This vegan ricotta cheese is super easy to make and tastes just like the real deal. Perfect in casseroles, pasta dishes, or for dipping!
I have a lot of recipes on this site that feature vegan ricotta cheese in some form or another. From stuffed shells, to lasagna, to pizza, I've found a lot of ways to incorporate dairy-free ricotta into my favorite dishes.
Each of those recipes uses a slightly different version of vegan ricotta — I tend to season it up based on what I'm using it for. And for that reason I don't always recommend using the ricotta from one of those recipes in another dish.
We've needed a good, basic, all-purpose vegan ricotta cheese recipe around here for a while, and it's finally here!
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What You'll Need
- Raw cashews. They must be raw — not roasted. Roasted cashews have a totally different flavor from raw, and your ricotta won't taste right if you use them.
- Non-dairy milk. Use something unflavored and unsweetened.
- Tofu. Use firm or extra-firm.
- Lemon juice. Fresh squeezed is best.
- Salt.
How to Make Vegan Ricotta Cheese
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe.
- Soak your cashews in water for about 4 to 8 hours. This will help soften them up so they blend easy.
- Drain your soaked cashews and place them into a food processor bowl with some non-dairy milk.
- Blend the ingredients together until relatively smooth. It doesn't have to be perfect — ricotta cheese is chunky, after all.
- Add everything else to the blending device: tofu (broken up into chunks), lemon juice, and salt.
- Pulse the device until the ingredients are well-mixed and the mixture resembles ricotta cheese. You can really make it as smooth or chunky as you like!
- Give your ricotta a taste test and make any adjustments you like, then serve your vegan ricotta immediately, or chill it for later.
Vegan Ricotta Tips & FAQ
- Is this recipe gluten-free? It is!
- Shelf-life & storage: Store your vegan ricotta in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- How is vegan ricotta cheese used? Use it just like regular ricotta cheese! Spread it on toast, use it for dipping veggies, or layer it in a vegan pasta bake like lasagna or ziti.
- Is there a substitute for the cashews in this recipe? I haven't tried any, but I suspect raw sunflower seeds or macadamia nuts would work.
- Is there a substitute for the tofu in this recipe? Again, I haven't tried any, but if you'd like to experiment, try steamed cauliflower, cannellini beans, or even extra cashews.
More Vegan Cheese Recipes
- Cashew Queso
- Vegan Mozzarella Cheese
- Vegan Cream Cheese
- Nacho Sweet Potato Cheese
- Nacho Cauliflower Cheese
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Ricotta Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water 4-8 hours, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 (14 ounce or 400 gram) package extra-firm tofu
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Place the cashews and milk into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an s-blade, then blend them to a relatively smooth paste.
- Break the tofu into chunks and add it to the food processor, along with the lemon juice and salt.
- Pulse the food processor until the ingredients are uniformly blended and the mixture resembles ricotta cheese.
- Taste-test the mixture and add more lemon juice or salt if you'd like. You can also thin the mixture with extra milk if needed.
- Use immediately or transfer to a sealed container and chill.
Notes
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Hi Kisten, I'm not Alissa, but I know what you mean about texture changing after freezing. I have read and also personally think this would actually benefit this recipe. Dorie
Hi Doris, thanks! I think I’ll give it a shot, now that you’ve both suggested it’ll be fine. I’ll update after I’ve tried.
Thanks again!
Argh. Autocorrect messed up my spelling of your name. Sorry Dorie.
Alissa, have you ever tried using cashew powder in place of the soaked cashews? I’m thinking it would be convenient—I’m not great at planning ahead enough to soak the cashews for hours before starting the recipe. Do you think it could be done that way and if so, any ideas on equivalent measurements??
Thanks in advance! Love your recipes!!
I'm afraid I've never worked with cashew powder, so I'm not sure! I did hear a suggestion once to use raw cashew butter in recipes like this, which sounds like a good idea to me, although I haven't tried it. I'm always forgetting to soak my cashews as well, so what I do is soak a bunch of them in small batches (1/2 cup or 1 cup), then once they're done soaking I freeze them in the soaking water. Then all I have to do is thaw them when I need soaked cashews!
you can just boil cashews for 15 minutes if you aren't able to soak them.
Does the tofu need to be pressed beforehand?
Nope! :)
I typically freeze my tofu, thawing and pressing as needed. It changes the texture quite a bit. Do you think that would matter in a recipe like this, where it’s all whizzed up in a blender?
I always wonder about that with recipes that call for blending tofu. I really, really want to make this one, though, so thought I’d finally ask.
Thanks!
Hmmm...good question! If it does change the texture I don't think it would be by much - I think the recipe would turn out just fine. I always keep a block or two of tofu in the freezer, so next time I make this I'll give it a try myself and provide an update!
Thanks for the reply! That’s you and another reader who thinks it’ll probably work out ok so I’ll give it a shot. If I get to it before you do, I’ll update.
Thanks! ☺️
I am allergic to soy and would love a vegan ricotta recipe that does not have soy in it. Any suggestions?
I don't have a soy-free recipe, but there are a few ingredients you could try subbing for the tofu - cannellini beans, steamed cauliflower, or extra cashews.