I’ve been making this dream ricotta for nearly a decade. It’s an absolute staple in my vegan cooking arsenal! If your taste buds have been blessed with my reader-favorite vegan lasagna, you know that this recipe truly shines like no other. The sublime flavor and creaminess make this ricotta one of my favorite recipes on the blog…EVER. Vegans and carnivores alike can rejoice over the best ricotta substitute in all the land!
Ingredients
Tofu: The star of our vegan ricotta thanks to its creamy, light, and airy texture. You’ll want to press out the water either by wrapping the tofu in a kitchen cloth and placing books on top or use a tofu press like I do. Hummus: Hummus adds amazing creaminess, a bit of brightness, and masks any tofu flavor. I love roasted garlic hummus! Store-bought or homemade is great. Nutritional yeast: This adds the perfect cheesy, umami flavor. Garlic powder: For extra depth of flavor. I tried this recipe with fresh garlic and I actually prefer dried. Salt: Key for perfecting the flavor and rounding everything out.
How to make
Substitutions
This recipe is nut-free, gluten-free, high-protein, and vegetarian.
Tofu: Extra firm or firm tofu both will work well, just not silken tofu since it’s too wet. Nutritional yeast: You can omit this if you don’t have it on hand but I think it adds amazing savory flavor! You could use 1-2 tbsp miso instead for extra flavor, just add salt to taste since miso is salty.
Variations
Herbs: Adding ¼ cup fresh basil is amazing when making savory Italian dishes like stuffed shells or lasagna soup! You can also stir in ½ tsp of oregano or dried basil. Lemon: If you’re craving a more tangy ricotta, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds amazing acidity. Sweet applications: Looking to make cannolis with a plant based cheese alternative? Simply omit the garlic powder, use regular hummus, reduce nutritional yeast to 2 tbsp, and add ½ tsp each maple syrup and cinnamon if desired.
Serving ideas
The beauty of this ricotta is that you can use it pretty much anywhere you’d use regular ricotta!
Pasta: I’m obsessed with this in lasagna, lasagna roll-ups (I love stirring in fresh basil), stuffed shells or as a creamy pasta topper. Sweet stuff: Incredible in cannolis (omit savory ingredients) with mini chocolate chips. Or spread on toast with jam! Pizza: Add spoonfuls on pizza or serve it as a dip with baguette slices and a swirl of olive oil and basil.
How to store
Store ricotta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This ricotta is best when freshly made as freezing can alter the texture of tofu. You can freeze this, just be aware it may turn a bit more firm.
Don’t forget to leave a star rating and comment letting me know you made these! I’m so grateful for your feedback always.
This recipe makes about 5 cups, or enough for a 9x13 inch pan of lasagna. You can easily halve the recipe if desired. For sweet applications, omit garlic powder, use regular hummus, and use only 2 tbsp nutritional yeast.
