Creamy, packed with flavors, and made without nuts, this vegan tofu ricotta cheese is a great dairy-free cheese alternative! All you need are a few simple ingredients and 5 minutes to make this recipe.
Looking for more dairy-free alternatives? Check out my tofu sour cream or vegan feta cheese next!
Many ricotta recipes use nuts, but I've found an ingredient that's more affordable, higher in protein, and easy to find - tofu! Its creamy, rich texture and neutral flavor make it the perfect blank canvas, ready to be seasoned any way you like.
I love using it just like regular ricotta, especially in pasta dishes like my vegan spaghetti sauce or gochujang pasta, to add creaminess and flavor. It is also great in my silken tofu scramble!
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💚Why you will love this tofu ricotta cheese
- A plant-based cheese alternative that is umami and packed with cheesy flavors
- High protein, naturally nut-free, and gluten-free
- Ready in 5 minutes with 5 simple ingredients
- Highly versatile - use it like you would regular ricotta!
🧀What you will need
- Tofu - I highly recommend using an extra-firm or firm tofu. No need to press tofu for this recipe.
- Nutritional yeast - Add umami and cheesy flavor to tofu ricotta.
- Lemon juice - Gives tofu ricotta its tanginess. Use freshly squeezed ones if possible.
- Garlic - I am using garlic powder for convenience, but you could do 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic as well.
- Miso - an optional ingredient, gives a nice boost of umami to the ricotta.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
✨Ingredients substitutions and variations
Adapt it for sweet recipes - Omit miso, black pepper, and garlic powder, and half the amount of salt added. If using it as a filling, feel free to add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar or other sweetener of choice!
Add herbs of choice - Add fresh herbs of choice, such as chives, oregano, or basil. You can also use a small pinch of dried herbs.
Spinach ricotta - Thaw your frozen spinach and squeeze out excess water. Add them to a food processor and give it a few pulses until everything is homogenous.
Make whipped ricotta dip - Blend your tofu ricotta along with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, fresh herbs of choice, and 1-2 teaspoons of maple syrup until light and smooth.
🔪How to make
Step 1: Add all ingredients to a food processor.
Step 2: Blend until a smooth paste forms. Your tofu ricotta is ready to be served!
🥣Making using a blender
A blender isn't ideal for this recipe as the thick texture makes blending difficult, requiring frequent stops to scrape the sides. If it's your only option, it will work, but you'll need a bit more patience!
✔Helpful tips
- Without a food processor - Finely crumble tofu with your hands, then mix it with the seasonings. This method will yield chunkier ricotta.
- For a chunkier texture - To better mimic the texture of regular ricotta, you can pulse everything in a food processor until the tofu reaches the desired texture.
- Adjust the consistency - If your vegan ricotta looks dry, add a splash of plant-based milk or water.
🍕How to use tofu ricotta cheese
Pasta - Use them in lasagna, pasta baked, stuffed shells, or baked ziti!
As a dip - It's perfect for dipping raw veggies, breadsticks, and crackers.
As a spread - I love using it as a spread for breads like my vegan crumpets, baguette, or vegan English muffins. You could also use them in wraps and burritos.
In sweet recipes - This vegan ricotta is great as a filling for cannoli or my eggless crepes.
❄Storing suggestions
Fridge - Store tofu ricotta in a jar or sealed container, and it can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Freezer - Portion tofu ricotta using souper cubes or small freezer containers, and they can be frozen for 3 months. Allow ricotta to thaw overnight in the fridge and give it a good mix before using.
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Vegan Tofu Ricotta Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 block extra-firm tofu drained
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice or lime juice
- ½ tablespoon miso optional
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Break tofu into smaller chunks and add them to the food processor.
- Place in the rest of the ingredients, and pulse until smooth.
- Give it a taste, adding more seasonings if needed. Your tofu ricotta is ready to be served!
Notes
- Making using a blender - A blender isn't ideal for this recipe as the thick texture makes blending difficult, requiring frequent stops to scrape the sides. If it's your only option, it will work, but you'll need a bit more patience!
- Without a food processor - Finely crumble tofu with your hands, then mix it with the seasonings. This method will yield chunkier ricotta.
- For a chunkier texture - To better mimic the texture of regular ricotta, you can pulse everything in a food processor until the tofu reaches the desired texture.
- Adjust the consistency - If your vegan ricotta looks dry, add a splash of plant-based milk or water.
Save this recipe!
Email yourself a link to this page and come back later.
Also get a FREE high-protein vegan recipe eBook + weekly new recipes! Unsubscribe anytime.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
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