Easy Cashew Vegan Ricotta
This homemade Vegan Ricotta Cheese is made with only 8 simple ingredients and takes less than 10 minutes for a deliciously healthy plant-based cheese alternative.
Tofu ricotta is delicious when used as a dip on crackers and crunchy sourdough toast. It’s also perfect for use in recipes like my Ultimate Vegan Lasagna. If you want more healthy spreads for crackers, be sure to check out my cashew cream cheese recipe on this site.
Reasons you will love this vegan cheese
- Creamy and Flavorful – This vegan ricotta cheese is incredibly creamy and packed with flavor, making it a perfect substitute for traditional ricotta in your favorite dishes, from pasta to lasagna.
- Nutritious and Wholesome – Made with wholesome ingredients like nuts, tofu, or nutritional yeast, this vegan ricotta offers a nutritious boost, providing protein and healthy fats while being dairy-free.
- Easy to Prepare – Whipping up this vegan ricotta cheese is quick and simple, requiring just a few ingredients and minimal preparation time, making it an ideal addition to your meal prep routine.
- Versatile Ingredient – This vegan ricotta can be used in a variety of dishes, such as stuffed shells, dips, or spreads, allowing you to get creative in the kitchen while enjoying a plant-based alternative to dairy.
Ingredients you will need
- Tofu- Using firm tofu to make vegan ricotta provides the ideal texture, as it mimics the creaminess of traditional ricotta while maintaining structure.
- Cashews- Add a rich, creamy texture and a subtle, buttery flavor that closely resembles traditional ricotta cheese.
- Garlic- Garlic’s natural pungency and warmth complement the creaminess of the ricotta, creating a more complex and satisfying flavor profile.
- Plant milk- Helps achieve the desired creamy consistency while keeping the recipe dairy-free. It adds moisture and a subtle flavor that enhances the overall texture without overpowering the other ingredients.
- Lemon juice- Adds a bright, tangy flavor that mimics the acidity found in traditional dairy ricotta. This acidity enhances the overall taste, balancing the richness of ingredients like nuts or tofu. Additionally, lemon juice helps to curdle the plant-based milk, contributing to a thicker and creamier texture in the ricotta.
- Seasonings- Nutritional yeast flakes, dry basil, Italian seasoning, and salt create the delicious flavor for this recipe.
How to make vegan ricotta
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: Begin by draining the water from the tofu block and press to remove water.
° Traditional way – Slit the package and drain excess water over a sink. Next, place the tofu block in a tofu press if you have one. Allow 15-30 minutes for pressing. UPDATE: I recently purchased this tofu press and absolutely love it. No more cast iron pan pressing for me. This is much easier and cleaner!
°Homemade press way – Place tofu on an absorbent surface such as layered paper towels or a dishtowel. Use another dish towel or paper towel to place on top of the block and top it with a heavy plate or cast iron pan. Continue to drain under pressure for approximately 30 minutes.
STEP #2: Place all ricotta ingredients into a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. This will be a very thick mixture.
If your blender has a tamper, using it will help. If not, stop and scrape down the sides of the blender as needed until smooth.
STEP #3: Serve with toasted crunch bread like sourdough or crackers. My favorite oil-free crackers are Mary’s Gone Crackers. You might even like to try this Easy Cashew Cream Cheese.
This dairy-free ricotta is also great served with cut vegetables or used in recipes like veggie lasagna.
*Originally published March 29, 2015.
How to make spinach vegan ricotta
Turning this into spinach ricotta is an excellent idea for using as a dip. I like to keep frozen spinach on hand to do this.
Simply make the ricotta as described above and then thaw about 10 ounces of spinach and drain as much as possible. I defrost mine on paper towels in the microwave. Then, wrap it up in paper towels and squeeze excess water juices over the sink or jar to keep for veggie broth seasoning.
Once it’s drained, transfer it to the ricotta mixture in a large bowl and stir well. Continue tasting until you get the salt adjusted to your taste preference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Firm or extra-firm tofu is the best type to use for making vegan ricotta because it has a denser texture that closely resembles traditional ricotta cheese. This firmness allows the tofu to hold its shape while blending, resulting in a creamier consistency without becoming too watery.
Yes, white beans can be substituted for those avoiding nuts. The nuts and beans can actually be completely left out if desired.
This vegan ricotta can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. You can tell when it’s time to toss it when it becomes more watery in texture. As always, give foods in the refrigerator a quick sniff before using them to make sure they are still fresh.
For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!
If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!
Vegan Ricotta Cheese
Ingredients
- 12 oz firm tofu drained
- 2 tablespoons raw cashews or white beans (optional)
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons almond milk or other plant milk
- 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 tablespoon Italian dry seasoning
- 2 tablespoons basil and or one fresh basil leaf
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Begin by draining the water from the tofu block and press to remove water.
- Next, place all ricotta ingredients into a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. This will be a very thick mixture. If your blender has a tamper, using it will help. If not, stop and scrape down the sides of the blender as needed until smooth.
- Serve with toasted crunch bread like sourdough or crackers. My favorite oil-free crackers are Mary’s Gone Crackers. This dairy-free ricotta is also great served with cut vegetables or used in recipes like lasagna.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
Do you think with a few tweaks to the recipe removing the nutritional yeast and other spices that this could be used to make vegan cannoli? Thank you!
Hi Colleen- I haven’t tried that but would love to hear how it turns out if you do!
Looks yummy, but I am not a big fan of Nutritional Yeast. Is there something I can use instead?
Barbara, this link has a few suggestions for nutritional yeast that sound reasonable. https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-good-vegan-substitutes-for-nutritional-yeast-that-is-easy-to-procure-and-low-cost
Do you think this might work with extra firm silken tofu?
Yes, I think it should work just fine. Enjoy!
Looks delicious and healthy! How long does it last in the fridge?
Do the cashews need to be soaked first?
Marguerite, I didn’t soak my cashews. It really depends on how powerful your blender is. I use a Vitamix, and it is able to handle the cashews well. For those using a less powerful blender, you might want to soak the cashews first. The ricotta cheese last 5-7 days in the refrigerator. Hope you enjoy it!