Vegan Cashew Ricotta Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan ricotta cheese made of? ›

In general, there are two main methods for making vegan ricotta: one with soy milk and the other with blended nuts and tofu. They are both delicious. However, we recommend you try the soy milk method, which yields ricotta that is ridiculously similar to real Italian ricotta.

Nuts, such as cashews, almonds, and macadamias, are commonly used in vegan cheese-making due to their creamy texture and high-fat content.

Whole Milk (not ultra pasteurized!): I recommend whole cow's milk for creamy flavor and texture. Alternatively, 2% or 1% milk can be used; but the final result will not be as creamy. Ultra pasteurized milk does not work for homemade ricotta. It won't curdle properly.

Substitute for cashews: cashews are my preference as they are creamy and mild in flavor, but if you need to substitute them you can use macadamia nuts, blanched almonds, or raw sunflower seeds. All of these nuts and seeds will need to be boiled for about 15 minutes to ensure they have softened.

Try this baked ziti casserole made with Tofutti Better Than Ricotta Cheese. Make it dairy-free, vegan.

As vegan blog Wag Free Food notes, coconut oil, coconut milk, and coconut cream are popular ingredients to make vegan cheese. The high-fat content of coconut makes it easier to create a creamy, decadent, cheese-like product.

Cashew nuts are a great alternative as a base for vegan cheese. They are low in saturated fat, taste great, and are a good source of protein. High oleic expeller pressed sunflower oil can be used for added creaminess in place of coconut oil.

Taste and Nutrition. Containing oilseed and plant milk, vegan cheeses are rich in minerals (magnesium) and antioxidants, and they possess anti-inflammatory properties, all of which protect against damage caused by free radicals.

Soaking softens the cashews for easier blending. They swell in size as they absorb water so it can impact the consistency of a recipe if it calls for soaked and you use unsoaked. Some also say it impacts the nutrients and digestibility of the cashews.

For extra creamy ricotta, add in an extra egg, a handful of grated parmesan, and a quarter cup of shredded mozzarella. Eggs help prevent the ricotta from drying out and serve to bind the ricotta so it doesn't become runny.

What happens if you don't put egg in ricotta? ›

It'll just be a bit runnier, but omitting the egg won't affect the taste.

Sour Cream

As an alternative to Ricotta cheese, sour cream already has that tangy zing, so a little goes a long way! Bake or dip with it, just like you would with yogurt. But hold off on layering the cream in your classic dishes unless you're cooking up some fun twist like a bundt coffee cake!

Almonds are the most similar to cashews. They can be used in trail mix, granola, vegan cheese recipes, cream sauces, and made into milk. What is the best way to replace cashews in vegan cream sauces? If you're going for a nut-free alternative, try silken tofu or cauliflower for a cream sauce.

What Ingredients Are in Vegan Cheese? Vegan cheeses are 100% animal-free and made using vegetable proteins. Usually, they're made from soy; nuts, such as cashews and macadamias; and vegetable oils, such as coconut oil. You can also find cheeses that derive from agar, tapioca, peas and arrowroot.

There are a few plant-based ricotta cheese brands and alternatives out there. I've used Tofutti ricotta and made my own tofu ricotta to make baked ziti, and both were good. But for this review, I finally tried Kite Hill vegan ricotta cheese, and I was really impressed with the results.

Cheeses That Don't Use Rennet

"Many softer styles of cheese like mozzarella, paneer, ricotta, and cream cheese use whey or another type of acid as their coagulant instead of rennet, so they will be safe for vegetarians," says Birnbaum.

Milk, cream, salt, and an acid. If I have fresh lemons, I'll use lemon juice. But if all I have is white vinegar (which I always have on hand), that's what I'll use. Some recipes for ricotta cheese don't call for heavy cream, but I like the way it makes a more creamy cheese.