Vegan Cashew Ricotta Cheese Recipe (2024)

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Best tasting vegan cashew ricotta cheese recipe made with raw cashews, lemon and garlic. Extra thick and creamy, luscious, only 5 ingredients and perfect for lasagna, pizza, stuffed shells or to spoon over a thick piece of bruschetta!

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Cashew Ricotta

Looking for a dairy-free substitute for Italian ricotta cheese? You are in the perfect place friends!

Soft, creamy and silky, this luscious homemade vegan ricotta cheese is the real deal.

At this point in my like I’m totally convinced that cashews are pure gold, absolutely magical and there’s nothing they can’t do. They are my heroes!

So delicious, use it on everything:

  • Fan favorite Spinach Lasagna
  • Vegan Stuffed Shells, Manicotti + Ravioli
  • Pasta Bake with Sausage Walnut Meat
  • Ultimate Vegan White Pizza
  • Mix with Tomato Sauce for a new creamy pink sauce
  • As Antipasto on a Vegan Cheese Platter drizzled with Chive Pesto
  • In a Sandwich
  • On Bruschetta topped with olives + roasted tomatoes
  • Drizzle with a balsamic reduction
  • as a dip drizzled with olive oil, fresh herbs + lemon zest <—seriously delish!

+

It’s Quick + Easy to Make

WFPB Oil-Free

Raw Vegan

Super Creamy & Fluffy

Homemade from Scratch – Fatto in Casa

How to Make Vegan Ricotta

  1. If you don’t have a Vitamix or another such powerful blender, make sure to start with a quick soak of the cashews (20 minutes) in hot boiling water.
  2. Transfer the cashews with the lemon, water, garlic and all the spices to the blender (or food processor) and puree until extra creamy and fluffy. Season to taste with sea salt and use it anywhere you’d like to use ricotta cheese. Store in the refrigerator up to 5 days or freeze in freezer proof containers for 3 months.
  3. For sweet desserts you’ll omit the garlic and savory spices of course and sweeten to taste with maple syrup or powdered sugar.

Vegan Cheese Inspiration

  • Creamy Alfredo Sauce
  • Butternut Mac and Cheese
  • Vegan Mozzarella
  • Walnut Parmesan

Vegan Cashew Ricotta Cheese Recipe (8)

5 from 2 votes

Vegan Cashew Ricotta Cheese

The best tasting vegan cashew ricotta cheese recipe made with raw cashews, lemon and garlic. Extra creamy and luscious, only 5 ingredients and perfect for lasagna or to spoon over a thick piece of bruschetta!

Print Recipe

Prep Time:5 minutes mins

Soaking:20 minutes mins

Total Time:5 minutes mins

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Cover the cashews with hot water and soak for 20 minutes. Drain and rinse and transfer them to a powerful blender or food processor. (If using a Vitamix or another extra powerful blender you can skip the soaking )

  • Blend the cashews together with the water, lemon juice, garlic and sea salt until smooth and creamy.

  • Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours until chilled and thick or serve right away. You can spoon over bruschetta or use in lasagna and for other pasta dishes. Keeps well in the fridge for about five days.

WFPB + Plantricious

  • Vegan Cashew Ricotta Cheese Recipe (9)

Notes

  • For a Dessert Style Ricotta to be used in cannoli and other sweets, just omit the garlic, onion and sea salt; sweeten to taste with maple syrup or powder sugar instead. I used it to make these little Pumpkin Cheesecakes over the holidays and they were a major hit with everyone.
  • To make Cashew Cream for savory uses, follow the same recipe and stretch it out a bit with more lemon juice or water until desired consistency and tanginess is achieved.
  • If planning to serve this on a cheese Board I suggest lining a sieve with cheese cloth, transfer the ricotta, tie the pouch and place to drain over a bowl in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight. This will yield a dryer but still super creamy vegan ricotta can serve sprinkled with fresh basil, thyme, chives, some lemon zest + a drizzle of good evoo. It's lovely spooned over crostini or crackers.
  • On Storage - Cashew ricotta can be stored in the refrigerator up to 5 days or frozen in freezer proof lidded containers up to 4 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 201mg | Potassium: 308mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 10.1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 3mg

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Cashew Ricotta, plant based, vegan cheese, wfpb

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 244kcal

Author: Florentina

Vegan Cashew Ricotta Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan ricotta cheese made from? ›

In general, there are two main methods for making vegan ricotta: one with soy milk and the other with blended nuts and tofu. They are both delicious. However, we recommend you try the soy milk method, which yields ricotta that is ridiculously similar to real Italian ricotta.

Can you substitute almonds for cashews in vegan cheese? ›

Substitute for cashews: cashews are my preference as they are creamy and mild in flavor, but if you need to substitute them you can use macadamia nuts, blanched almonds, or raw sunflower seeds. All of these nuts and seeds will need to be boiled for about 15 minutes to ensure they have softened.

Why is my cashew cheese grainy? ›

Making cashew cheese is fairly simple but getting the texture of this vegan substitute right is a subtle science. If done incorrectly, you'll end up with a grainy consistency that doesn't exactly sell the cheese fantasy.

Why are cashews used in vegan cheese? ›

Nuts, such as cashews, almonds, and macadamias, are commonly used in vegan cheese-making due to their creamy texture and high-fat content.

What are three dominant ingredients in vegan cheese? ›

Common Ingredients in Dairy Free Cheese
  • Soy Based. Soy is unsurprisingly one of the most common bases for vegan cheeses—and is popular in many plant-based animal-product substitute. ...
  • Coconut. ...
  • Flour. ...
  • Tree Seeds and Nuts. ...
  • A Safer Alternative.
Apr 29, 2020

What is the purpose of egg in ricotta? ›

For extra creamy ricotta, add in an extra egg, a handful of grated parmesan, and a quarter cup of shredded mozzarella. Eggs help prevent the ricotta from drying out and serve to bind the ricotta so it doesn't become runny.

Can cashew cheese go bad? ›

Because this is a fermented cheese, it will continue to stay good in your fridge for several weeks… if you can resist eating it! Wholesome but indulgent. Fermented cashew cheese has all the traditional dairy cheese flavors but it's made with wholesome plant-based ingredients.

What cheese to avoid for mac and cheese? ›

Feta has a high moisture level and doesn't melt properly, so it would clump rather than give you a smooth sauce. This also goes for cheeses like queso fresco and paneer.

Does cashew cheese taste like cheese? ›

This cashew-based cheese is made with just a handful of ingredients and is an explosion of salty, cheesy, tangy, and umami flavors thanks to fermentation.

Is vegan cashew cheese healthy? ›

Cashew nuts are a great alternative as a base for vegan cheese. They are low in saturated fat, taste great, and are a good source of protein. High oleic expeller pressed sunflower oil can be used for added creaminess in place of coconut oil.

Is vegan cheese anti-inflammatory? ›

The dietary fiber and polyphenols in whole plant foods are known to reduce gut inflammation, so a plant-based diet based on whole foods that includes moderate amounts of vegan cheese will likely be overwhelmingly anti-inflammatory.

Why can't vegan cheese be called cheese? ›

Labeling of vegan cheese, like other vegan dairy analogues, is controversial, with dairy industry groups pushing to prohibit the use of terms like "cheese" on non-dairy products. Labeling purely plant-based products as "cheese" is prohibited in the European Union and the United Kingdom.

What was vegan cheese made out of? ›

What Ingredients Are in Vegan Cheese? Vegan cheeses are 100% animal-free and made using vegetable proteins. Usually, they're made from soy; nuts, such as cashews and macadamias; and vegetable oils, such as coconut oil. You can also find cheeses that derive from agar, tapioca, peas and arrowroot.

Who makes dairy-free ricotta cheese? ›

Tofutti Brands, Inc. - Dairy-Free, Vegan.

Does ricotta have animal rennet? ›

Cheeses That Don't Use Rennet

"Many softer styles of cheese like mozzarella, paneer, ricotta, and cream cheese use whey or another type of acid as their coagulant instead of rennet, so they will be safe for vegetarians," says Birnbaum.

Can you buy vegan ricotta? ›

Our cashew-based vegan ricotta is cultured and creamy. Use it just like dairy ricotta. Plus, it's naturally low in saturated fat with plenty of protein.

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