It’s hard to find a vegan cheese that is more versatile than this delicious Cashew Ricotta Cheese. All you need is a food processor and eight basic ingredients to make a fantastic “cheese” that you can enjoy as a spread or dip and even use for baking. Best of all, it’s a pantry meal in the truest sense, so you can always keep the ingredients on hand and whip some up any time the mood strikes. If you’ve never made vegan cheese before, start here – you won’t regret it!

Whole Food Plant-Based, Vegan, Oil Free, Refined Sugar Free, Gluten Free.

I’ve always been really big on dips and spreads. Somehow, snacks are always infinitely more appealing when you slather something creamy on them – in fact, I don’t really care what the vessel is – crackers, veggies, toast, etc. – as long as the dip tastes awesome. And this Cashew Ricotta Cheese is a win on every front.

Why cashews? These nuts have iron, zinc, selenium and vitamins E, B6, and K. They’re great for your heart – they even reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease – and they’re full of so-called “good fats” to help you feel satisfied. And on top of that, they’re rich in magnesium, which can really help stabilize your mood and take the edge off depression and anxiety to some degree.

If you’re new to the world of vegan cheeses, this is a great place to start because you really can’t mess it up! Soak the cashews, measure out the other ingredients, toss everything into a food processor, and you’re done!

Now, your experience with ricotta might be limited to baked pasta meals like lasagna and manicotti, and this cashew ricotta works quite well in those dishes – in fact, some people say they prefer it to dairy ricotta in cooking. But I’m begging you try this on its own as a spread or dip, even if you’re not used to using ricotta that way.

You can spread it on crackers, cut up vegetables, fruits (maybe with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top) – there really isn’t much you can’t use it on. I love the creaminess it adds to Beetroot Risotto, and the splash of white against the purplish-red risotto is Instagram-worthy for sure. But there’s no need to go all out every time you make it – this is something you can just dollop onto your salad or spread on a wrap or slice of bread to give it a little nutrition and flavor boost. Talk about versatile!

Ingredients:

Makes 1 ¾ cup (or 350 grams) of ricotta cheese

-180 g (6 1/3 oz or 1 ½ cup) raw whole cashews, soaked overnight or for at least 2 hours

-100 ml (1/2 cup) water

-1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Seasonings:

-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

-1/2 teaspoon onion powder

-1/4 teaspoon black pepper

-1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Method:

1. Drain and rinse the soaked cashews. Add them to a food processor along with the rest of the ingredients, including the seasonings.

Note: If you’re using a food processor or blender that requires some liquid to get it going, you can add some of the soaking liquid or water – just be sure to strain the ricotta cheese through a cheese/nut cloth at the end so it’s not too liquidy.

2. Blend for about 20 seconds, scrape the sides, and blend for about another 10 seconds or until it reaches your desired consistency.

3. I prefer mine to be a bit chunky, similar to ricotta, but still smooth enough that it can be used as a spread on toast or as a dip. Try adding a dollop (or two!) to your salads or on Beetroot Risotto.

Nutritional Facts for ¼ cup:

Calories: 145

Carbs: 8 g

Protein: 5.1 g

Fats: 11.3 g

Fiber: 1 g