Whipped Tofu Cashew Ricotta

Whipped vegan ricotta! Need a quick dip for entertaining? Filling a lasagna? Or a cannoli? The answer is yes. This is a kitchen staple to keep on hand.

It’s creamy, fluffy, a little nutty and, HEAR ME OUT, deliciously mild. It has flavor, but it isn’t trying to take over. That mellowness is what lets it work for dinner and dessert.

And the method could not be easier. Blend the cashews into a thick cream, add the tofu and let the food processor run until it looks light and airy, then let it chill. That’s it. No culturing, no cheesecloth, no mysterious powders and no waiting three days to find out whether it worked.

I’ve been making some version of tofu ricotta for so long that I can’t remember the first one. This recipe has its roots in the version from Veganomicon, but over the years it has gotten creamier, fluffier and even easier. And yes, it is good enough to eat straight from the food processor.

It takes about 15 minutes to make and yields close to three cups, which is just right for one 9×13-inch lasagna.

Why This Vegan Whipped Ricotta Recipe Rocks

Better than store-bought. This vegan ricotta cheese tastes fresher, costs less, and makes close to three cups.

The texture works everywhere. It is fluffy enough to spread or dip, but firm enough for lasagna, stuffed shells, and pizza.

Dinner or dessert. The mellow, lightly tangy flavor works with tomato sauce and herbs just as easily as fruit, jam, or honey.

So easy to make. The food processor does the work. No cooking, culturing, straining, or advanced cheese-making activities.

Ingredients For Vegan Whipped Ricotta

Cashews: Creaminess, plus a mellow sweetness that lets the ricotta work in sweet things without any extra help.

Tofu: Fluffiness and substance. It is what helps the ricotta hold its shape in baked pasta instead of loosening into the sauce. Use extra-firm, water-packed tofu.

Lemon juice: A mellow tang, not a lemon flavor. Fresh is worth it here since there is nothing to hide behind.

Refined Coconut oil: Richness. It is a small amount, but coconut oil firms up as it chills, and that little bit of set helps the texture feel authentic. Olive oil also works and is a nice swap for savory dishes like lasagna. Use the same amount. The ricotta will still be plenty firm since the tofu and cashews are doing the structural work.

Salt: More than you would think. It’s cheese.

Just a note: Using tofu and cashews together isn’t a plot against people with nut allergies. They’re each doing a job and together they’re unstoppable.

Tips for the Best Whipped Vegan Ricotta Cheese

Use a food processor, not a blender. There is very little liquid in this recipe, so a blender may just spin around the mixture. Then you will be tempted to add water to get it moving, which thins it out. A food processor also lets you get a spatula under the blade and scrape the bowl clean.

Soak or boil the cashews. Soak them overnight, or boil them for about 20 minutes if you didn’t plan ahead.

Keep the coconut oil warm. It needs to be melted and still warm when it goes into the food processor. Cold coconut oil turns into little white flecks that never blend in. Keep all the ingredients at room temp or even warmer so that the coconut oil doesn’t do coconut oil things.

Blend the cashews until completely smooth. Let the machine run until they become a thick, smooth cream, scraping down the sides once or twice. The tofu brings its own soft texture when it goes in, so there is no reason to stop blending the cashews early.

Crumble the tofu first. Crumble it into the food processor with your hands, adding it in batches if your bowl is on the smaller side.

Give it an hour in the fridge. It is usable right away, but it firms up and comes together as it chills.

Whipped Vegan Ricotta Cheese Recipe Variations

Herbed: Add chopped fresh basil or parsley, or a grated garlic clove, for savory dishes.

Cheesy: Add a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast for something a little cheesier (this is good with savory, not sweet.)

Sweet: Add grated lemon zest or a splash of vanilla for desserts.

Cannoli filling: Add powdered sugar to taste.

Ricotta Toast, Sweet and Savory

Toast thick slices of bread, spread the whipped vegan ricotta cheese on generously, and go from there.

Apple and pomegranate: Fan thin apple slices over the ricotta, scatter with pomegranate arils, drizzle with agave or [vegan honey], and finish with flaky salt.

Jam and walnut: Add a spoonful of seasonal jam, toasted walnuts, and a little more salt than feels right.

Roasted grapes: Roast red grapes with olive oil until they burst, then pile them on warm with black pepper.

Fresh figs: Slice em up, layer them on! Don’t forget the flaky salt.

Olive oil and pepper: Nothing but a heavy drizzle of olive oil and a lot of cracked black pepper or something a little spicier like Aleppo pepper.

Roasted tomatoes: Add slow-roasted cherry tomatoes, torn basil, and flaky salt.

Marinated artichokes: Add chopped artichoke hearts, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes.

I mean, the list doesn’t really end. Olives, sundried tomatoes, peaches and fresh basil, fresh berries. Maybe a better list would be stuff that doesn’t work on ricotta toast?

How to Make A Vegan Cheese Board with Whipped Vegan Ricotta

Scoop the ricotta into a small bowl, drizzle it with olive oil, and sprinkle it with cracked black pepper. Surround it with crackers, rainbow carrot sticks, apple slices, red grapes, walnuts, and a bowl of pomegranate seeds for scattering over everything.

More Ways to Use Whipped Vegan Ricotta Cheese

Beyond toast and boards, it’s at home in any vegan pasta recipe you’ve got going. Layer it into lasagna or baked ziti, stuff it into shells or ravioli, or spoon a big dollop over hot noodles and let it soften into the sauce. Add it to pizza in little spoonfuls before baking so you get creamy pockets between the sauce and the crust. It’s also what you want in a spinach pie. I don’t have one on the site yet, but there are a few in my cookbooks.

It’s also good spooned over roasted tomatoes, eggplant or squash, and it works in soup, grain bowls and salads when they need something cool and creamy.

Then there’s dessert. Add a big spoonful to pancakes, waffles or French toast and finish with maple syrup, jam or fresh fruit. Use it to fill cannoli, blintzes, crepes or Danish, or bake it into noodle kugel. Serve it alongside warm fruit desserts anywhere you’d want whipped cream or ice cream. Add vanilla, lemon zest or powdered sugar to take it further into dessert territory. This vegan ricotta cheese has plans for the entire day.

My Favorite Recipes to Make With Vegan Ricotta Cheese

Savory

Sweet

I also think this would make an amazing cannoli dip! Add powdered sugar, vanilla, mini chocolate chips and go to town with some nilla wafers, ice cream cones or graham crackers. 

Vegan Whipped Ricotta FAQ

Can I use olive oil instead of coconut oil? For sure. Coconut oil is what I usually use since it sets a little as it chills and makes everything richer. But olive oil is a nice swap for savory dishes, and the ricotta will still be plenty firm.

Can I leave the oil out? For sure, but it is what gives the ricotta much of its richness. Without it, you have something leaner.

Do I have to press the tofu? Nope. Drain the water off the block and crumble it. That’s it.

Can I use silken or soft tofu? Not really, no. You will get a sauce. Extra-firm tofu is doing the structural work.

Do I need a blender? Nope, and I would skip it. There is very little liquid in this, so a blender may spin around the mixture and leave you tempted to add water, which thins it out. A food processor also lets you scrape under the blade and get everything out of the bowl.

Can I use this vegan ricotta cheese in stuffed shells? Hells yeah. Anything you would fill with traditional ricotta, this fills.

Can I use this vegan ricotta cheese in pancakes? I haven’t tried it. Ricotta pancakes are on my list, but I can’t tell you how this behaves in a batter yet. If you get there first, leave a comment and let me know.

Can I make it nut-free? Yup. Boiled sunflower seeds work in place of the cashews, though they’re a little earthier. Boil them for about 20 minutes, then drain and cool them before blending.

Does it freeze? Not really, no. The tofu changes texture in the freezer and comes back springy instead of creamy. You could try it if you have extra, but I wouldn’t make a batch with freezing in mind.

How much do I need for a lasagna? A full batch fills a 9×13-inch pan. Double it if you want leftovers for toast.

Can I use vegan ricotta cheese in cheesecake? Nope. I’ve tried, and it doesn’t work. Cannoli, blintzes, and Danish are all good, but cheesecake not so much.

How long does it keep? About five days in a sealed container in the fridge.