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Over the years, I’ve experimented with making various kinds of vegan ricotta cheese. In the vegan world, there have historically been two ways to make ricotta: using tofu and using nuts (usually almonds or cashews). Neither of these options have ever been personally satisfying so I had to come up with a solution. What I landed on is using a combo of tofu and almonds!
Making a hybrid almond and tofu ricotta results in a version that has enough to protein to hold it together while having enough fat to give it that classic smooth, velvety texture. I can’t believe it took me this long to figure this equation out, but the important thing is that this vegan ricotta recipe is perfect and I can’t wait for you to try it.
Table of Contents
Equipment Needed
- Food processor. A food processor works better than a blender to make vegan ricotta because the mixture is quite thick. If you need to use a blender instead, check out the FAQ for tips.
- Tofu press. You can go old-fashioned and press your tofu with a kitchen towel and some heavy objects, but a tofu press will make your life so much easier!
Ingredients for Vegan Ricotta
- Almonds or cashews. Either can be used for this recipe, though I have a slight preference for almonds (they provide a slight graininess that real ricotta also has due to the size of its curds). Blanched slivered almonds are ideal because the skins have already been removed. If you can only find whole, raw almonds, the skins can be easily removed after a good soak, though it’s a bit time-consuming.
- Unsweetened plain plant milk. Use 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 Tofu & Almond Ricotta
Soak Almonds & Press Tofu
- Soak your almonds thoroughly (preferably overnight, or at least 4 hours). If you forget, you can boil them for 10 minutes and then let them sit in the hot water for about 1 hour — but the longer they soak the better. If you skip this step there’s a good chance they will blend up very grainy.
- About 15 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.
How to Use Vegan Ricotta
This plant-based ricotta can be used in almost any recipe that calls for regular ricotta, including both sweet and savory dishes. Since this recipe isn’t pre-seasoned like some vegan ricotta recipes, it’s totally neutral and thus more versatile.
Try it in savory dishes such as:
- Pizza (white slice, anyone?).
- Vegan lasagna.
- Stuffed pasta (like manicotti or stuffed shells).
- Calzoni.
Or use it in a dessert recipe like stuffed French toast or vegan cannoli.
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.
Recipe FAQ
If you don’t own a food processor, a high-powered blender could also work if it has a tamper. Since this recipe is fairly low-volume for the typical blender’s capacity, you may have trouble getting everything to combine without a tamper. If you don’t have a tamper, make sure to scrape down the sides very often to get everything to combine.
Yes, but it is highly recommended to peel off the almond skins by hand after soaking. The skins will make the texture of the ricotta grainy, and will also impact the color.
You could try making this recipe nut-free by using raw soaked sunflower seeds. They have a less neutral flavor compared to almonds or cashews but it is still quite tasty in my experience. If you plan to use it in a dish that has lots of other prominent flavors (like lasagna or stuffed shells), you might not notice the sunflower flavor. They require less soak time than almonds/cashews — only about 30 minutes.
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 nut-based ricotta.
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! Start with 1 or 2 tablespoons.
Storing Vegan Ricotta
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.
More Vegan Recipes
Vegan Ricotta
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup blanched slivered almonds or raw cashews soaked 4+ hours or overnight
- 1/4 cup unsweetened plain plant milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 7 ounces firm or extra-firm tofu about 1/2 block, thoroughly pressed
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher 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
Ahead of time
- Soak nuts: Make sure your blanched almonds or raw cashews have been thoroughly soaked or your ricotta will be gritty. Soak them at room temperature for at least 4 hours — overnight is even better. If you forget, boil them for about 10 minutes and then turn off the heat and let them soak in the hot water for about 1 hour.
- Press the tofu: It's also recommended to press your tofu ahead of time. You can use a tofu press, or wrap the block in a lint-free kitchen towel and gently weigh it down with a cutting board or heavy plate. Let it press for about 15 minutes.
Make the Vegan Ricotta
- Combine nuts and wet ingredients: Drain the almonds/cashews 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.
- Blend until smooth: Process till the mixture is as smooth as possible, scraping down the sides to ensure everything is evenly blended. It can take several minutes to get it smooth enough. Almonds will take a bit longer than cashews and will retain a little more grittiness.
- Blend in the tofu: 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.
- Season to taste: Taste and adjust to preference. Add more salt or lemon juice if you like.
- Stir in add-ins: 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!
Notes
- Almonds: I recommend blanched, slivered almonds because the skins have already been removed. If you can only find whole raw almonds, you can soak them first and then peel off the skins individually. Alternatively, you can leave the skins on, but they will give the ricotta a slightly more gritty texture.
- Nut-free: I always recommend raw sunflower seeds as a nut-free alternative for vegan cheeses and cream sauces. They require less soaking — only about 30 minutes. They will have a less neutral flavor than almonds or cashews but will still blend nicely.
- Tofu: Firm/extra-firm tofu usually comes in 14 or 16 ounce blocks. Half of either sized block will work in this recipe — it is very forgiving.
- Nutritional yeast: Many recipes for vegan ricotta call for nutritional yeast. I typically don’t add it because real dairy ricotta has more of a neutral flavor. If you’d like to add a more “cheesy” flavor to your dish, it’s a great addition! Start with 1-2 tablespoons and add more to your preference.
- Oil: If you are planning to use the ricotta for a sweet dish (e.g. stuffed French toast), you can swap out the olive oil for a neutral oil such as sunflower oil, or even softened vegan butter.
- Blender: If you don’t own a food processor, you may be able to use a high speed blender with a tamper attachment. Because the recipe is thick and not a large volume, it can be hard to get the ingredients moving in a blender without a tamper (or without scraping down the sides of the blender very frequently).
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?
SO delicious. I added a little nutritional yeast because that was closer to the flavour I wanted. Excellent in lasagna.