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 used as a dip on crackers and crunchy sourdough toast. It’s also perfect for use in recipes like my Ultimate Vegan Lasagna.
You’ll love this tofu ricotta because it’s
- Simple to make
- Requires only a few ingredients
- Perfect for recipes like lasagna
- Healthy
- Tastes amazing
What is vegan ricotta made of?
Making dairy-free ricotta cheese is very simple and SO much better for your health than regular cheese. It’s made with low-fat wholesome ingredients.
- firm tofu
- cashews or white beans (optional)
- garlic
- plant milk
- lemon juice
- seasonings
How to make vegan ricotta
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
A blender or food processor is all that is needed for the preparation of this recipe. What I really like is that absolutely no cooking is required.
Two options for draining and pressing tofu
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.
°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.
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.
My favorite blender is the Vitamix 5200 because it is so powerful, it can blend anything. I actually own two of them because I use them in the Food for Life classes I teach for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
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 Cream Cheese.
This dairy-free ricotta is also great served with cut vegetables or used in recipes like 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.
Your Questions Answered:
- Q: Can this recipe be made without cashews? Yes, white beans can be substituted for those avoiding nuts. The nuts and beans can actually be completely left out if desired.
- Q: Do I really have to press the tofu? Yes, the ricotta will be very watery if the tofu isn’t pressed well.
- Q: Is this a dairy-free substitute for ricotta cheese? Because no milk, eggs, or cheese is used in this recipe, it is a perfect dairy-free substitute for regular ricotta cheese.
- Q: How long will it last in the refrigerator? 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.
Other amazing vegan cheese recipes
- Best Vegan Cheese Sauce
- Cashew Vegan Mozzarella
- Nacho Cheese
- Vegan Ricotta
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Easy Vegan Cream Cheese
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!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.
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
Your Questions Answered:
- Q: Can this recipe be made without cashews? Yes, white beans can be substituted for those avoiding nuts. The nuts and beans can actually be completely left out if desired.
- Q: Do I really have to press the tofu? Yes, the ricotta will be very watery if the tofu isn’t pressed well.
- Q: Is this a dairy-free substitute for ricotta cheese? Because no milk, eggs, or cheese is used in this recipe, it is a perfect dairy-free substitute for regular ricotta cheese.
- Q: How long will it last in the refrigerator? 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.
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…
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!
Do you think this might work with extra firm silken tofu?
Yes, I think it should work just fine. Enjoy!
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 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!