Vegan Cashew Ricotta Cheese Recipe (2024)

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Best tasting vegan cashew ricotta cheese recipe made with raw cashews, lemon and garlic. Extra thick and creamy, luscious, only 5 ingredients and perfect for lasagna, pizza, stuffed shells or to spoon over a thick piece of bruschetta!

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Cashew Ricotta

Looking for a dairy-free substitute for Italian ricotta cheese? You are in the perfect place friends!

Soft, creamy and silky, this luscious homemade vegan ricotta cheese is the real deal.

At this point in my like I’m totally convinced that cashews are pure gold, absolutely magical and there’s nothing they can’t do. They are my heroes!

So delicious, use it on everything:

  • Fan favorite Spinach Lasagna
  • Vegan Stuffed Shells, Manicotti + Ravioli
  • Pasta Bake with Sausage Walnut Meat
  • Ultimate Vegan White Pizza
  • Mix with Tomato Sauce for a new creamy pink sauce
  • As Antipasto on a Vegan Cheese Platter drizzled with Chive Pesto
  • In a Sandwich
  • On Bruschetta topped with olives + roasted tomatoes
  • Drizzle with a balsamic reduction
  • as a dip drizzled with olive oil, fresh herbs + lemon zest <—seriously delish!

+

It’s Quick + Easy to Make

WFPB Oil-Free

Raw Vegan

Super Creamy & Fluffy

Homemade from Scratch – Fatto in Casa

How to Make Vegan Ricotta

  1. If you don’t have a Vitamix or another such powerful blender, make sure to start with a quick soak of the cashews (20 minutes) in hot boiling water.
  2. Transfer the cashews with the lemon, water, garlic and all the spices to the blender (or food processor) and puree until extra creamy and fluffy. Season to taste with sea salt and use it anywhere you’d like to use ricotta cheese. Store in the refrigerator up to 5 days or freeze in freezer proof containers for 3 months.
  3. For sweet desserts you’ll omit the garlic and savory spices of course and sweeten to taste with maple syrup or powdered sugar.

Vegan Cheese Inspiration

  • Creamy Alfredo Sauce
  • Butternut Mac and Cheese
  • Vegan Mozzarella
  • Walnut Parmesan

Vegan Cashew Ricotta Cheese Recipe (8)

5 from 2 votes

Vegan Cashew Ricotta Cheese

The best tasting vegan cashew ricotta cheese recipe made with raw cashews, lemon and garlic. Extra creamy and luscious, only 5 ingredients and perfect for lasagna or to spoon over a thick piece of bruschetta!

Print Recipe

Prep Time:5 minutes mins

Soaking:20 minutes mins

Total Time:5 minutes mins

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Cover the cashews with hot water and soak for 20 minutes. Drain and rinse and transfer them to a powerful blender or food processor. (If using a Vitamix or another extra powerful blender you can skip the soaking )

  • Blend the cashews together with the water, lemon juice, garlic and sea salt until smooth and creamy.

  • Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours until chilled and thick or serve right away. You can spoon over bruschetta or use in lasagna and for other pasta dishes. Keeps well in the fridge for about five days.

WFPB + Plantricious

  • Vegan Cashew Ricotta Cheese Recipe (9)

Notes

  • For a Dessert Style Ricotta to be used in cannoli and other sweets, just omit the garlic, onion and sea salt; sweeten to taste with maple syrup or powder sugar instead. I used it to make these little Pumpkin Cheesecakes over the holidays and they were a major hit with everyone.
  • To make Cashew Cream for savory uses, follow the same recipe and stretch it out a bit with more lemon juice or water until desired consistency and tanginess is achieved.
  • If planning to serve this on a cheese Board I suggest lining a sieve with cheese cloth, transfer the ricotta, tie the pouch and place to drain over a bowl in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight. This will yield a dryer but still super creamy vegan ricotta can serve sprinkled with fresh basil, thyme, chives, some lemon zest + a drizzle of good evoo. It's lovely spooned over crostini or crackers.
  • On Storage - Cashew ricotta can be stored in the refrigerator up to 5 days or frozen in freezer proof lidded containers up to 4 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 201mg | Potassium: 308mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 10.1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 3mg

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Cashew Ricotta, plant based, vegan cheese, wfpb

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 244kcal

Author: Florentina

Vegan Cashew Ricotta Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan ricotta made of? ›

In general, there are two main methods for making vegan ricotta: one with soy milk and the other with blended nuts and tofu. They are both delicious. However, we recommend you try the soy milk method, which yields ricotta that is ridiculously similar to real Italian ricotta.

Can you buy vegan ricotta cheese? ›

There are a few plant-based ricotta cheese brands and alternatives out there. I've used Tofutti ricotta and made my own tofu ricotta to make baked ziti, and both were good. But for this review, I finally tried Kite Hill vegan ricotta cheese, and I was really impressed with the results.

How do you make store bought ricotta creamier? ›

Whipping ricotta in the food processor transforms it into an incredibly smooth, spreadable cheese—a blank canvas to be paired with any number of flavors and ingredients.

What is a healthy substitute for ricotta cheese? ›

Cottage cheese: As far as ricotta substitutes go, light and mild cottage cheese is your best bet. In fact, some people prefer to use cottage cheese because it has a similar flavor and fewer calories.

What are the ingredients in Kite Hill almond milk ricotta? ›

Almond Milk Ricotta (Almond Milk [Water, Almonds], Salt, Enzymes, Tartaric Acid, Cultures), Butternut Squash, Breadcrumbs (Wheat Flour, Sugar, Yeast, Salt), Potato Flakes, Canola Oil, Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Sage, Annatto Oil.

Is tofutti ricotta vegan? ›

- Dairy-Free, Vegan.

What brands sell vegan cheese? ›

8 Must-Try Vegan Cheese Brands
  • Chao Creamery. In addition to sausages and frozen macaroni 'n' cheese, the Field Roast and Chao Creamery brands also offer craveable and meltable cheese slices. ...
  • Follow Your Heart. ...
  • Daiya. ...
  • Miyoko's Creamery. ...
  • Good Planet. ...
  • Violife. ...
  • Vevan. ...
  • Parmela Creamery.
Jan 15, 2024

Why do vegans soak cashews? ›

Cashews are a softer nut, making them great candidates in vegan cooking for creating dairy-free alternatives. When soaked and blended, cashews can be reduced to a thick, creamy sauce perfect for dishes like Vegan Fettuccini Alfredo, Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce and Basil Pesto Stuffed Shells.

Is vegan cashew cheese healthy? ›

The cashew-based cheese alternatives were the most likely products to be low in sodium (Table 1). Over 80% of the cheese alternatives were low in calories, while only 2% were high in fat.

Why are cashews used in vegan cheese? ›

Nuts, such as cashews, almonds, and macadamias, are commonly used in vegan cheese-making due to their creamy texture and high-fat content.

What can I add to store-bought ricotta? ›

You can also add garlic powder, black pepper, fresh basil, or shredded mozzarella cheese for an added boost of flavor. For desserts, there are so many delicious ways to flavor your ricotta. Try using lemon zest, chocolate chips, maple syrup, or Nutella.

Does store bought ricotta need to be drained? ›

Draining the excess moisture from ricotta is an important step, especially before using it in baked goods. Soggy cheese makes for heavy pie crusts and cakes. To drain properly, place a cheesecloth-lined, fine-mesh strainer over a bowl.

What flavors pair well with ricotta? ›

You can smear ricotta on toast and then top it with almost anything for an easy meal. Try it with corn and scallions, or pesto and tomatoes, or a fried egg. You can also eat it for dessert: top with strawberries and honey or banana and nutella. Get the recipes here.

What was vegan cheese made out of? ›

What Ingredients Are in Vegan Cheese? Vegan cheeses are 100% animal-free and made using vegetable proteins. Usually, they're made from soy; nuts, such as cashews and macadamias; and vegetable oils, such as coconut oil. You can also find cheeses that derive from agar, tapioca, peas and arrowroot.

Why is ricotta not vegetarian? ›

It depends on how hard core they are and what the quality of the ricotta is. Traditional ricotta is made with rennet, which is an animal product, so kinda a no-no for vegetarians. It can be made with vinegar instead, but that creates a different flavor.

What is Kite Hill ricotta made of? ›

Almond Milk (Water, Almonds), Salt, Rice Starch, Enzymes, Tartaric Acid, Guar Gum, Cultures.

Can you get vegetarian ricotta? ›

Bag. Our Vegetarian Ricotta is a fresh cream cheese that can be used in a variety of ways: it is ideal as ingredient to create thousands of recipes, from main courses to the desserts. It is available in large format of 10kg for industrial and wholesale customers.

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