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While “nooch” is a relatively new term, nutritional yeast has been around for decades. According to NPR, the product came out in the 1950s and became popular with hippies in the late 1960s and 1970s. Since then, the nut has been a prized ingredient among people who adhere to plant-based diets for its rich umami flavor and as a source of essential nutrients. And in more recent years, their hobby has spread to consumers of all diets and has even spawned products that allow people to declare their love with the words “Nooch Life” or “Dear Nooch I Love You” emblazoned on the chest.
If you’re curious about why this ingredient should be added to your pantry or how to use the supply you already have, here’s what you need to know about nutritional yeast.
Nutritional yeast is an inactive form of the yeast species known as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. (The active species is the same one used to produce bread, beer and wine). The yeast is deactivated through a heating and drying process that gives it a toasty, nutty flavor and leaves it in thin, flat sheets that are ground into a powder. or broken into flakes (which bear a slightly eerie resemblance to fish food).
“As your cells die, the proteins that made up your cells break down, releasing amino acids like glutamic acid, which is found naturally in many fruits and vegetables,” Alicia Kennedy writes in Serious Eats. It is this glutamic acid, also called glutamate, that is responsible for nutritional yeast’s umami flavor and explains its frequent comparison to Parmesan cheese, another umami-rich food. While I do have hints of cheese, I also find nutritional yeast that is reminiscent of rotisserie chicken, as if the skin had been dehydrated and put in a shaker bottle.
While some deny the cheese comparison when it comes to taste, the Parmesan analogy is apt for the way it can be used, i.e. added to anything. And when compared to another umami-rich seasoning, MSG, nooch is sodium-free and can be used in large amounts. It is perhaps best known as a popcorn seasoning or as a crucial ingredient in many vegan mac and cheese recipes. You can also sprinkle it on roasted vegetables, use it in salad dressings, or add it to boost umami in soups. (Note that it also acts as a thickener). Tim Chin of Serious Eats found that beyond adding flavor, it also works as a dough smoother, improving elasticity in his hand-pulled lamian noodle recipe.
And as its name implies, it is indeed a good source of nutrients. “A quarter cup of nooch, which is 60 calories, provides more protein than a large egg and is packed with fiber and a variety of B vitamins and minerals. It is often fortified with vitamin B12, which is especially important for vegans because this essential nutrient is found primarily in animal products,” writes Ellie Krieger.
Nutritional yeast is available in many supermarkets, health food stores, and online. should last until to two years when stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, such as a pantry (refrigerate for slightly longer shelf life). You can tell it’s expired if the color changes from pale yellow to a darker brown and/or if it starts to clump together. Here are some recipes to use it before you get to that point.
Vegan Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese. Nutritional yeast, miso and mustard wrap this cashew-based “cheese” sauce with rich, deep, nutty flavors.
Maple Mustard Tofu. A combination of cornstarch, nutritional yeast, and dried herbs coats the tofu before it’s roasted in the oven, then tossed with a maple-mustard sauce.
Chickpea tortillas with mushrooms, spinach and tomato. The walnut and turmeric are responsible for the color and earthy, nutty flavor of these eggless omelettes.
Cabbage and Quinoa. This recipe relies on nooch to add cheesy umami to kale mixed with onions, sun-dried tomatoes, and pine nuts.
Crispy clusters of nuts and seeds. Coconut aminos and nutritional yeast come together in this recipe to make these crunchy clusters more flavorful and rich in umami.
Source: www.washingtonpost.com