Vegan Ricotta Cheese

Name: Vegan Ricotta Cheese
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: A 15 ounce block (about 396g) firm or extra firm tofu, drained but not pressed (see note 1); ¼ cup nutritional yeast (see note 2); 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste (see note 3); 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk (unsweetened); 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; ¾ teaspoon salt, to taste

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Creamy, thick, and delicious, this easy Vegan Ricotta Cheese is ready in only 5 minutes for pasta, potatoes, veggies, or whatever deliciousness you have planned! Our nut-free tofu ricotta is protein-packed, low in fat, and high in flavor, so use it liberally in vegan lasagna, vegan stuffed shells, and more. It even works as a fun spread for wraps and sandwiches.

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Hey Internet, you already know what it is: another vegan cheese recipe! We at ZardyPlants LOVE to make vegan cheese alternatives, but if you're a regular here you already knew that.

Our favorite vegan cheese recipes? It's hard to narrow down, but if you're forcing us, here are our top recipes: Vegan Brie, Vegan Cheddar, Vegan Feta, Vegan Camembert, Vegan Cheese Ball, and of course our 5-minute Stretchy Vegan Mozzarella and Stretchy Vegan Cheddar Sauce. Do we have more plans for vegan cheeses in the future? Sure do.

But let's talk about this amazing homemade vegan ricotta cheese recipe. It takes 5 minutes to make with simple ingredients and a food processor (a blender will also work). AND it tastes amazing but contains absolutely none of the dairy or cholesterol that regular ricotta does.

You can use our vegan ricotta cheese recipe anywhere you'd use traditional ricotta, such as Vegan Stuffed Shells, Vegan Lasagna (coming soon!), Vegan Manicotti, Vegan Baked Ziti, and more. Spread it on toast, enjoy it with some fruit, dip some raw veggies, or put it on top of your nourish bowl. This vegan ricotta is SUPER versatile.

We are super confident that this recipe makes the best vegan ricotta (and sure as heck beats dairy ricotta). This dairy-free cheese is also nut-free (lots of recipes out there for almond ricotta, or some use raw cashews or raw sunflower seeds) so unlike vegan nut cheeses its great for those with allergies or those who are looking to consume a little less dietary fat.

This is seriously one of my favorite recipes (especially on top of pasta) and I hope you enjoy it!

Why You'll Love Our Tofu Ricotta

Simple Ingredients: You only need 4 main ingredients and a couple spices to make this amazing vegan ricotta cheese. It has so much flavor and I know you're going to love it! It tastes like a healthier version of the "real thing."
Versatile: This vegan ricotta is a delicious addition to pasta (lemon ricotta pasta is delicious!), toast (ricotta toast is a thing and it's delicious especially with fresh herbs and tomatoes OR fruit and a drizzle of your favorite liquid sweetener), potatoes, and more. Or leave out the garlic and onion flavor and add a dash of agave or (maple syrup) to make this into a sweeter ingredient or topping for fruits and desserts!
Fluffy Texture: Thanks to the firm or extra firm tofu, this light dairy-free version of ricotta makes for a lovely whipped cheese AND it's healthy and delicious!
Full of Protein: Tofu also packs a mighty protein punch for anyone to up their protein game. You'll want to keep a batch of this dairy free ricotta on hand at all times!

Ingredients

Pick up these healthy ingredients the next time you're at your local grocery store. See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredients, instructions, and accurate nutrition information (to the best of my ability; please consult your physician or healthcare professional if you have specific dietary needs or need to meet a certain daily value of any nutrient). I give substitutions for the ingredients in the section below this one, so most people can still make this recipe!

A 15 Ounce Block Firm Tofu: While extra-firm tofu will also work, I have found that the best smooth ricotta texture comes from firm tofu. If you prefer your tofu ricotta on the more textured side like vegan cottage cheese, try using extra firm and just pulsing the food processor until the mixture becomes your desired texture.
¼ Cup Unfortified Nutritional Yeast: This adds a cheesy flavor to our vegan ricotta and we consider it to be a key ingredient. We used non-fortified nutritional yeast here to give our dairy-free ricotta an authentic color, but if you have the more yellow nutritional yeast it will work fine and still be delicious.
3-4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice, To Taste: We always prefer fresh lemon juice when we have it, but let's be honest that we don't always have fresh lemons on hand. The Italian Volcano Organic Lemon Juice is the best tasting bottled lemon juice and we buy it in a two-pack from Costco!
2 Tablespoons Plain Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk: We used our favorite shelf stable unsweetened soy milk (we always keep this on hand because it only has 2 ingredients and it's super high in protein), but any plain flavored plant milk, almond milk, or even coconut milk will work here. Just make sure it's unsweetened and not vanilla flavor!
1 Teaspoon Each Onion Powder and Garlic Powder: These spices also help with the cheesy taste, but if you were hoping to use your vegan ricotta in a sweet application like with fruit or in a vegan cannoli, you can totally leave them out.
.75 Teaspoons Salt, To Taste: You can use table salt or sea salt in this recipe. You need salt to make non-dairy cheese taste like regular cheese because regular cheese is salty! You can use more or less to your personal preference.

Substitutions

Tofu: You can use soaked blanched slivered almonds, soaked raw macadamia nuts, soaked raw cashews, or soaked raw sunflower seeds in place of tofu in this recipe, but I haven't personally tested it. I'd start with a cup and a half and go from there. You may need more non-dairy milk to get it to blend.
Nutritional Yeast: If you hate this stuff or can't eat it for whatever reason, you can skip it. You may want to add more spices, acid (lemon juice or vinegar), and/or salt for extra flavor.
Lemon Juice: White wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or distilled white vinegar will all work in place of the lemon juice. I'd start with a small amount and blend, then taste before you add more.

How to Make Vegan Ricotta Cheese

NOTE: It’s easiest to make this dairy-free ricotta using a food processor or blender (with a pulse option), but you can use a fork and a large bowl instead (as long as you’re using tofu and not nuts or seeds; with nuts/seeds, you should soak before blending and you will need either a blender of food processor).
Blend: Add everything to the blender or food processor and blend or pulse until it’s the texture you like. If you like a smooth texture and creamy consistency (I prefer it this way), you'll want to blend until smooth. If you prefer a more textured vegan ricotta, pulse until the mixture has reached your desired consistency. Either way, you may need to stop the machine a few times and scrape down the sides with a spatula.
Taste: Taste the ricotta and see if you need to adjust the lemon or salt (or anything else). Blend again if you make any changes.
Store or Use Immediately: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 6 days. I prefer to serve this vegan ricotta cold so I refrigerate it for at least an hour or two before serving but you could also use it room temperature right away in a dish like Vegan Stuffed Shells, Vegan Manicotti, or Vegan Ricotta Pasta (especially with some sun-dried tomatoes and a little black pepper, yum!).

Serving Suggestions

There are so many different ways to use this vegan ricotta recipe! Make your own vegan cheese and you can make even more great things with it, such as:

Use it in a recipe:

Mixed with spinach in our Vegan Stuffed Shells
Piped into our Vegan Manicotti
Layered in vegan lasagna (recipe coming soon!) with Vegan Meat Sauce
As the filling in Vegan Pierogi
On top of or mixed into pasta like in our Vegan Ricotta Pasta (add a little lemon zest too!)
As part of a bowl or any of your favorite savory dishes
In a smoothie for more protein
In sweet desserts like vegan cannoli (coming soon!)
In baking (savory or sweet recipes!)... my vegan creamy ricotta is a great way to keep muffins and cakes moist!

Serve it as is:

On savory toast with avocado slices, fresh basil, fresh cracked pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil
On sweet toast with sliced fruit or berries and a drizzle of agave or vegan honey
Use it on a bagel in place of vegan cream cheese
Use it a sandwich spread

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use any kind of tofu?

Firm tofu or extra firm tofu are best for vegan ricotta, however super firm and medium could probably work too. Soft tofu and silken tofu might result in a tofu ricotta that is too thin. You could definitely try it, though I'd leave out the plant-based milk and see if you even need it.

Can I freeze it?

I wouldn't. Tofu changes texture when frozen, which is great if you want to make crispy tofu or tofu nuggets, but probably not ideal if you want to make creamy ricotta.

How do I make ricotta without tofu?

You can soak raw cashews, raw sunflower seeds, or blanched slivered almonds in hot water for about 30-60 minutes. Drain the water and blend with the rest of the ingredients in my recipe. I have not tested this, but I would start with about a cup and a half of any of these. You may need more non-dairy milk to achieve your desired texture.

More Great Vegan Cheese Recipes

If you want to see all our vegan cheese recipes, we have a whole compilation of those. We also have a compilation of all our tofu recipes if you love finding new ways to use tofu!