it to make sure I was getting enough vitamins and nutrients. I've used it in a few recipes I've posted on here and I also sprinkle it on top of buttered toast for a savory breakfast. 


After I posted the recipe I realized I should probably know more about the ingredient than I did before I recommended it to people to cook with.  So here is what I learned:

Nutritional yeast is made from a single-celled organism, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, which is grown on molasses and then harvested, washed, and dried with heat to kill or “deactivate” it. Because it’s inactive, it doesn’t froth or grow like baking yeast does so it has no leavening ability.

It has a LOT of vitamin B12. 

It's a great source for protein and fiber. 

It's gluten free so it's very easy to digest.

You can easily find it in health food stores. I haven't yet seen it in grocery stores.  

Don't be afraid to try it just because the name is a little strange. It had a rich, nutty flavor that you will love.