I never thought vegan ricotta cheese could taste so good – until now. Friends, let’s make 5-ingredient vegan cheese!
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
The base for this seriously easy 1-blender, 10-minute ricotta is blanched slivered almonds. Because they’ve already been soaked and the skins removed, the almonds don’t need to be soaked before blending! Time = saved. In fact, I tried soaking them and didn’t like the end product nearly as much.
Because ricotta doesn’t typically have an intense cheesy flavor, the only additions it needs are nutritional yeast for a little cheesiness, lemon juice for tang, salt for saltiness, and a dash of garlic powder for depth of flavor.
Once blended, the “ricotta” is ready to go! Or you can set it in a cheesecloth and set it in the refrigerator to chill and harden a bit more. But if you’re in a hurry, the finished product is ready like that (in just 10 minutes)!
I hope you all LOVE this almond ricotta! It’s:
Creamy
Tangy
Cheesy
Satisfying
Versatile
Easy to make
& SO delicious
Add this ricotta to things like my Zucchini Lasagna, My Favorite Vegan Pizza, or Stuffed Shells! It would also make a delicious addition to things like my Lentil Bolognese Sauce to make the sauce creamier and cheesier. YUM.
For more vegan “cheese,” check out our Easy Garlic & Herb Vegan Cheese, Spicy Pimento Cheese Ball, 5-Minute Macadamia Nut Cheese, Easy Vegan Mozzarella Cheese,” and 30-Minute Cashew Alfredo!
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!
Whipped Almond Ricotta (5 Ingredients!)
Ingredients
- 2 cups slivered blanched almonds*
- 2-3 tsp nutritional yeast (plus more to taste)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 – 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 dash garlic powder
- 3/4 – 1 cup water
- 2-3 Tbsp fresh basil, oregano, or parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Add all ricotta ingredients (starting with the lesser amount of water (3/4 cup/180 ml and salt (1/2 tsp) as original recipe is written) to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down sides as needed (~2 minutes). You are looking for a well-puréed mixture with only very small bits of almonds intact. Add a bit more water a little at a time if the mixture is having a hard time blending until smooth.
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt for overall flavor, nutritional yeast for cheesiness, and lemon juice for acidity. For even more flavor, you can add in some fresh basil, oregano, or parsley (optional).
- At this point, the “cheese” is ready to enjoy, especially in dishes like Lasagna, Pizza, or Stuffed Shells. However, it can also be wrapped in cheesecloth, formed into a ball, and placed into a fine mesh strainer set over a mixing bowl up to 3 days. This will allow the “cheese” to firm up a bit. However, this is optional. You can also transfer straight from blender to a storage container and refrigerate.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 5-7 days.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
*Recipe adapted from Hot For Food.
*Recipe makes ~2 cups ricotta.
nadine plingos says
Whoops. Just saw that you can’t freeze.
nadine plingos says
This is fabulous. I used the pulp left over from making almond milk in the Almond Cow. It tastes really good. I am going to freeze a new batch today. I am not sure how it will be once thawed. Has anyone else tried to freeze this???
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Nadine! Thanks so much for the lovely review. We don’t think this would freeze well, but if you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!