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    Home » Recipes » All recipes

    Easy dairy free ricotta with tofu and cashews

    Published: Jan 24, 2022 · Modified: Mar 28, 2023 by Maria · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Easy dairy free ricotta recipe. Cashews, tofu, vegan cream cheese, lemon, garlic and olive oil are whipped together to create a creamy and decadent vegan cheese. Dairy free recipe for lasagna or stuffed shells.

    Overhead view of vegan ricotta in a bowl
    Jump to:
    • ❤️ This easy recipe is
    • 🧂 Ingredients
    • 🍕 How to serve
    • ❄️ Storing tips
    • Substitution guide
    • 🍝 More delicious recipes you'll love
    • 📖 Recipe

    ❤️ This easy recipe is

    • Quick and easy
    • Dairy free
    • Vegan & vegetarian
    • High in protein
    • Delicious and creamy

    🧂 Ingredients

    This simple recipe is full of easy to find and simple ingredients.

    • Medium firm tofu - I love using medium firm tofu because it's a nice creamy consistency like regular ricotta. I used extra firm tofu for the photos, because that's what I had on hand and it turned out a little more chunky than I liked. Silken tofu might make this a bit too runny, so I don't suggest that. If you want to sub the tofu, look at the substitution section below.
    • Lemon juice - This will add a slight tartness that is found in traditional ricotta cheese. It brightens this up a lot as well. You can substitute with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar as well.
    • Raw cashews - This will add a nice creaminess and richness and is a key ingredient. Use raw cashews because they have a nice neutral flavor. If you're allergic to nuts, I show you how to replace the cashews in the substitution section below. Just soak the cashews in boiled, hot water for 10 minutes to soften them up.
    • Dairy free cream cheese - I've made this recipe before with only tofu and cream cheese. It was delicious. This is my secret ingredient and will add a nice creaminess and smooth texture to the ricotta. But feel free to leave it out if you can't find it at your local grocery store.
    • Nutritional yeast - This adds extra flavor, cheesy flavor, and richness to the recipe.
    • Olive oil - I added this to make the ricotta a bit more rich and creamy. It's optional, though since the cream cheese adds a nice creamy texture.
    • Seasonings - I use a mixture of sea salt and black pepper, Italian seasoning, Garlic powder
    Vegan ricotta in a food processor with a rubber spatula.

    🍕 How to serve

    This vegan cheese goes amazingly well in or on top of pasta dishes like a vegan lasagna or in stuffed shells. You can also top off some toast with it.

    Dairy free lasagna with vegan ricotta in a casserole dish

    ❄️ Storing tips

    Any leftover ricotta will last in the fridge in an airtight container for about a week.

    I haven't tried freezing this by itself before but I have made it in a lasagna and then frozen the lasagna. It froze just fine like that.

    Substitution guide

    Substituting tofu

    To substitute the tofu in this recipe you can use a can of drained and rinsed white beans. I love using great northern beans or cannellini beans.

    Substituting cashews

    You can substitute the cashews by using about ½ cup more of the dairy free cream cheese. You can also use soaked whole almonds, or macadamia nuts. You can also just omit the cashews for a nut-free version.

    Substituting cream cheese

    If you don't have dairy free cream cheese, you can use dairy free, unsweetened yogurt or 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. You can also leave the cream cheese out. This tastes great with just tofu and cashews.

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      Easiest vegan fondue (dairy free cheese fondue)
    • Dairy free alfredo sauce on fettuccini pasta in a bowl with vegan chicken
      Dairy free Alfredo sauce

    If you loved this recipe, leave a 5 ⭐️ rating on the recipe card and comment below!

    📖 Recipe

    Close up of vegan ricotta in a brown bowl.

    Dairy free ricotta cheese with tofu and cashews

    Easy vegan ricotta recipe. Made with tofu, cashews, vegan cream cheese, lemon, garlic and olive oil. Dairy free recipe for lasagna or stuffed shells.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 287kcal
    Author: Maria
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    Equipment

    • 1 Food processor

    Ingredients

    US Customary or Metric
    • 14 ounces medium firm tofu
    • 1 cup raw cashews
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • ½ cup dairy free cream cheese
    • 1 lemon (juiced)

    Instructions

    • Bring some water to a boil. Then pour it over the raw cashews in a mug. Let it soak for 10 minutes.
      1 cup raw cashews
    • Add everything to the blender and blend until smoothish. You may have to stop a few times and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Add a couple tablespoons of water if it needs some liquid to get going.
      14 ounces medium firm tofu, 1 cup raw cashews, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ cup dairy free cream cheese, 1 lemon

    Notes

    Substituting tofu

    To substitute the tofu in this recipe you can use a can of drained and rinsed white beans. I love using great northern beans or cannellini beans.

    Substituting cashews

    You can substitute the cashews by using about ½ cup more of the dairy free cream cheese.

    Substituting cream cheese

    If you don't have dairy free cream cheese, you can use dairy free, unsweetened yogurt or 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. You can also leave the cream cheese out. This tastes great with just tofu and cashews.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 467mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @DamnTastyVegan or tag #DamnTastyVegan!

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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    About Maria

    Maria is the creator of the blog and YouTube channel Damn Tasty Vegan. She has been a vegetarian since 2005 and vegan since 2015. She loves showing new vegans how easy and delicious living a vegan lifestyle can be. She is passionate about animal welfare and strives to help change the way animals are viewed and treated, by helping people transition to a vegan lifestyle.

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    Hi, I'm Maria Rose! I'm a professional singer by night, and recipe developer by day. I run this blog and am also the creator of the One Month (30 minute) Meal Plan. I love helping people learn how to cook easy and delicious plant based meals.

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