Woah woah woah.
Let me tell you about this amazing little number we’re calling “Vegan Cashew Ricotta.”
This stuff. Is. Life-changing. And that’s coming from a self-proclaimed ricotta hater.
I’m Italian, and I hate ricotta. Pretty sure there has to be a law against that, but it’s true. Growing up, I even hated lasagna because of the stuff.
And because I think baked pasta is funky. But that’s a different post.
Back to ricotta. So much bleh.
I steered clear of ricotta for Y E A R S until I went to a restaurant near us that put it on pizza. I begrudgingly took a bite and…
I loved it. So much love was had, you guys!
But once I started to cut dairy out of my life, I started to miss my new friend ricotta.
Until today! Today we’re doing all the ricotta things, and we’re doing it 100% vegan.
So, I’ve made this “ricotta” three times since I originally tested it, and I’m pretty sure I love it more and more each time I make it.
It’s straight-up freaky how much this cashew-based cheese tastes like its dairy counterpart. And don’t just take my word for it. Both my mom and Mark have asked (on more than one occasion) me to make this for them again…within the same week. It’s THAT good.
And and and! It only requires 4 ingredients: cashews, lemon juice, granulated garlic, and almond milk. Plus salt and pepper, but they don’t count. OH, and total bonus points if you chop up some basil and stir it in. So good.
The texture is totally up to you. I prefer this ricotta to be on the drier side, so I only use the least amount of almond milk possible. It’s super thick and almost whipped that way. You could also use a bit more almond milk so that it’s a little more creamy and “wet.” But that’s all up to you!
I hope you guys love this recipe as much as we do! If you’re wondering what you could use it for, don’t you worry. I have two different recipes coming within the next few weeks that use this cashew ricotta – I know you’re going to love them!
Enjoy, friends!
Easy Vegan Cashew Ricotta
https://www.fooduzzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/vegan-cashew-ricotta-1.jpg
| Prep: | Yield: ~1 cup | Total: |
The best homemade vegan ricotta! Naturally gluten free and only requires 4 ingredients!
You'll Need...
- 1 cup raw, chopped cashews, soaked overnight**
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic
- salt + pepper*
- 1-3 Tbsp. unsweetened almond milk (more to desired consistency)
- 4-6 basil leaves, roughly chopped (optional)
Directions
- Rinse and drain your cashews, then pour them into a high-speed blender. Add lemon juice, granulated garlic, and a nice pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until the cashews are broken down.
- Add almond milk, 1 Tbsp. at a time, and continue blending until the mixture is smooth and to your desired consistency. Stop the motor and scrape down the blender whenever necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
- Finish with your chopped basil leaves, fresh cracked pepper, and/or a drizzle of olive oil.
Additional Notes
*Salt is super important here because normal cheese is rather salty. Be sure you're adding enough!
**If you forgot to soak your cashews overnight (#beenthere), soak your cashews in some boiling water for an hour or two. Then drain, rinse, and proceed with the recipe.
Omg, this sounds delicious! I hope you use it in a lasagna so I can snag the recipe, haha.
Sarah
http://www.thesurznickcommonroom.com
I soooort of am using it in a “lasagna” recipe next week or the week after. But you definitely got me thinking up an epic spring/summer lasagna recipe :)
I’m really excited to try this recipe. I haven’t had lasagna in oh so many years because of the meat and cheese, even the great veggy lasagnas have cheese so I can’t wait. Thank you so much for sharing
I hope you love it, Aggie! The “ricotta” is seriously so good on its own, but it’s awesome baked in recipes too!
How do I pin this? Looks great!
Hey, Amy! Thanks so much :) You can pin the recipe by hovering over one of the images and clicking the black “pin” button in the top left corner, or you can use the sharing buttons on the right side of the screen. :) Let me know if you have any trouble with it!
Would soymilk work in this recipe as opposed to almond milk?
For sure! Any unsweetened milk will work just fine :)
Ok, the ricotta looks fabulous, creamy and full of flavor, but what are those tasty looking crackers you are smearing it on? Hopefully one of your creations (hint: SHARE THE RECIPE PLEASE!).
EEE! Yep, they’re coming to the blog this week :) Can’t wait to share the recipe with you!
What about these crackers!!!!! Do you have a recipe for those fab squares?
This sounds really great! I’m going to give it a try!!
Thanks, Christine! I think you’ll really enjoy it! :)
How long does this last in the fridge? I’m the only vegan in the house, so using up leftovers is a daily struggle – any tips? thanks!
Any nutritional info in this yummy recipe?
Great question! I don’t do nutritional information for my recipes, but an app like MyFitnessPal should be able to compute it for ya :)
Curious as to why you added almond milk to the recipe vs just adding cashew milk? Does the small amount used add that much to the flavor of the ricotta? Thanks!
Hey, Jennifer! You can use either milk. :) You just need a bit of liquid to thin it out!
I used this ricotta recipe to make a zucchini lasagna tonight, and it is AMAZING! I am only about 3 weeks into eating fully vegan, and cheese is probably my most missed food. This is legit! My husband and son also loved it, and my son couldn’t believe it was vegan! Thank you so much for this recipe!
I’m so so so excited to hear that, Chrissy!! :) Love this stuff too. We make it all the time!
How long can this be stored and reused?
It’ll last a day or two in the fridge.
I made a double batch the other day (I wasn’t sure how much I’d need for lasagna) and only used half. Today, I used the leftovers for zucchini ravioli, and it was just as yummy! Thanks for this recipe!
:) YUM! Just recently tried it in lasagna, and loved it!