Vegan Ricotta Cheese Recipe

Ever paused mid-recipe after seeing “vegan ricotta” in the ingredient list—trust me, it used to confuse me, too, until I decided to create my own easy, nut-free vegan ricotta recipe. This creamy, dairy-free cheese alternative is made with simple ingredients and comes together quickly, making it perfect for lasagna, stuffed shells, empanadas, and more.

Whether you're new to plant-based cooking or a seasoned vegan, this tofu-based ricotta delivers great texture and flavor, without the saturated fat of traditional cheese.

Learn how to make this cheese alternative that is delicious, healthy, and easy to create! To my surprise, it was straightforward, and the best thing is that it is one of those preparations you can use in many other recipes, just like our vegan parmesan cheese This recipe can be used in other vegan recipes or eaten alone. So give it a try today and see how amazing it is!

Jump to:

• 🤔 What is vegan ricotta made of?
• 🧾 Ingredients
• 🍽 Equipment
• 🔪 Instructions
• 💡 Expert tip
• 📖 Variations
• 🥢 How to serve
• 🥡 Storage
• 🧀 More vegan cheese and tofu recipes
• 🎥 Video
• 📋 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews and Comments

🤔 What is vegan ricotta made of?

The answer is it can be made from different things that help reassemble the taste and texture of real ricotta. To make vegan ricotta, you could use unsweetened almond milk and soaked sunflower seeds, make a cashew ricotta recipe (with raw cashews), or make this version outlined here made with tofu.

Plant-based ricotta will definitely be lighter ricotta, as it doesn't have the saturated fat from real ricotta. Still, whatever your nuts of choice are, plus the olive oil or sunflower seed oil, contribute to giving it a subtle fat component needed to hold everything together. This way, it can be used for your other recipes.

The best vegan ricotta is the one that adapts to your cooking intent, i.e., sweet vs. savory dishes.

🧾 Ingredients

• Extra-firm tofu: This is your base, providing the creamy texture that mimics traditional ricotta. It's high in protein and easily takes on the flavors you'll add to it.
• Lemon juice: Acts as a natural acidifier to give the "cheese" its characteristic tang, while also serving as a component for vegan buttermilk when combined with plant milk.
• Extra-virgin olive oil: Adds a touch of richness and ensures the mixture isn't too dry, giving you that spreadable consistency you crave in ricotta.
• Garlic powder: Elevates the flavor profile with a hint of umami and earthiness without the harshness of raw garlic.
• Nutritional yeast: The secret ingredient for that cheesy flavor, and it comes with a bonus of added nutrients like B vitamins.

Optional ingredients

• Optional dried oregano: While not essential, this herb adds an aromatic touch and a Mediterranean flair to your vegan ricotta.
• Salt: It's all about balance—salt brings out the individual flavors and helps meld them into a unified, tasty whole. Just a pinch will do!

🍽 Equipment

This dairy-free ricotta cheese won't require fancy equipment.

• Blender, food processor, NutriBullet, or immersion blender.
• Optional: spatula and cheese press (or tofu press).

🔪 Instructions

This recipe only requires five minutes of your time and a food processor.

Note: Skip the garlic powder and oregano if you are using this recipe for sweet goods. Reduce the salt to half.

📖 Variations

Apart from the suggested variation for using this tofu ricotta in sweet dishes, here are a few variations you may find handy.

• Garlic powder - you can easily replace it with onion powder.
• Nutritional yeast - use more nutritional yeast if you want a more cheesy flavor. Add one teaspoon at a time, or find some nutritional yeast substitutes.
• Garlic - if you make vegan ricotta cheese for a more savory and rich recipe like vegan cheese recipes, stuffed shells, or veggie lasagna, you can use fresh garlic instead of ground garlic or onion powder. Just remember to remove the green vein.
• Fresh basil - same as above; if you are cooking a savory Italian recipe, feel free to add 2-3 fresh basil leaves to the food processor.
• Olive oil - use sunflower or avocado oil instead.
• Lemon juice - use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar instead of lemon juice, using the same proportions.
• Tofu - you can use silken tofu if you want vegan ricotta that is extra soft instead of the usual crumbly one. It also works very well for other dairy-free cheese recipes or even for making a cheese sauce.

🥢 How to serve

Use this vegan ricotta as it is, as part of a vegan charcuterie board, along with baked green plantains (tostones), as a cheese alternative.

Include it in your spinach empanadas or any pasta dish that calls for ricotta, like stuffed shells and dairy-free lasagna.

We also use it as a base to make vegan, gluten-free lasagna.

Savory recipes

If your answer is savory, this is the recipe for you or as a vegan cheese dip.

If you are using this vegan cheese for argentine spinach empanadas, vegan gluten-free lasagna, or use it on your pasta dishes, like stuffed shells (see our vegan stuffed shells, or traditional Creamy Eggplant Pasta with Tomato Ricotta Sauce, you may want to add an extra pinch of salt and pepper.

Sweet recipes

On the other hand., if you need vegan ricotta for your desserts, I would use a different version, one made either with nut milk or the version outlined here but taking away oregano leaves and garlic powder and only adding a pinch of salt.  

But this is no different from regular dairy ricotta; you can find traditional ricotta cheese and savory ricotta (Ricotta Salata, as it is called here in Italy). 

You can also use this recipe straight from the food processor for desserts, but make sure to strip away the garlic powder and oregano.

🥡 Storage

This nut-free vegan ricotta cheese will be stored well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Preferably, store it in a mason jar.

🧀 More vegan cheese and tofu recipes

Learn How to make crispy tofu, and also how to prepare tofu in different ways.

Making your own homemade vegan parmesan is also super easy, which can be used in your favorite vegan Italian recipes, to top your vegan stuffed eppers and vegan mushroom risotto.

⭐ If you try this dairy-free ricotta, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

🎥 Video

📋 Recipe