I have lost count by now how many people have told me they will never be able to go vegan because of cheese. You might even feel the same way. Not too long ago, I would’ve never thought I would ever give up on eating cheese. There were many days where I used to have cheese with my breakfast, lunch AND dinner. It has now been a little over 4 years since the last time I’ve had any cheese. So I guess that if I can do it, anyone can. However, it goes without saying that I didn’t give up on cheese because I did not enjoy eating it. Luckily, there is now a wide a variety of plant-based cheeses on the market and they are getting better all the time. If you’ve had a bad experience with plant-based cheese a couple of years ago, chances are you are going to find it much more enjoyable nowadays as companies have really stepped up their plant-based cheese game. However, you can also make your own with little ingredients and effort. This recipe for vegan ricotta cheese is quick and easy to make, budget-friendly and it makes for a creamy and healthy delicious Vegan Ricotta Cheese. You only need 5 ingredients and 5 minutes to whip this up!
This creamy vegan ricotta cheese is much healthier compared to the ”original” one. Ricotta cheese is known as a low-fat cheese, however it still contains about 12 grams of fat for every 100 grams of ricotta. While this might be low in comparison to most other cheeses, it still is a considerable amount of fat. Not to mention that most of those fats (8 grams) are actually saturated fats, which aren’t good for our health. So, how does our vegan ricotta cheese compare to this? To be fair, the actual difference in the amount of fat is negligible with this recipe coming in at 11,6 grams of fat per 100 grams. However, it only contains about 1,5 grams of saturated fat which is significantly lower compared to the ”original” ricotta. This obviously means that our Vegan Ricotta Cheese has more unstaturated fats, which actually are beneficial for our health. Oh, and have you ever heard of the protein police? No? Well, they are very concerned about people that follow a vegan diet as their health is supposedly at risk because they can’t get enough of protein as a result of not eating animals products, such as cheese. They would be surprised to hear that this Vegan Ricotta Cheese made out of tofu has more protein than actual ricotta cheese. This recipe boasts almost 16 grams of protein per 100 grams, whereas the animal-derived ricotta only has 8. I guess it’s about time the protein police hand in their badges and uniforms and run to the store to grab a block of tofu. All jokes aside, there really isn’t any good reason not to make your own vegan ricotta cheese. We hope you give the recipe a try!
All of the Ingredients
- Tofu – is the main ingredient to make this vegan ricotta and is responsible for the creamy texture and white color.
- Cashew nuts – adds extra creaminess and a slight nutty flavour.
- Nutritional yeast – for a cheesy and savoury flavour.
- Lemon – adds a zingy and fresh touch.
- Salt – no cheese tastes good without salt. Period.
Cooking Tips
- You can use soft, firm, or extra firm tofu to make this recipe. However, results will vary depending on which one you choose. We usually make this with either firm or extra firm tofu asthat is how we like it best. You do NOT want to use silken tofu.
- Please don’t skip the soaking of the cashews. If you do, it most likely won’t turn out as smooth.
- You can play around with how long you actually blend the Vegan Ricotta Cheese. The longer you blend, the more smooth and creamy it will become (up to a certain point of course).
Substitutions and Variations
- Nuts – instead of using cashews you can also use almonds, pinenuts or even macadamias.
- Lemon – we use lemon juice in this recipe but you can also use lemon zest. Just make sure you use organic lemons if you are planning on using the zest.
- Herbs – add some fresh herbs to make it more special! Parsley, mint or basil are all very good options.
FAQ
How To Make: Vegan Ricotta
- Total Time: 5 minutes
Description
This recipe for Vegan Ricotta Cheese is quick and easy to make, budget-friendly and it makes for a creamy and healthy delicious Vegan Ricotta Cheese. You only need 5 ingredients and 5 minutes to whip this up!
Ingredients
- 18 oz (500 grams) firm tofu, pressed
- 6 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/3 cup (50 grams) raw cashews, soaked
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a food processor.
- Blend until smooth.
Notes
Nutritional facts are estimates. If you want to be sure about the nutritional facts, be sure to check your product labels.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 100 g
- Calories: 196kcal
- Sugar: 1,6g
- Sodium: 0,4g
- Fat: 11,6g
- Saturated Fat: 1,6g
- Carbohydrates: 5,2g
- Fiber: 3,2g
- Protein: 16,4g