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    Home > Recipes > How-Tos

    Vegan Tofu Ricotta Cheese (4 Ingredients)

    Published: Aug 16, 2022 · Modified: Dec 15, 2022 by Iosune · This post may contain affiliate links · 69 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    A slice of bread spread with some vegan tofu ricotta cheese and some basil leaves and black pepper on top.
    A bowl with vegan tofu ricotta cheese and some bread slices around.

    This vegan tofu ricotta cheese is a dairy-free alternative to classic ricotta. It's so cheesy and made in just 5 minutes with only 4 ingredients!

    It tastes so good you'll really think you're eating the real thing. Besides, it's made with tofu, completely nut-free (no cashews required), and packed with good-quality vegetable protein.

    A bowl with vegan tofu ricotta cheese and some bread slices spread with the cheese.

    I think this vegan ricotta is a great and easy way of making vegan cheese so affordably because it doesn't require any nuts, which are quite expensive. With this very simple recipe, you won't miss cheese ever again!

    This recipe is so simple you can actually make it every day, but it's also perfect to make all that festive recipes that require ricotta during the Holiday season.

    It works great with plenty of different dishes. You can use it as a dip with some crudités or vegan bread or spread it onto some crackers or vegan pizza.

    You can even add it to pasta recipes like vegan stuffed shells or vegan lasagna, or to any other recipes that call for ricotta cheese.

    Jump to:
    • 🌟 You’ll love this recipe because it is
    • 🧾 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 📋 Substitutions & variations
    • 🍽 Equipment
    • ❄️ Storage
    • 💭 Expert tips
    • ❓Recipe FAQs
    • 🧀 More vegan cheese recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    🌟 You’ll love this recipe because it is

    • Ready in just 5 minutes from start to finish!
    • Made with only 4 ingredients you probably have on hand.
    • Ridiculously easy to make. You only need to add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
    • The best dairy-free alternative to classic ricotta cheese.
    • So delicious as a spread, as a dip, or instead of ricotta in both savory and sweet dishes.

    🧾 Ingredients

    Ingredients needed to make vegan tofu ricotta cheese.
    • Firm tofu: firm or extra firm tofu work best for this recipe.
    • Lemon juice.
    • Nutritional yeast: it gives this vegan ricotta the cheesy flavor, so it’s an important ingredient.
    • Salt: I used ionized salt, but any salt will do.

    See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

    🔪 Instructions

    Chopped tofu in a food processor.

    Step 1: Chop the tofu and add it to a food processor or a high-speed blender.

    Vegan tofu ricotta cheese in a food processor.

    Step 2: Add all the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

    📋 Substitutions & variations

    • Soft or silken tofu is also a good choice, but I prefer to use firm or extra firm tofu for the best texture.
    • You could also use white or apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice, but I think this cheese tastes better when using lemon juice.
    • If you can’t find nutritional yeast, you could also use brewer’s yeast, but keep in mind not all brands of brewer's yeast work as some of them have a strong bitter flavor.
    • Some add-ins you can incorporate into your vegan ricotta are garlic or onion powder, ground black pepper, white miso, or even some fresh or dried herbs (like basil, oregano, or parsley).

    🍽 Equipment

    To make this vegan ricotta you'll need:

    • Measuring tablespoons and measuring cups (or a scale) to weigh your ingredients.
    • A wooden board and a knife to chop the tofu.
    • A food processor or a high-speed blender to blend all the ingredients.

    A slice of bread spread with some vegan tofu ricotta cheese and some basil leaves, black pepper and olive oil on top.

    ❄️ Storage

    • Refrigerator: store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
    • Freezer: store the leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. 

    💭 Expert tips

    • I never press the tofu when I make this recipe, but it's up to you. I think it's not necessary to get perfect consistency, though.
    • If your vegan ricotta is too dry, add a little bit of water or non-dairy milk.
    • If your vegan ricotta is too watery, add more tofu until you get the texture you're looking for.
    • Although a high-speed blender is okay, use a food processor for the best results.

    ❓Recipe FAQs

    Is ricotta vegan?

    No, regular ricotta is not vegan because it is a kind of dairy cheese, but this vegan ricotta recipe is the perfect dairy-free alternative.

    What is vegan ricotta made of?

    It can be made with several ingredients like tofu, cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, or plant-based yogurt.

    Ingredients like nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, and dried or fresh herbs can also be used to add flavor.

    Can you make this vegan ricotta in advance?

    Yes, you can! Just store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. However, as it's made in just 5 minutes, I prefer to enjoy it freshly made.

    Is soy good for you?

    According to Harvard University, soy is a nutrient-dense source of plant-based protein that can safely be consumed several times a week.

    Besides, it is likely to provide health benefits, especially when eaten as an alternative to red and processed meat.

    🧀 More vegan cheese recipes

    • Vegan Cheese
    • Vegan Cream Cheese
    • Cashew Cheese
    • Shreddable Vegan Mozzarella

    ⭐️ Did you like this vegan tofu ricotta cheese? Please consider giving it a 5-star rating and comment below!

    📖 Recipe

    A bowl with vegan tofu ricotta cheese and some bread slices around.

    Vegan Tofu Ricotta Cheese

    This vegan tofu ricotta cheese is a dairy-free alternative to classic ricotta. It's so cheesy and made in just 5 minutes with only 4 ingredients!
    4.72 from 28 votes
    PRINT PIN RATE
    Course: Appetizers, How to, Side Dish, Snacks
    Cuisine: Italian
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Author: Iosune


    Ingredients 

    US Customary - Metric
    • 14 ounces firm tofu, drained
    • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 and ½ teaspoons salt
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Chop the tofu and add it to a food processor or a high-speed blender. I don’t usually press it, but it’s up to you.
    • Add all the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
    • Use the ricotta as you would traditional dairy ricotta, for both sweet and savory dishes, or as a spread or dip.

    Notes

    • This recipe yields about 1 and ½ to 1 and ¾ cups (360-420 ml).
    Substitutions:
    • Soft or silken tofu is also a good choice, but I prefer to use firm or extra firm tofu for the best texture.
    • You could also use white or apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice, but I think this cheese tastes better when using lemon juice.
    • If you can’t find nutritional yeast, you could also use brewer’s yeast, but keep in mind not all brands of brewer's yeast work as some of them have a strong bitter flavor.
    Storage:
    • Refrigerator: store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
    • Freezer: store the leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 53kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 438mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 0.2IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg

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    2.4K shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. ruth spivak says

      June 08, 2019 at 2:21 am

      5 stars
      I don't usually leave reviews, but this cheese had the perfect texture and taste similar to the real thing. I added spices and spinach, because I used it to stuff pasta shells. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        June 10, 2019 at 12:06 pm

        Hi Ruth! Thank YOU for your review 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    2. barb says

      June 06, 2019 at 5:31 am

      5 stars
      Made it just as per recipe. tasted and added a little more salt and lemon juice and about a 1/4 tsp of miso and a pinch each of onion powder and garlic powder, and a few freshly chopped chives. It was so yummy I basically ate the lot with a spoon in one sitting and promptly made another batch which is in my fridge. really great recipe and so simple. For me, adding the chives took away that slight chemical tofu taste completely. thanks!

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        June 10, 2019 at 11:52 am

        Hi Barb! Sounds great 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
      • Alli says

        December 13, 2020 at 11:27 pm

        Barb - with your recommendation of the chives this was spot on! Love it. We made lasagna 2 weeks ago and we are making it again right now. Vegan deliciousness!

        Reply
        • Iosune Robles says

          December 14, 2020 at 11:31 am

          I'm so glad you liked it 🙂

    3. Beth says

      April 20, 2019 at 9:18 pm

      We just made this recipe subbing Bragg's amino acids for nutritional yeast and adding a little turmeric, garlic and onion powders.
      We dumped alll ingredients into the Vitamix and and it is fantastic !
      It's Passover so nutritional yeast is out for us.
      We are using this for matzoh lasagna.
      Thanks Iosune !

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        April 21, 2019 at 8:29 am

        Hi Beth! You're so welcome 🙂 Have a nice day!

        Reply
        • Beth says

          April 08, 2020 at 3:09 am

          5 stars
          Hi Again, I'll be using this recipe again tomorrow for Passover with Aminos

    4. Carol says

      April 07, 2019 at 5:48 pm

      Would the tofu ricotta work for mac and "cheese"?

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        April 16, 2019 at 12:01 pm

        Hi Carol! I haven't tried it myself, but I think it should work. Have you tried my vegan mac and cheese recipe => https://simpleveganblog.com/vegan-mac-and-cheese/? It's SO good!

        Reply
    5. Abigayil says

      April 03, 2019 at 10:18 pm

      5 stars
      I want to change my review. I just remade this and it's excellent!

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        April 04, 2019 at 2:08 am

        Hi Abigayil! Thanks a lot 🙂

        Reply
    6. Abigayil says

      April 03, 2019 at 8:38 pm

      4 stars
      It was quite good, but as my tofu had been previously drained, it required the addition of water in order to get the right consistency.

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        April 04, 2019 at 2:08 am

        Hi Abigayil! You don't have to drain the tofu, just follow the recipe 🙂

        Reply
    7. Jordan Atwood says

      February 19, 2019 at 8:53 pm

      5 stars
      Love this recipe I add spinach and minced garlic

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        February 20, 2019 at 7:55 am

        Hi Jordan! Thanks a lot 🙂 Sounds great!

        Reply
    8. Darlene Gilzean says

      February 04, 2019 at 8:27 pm

      5 stars
      My son made this and I could not believe it was not real ricotta. It is so good. I made some myself after and same result. You can't go wrong with this recipe. Thank you for sharing. It is amazing.

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        February 05, 2019 at 8:25 am

        Hi Darlene! I'm so happy to hear that 🙂 You're so welcome!

        Reply
    9. Lauren says

      February 04, 2019 at 4:35 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely love this recipe! I was a little nervous to try it since it has so few ingredients, but it was delicious. I love how much easier (and cheaper!) it is than using cashews. Thanks so much!

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        February 05, 2019 at 8:24 am

        Hi Lauren! You're so welcome 🙂 So glad you liked it!

        Reply
    10. Eri says

      November 30, 2018 at 2:32 pm

      Hi!
      What is the minimum hours for it to be stored?
      You mentioned max, but not minimum.
      I am trying to use this receipe for friendly competition at work, so time is limited.

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        December 03, 2018 at 8:52 am

        Hi Eri! You can enjoy it immediately 🙂

        Reply
    11. Jane says

      November 16, 2018 at 2:30 pm

      Would this work for a sweet cannoli filling as well? I would obviously add powdered sugar and vanilla as I do with typical ricotta for cannoli filling but I'm wondering if the addition of those ingredients would work in this particular ricotta recipe.

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        November 27, 2018 at 11:23 am

        Hi Jane! I've never tried it myself, so I'm not sure, but I think it could work...

        Reply
    12. Beth says

      November 06, 2018 at 12:34 am

      Just curious-I would have thought silken tofu?? Or too liquidy? I’m new to tofu

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        November 27, 2018 at 8:59 am

        Hi Beth! I've never tried this recipe using silken tofu myself, but I think firm tofu works best. Have a nice day!

        Reply
    13. Gabriella says

      June 18, 2018 at 11:39 pm

      Hello! Is it possible to use apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice?

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        June 19, 2018 at 11:56 am

        Hi Gabriella! I've never tried it myself, but I think it could work 🙂

        Reply
    14. Melissa says

      May 27, 2018 at 6:38 pm

      I'm sorry, hate to be the critic, but I just made this and it was god-awful! WAY too salty. Tasted like rotten gym socks...maybe too much yeast? Sorry, just wasted a block of tofu.... maybe different proportions would work better..... ugh

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        May 28, 2018 at 11:22 am

        Hi Melissa! This recipe works, did you follow all the steps and use the same ingredients? Did you use nutritional yeast? I'm so sorry it didn't work for you!

        Reply
    15. Jo says

      April 19, 2018 at 12:42 am

      5 stars
      oops forgot to rate it!

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        April 28, 2018 at 5:12 am

        Thank you so much! Have a nice day 😀

        Reply
    16. Jo says

      April 19, 2018 at 12:41 am

      excellent in my vegan spanakopita!

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        April 28, 2018 at 5:12 am

        Hi Jo! Thanks a lot 😀

        Reply
    17. Pat says

      February 05, 2018 at 12:59 am

      5 stars
      beautiful, taste great.. thanks for sharing

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        February 05, 2018 at 11:28 am

        Hi Pat! You're so welcome 🙂

        Reply
    18. Christine says

      November 03, 2017 at 11:25 am

      This recipe looks delicious!

      The only problem is that I don't have nutritional yeast flakes. Do you think it would alter the flavor and texture very much if I were to leave them out?

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        November 07, 2017 at 9:46 am

        Hi Christine! Thanks a lot 🙂 The nutritional yeast is an important ingredient, so I think your ricotta is not going to taste like real cheese, sorry!

        Reply
    19. Tim Corbin says

      July 01, 2017 at 5:18 am

      I tried this tonight (was my first time making tofu anything so I was a little scared) I used it for some baked stuffed shells (added a little chopped spinach to the ricotta) and I was absolutely blown away! It was so delicious I still cant believe it. 11/10 would reccomend everyone to try.

      Ps. Even my sister and niece (both non vegan) loved it. Its that good!

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        July 03, 2017 at 6:10 pm

        Hi Tim! I'm so glad you liked it 😀 Have a great day!

        Reply
    20. Vicky Brown says

      March 29, 2017 at 7:45 pm

      This looks fabulous. Thank you for the recipe. I presume the tofu is the type packed in water rather than the silken type?

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        April 01, 2017 at 6:33 pm

        Hi Vicky! Thanks a lot 😀 Yes it is, I don't think silken tofu is going to work for this recipe. Have a nice day!

        Reply
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