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    Home > Recipes > Vegan Sauces and Seasonings

    Creamy Cashew Ricotta Cheese

    Updated: Apr 26, 2025 | Published: Nov 21, 2022 | by Amanda | 2 Comments

    Skip to Recipe

    Make your own creamy, silky, rich cashew ricotta in minutes. Serve it on toast, on pizza or with pesto and hummus on a your next party platter.

    Ricotta and tomatoes on toast slices.
    Jump to:
    • What is Ricotta?
    • Why We Love Making Cashew Ricotta
    • Ingredients & Substitutions
    • Step By Step Guide
    • Storage
    • Serving Suggestions
    • FAQs
    • More Sauces & Seasonings
    • Make This Recipe
    • Leave a Comment

    What is Ricotta?

    Ricotta is a traditional cheese product made from whey, a byproduct of cheese making. It is thick, creamy and a little sweet and salty at the same time.

    Why We Love Making Cashew Ricotta

    Making your own vegan ricotta is so easy and the result is crazy versatile. I use this cashew ricotta in my eggplant involtini, on toast with bananas and berries, as a base for savoury tarts, on pizza...you get the idea.

    • This vegan ricotta is soy free.
    • It's super easy to make.
    • We love that it's naturally gluten-free.
    • Creamy ricotta is useful in both savoury and sweet recipe
    • This recipe is quick and
    • the finished vegan ricotta is creamy, customisable and completely yum.

    Ingredients & Substitutions

    Cashew ricotta ingredients in a grid with labels.

    Cashews. We are using raw cashews here. You can make ricotta with macadamias or try blanched almonds like on my Pizza Bianca.

    Sugar and salt. I use a little sugar and salt for that slightly sweet, slightly savoury vibe.

    Dairy-free milk or water. I made a cashew ricotta for Nourish magazine and simply used water. Here we're using dairy free milk - soy, cashew or almond - for a richer cashew ricotta. Both work great.

    Lemon juice. A little splash of citrus to lift the flavours. You can also use apple cider vinegar - I would start with half the amount if you're using cider vinegar, taste and adjust.

    Onion powder and garlic powder. If I am making this ricotta specifically to go in a sweet dish, I sometimes leave the garlic out. The onion powder has a slight sweetness to it, so I generally always use it.

    Nutritional yeast. Bring on the umami! If you don't have nutritional yeast, you can add the same amount of a light miso paste.

    Step By Step Guide

    You'll find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

    Step 1.

    Soak cashews in water overnight or for at least 2 hours. For a sweet cheat, you can soak your cashews in boiling water for 10 minutes.

    Step 2.

    Drain your cashews really well.

    Two images of cashews soaked and drained.

    Steps 3 and 4.

    Throw the ingredients into a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Taste and adjust flavours to your liking.

    Two images of cashew ricotta before and after blending.

    To thicken your cashew ricotta, pop it in the fridge for a few hours.

    Storage

    Your homemade cashew ricotta will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 5-6 days. Alternatively, you can transfer it to a freezer safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge for 24 hours or at room temperature for a few hours.

    Serving Suggestions

    Like I said, this vegan ricotta is really versatile.

    • Serve it on crusty bread with tomatoes and basil with a splash of olive oil.
    • Dollop it on pizza.
    • Use it as a dip.
    • Stir through finely chopped fresh basil, parsley and some lemon zest and serve it in pasta
    • Spread it over sweet potato toast (yup...it's a thing)

    Cashew ricotta in a dish with toast and tomatoes.

    FAQs

    Can I use other nuts besides cashews?

    You can. I have made almond ricotta for my vegan white pizza and I've seen vegan ricotta made with macadamias.

    Should I use a blender or processor?

    Either. I've made this in both and it's worked out pretty much the same. If I had to choose, I'd say the blender is a touch quicker.

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    Sign up to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Insta for all the latest news. If you like this recipe, please check out my cookbook "Great Vegan Meals for the Carnivorous Family" It's full of simple, carnivore-approved family recipes.

    Make This Recipe

    Cashew ricotta in a dish with toast and tomatoes.

    Creamy Cashew Ricotta

    Creamy, smooth with just the right amount of salty-sweetness, this homemade cashew ricotta is simple to make with whole ingredients.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Sides and Condiments
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Diet: Gluten Free | Vegan
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    soaking time: 2 hours hours
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 119kcal
    Author: Amanda Logan

    Equipment

    • blender or food processor

    Ingredients 

    • 1½ cups raw cashews
    • ½ cup dairy-free milk or water
    • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon sugar
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ tablespoon nutritional yeast
    • ½ tsp garlic powder optional
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder

    Instructions

    • Soak cashew in water overnight or for at least 2 hours. For a sweet cheat, you can soak your cashews in boiling water for 10 minutes. 
    • Drain your cashews really well. 
    • Throw the ingredients into a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Taste and adjust flavours to your liking. 
    • Store in the fridge covered for up to 5 days.
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Notes

    If I am making this ricotta specifically to go in a sweet dish, I sometimes leave the garlic out. The onion powder has a slight sweetness to it, so I generally always use it.
    Storage
    Your homemade cashew ricotta will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 5-6 days. Alternatively, you can transfer it to a freezer safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge for 24 hours or at room temperature for a few hours.
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2tablespoon | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 256mg | Potassium: 152mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 0.2IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried It?I'd love to hear your feedback. Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below. Or you can tag @mygoodnesskitchen or hashtag #mygoodnesskitchen on Instagram.

    « Sugo di Pomodoro (Italian Tomato Sauce)
    Vegan Chicken Pot Pie Recipe »

    Comments

      5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    1. Rene says

      May 18, 2025 at 2:06 am

      Can I use Creamy Cashew Ricotta on lasagna?

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        May 18, 2025 at 1:05 pm

        Yes! I have done. Baked vegan ricotta firms up quite a bit when baked, but it still tastes delicious. I hope you enjoy it, Rene. 🙂

        Reply
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