This page contains affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission on your purchase at no additional cost to you. Thank you for helping to support Sarah’s Vegan Kitchen!
Ingredients
- Blanched slivered almonds. Cashews are my usual go-to when it comes to making homemade vegan cheese, but for ricotta in particular, almonds are my favorite! When soaked and thoroughly blended, they retain a slight graininess that is similar to the texture of real ricotta. Blanched slivered almonds are best because their skins are already removed. If you can only find whole, raw almonds, you’ll want to pop off the skins by hand after soaking.
- Unsweetened plain plant milk. I prefer something with a fairly neutral flavor, like cashew milk or oat milk. In a pinch, you can use water; using milk just makes the ricotta ever-so-slightly creamier.
- Extra-firm tofu. Blended tofu lends extra body to the vegan ricotta, making it creamier and higher in protein (similar to the real thing).
- Lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. I think this combo best approximates the slight tanginess of ricotta.
- Extra-virgin olive oil. Helps make the vegan ricotta more luscious and adds a little extra flavor that tastes good in savory recipes. If you’re planning to use this ricotta in a sweet dish (like stuffed French toast), you can omit this for a more neutral flavor — or even substitute in some softened vegan butter.
- Salt.
Add-Ins (optional but recommended)
- Garlic powder. Or add in a clove (or two) of fresh garlic. Especially if you’re using this vegan ricotta in something like lasagna or stuffed shells, a little extra garlic never hurt.
- Fresh chopped basil. This adds an incredible fresh flavor the ricotta that makes it irresistible!
How to Make Vegan Ricotta
Soak Almonds & Press Tofu
- Soak your almonds thoroughly — preferably overnight or for at least 4 hours at room temperature. If you forget, you can soak them in boiling water for 1 hour, but ideally the longer they soak the better. If you skip this step there’s a good chance they will blend up very grainy.
- About 20 minutes before you make the ricotta, you’ll also want to use your favorite method to press your tofu. I like to use a tofu press, but you can also wrap the block of tofu in a clean, lint-free kitchen towel and gently weigh it down with something like a cutting board or heavy plate.
Blend the Ricotta
- Drain the almonds and add them to a food processor along with 1/4 cup unsweetened, plain plant milk, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and extra-virgin olive oil. Process until they’re as smooth as possible — this can take up to a few minutes. To ensure everything blends evenly, regularly scrape down the sides of your food processor bowl with a spatula.
- Once you get the almonds as smooth as possible, add in the tofu and salt and process until smooth and fluffy. Again, scrape down the sides of the food processor as needed to make sure everything is incorporated.
- Taste and adjust to preference. Add more salt or lemon juice if you like.
- Once you’re happy with the base flavor of the ricotta, you can add in garlic powder, fresh chopped basil, or Italian seasoning. I always recommend this if you’re planning to use this vegan ricotta in lasagna or stuffed shells.
Storage
Ricotta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and is best used within about 5 days. It may be good up to a week but the flavor won’t be as fresh and some of the liquid may begin to separate.
Leftover vegan ricotta can also be frozen for up to 1 month in a very airtight container. Defrost it in the fridge overnight. Some separation of the liquid may occur when defrosting; just give it a good stir to re-incorporate it.
If you added fresh basil or other herbs to your ricotta, the herbs won’t taste as fresh if frozen and defrosted.
Substitutions & Variations
Can I use cashews (or another kind of nut)?
Yes, you can use cashews in this vegan ricotta recipe. Personally I think the texture is a bit less convincing but it will still be delicious!
Simply substitute in an equal volume of raw cashews for the blanched almonds and follow the recipe as written.
Macadamia nuts or pine nuts could potentially be a good substitution, although I haven’t personally tried either since they’re so pricey!
Can I use whole raw almonds?
Yes, but you will want to peel off the almond skins by hand after soaking. The skins will make the texture of the ricotta too grainy (and will also impact the color).
What if I can’t eat nuts?
You could try making this recipe using raw soaked sunflower seeds, but this would definitely impact the flavor substantially. It might still be tasty but it won’t be as neutral as the almond-based ricotta. If you plan to use it in a dish that has lots of other prominent flavors (like lasagna or stuffed shells), the sunflower flavor might not be too distracting in context. It will come down to your personal taste!
Can I make this without tofu?
There isn’t a good replacement for tofu in this particular recipe. It contributes a lot to the texture and body of the ricotta. If you don’t want to utilize tofu, you can try out a purely almond-based ricotta.
Can I add nutritional yeast?
Many other recipes for vegan ricotta call for nutritional yeast, which will contribute a more “cheesy” and savory flavor. Personally I don’t add it to mine, because I’m trying to replicate the flavor of real ricotta, which is quite neutral. But I think nutritional yeast could be a great addition if you want to boost the cheesiness factor! Try 1 or 2 tablespoons.
How to use Vegan Ricotta
This can be used in almost any recipe that calls for regular ricotta, from savory dishes like lasagna, stuffed shells or manicotti, to sweet treats like stuffed French toast.
I haven’t tried using it in baked goods or things like ricotta gnocchi yet, so I can’t vouch for the results in cases where ricotta is used as a binding agent.
Vegan Ricotta
Ingredients
- 1 cup blanched slivered almonds soaked for at least 4 hours
- 1/4 cup unsweetened plain plant milk
- 7 oz (half a block) extra-firm tofu thoroughly pressed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Add-Ins (optional but recommended)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil or 1/2 tsp dry Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Make sure your almonds have been thoroughly soaked or your ricotta will be very gritty. Soak them at room temperature for at least 4 hours — overnight is even better. If you forget, you can soak them in boiling water for at least 1 hour.
- Drain the almonds and add them to a food processor along with 1/4 cup unsweetened, plain plant milk, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and extra-virgin olive oil. Process until they're as smooth as possible — this can take up to a few minutes. To ensure everything blends evenly, regularly scrape down the sides of your food processor bowl with a spatula.
- Once you get the almonds as smooth as possible, add in the tofu and salt and process until smooth and fluffy. Again, scrape down the sides of the food processor as needed to make sure everything is incorporated.
- Taste and adjust to preference. Add more salt or lemon juice if you like.
- Once you're happy with the base flavor of the ricotta, you can add in garlic powder, fresh chopped basil, or Italian seasoning. I always recommend this if you're planning to use this vegan ricotta in lasagna or stuffed shells!
Wowwwww this ricotta along with your lasagna soup were just incredible! Way better than the dairy version. What do you think would be a good nut free substitute for the almonds?