A vegan cashew ricotta cheese recipe that takes only 5 minutes to make. Creamy in flavor and the perfect texture for everything from lasagna to pizza!
This vegan version is perfect for those that need a dairy free ricotta cheese option. The texture and flavor mix right into any recipe that calls for regular dairy ricotta.
Vegan Cashew Ricotta Cheese
Whatever your reason for needing to cut dairy, it’s amazing to see what options are out there and what you can do with other ingredients to mimic the flavor and texture of items with dairy.
Ricotta cheese is something that we use often. Especially for our favorite, lasagna. We love all kinds of lasagna but here are some of our favorites:
What is a good substitute for ricotta cheese in lasagna?
Ricotta is an easy thing to substitute when trying to avoid dairy. You can use this vegan ricotta cheese recipe, but there are other things I do sometimes as well.
I like to use a vegan cream sauce instead of ricotta in some recipes, or you could even buy or make a vegan mozzarella. Another option if you’re trying to add in more veggies, is to use riced cauliflower.
What is vegan ricotta made of?
There are many ways people make vegan ricotta, tofu is one option. But my go to involves either cashews or almonds.
I use an almond based ricotta in these lemon ricotta pancakes, but I love the creaminess of cashews in general. The texture and flavor is pretty spot on, and it mixes well into any recipe.
How do you store vegan ricotta cheese?
Once made, store your cashew ricotta in an airtight container in the fridge. It also freezes well, so you can make it in bulk for easy use when needed.
All you need to do to make sure it freezes well is cover the top of the cashew ricotta with plastic wrap, press does so it provides a seal. Then cover with the container top. This helps prevent freezer burn.
How long does vegan ricotta cheese last?
If you store in an airtight container in the fridge, this should last about 5-7 days. If you aren’t going to eat it within that timeframe then I suggest freezing it.
How to Make Vegan Ricotta Cheese
Making vegan cashew ricotta cheese is extremely easy. Using a food processor works best for texture because it allows the mixture to blend well with the small amount of liquid you use.
You could try it in a blender but you don’t need a lot of water so you’ll have to stop and mix it often to get the ingredients moving.
- Put ingredients into the food processor.
- Blend until you get the texture you like.
Boom. Done. Pretty darn simple.
Vegan Cashew Ricotta Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cashews , soaked overnight (see note)
- 1/4 cup water , add more if you want a more liquid texture
- 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper , optional
Instructions
- Put all ingredients into a food processor and blend until it resembles a ricotta like texture.
- Use as needed.
Notes
- Soak cashews overnight or boil them for 30 minutes to soften.
- You can use raw slivered almonds instead of cashews for a very similar result. Another nut will work as well, but the flavor will be a bit different.
- This recipe makes about 2 cups of ricotta, serving size is 1/4 cup.
Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.
Nutrition
Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.
Rebecca says
Can this be heated in the oven? Thinking of doinf stuffed courgettes
veggiesdontbite says
Absolutely! I use it heated in things all the time!
Christine says
Omg, so good I can’t stop licking the spoon, better than store bought I can’t wait to try in my recipe.
veggiesdontbite says
Yay!!! So happy you like it!
KH says
This was absolutely amazing! It can be used in so many things. My kids even liked it, they were dipping crackers in it. Thank you!
veggiesdontbite says
I’m so happy you like it!!! Thank you so much!
Rick Randel says
How long does this keep? Can it be frozen?
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Rick! This can definitely be frozen, in fact I have some in my freezer now! In the fridge I’d say about a week.
JD says
This works perfectly in lasagna or anything really!
Jenn says
Hi! This looks so good! I’m thinking of making this along with your lasagna recipe for Christmas and was wondering if it would be okay to use something other than distilled white vinegar? Apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar?
Thank you! 🙂
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Jenn! You can use another vinegar but it won’t taste exactly as I made it. White vinegar is much more tangy and tart than the others. But they will work!