Published: by Denise Perrault · Leave a Comment
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Get cheesy with a breezy,dairy-free,nut-free,easy vegan tofu ricotta cheese recipewith a zesty, creamy flavor withno added oil, with seven simple ingredients, ready in 15 minutes if you press the tofu first.
The secret ingredient for this vegan ricotta recipe is the nutty flavor of sunflower seeds that inspired creamy artichoke pesto and nut-free sunflower seed sour cream.
Add easy vegan ricotta to lasagna with Instant Pot tomato sauce, savory mushroom walnut bolognese sauce, and cashew mozzarella cheese.
Brown it on a loaded gluten-free quinoa pizza base or hearty sweet potato pizza with vegan crumbled sausage or amazing no-marinated sheet-pan bacon slices.
Table of Contents
- ⭐ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 📋 Recipe Ingredients
- 📖 Recipe Variations
- ⏲️ Step-by-Step Instructions
- 🔪Pro Tips
- 🍴 Serving Suggestions
- 💭 Frequently Asked Questions
- 🥘 More Vegan Condiments
- 👩🏻🍳 Recipe
⭐ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- With zero sacrifices of flavor, this easy recipe is lower in fat than cashew ricotta cheese.
- Find all the ingredients for this simple recipe at the grocery store.
- Skip expensive store brands for full control of the ingredients.
📋 Recipe Ingredients
Sunflower seeds. Use unsalted, raw sunflower seeds. The best substitutes are blanched almonds, raw cashews, or hemp seeds. If you use almonds, grind them like I do for creamy red pepper romesco sauce.
Tofu. Regular, firm, or extra-firm tofu works for this recipe. The only difference is the pressing time you'll need.
Nutritional Yeast. If you want a dairy-free substitute with a cheesy flavor, then nutritional yeast is your new friend. White (Shiro) miso paste is the best substitute.
Lemon Juice. Lemon juice and lemon zest add zip. It’s possible to useapple cider vinegarorwhite vinegarif you need a substitute.
Denise's Tip. If possible, use organic or unwaxed lemons for the zest.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
📖 Recipe Variations
If you want super creamy vegan ricotta cheese, add a tablespoon or more of plant milk or coconut milk.
⏲️ Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Press the tofu for 5 minutes. Or press with your hands.
Step 2: Grind the sunflower seeds in a food processor to break them apart.
Step 3: Blend tofu with lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt.
Step 4: Transfer ricotta to a small bowl. Stir in the lemon zest and garlic.
How to Make Tofu Ricotta Without a Food Processor
First, the fun part. Place the sunflower seeds in a sealed plastic bag. Lay them on a hard flat surface. Break them apart by running a rolling pin over the top.
Crumble the tofu into a bowl, add the sunflower seeds and the rest of the ingredients. Use your hands to mix the ingredients and break the tofu into smaller pieces.
🔪Pro Tips
- For firm or extra firm tofu, press for 5 minutes. Alternatively, wrap it in a paper towel or clean kitchen towel and press it with your hands.
- I've found that it's better to press the tofu first. The excess water dilutes the flavor a little.
- If you want creamier ricotta, process it for longer.
- Break the sunflower seeds down into tiny pieces. This mimics the cottage cheese consistency of regular ricotta cheese.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
Tofu ricotta makes a savory vegan lasagna layer or a cheesy filling for ravioli or pasta shells. It's as versatile asdairy ricottaand can be used as acheese alternativefor thereal thingin your favorite recipes.
Crumble it over whole wheat pocket bread or mashed sweet potato flatbread with a little sauce and veggies or for an easy weeknight meal. It's a great way to turn spicy twice-baked potatoes into a cozy, complete meal.
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
How long does tofu ricotta keep?
Store tofu ricotta in asealed containerand store it in the refrigerator for a week. This assumes that the sell-by date of the tofu is within this range. Give the ricotta agood stirbefore using it. If you want ricotta with a creamy texture, add morelemon juiceto smooth it out.
Can you freeze vegan ricotta?
Vegan ricotta can be frozen for up to 3 months. Place it in anairtight containeror sealed freezer bag to keep it fresh. The texture of tofu becomes firmer after it has been frozen and thawed, so you may not have thecreamy textureyou had before freezing.
Do you need to cook tofu ricotta cheese?
Tofu ricotta can be eaten straight from the mixing bowl or baked. Tofu contains no animal products and is already processed and pasteurized before it shows up in your supermarket. For this reason, it is safe to eat without cooking.
How do you make vegan herbed or flavored ricotta?
Once you mix the garlic and lemon zest into the blended tofu, you can addfresh herbsto compliment the flavors of any dish. Choppedfresh basilor parsley will accentuate the flavor. Try a pinch of ground black pepper, red chili flakes, or onion powder.
Can you use vegan cream cheese to make vegan ricotta?
Personally, I've not tried substituting vegan cream cheese for tofu in this recipe. It is quite smooth and dense, so add plant milk and/or extra lemon juice to smooth it.
🥘 More Vegan Condiments
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Easy Tofu Vegan Ricotta Cheese Recipe
Dairy-free, nut-free, easy vegan tofu ricotta cheese recipe with zesty, creamy flavor and no added oil and seven simple ingredients, ready in 15 minutes.
Author: Denise Perrault
Rate this Recipe:
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Course Condiment
Cuisine Italian
Diet Gluten Free, Vegan
Servings 6
Calories 76 kcal
Ingredients
- 12 ounces tofu - firm or extra firm block
- 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds - unsalted
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic - minced or pressed
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
Press the tofu for 5 minutes.
Add the dry sunflower seeds to a food processor or blender. Process the seeds a few times to break them down.
Add the tofu, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt to the food processor. Blend until the ingredients are mixed. The longer you blend, the creamier the ricotta cheese.
Transfer the ricotta to a bowl. Use a spoon to mix in the garlic and lemon zest.
Notes
- Servings based on ¼ a cup of ricotta.
- Use ricotta in your favorite recipes immediately, or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freeze tofu ricotta in an airtight container or freezer bag for 3 months. If the tofu is still firm after thawing, blend it into a food processor with some plant milk.
- Substitute nutritional yeast with 1 teaspoon of white miso paste.
Nutrition
Calories: 76kcal (4%)Carbohydrates: 3g (1%)Protein: 7g (14%)Fat: 4g (6%)Saturated Fat: 0.4g (3%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 197mg (9%)Potassium: 65mg (2%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 0.3gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 2mg (2%)Calcium: 76mg (8%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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