Cashew ricotta cheese is gooey, creamy, and so addictive. Made with basic ingredients, it’s a wonderful vegan cheese alternative. You’ll love it from the first bite!
I love a good cheddar or Parmesan, but being lactose intolerant, I’m forced to live without their velvety, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Yes, there are vegan cheese substitutes available in stores. I’ve tried several, but they are a splurge!
So, I decided to make vegan cashew ricotta cheese at home. Take pre-soaked cashews and add salt, pepper, garlic, and lemon juice. Blend, and that's it! You've got one of the most delicious dairy-free cheese substitutes. The creaminess of the cashews is fantastic, and the texture is bang on!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Let me tell you, this cashew cheese is out of this world. The recipe is super easy, and you need just four ingredients: salt, garlic, cashews, and water. Everything else is optional.
Besides being a total cinch to make, cashew ricotta cheese is very versatile in terms of flavoring. Roasted red pepper cashew sauce is a must-try!
Cashew cheese is also a great vegan alternative and great in any recipe that needs a substitute for cheese.
Cashew Ricotta Cheese Ingredients
Cashews need to be soaked. You can either soak them overnight in the fridge in cold water. Or in boiling water for 10 to 15 mins. Or room-temperature water for 20 mins.
Seasoning: Use salt and pepper to taste.
Garlic is essential to the ricotta cheese recipe. It adds so much flavor!
Smoked paprika gives the cheese an imperceptibly smoked flavor and kick of chili.
Lemon juice enhances the ricotta's flavor and makes it tangy.
Nutritional yeast gives the ricotta a deep umami flavor. Don’t have it? Don’t worry. The vegan cheese still tastes great without it!
Variations
Flavoring: I love the flavor of garlic and paprika in ricotta, but pick your preference. Everything works perfectly with this creamy vegan ricotta cheese. Thyme and oregano make it herby and savory.
You can add dill, parsley, red chili flakes, or even chop up some fresh green onions. Roasted bell peppers, olives, and sun-dried or roasted tomatoes (like I did with my creamy whipped feta dip) are a great addition too.
Without yeast: Nutritional yeast is easily available in supermarkets and online. If you don’t have any, make the cheese without it. It turns out to be just as delicious.
How To Make Cashew Ricotta?
What's a great recipe? One that's done in 3 simple steps and is foolproof! I kid you not. The ricotta cheese is really that easy to make.
Step 1: Soak the cashew nuts - You can soak them for 2-3 hours in room temperature water, or you can soak them in boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Drain them well.
Step 2: Combine all the ingredients in your food processor.
Step 3: Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Transfer to an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.
Pro Tips
- Soak the cashews. Soft and plump cashews are easier to blend and make the ricotta more flavorful.
- Use a little water when blending the ingredients. If the texture is too thick, add more.
- Ricotta cheese has a grainy texture, which is sometimes how I like it. To make a coarse cheese, pulse the ingredients in a blender or food processor.
- For a silky cashew cheese, blend till completely smooth, like I did this time.
- Taste test after blending and adjust for seasoning.
- More lemon juice would make the cashew ricotta cheese piquant.
How To Serve
I binged on this velvety soft cheese with my breakfast toast. Smear it on homemade bagels. Spread it thickly on slices of challah bread or use it for making sandwiches with this sandwich bread. For a sweet, savory taste, try the cashew cheese my quick fig bread!
- Mix it into a pasta sauce (or top the pasta salad with it).
- Spoon it on baked vegetables.
- Substitute it for Parmesan in Italian salad dressing.
- Toss it in a rice dish.
- Stir it into soups like creamy pea soup.
- Use it as a dip and smear it on crackers like these delicious cheese crackers with carom seeds and pumpkin crackers.
- Or make it the centerpiece of a cheese board along with homemade crostini!
Recipe FAQs
You can use the ricotta as a dip, spread it on khachapuri or cheese stuffing for breads, add it to pasta, or use it in place of Greek yogurt for creamy salads like this creamy cucumber salad.
I love the creaminess of cashews in ricotta cheese. But almonds can also be used in place of them.
Like every fresh cheese, cashew ricotta is also good for five to seven days in the fridge. The cheese is honestly so amazing that you’ll finish it within a week! Can you freeze ricotta cheese? I wouldn’t recommend it.
📖 Recipe
Cashew Ricotta Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup Cashews, soaked
- 1 tbsp Nutritional yeast
- 3/4 tsp Smoked paprika
- 1.5 tbsp Lemon juice
- 2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup Water You may need more
- Salt and Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Soak the cashew nuts - You can soak them for 2-3 hours in room temperature water OR you can soak them in boiling water for 10-15 minutes.
- Drain and rinse the soaked nuts.
- Combine all the ingredients in your food processor. Process until creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If it's too thick, add some more water.
- Store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for 5-6 days. You can use it immediately in any dish you like or serve with crackers/toasts. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Soak the cashews. Soft and plump cashews are easier to blend and make the ricotta more flavorful.
- Use a little water when blending the ingredients. If the texture is too thick, add more.
- To get a grainy coarse textured cheese, pulse the ingredients in a blender or food processor.
- For a silky cashew cheese, blend till completely smooth like I did this time.
- Taste test after blending and adjust for seasoning.
- More lemon juice would make the cashew ricotta cheese piquant.
natasha says
I love making this cashew ricotta - its so easy to make and super versatile!