This tofu ricotta is a vegan ricotta cheese substitute that will blow you away! Use this nut-free vegan ricotta in place of traditional ricotta in any recipe. Make vegan stuffed shells, lasagna, ravioli, manicotti, or even use it in sweet dishes like cakes, cannolis, crepes, or blintzes.
I've used this recipe numerous times to make stuffed shells or vegan zucchini lasagna for friends and family that are not vegan. They all love it and say that they really would have not known that it was vegan unless I told them.
I've been making vegan ricotta out of tofu since I went vegan over 20 years ago. I've tried other recipes over the years using cashews but I find cashews too sweet and like the taste and texture of the tofu ricotta much better. Once it's baked up in a dish, it tastes almost exactly like the real thing!
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❤️ This recipe is
- quick and easy to make.
- dairy-free, gluten-free, and nut-free.
- high in protein.
- versatile and can be used in many different recipes.
🧾 Ingredients and substitutions
- Tofu - for the base of the ricotta. Use 1 14 oz package of extra-firm water-packed tofu. You can also use high protein tofu that comes in a vacuum pack, but you will need to add more liquid to the ricotta since it's much firmer.
- Nutritional Yeast - for a cheesy flavor. This is a cheesy tasting yellow powder that they sell at most large grocery stores or natural food stores. You can also easily order it from Amazon if you don't have it in your area. (It is essential for a cheesy flavor in vegan cooking).
- Olive Oil - for richness. I usually use light olive oil since it has a more neutral flavor.
- Garlic - for flavor. You can use a fresh garlic clove or 1/2 tsp of garlic powder.
- Salt - for flavor. Feel free to reduce the amount of a low sodium option.
- Basil - or any other herbs of choice like oregano or parsley for flavor. You can also use some pesto if you have some. (omit if you are using the ricotta for a sweet treat).
- Plain Soy Milk - to achieve the right consistency. You can also use water if you want. If you use high protein tofu, you will need up to 1/4 cup of liquid to achieve the correct texture.
🔪 Helpful tools
- Food Processor - to blend the tofu. You can do with a blender or immersion blender if you don't have a food processor, but you will need to stop and scrape the edges a lot.
🥄 Instructions
- Drain and press a container of extra firm tofu getting out as much liquid as possible.
- Crumble the tofu into a large food processor.
- Add, salt, garlic, nutritional yeast, olive oil, and basil. (Omit the garlic and basil if you are using it for a sweet dish).
- Blend well for 2 minutes in a food processor. Add a splash of soy milk if needed to thin out the ricotta to a smooth spreadable texture.
- Use as you would ricotta in your favorite recipes.
👩🏻🍳 Pro tips
- Different brands of tofu vary greatly in firmness and water content. You may not need any additional soymilk if your tofu is softer.
- You may add a tablespoon or 2 of sugar to the ricotta if you are using it to fill blintzes or cannoli and be sure to leave out the garlic and herbs.
- If using this ricotta for stuffed shells or manicotti, double the recipe to make enough to fill 16 oz. of jumbo stuffed shells or manicotti.
- You can even use a very similar process to make a low carb tofu pizza crust out of tofu too! You have to see it to believe it!
🌟 How to make spinach ricotta
If you want to use the ricotta for lasagna, manicotti, or stuffed shells, spinach is a delicious addition to the ricotta. Frozen spinach is the easiest since it is already wilted. (You will need 1 cup of frozen or wilted spinach or 11 cups of raw spinach to equal the same amount).
To make vegan spinach ricotta, thaw the spinach, put it in a colander, press out the water, then add it to the ricotta. Stir the spinach in with a spoon if you want it to stay in bigger pieces or add the spinach to the food processor and blend if you want it more hidden in the ricotta.
🥦 Adding other veggies
Add any other veggies that you like to the ricotta. Simply steam them until they are tender, chop them into bite-size pieces, and stir them into the ricotta. It's a great way to add extra nutrients to a favorite meal.
🌟 Making ricotta for sweet dishes
This tofu ricotta also works great in sweet treats as well like cakes, blintzes, and cannolis. For use in sweets, make sure to omit the garlic and herbs. Also, be sure to use a light olive oil or swap it out for another neutral-flavored oil. Extra virgin olive oil will have too strong of a taste in sweets. (They taste great in savory dishes, but not in the sweet ones). You can also add a little sugar to the ricotta if you want to sweeten it up a little.
Making homemade vegan cheese may be easier than you think! Check out my other cheese recipes on the blog or my cookbook The Ultimate Guide to Vegan Cheese Making.
🧀 More homemade vegan cheeses
- The Best Vegan Mozzarella
- Vegan Cheddar
- How to Make Vegan Cheese - Provolone
- Vegan Blue Cheese
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Vegan Halloumi Cheese
📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
Classic tasting ricotta made with tofu. Add spinach for healthy spinach ricotta!
- 1 14 oz package extra firm tofu drained and pressed
- 2 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoons light olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic or 1/4 tsp garlic powder (omit for sweet dishes)
- 1 handful basil or 1 tbsp pesto or dried herbs (omit for sweet dishes)
- 1 splash plain soy milk or water to thin it out if necessary.
- 1 cup veggies of choice (like broccoli) chopped and steamed
- 1 cup frozen spinach (or wilted spinach) thawed, drained, and pressed
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Drain and press a container of extra firm tofu getting out as much liquid as possible.
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Crumble the tofu into a large food processor.
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Add 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, a clove of garlic, and a handful of basil. (Omit the garlic and basil if you are using the ricotta for a sweet dish).
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Blend well for 2 minutes in a food processor. Add a splash of soy milk if needed to thin out the ricotta to a smooth spreadable texture.
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Use as you would ricotta in your favorite recipes like stuffed shells, lasagna, ravioli, and more.
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Thaw the frozen spinach then put it in a colander, press out the water and then add it to the ricotta. Stir the spinach in with a spoon if you want it to stay in bigger pieces or add the spinach to the food processor and blend if you want it more hidden in the ricotta.
Recipe Video
- Different brands of tofu vary greatly in firmness and water content. You may not need any additional soymilk if your tofu is softer.
- You may add a tablespoon or 2 of sugar to the ricotta if you are using it to fill blintzes or cannoli and be sure to leave out the garlic and herbs.
- If using this ricotta for stuffed shells or manicotti, double the recipe to make enough to fill 16 oz. of jumbo stuffed shells or manicotti.
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