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.
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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.
Ingredients & Substitutions
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.
Steps 3 and 4.
Throw the ingredients into a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Taste and adjust flavours to your liking.
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.
FAQs
You can. I have made almond ricotta for my vegan white pizza and I've seen vegan ricotta made with macadamias.
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.
More Sauces & Seasonings
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Make This Recipe
Creamy Cashew Ricotta
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.
Rene says
Can I use Creamy Cashew Ricotta on lasagna?
Amanda says
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. 🙂