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    You are here: Home / Appetizers / Vegan Ricotta Cheese

    LAST UPDATED: January 4, 2022 • FIRST PUBLISHED: March 3, 2021

    Vegan Ricotta Cheese

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Toasted Baguette Slice Topped with Vegan Ricotta and Parsley with Text Overlay Reading "Vegan Ricotta Cheese"

    This vegan ricotta cheese is super easy to make and tastes just like the real deal. Perfect in casseroles, pasta dishes, or for dipping!

    Wooden Surface Set with Bowl of Vegan Ricotta Cheese, Strawberries, Baguette Slices and Napkin

    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!

    Jump to:
    • What You'll Need
    • How to Make Vegan Ricotta Cheese
    • Vegan Ricotta Tips & FAQ
    • More Vegan Cheese Recipes
    • Vegan Ricotta Cheese

    What You'll Need

    Toasted Baguette Slice Topped with Vegan Ricotta Cheese and Parsley with Bowl, Baguette Slices and Strawberries in the Background
    • 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.
    Cashews Soaking in a Bowl of Water
    • 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!
    Collage Showing 4 Stages of Blending Vegan Ricotta Cheese in a Food Processor
    • Give your ricotta a taste test and make any adjustments you like, then serve your vegan ricotta immediately, or chill it for later.
    Bowl of Vegan Ricotta Cheese with Strawberries and Baguette Slices in the Background

    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.
    Stack of Three Baguette Slices Topped with Vegan Ricotta Cheese

    More Vegan Cheese Recipes

    • Cashew Queso
    • Vegan Mozzarella Cheese
    • Vegan Cream Cheese
    • Nacho Sweet Potato Cheese
    • Nacho Cauliflower Cheese

    Like this recipe? If so, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter. And please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you make it!

    Wooden Surface Set with Bowl of Vegan Ricotta Cheese, Strawberries, Baguette Slices and Napkin
    5 from 1 vote
    Print

    Vegan Ricotta Cheese

    This vegan ricotta cheese is super easy to make and tastes just like the real deal. Perfect in casseroles, pasta dishes, or for dipping!

    Course Appetizer, Component
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Soak Time 4 hours
    Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
    Servings 10
    Calories 109 kcal
    Author Alissa Saenz

    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
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    1. 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.

    2. Break the tofu into chunks and add it to the food processor, along with the lemon juice and salt.

    3. Pulse the food processor until the ingredients are uniformly blended and the mixture resembles ricotta cheese.

    4. 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.

    5. Use immediately or transfer to a sealed container and chill.

    Recipe Notes

    Makes about 2 ½ cups.

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Ricotta Cheese
    Amount Per Serving (0.25 cup)
    Calories 109 Calories from Fat 74
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 8.2g13%
    Saturated Fat 1.6g8%
    Sodium 132mg6%
    Potassium 144mg4%
    Carbohydrates 5.3g2%
    Fiber 0.8g3%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 5.4g11%
    Calcium 109mg11%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Bonnie says

      March 03, 2021 at 4:49 pm

      I am allergic to soy and would love a vegan ricotta recipe that does not have soy in it. Any suggestions?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        March 04, 2021 at 8:42 am

        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.

        Reply
    2. Kirsten says

      March 03, 2021 at 6:00 pm

      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!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        March 04, 2021 at 8:39 am

        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!

        Reply
        • Kirsten says

          March 04, 2021 at 6:30 pm

          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! ☺️

          Reply
    3. Suzanne says

      March 03, 2021 at 8:55 pm

      Does the tofu need to be pressed beforehand?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        March 04, 2021 at 8:35 am

        Nope! :)

        Reply
    4. SHARON ROBERTSON says

      March 04, 2021 at 8:40 am

      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!!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        March 04, 2021 at 8:48 am

        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!

        Reply
      • Shelly says

        May 09, 2022 at 10:18 pm

        you can just boil cashews for 15 minutes if you aren't able to soak them.

        Reply
    5. Dorcas Kosche says

      March 04, 2021 at 11:59 am

      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

      Reply
      • Kirsten says

        March 04, 2021 at 6:31 pm

        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!

        Reply
      • Kirsten says

        March 05, 2021 at 4:08 pm

        Argh. Autocorrect messed up my spelling of your name. Sorry Dorie.

        Reply

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