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 cheese 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.

Why are cashews used in vegan cheese? ›

Nuts were a game-changer for vegan cheese because they provide a lot of fat: 100 grams of cashews have 44 grams of fat, versus 6.4 grams of fat in the same amount of soybeans. This allows for richer flavor and texture that gets closer to imitating animal milk dairy.

Why is my ricotta not creamy? ›

Whole Milk (not ultra pasteurized!): I recommend whole cow's milk for creamy flavor and texture. Alternatively, 2% or 1% milk can be used; but the final result will not be as creamy. Ultra pasteurized milk does not work for homemade ricotta. It won't curdle properly.

Is ricotta vegetarian? ›

So what cheeses are vegetarian? Fresh cheeses like ricotta, mozzarella, paneer, cottage cheese, and cream cheese tend to be vegetarian by nature, requiring lemon juice or citric acid to coagulate instead of rennet. Otherwise, look for cheese that explicitly states that it was created with vegetarian rennet.

What are three dominant ingredients in vegan cheese? ›

Ingredients Used in Vegan Cheese
  • Nutritional Yeast: It is a deactivated yeast rich in B vitamins and has a slightly cheesy flavor. ...
  • Agar Agar: This is a gelling agent made from seaweed. ...
  • Tapioca Starch: Tapioca starch is a starchy flour made from cassava root. ...
  • Coconut Oil: This is a plant-based oil high in saturated fats.
Mar 30, 2023

Why use an egg with ricotta cheese? ›

For extra creamy ricotta, add in an extra egg, a handful of grated parmesan, and a quarter cup of shredded mozzarella. Eggs help prevent the ricotta from drying out and serve to bind the ricotta so it doesn't become runny.

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.

Is vegan cheese anti-inflammatory? ›

Taste and Nutrition. Containing oilseed and plant milk, vegan cheeses are rich in minerals (magnesium) and antioxidants, and they possess anti-inflammatory properties, all of which protect against damage caused by free radicals.

Why do vegans soak cashews? ›

Soaking softens the cashews for easier blending. They swell in size as they absorb water so it can impact the consistency of a recipe if it calls for soaked and you use unsoaked. Some also say it impacts the nutrients and digestibility of the cashews.

Should I mix eggs with ricotta? ›

The Best Scrambled Eggs

A classic breakfast made even better, with the addition of ricotta cheese to make an even fluffier scrambled egg. Make these at the next brunch, but you better make enough because they are sure to be an instant favorite. Beat together eggs, ricotta, salt and pepper with fork.

What is a good substitute for ricotta cream? ›

Sour cream: The textures are obviously quite different. But, in a pinch, sour cream can pass as a ricotta alternative in a dish where cheese isn't the star of the show. If you're looking for a sub for lasagna, though, reach for cottage or goat cheese instead.

Why is my ricotta turning pink? ›

As reported by Daly et al. [4], some spoilage microorganisms (Pseudomonas spp, Enterococci, Serratia spp.) but also starter cultures have been associated to pink/red discolorations in cheese [5][6][7][8]; this discoloration was already reported also in Italian seasoned ricotta [9] . ...

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.

Is there a substitute for ricotta cheese? ›

Cottage cheese delivers a chunky texture, perfect for pancakes or quick bread; remember to give it a blend for smooth textures. Meanwhile, a bit tangier but creamy, Greek yogurt works like magic in dips or baked treats, an easy one-to-one sub for Ricotta shortages.

What is the main ingredient in vegan cheese? ›

Vegan cheese is usually made from soy, nuts, vegetable oils, and various other natural ingredients like peas or arrowroot. Vegan cheese is seen as a healthier alternative to cheese by some, and may reduce your risk of heart disease due to its lower content of fat.

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.

What are the ingredients in ricotta cheese? ›

Fortunately, ricotta is shockingly easy to make. All you need is milk, some kind of acid, like vinegar or lemon juice, and salt. That's it.

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