Lately we’ve been on a pizza and pasta kick, and it’s no secret that we also have a thing for dairy-free cheese. It’s also no secret that Italian food and cheese go hand in hand.
But what’s pasta and pizza without cheese? So we remedied this by experimenting with a SUPER quick vegan ricotta cheese made with 5 simple ingredients: quick-soaked cashews, fresh lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and nutritional yeast.
The result is a light, fluffy ricotta that comes together fast in a food processor or blender. Let us show you how it’s done.
Origins of Ricotta
Ricotta is a soft, mild “cheese” popular in Italian cuisine and used in dishes such as ravioli, lasagna, tortellini, and crepes. It’s believed to have roots dating back to ancient history (source).
But did you know that ricotta is not technically cheese (source)?! We were surprised too! It’s actually made from whey, which is a by-product of cheese making.
Either way, we love its taste and versatility, but wanted to make a dairy-free version for those who can’t or choose not to consume dairy products!
How to Make Vegan Ricotta
There are many ways to make vegan ricotta. We’ve previously made versions using almonds, macadamia nuts, and even tofu! But this cashew version is our current favorite.
Cashews are used as the base to mock the richness of dairy ricotta, while lemon adds tang and nutritional yeast adds a “cheesy” element. Then garlic powder and salt add even more flavor.
It all gets blended up in a food processor (or blender) with water until it turns into a thick yet spreadable paste. And voila! You have homemade vegan ricotta made with real food ingredients!
We typically keep it in the fridge where it will last up to 1 week, but it can also be frozen for longer-term storage.
Though it may be tempting to try making a smaller batch instead of freezing extra ricotta, we’ve found it doesn’t work well because there isn’t enough volume. But if you have a small food processor, it may be more possible.
We hope you LOVE this vegan ricotta! It’s:
Fluffy
Slightly sweet
Garlicky
Salty
Lemony
Versatile
Customizable
& Delicious!
It’s delicious on pizza, pasta, lasagna, salads, and more! Or enjoy as a dip with crackers and sliced veggies. The possibilities are endless!
More Vegan Cheese Recipes
- Easy Garlic & Herb Vegan Cheese
- How to Make Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- 5-Minute Vegan Cashew Queso
- Easy Vegan Mozzarella “Cheese”
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Cashew Ricotta Cheese (Soy-Free, Fast, Easy!)
Ingredients
RICOTTA
- 1 ¼ cup raw cashews
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4-1/2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
- 4-6 Tbsp water
FOR TOPPING optional
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley or cilantro
Instructions
- Soak cashews in very hot water for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or overnight (or 6 hours) in cool water. Then drain, rinse, and set aside.
- Add soaked, drained cashews to a food processor (or a high-speed blender) along with lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, sea salt, and lesser amount of water (4 Tbsp or 60 ml as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Mix/blend, scraping down sides as needed. Then add more water 1 Tbsp (15 ml) at a time until a thick paste forms. I find I get the best texture results with a food processor, but in a pinch, a blender can work too. It just generally requires more scraping and more liquid.
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor, salt to taste, lemon juice for acidity, or garlic powder for garlic flavor. Blend again to combine.
- Best when fresh. Store leftover nut "cheese" in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days or in the freezer up to 1 month (let thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator before serving).
Video
Notes
*Adapted from our Macadamia Nut Cheese.
paula peixoto says
not so good
Gina says
Really easy & quick. Only tried it on crackers so far but intend to use it for stuffing pasta after reading one of the comments. I may also freeze some this time because it made rather a lot & next time just halve the recipe. A winner, thank you.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Gina! Thanks for sharing! Just a heads up on making a half batch – it can be difficult with a standard-size food processor because there’s not enough volume to mix it.
Leni Fleming says
So great! I followed the recipe exactly. Spread it on a piece of olive bread: heaven.
YUM! Thanks for sharing, Leni!
Nicole says
I’m curious to know what you think about taking this recipe and throwing in a capsule of probiotic powder and letting the whole thing age out on the kitchen counter for a day or two to make a slightly cultured cheese? Since this would create a more sour funk, what do you think it might taste like then?
We actually have a similar recipe to that here.
Maria says
Excellent recipe and used in lasagna, pizza topping and even as a cheesy thickener in soups. Thanks for easy, flexible and tasty!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Maria! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Gabrielle Schube says
Very yummy! Put on pizza as the “cheese” and it was perfect. Had to add more water than eecipe calles for cuz it was so thick. I also halved it and made it in a measuring cup with an immersion blender.
Have also used it on the vegan lasagna on your site and that was amazing too!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Gabrielle! Thanks so much for sharing!
Ana says
I’ve recently turned plant-based and your recipes have been my go to. I did this ricotta today and because i wanted to be a little more on the cautious side, in case I didnt like it, I halved it. I also used a blender instead of a food processor. Because of these 2 factors, the result wasnt as creamy but still tasted really good and cheesy. Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Ana! Thanks for sharing!
Lindsay says
This looks amazing! Ideas on what to do with the ricotta? How have you used it? I would love to make it!!
Hi Lindsay, It’s delicious on pizza, pasta, lasagna, salads, and more! Or enjoy as a dip with crackers and sliced veggies.
Lucy says
This as my first vegan ‘cheese’ recipe I made. I followed the recipe but halved it. I don’t think it tastes much like cheese however I did enjoy eating it. I used it as a dressing on a veggie bowl. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing, Lucy! Next time would you mind adding a rating to your review? It’s super helpful to us and other readers! xo
Priya says
Great recipe! I added some tofu, fresh Basil, and fresh garlic instead of garlic powder. The mixture went into stuffed shells pasta and topped with marinara sauce. It was delicious and my kids didn’t notice that there was no real cheese. Made extra for the fridge to use next week!
So great! Thank for sharing, Priya!
Betty says
Can you use roasted unsalted cashews for this recipe?
You technically can, but it will taste different.
Sandy says
Can I use cashew butter instead of whole cashews?
We haven’t tried that but let us know if you do!
Susan says
What can a person use instead of Nutritional Yeast?
See some suggestions in the comments!
Arleen Curran says
Looks delicious! I am allergic to yeast. Any issue with leaving it out?
Just omit!
Roxanna says
Hi Dana!
Do you think I would be able to omit the nutritional yeast?
Can’t wait to try!
Yes, omit! You can also see how we added more flavor to this Vegan Parmesan sans yeast.