Cashew Ricotta - A Fab Vegan Cheese Recipe | Greedy Gourmet (2024)

Ricotta is an Italian ingredient made from the leftover production of other cheeses. It can be made from cow’s, goat’s or sheep’s milk.

Despite what most people believe, ricotta is not technically a cheese, as it’s made from whey – the bit left over after the cheese making process.

No whey!

Yes. Whey. Bad puns aside, although it’s not a cheese, ricotta is still delicious, characterised by a mild creamy flavor and soft texture.

It’s deliciousness is not in question. For many vegans and dairy free foodies, ricotta is out of the culinary question. While there are some great substitutes for ricotta, for vegans there’s one that stands out above the rest. Cashew ricotta.

Lots of people wonder “what is vegan ricotta made of?” Well, vegan ricotta cheese is made of tofu and sometimes it’s made of almonds.

However, the tastiest way of producing vegan ricotta is to make cashew ricotta.

Using cashews is a great way to replicate the flavor of ricotta. Vegan cashew ricotta cheese really is a dairy free delight!

Cashews make up the base of the flavor. Nutritional yeast brings the cheesy flavor that’s essential to make vegan ricotta align with the real thing, while salt and pepper add a little bit of seasoning. The vinegar brings acidity and acts as a preservative.

This plant based dairy free ricotta is also 100% soy free and gluten free – no tofu or any additives with this recipe.

Cashew cheese does a great job of replicating the smooth mellow taste of real ricotta. It’s got that mild, slightly nutty taste down pat and the texture is fluffy and light, much like ricotta.

Plant based cheeses regularly get a bad rap from cheese fiends, who say that the taste doesn’t compare to the real thing. Well, all you have to do is try making your own cashew ricotta cheese. Then use it with some of your favorite recipes and you’ll see for yourself.

Cashews work especially well as a creamy cheese substitute. This is because they’re naturally creamy and dense. You don’t have to chuck a load of stabilizers and other unnatural ingredients into the mix.

You can always play around with the ingredients, until you have a vegan cashew ricotta cheese recipe that suits your taste. Try reducing or increasing the amount of nutritional yeast slightly. This will increase or decrease the ‘cheesy’ element.

You can also try adding a clove or two of garlic into the food processor along with the other ingredients, for an interesting flavor dimension. Or add a squeeze of lemon juice for an extra zing.

Then let me know what you think of the taste of this vegan cashew ricotta cheese recipe in the comments below.

You can store your homemade vegan cashew ricotta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

If you want to make a big batch, you can also freeze cashew ricotta. Again, make sure you store it in an airtight container – one that’s freezer safe. It’ll keep for up to two months.

Soaking cashews is simple. Cover them with water and soak the cashews in the fridge overnight. Job done!

If you want to soak them a lot quicker, you can simply cover them in boiling water and leave them to soak for 10 minutes.

If you want to keep it simple, you can use this delicious cashew ricotta as a sandwich or cracker spread. You could even spread it on freshly baked scones!

If you have loftier ambitious though, here are a few great ideas for some inspiration:

Vegan spinach and ricotta rotolo – you’ve got to try your cashew ricotta cheese with this recipe! Healthy, easy to make and incredibly tasty, just one mouthful and you’ll be in heaven

Sicilian cannoli – cannoli are so, so good! If you’ve never tried one, you’re in for a Sicilian treat. Swap in the vegan ricotta, add some coconut yogurt in place of the mascarpone and indulge in the finest of sweet vegan treats

Macco di fave – serve up lashings of cashew ricotta and some crusty bread with this stunning Sicilian soup and you’ll get a taste of la bella vita

Vegan sweet potato gnocchi – this recipe is a great way to use your vegan ricotta cheese. Tastes as good as the classic Italian dish, but so much healthier. It may well end up being your new favorite vegan meal!

Courgette involtini – use cashew ricotta as the filling for these delicious little beauties

Pastella alla palermitana – an unsung Italian hero, this recipe is a real gem. The Italian version of tempura, it’s a recipe for battering and frying your favorite ingredients. Use this cashew ricotta for an irresistible snack that will have your friends and family in raptures

Baked chocolate cheesecake – oh sweet indulgence! Swap out the milk and ricotta, vegan it up with rice milk and your homemade cashew ricotta and turn this into a baked chocolate vegan cheesecake to die for! With a cherry coulis on top

Ingredients

UnitsScale

• 400g (2 ½ cups) raw cashew nuts, soaked in water overnight
• 250ml (1 cup) water
• 30ml (2 tbsp) apple cider vinegar
• 33g (3 tbsp) nutritional yeast
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2g (1 tsp) onion powder
• salt and pepper, to taste

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

1. Place the drained, soaked cashews in the blender, along with water, vinegar, garlic, yeast and onion powder.
2. Blend until smooth and season to taste.
3. Serve as a dip with crackers and vegetable crudites, or in Italian dishes such as this vegan rotolo. Enjoy!