Vegan Ricotta Cheese

Vegan Ricotta Cheese made with Almonds, Tofu and Non-Dairy Yogurt

This weekend, Matt and I took some time off work to visit family in New York and Connecticut. Knowing my Italian-American family, it was no surprise that my mom made sauce, meatballs, and macaroni for dinner on Sunday night. Traditionally, we always have warm Italian bread, parmesan and ricotta cheese on the side too.

Vegan Ricotta Cheese made with Almonds, Tofu and Non-Dairy Yogurt

Growing up, my favorite way to eat ricotta cheese was cold and plopped right on top of my pasta, never mixing it in with the sauce. Warm ricotta just wasn’t my thing at the time (I barely even liked lasagna… I was weird!).

Vegan Ricotta Cheese made with Almonds, Tofu and Non-Dairy Yogurt

I’ve never seen vegan ricotta cheese at the store so Matt and I challenged ourselves to come up with our own vegan ricotta cheese recipe that tasted like what we remembered from my mom’s house.

Vegan Ricotta Cheese made with Almonds, Tofu and Non-Dairy Yogurt

We usually use cashews in everything cheesy but almonds added a milder taste that we really loved for this vegan ricotta cheese. The recipe we came up with uses almonds, tofu, and non-dairy yogurt to create a creamy, tangy, ricotta flavor that pairs perfectly with tomato sauce and pasta.

4.34 from 15 votes
Almond Tofu Ricotta Cheese
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 

Delicious and simple vegan ricotta cheese made with soaked almonds, tofu and non-dairy yogurt.

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories per Serving: 190 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 cup slivered almonds
  • 3.5 ounces extra-firm tofu (1/4 of a 14 oz block - pressed)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
  • 4 tablespoons unsweetened non-dairy yogurt (we used So Delicious Dairy Free Coconut Milk Yogurt)
  • 1 clove fresh garlic
  • 2 teaspoon nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 leaves chopped basil (optional)
Instructions
  1. Measure slivered almonds into a large bowl and cover with hot water. Soak for at least 30 minutes, or until soft.  Drain remaining water once done soaking.

  2. Meanwhile, press the tofu in a tofu press or by wrapping in paper towels and setting a heavy pan on top for 15 minutes, changing out the paper towels halfway through.

  3. Add all ingredients into a food processor. Pulse and process, scraping down sides when needed, until smooth and thick.

Recipe Notes

This recipe makes about 2 cups of ricotta.

Nutrition Facts
Almond Tofu Ricotta Cheese
Amount Per Serving (0.25 cups)
Calories 190 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 307mg13%
Potassium 276mg8%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 30IU1%
Vitamin C 2.6mg3%
Calcium 118mg12%
Iron 1.4mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

April 16, 2017

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23 Comments

  1. Reply

    Mary

    July 8, 2017

    Do you drain the water from the almonds before putting them in the blender, or include it?

    • Reply

      pasta-based

      July 8, 2017

      Hi Mary,

      Drain first – updating the recipe now. Nice catch!

  2. Reply

    Erica

    September 15, 2017

    5 stars
    Really good with the basil. I dont like tofu but it works!

    • Reply

      pasta-based

      September 16, 2017

      5 stars
      Thanks for the review, Erica! We’re so happy that you liked it – we happen to be making some right now 🙂

  3. Reply

    yali

    October 4, 2017

    Hey it looks great ! do you think i will be able to replace the almond in almond meal instead ? my blender is not strong enough..

    • Reply

      pasta-based

      October 9, 2017

      It could work but I haven’t tried using almond meal yet. The almonds lend a little bit of the chunky texture so I wouldn’t over-process it.

  4. Reply

    Maria

    October 7, 2017

    Hi! Is there anything I can use for the almond ricotta cheese besides yogurt? Vegan unsweetened yogurt is hard to find and super expensive where I live. Thank you!

    • Reply

      pasta-based

      October 9, 2017

      Hi Maria! I would omit the yogurt completely if you can’t find it near you. It might taste slightly different but it will still be yummy.

  5. Reply

    Erin

    November 30, 2017

    Hi! This looks great, can’t wait to try it. Quick question are the almonds raw? We have been headed toward being Vegan for a while, but every great recipe I come across calls for raw nuts, here in my area, unfortunately, the store does not carry them so I would have to order them.

    • Reply

      pasta-based

      December 3, 2017

      Hi Erin, yes the recipe uses raw blanched almonds (without the skin). Maybe you can try asking the store management to order raw, unsalted nuts for you? You can use raw cashews for the recipe too.

  6. Reply

    Cat Armato

    December 19, 2017

    This looks fantastic! Any idea how long it will keep in the fridge?

    • Reply

      pasta-based

      December 20, 2017

      It should be okay for 7-10 days!

  7. Reply

    JoAnn M Lakes

    January 10, 2018

    5 stars
    Okay, I’m going to try making with raw almond flour and homemade vegan yogurt. I’m also going to add a couple of probiotic capsules and let it age maybe 6-8 hours when I make my second batch to check it out for flavor. I know I’m a pain but I just can’t leave a good recipe alone. By the way, I really enjoy your blogs. I am a former CT native transplanted on the SW shore of FL. I miss great Italian food!!!!

    • Reply

      pasta-based

      February 10, 2018

      Hi JoAnn,

      I hope it worked out for you! Good to see someone else with CT roots. I was just in Miami on a work trip, so it was nice to get some warmer weather than it is in Colorado right now!

  8. Reply

    Jack @ BBQ Recipez

    March 26, 2018

    5 stars
    Your recipe is much easier than i thought. Have you ever tried to make another version of it by adding two types of tofu (soft and firm) to make it creamy!? I think it isn’t a bad idea!

    • Reply

      pasta-based

      March 27, 2018

      I haven’t tried that, yet! Sounds amazing. Thanks for the comment!

  9. Reply

    Jan

    March 27, 2018

    Can you use whole almonds? How about unsweetened almond milk?

    • Reply

      pasta-based

      March 27, 2018

      Hi Jan, blanch the almonds first to remove the skins. Unsweetened almond milk wouldn’t work for this recipe. Thanks!

  10. Reply

    Robert Liquori

    May 14, 2021

    Hi,
    Can u make a lasagna with this cheese?
    Will it stand up to cooking?
    Thank u.

    • Reply

      pasta-based

      May 25, 2021

      Yes of course, we use it in lasagna all the time.

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