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Uncover the secret to perfectly creamy, soft, and tangy vegan ricotta! It’s made with a base of blanched almonds and tofu, resulting in a smooth, luscious cheese with a balanced umami flavor. Spread it on toast or crackers, use it for your favorite lasagna recipes, stir it into pasta sauces, and more!
Table of Contents
💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy to make: With just 6 ingredients and a blender, you’ll have your own homemade vegan ricotta cheese whipped up in no time.
- Rich & creamy: Despite being dairy-free, this dairy-free ricotta cheese is still incredibly creamy and satisfying.
- Customizable: Feel free to make the recipe as-is or add your favorite herbs and seasonings to make it your own!
- Nutrient-rich: With almonds and tofu as the main ingredients, you’ll receive a good dose of protein and healthy fats in each serving.
If you’re a fan of dairy-free spreads like vegan ricotta, you should really check out our vegan cream cheese, vegan queso fresco, vegan cotija cheese, and vegan Parmesan cheese.
🧀 What is vegan ricotta?
Ricotta is a classic Italian cheese known for its delicate flavor and grainy texture. But our vegan ricotta? It’s an equally delicious, plant-based alternative that emulates the creaminess and versatility of the traditional version.
Blanched almonds and tofu form the base, lending a mild nuttiness that’s elevated by a touch of umami from nutritional yeast. And lemon juice adds a tangy edge, mirroring the slight acidity of dairy ricotta.
Serve this vegan ricotta cheese chilled as a spread on crackers or toast, warm as a stuffing in pasta shells or lasagna, or as a topping on pizza. Its taste and texture shine through in any form!
🌱 Why isn’t ricotta vegan?
Traditional ricotta is made from whey, a by-product of cheese-making. However, it is possible to make an equally delicious version that contains no dairy at all! Here’s how we did it:
- Swapped the whey curd base with blanched almonds, tofu, and almond milk.
- Used nutritional yeast for a light cheesy flavor to emulate the traditional version.
It doesn’t seem like much, but these simple ingredients transform into a creamy, light, and ricotta-esque recipe in no time. Even your non-vegan friends and family will love it!
🥜 How to blanch almonds
Blanched almonds are just almonds with the skins removed, so if you can only find almonds with the skin on, you can easily blanch them yourself! Here’s what to do:
- Boil the water: Start by bringing a pot of water to a rapid boil. Make sure there’s enough water to completely cover the almonds.
- Add the almonds: Once the water is boiling, carefully add your raw almonds to the pot.
- Blanch the almonds: Allow the almonds to blanch in the boiling water for about 60 seconds. You don’t want them to stay in the water too long, as it could soften the almonds too much and affect their texture.
- Drain and rinse: After 60 seconds, drain the almonds in a colander and rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Skin removal: Once the almonds are cool enough to handle, gently squeeze each almond to remove the skin. It should slip off easily.
🛒 Ingredients & substitutions
- Blanched almonds: Form the creamy, slightly grainy base of this vegan ricotta cheese. We use slices but blanched almond slivers will also work. Cashews could also work as a substitution, but the consistency will be more like cream cheese.
- Medium tofu: Adds body and extra creaminess to the ricotta. We’ve tested this recipe with firm and medium tofu and prefer the texture with medium. Silken tofu could make a good substitute for a softer consistency.
- Almond milk: To blend the mixture to the right consistency. If you don’t have almond milk, you can use any other plain, unsweetened plant milk you prefer.
- Nutritional yeast: Imparts a touch of cheesy, umami flavor. If you don’t have nutritional yeast, you can omit it, but it does add a nice depth of flavor. You can also try an equivalent amount of white miso paste instead.
- Lemon juice: Brings a tangy note to balance the richness of the almonds and tofu. White wine vinegar is the next best option followed by regular white vinegar.
- Salt: To enhance the other flavors, helping create a classic cheese flavor. Regular salt works great for this recipe, but you can also use sea salt.
- Herbs: These are optional, but herbs like basil or thyme can add a unique aromatic note if you’re looking for more flavor in your dairy-free ricotta cheese.
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
📝 How to make vegan ricotta
Step 1: Prep the almonds
Begin by soaking your blanched almonds. This process not only softens them but also makes them easier to digest.
Just cover the almonds with room-temperature water and let them sit for 4-6 hours (or overnight). If you’re short on time, a quick hack is to soak them in boiling water for 30-60 minutes.
Step 2: Blend the ricotta
Drain and rinse the soaked almonds, then place them in a high-speed blender or food processor. Add the tofu, almond milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and salt. Now’s the time to toss in any optional herbs if you’re using them. Blend everything until it’s smooth and creamy.
You might need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times. If the mixture is too thick or if you’re finding it hard to achieve a smooth consistency, simply add more almond milk, one tablespoon at a time.
Step 3: Taste and adjust
Finally, taste the vegan ricotta and adjust the seasonings as per your preference. You can use it right away or transfer it to a jar or container to chill for later. Happy eating!
If you have questions about this vegan ricotta cheese recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!
🍞 How to use vegan ricotta
Here’s how you can elevate your favorite dishes with dairy-free ricotta cheese:
- Pasta: Use it as a filling for pasta shells or lasagna.
- Sauce: Mix some into your favorite pasta sauce for a creamy element.
- Bread: Toast a few slices of dairy-free bread or sourdough bread, spread some vegan ricotta on, then top it with agave and chopped nuts, fruit, or herbs.
- Dip: Serve it alongside fresh vegetables or bread for dipping.
- Pizza: Spread it onto vegan pizza dough before baking it into vegan pizza!
🌡️ Storage & reheating
Storing and reheating vegan ricotta cheese is a breeze! Here’s what to do:
- Fridge: Vegan ricotta can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: While you can freeze it, the consistency may change upon thawing. Since it’s so quick and easy to make, we recommend consuming it fresh.
- Prep ahead: You can soak the almonds up to a day in advance.
♻️ Variations
- Garlic: Add a clove of garlic while blending for a pungent, savory kick.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Add a few sun-dried tomatoes to the blender or stir them in once chopped for a tangy, vibrant twist.
- Spices: Toss in some cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom.
- Herbs: Use thyme, rosemary, basil, dill, parsley, or sage for an aromatic profile.
- Spinach: Blend in a handful of spinach for a fun, healthy, and green variant.
- Zesty: Add some lemon or orange zest to create a refreshing citrus note.
- Roasted peppers: Blend in some roasted red peppers for a smoky twist.
- Olives: Add a handful of green or black olives for a salty punch.
🧑🍳 Top tips
- Soak the almonds: The longer you soak the almonds, the creamier your ricotta will be. Make sure to leave enough time for soaking them before starting the recipe.
- Use a high-speed blender: This will ensure your vegan ricotta turns out smooth with no chunky bits left behind.
- Scrape the sides: During blending, make sure to stop and scrape down the sides for an even texture.
- Adjust the consistency: If the ricotta is too thick, add more almond milk, a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Taste and adjust: Always taste-test your ricotta before storing it and adjust the seasonings to suit your preferences.
- Use fresh juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice will provide the best, freshest flavor, especially since there are so few ingredients in this recipe.
- Add herbs: Though optional, herbs can elevate your ricotta to a whole new level.
💬 FAQ
Yes, you can use other nuts for dairy-free ricotta cheese. Cashews make a good alternative to almonds but note that the result will be more like cream cheese. You can also try sunflower seeds for a nut-free version.
Soaking almonds makes them softer and easier to blend. It also makes them easier to digest.
No, this dairy-free ricotta cheese is best served chilled or at room temperature.
If your ricotta is too thick, add more almond milk until you achieve your desired consistency.
Yes, this vegan ricotta is a versatile substitute for regular ricotta and can be used in any recipe calling for it.
🍴 More vegan basics
If you enjoyed this vegan ricotta cheese recipe, take a peek at some more vegan basics like these:
- Vegan Heavy Cream: A rich and flavorful alternative to dairy-based heavy cream.
- Vegan Condensed Milk: Made with just 2 ingredients and a saucepan!
- Dairy-Free Sour Cream: Rich, creamy, and tangy cashew-based sour cream.
- Vegan Whipped Cream: Billowy, slightly sweet, and creamy coconut whip.
5-Minute Vegan Ricotta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups blanched almond slices (soaked)
- 3.53 ounces (¼ block) medium tofu
- ¾ – 1 cup plain almond milk (unsweetened)
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
Flavorings optional
- 1 teaspoon fresh herbs (basil, dill, thyme, etc.)
Instructions
- Add the almond slices to a bowl and cover them with room-temperature water. Let them soak for 4-6 hours, or overnight. If you’re pressed for time a rush, soak them for 30-60 minutes in boiling water.
- When the almonds are soft, drain and rinse them. Add them to a high-speed blender or food processor with the tofu, almond milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and salt. Add any optional seasonings at this point if you’d like.
- Blend the mixture on high for a few minutes until it is smooth and no chunks of almonds remain. You may have to stop the blender a few times throughout to scrape down the sides.
- If you’re not able to achieve a smooth consistency or it’s too thick, add more almond milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches the desired result.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking, then transfer the vegan ricotta to a jar or container for storage. Happy eating!
Notes
- Soak the almonds: The longer you soak the almonds, the creamier your ricotta will be. Make sure to leave enough time for soaking them before starting the recipe.
- Use a high-speed blender: This will ensure your vegan ricotta turns out smooth with no chunky bits left behind.
- Scrape the sides: During blending, make sure to stop and scrape down the sides for an even texture.
- Adjust the consistency: If the ricotta is too thick, add more almond milk, a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Taste and adjust: Always taste-test your ricotta before storing, and adjust the seasonings to suit your preferences.
- Use fresh juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice will provide the best, most fresh flavor, especially since there are so few ingredients in this recipe.
- Add Herbs: Though optional, herbs can elevate your ricotta to a whole new level.
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.
