Hello, my lovely chickpeas! Welcome back to another plant based recipe - and one that I've been excited to release for a while now. This one is for all of my vegan cheese lovers - it is dairy free, creamy, and delicious. Plus, this is a super quick & easy recipe! Introducing... my Lemon Tofu Ricotta!

This Lemon Tofu Ricotta is the perfect "cheesy" spread for those of us who want to stay away from dairy, but still love a creamy texture and lots of delicious flavor. It's great as a spread on sandwiches, as a base for creamy pasta sauces, or paired with your favorite crackers. Let's get into it!

Inspiration for Lemon Tofu Ricotta

In my pre-plant-based days, I loved mixing ricotta into pasta sauces to get them super creamy. This recipe was born when I decided that I wanted a vegan version to do exactly that with, and then I ended up loving it so much that I started using it on everything! I wasn't originally going for a super strong lemon flavor, but I went a little crazy with the lemon on one of my tests and ended up loving it, so I decided to roll with it and embrace the lemon. It really brightens up our ricotta and gives us an extra zing of flavor! That being said, if you'd like it a bit more mild, feel free to just leave out the optional lemon zest!

As I always like to remind my readers with these "substitute" style recipes, this recipe is reminiscent of ricotta, but it won't taste 100% like it since it simply isn't made of the same thing! However, it checks all the main boxes and gives a similar experience. This Lemon Tofu Ricotta is creamy, spreadable, and has a slightly nutty flavor. Ours also has that extra lemony flavor thrown in just for fun, which makes it a perfect recipe for spring and summer when we are wanting bright and fresh flavors. I love having this one on hand to use as a spread on sandwiches and crackers throughout the week!

Ingredients

Nothing super crazy here, but let's talk about what we are working with today.

Tofu: this makes up the base of our ricotta! Tofu is one of my favorite sources of plant based protein, and it blends up very nicely into a ricotta-like consistency.
Cashews: once I added these into the mix, I knew I was onto something. Traditional ricotta has a slightly nutty flavor, and adding these added just that. They also add some creaminess to our recipe, making it perfect for spreading and dipping.
Plant milk: this recipe needed just a little bit of liquid in the blending process in order to get the right consistency, and plant based milk does the job perfectly.
Nutritional yeast, garlic, & onion powder: these all add to the savory vibes of our ricotta, and the nutritional yeast is especially helpful for a "cheesy" flavor.
Lemon juice, lemon zest, & dried basil: the lemon juice adds some acidity, and the zest adds even more of a lemon flavor! The dried basil is also the perfect herb to pair with the bright lemon vibes.

How to Make Lemon Tofu Ricotta

This one is super easy. This sections honestly seems a little silly, but it felt wrong to skip it.

Blend all ingredients
Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

Here are some ideas and thoughts for you regarding this deliciously creamy Lemon Tofu Ricotta.

Obviously, based on the name, I'm embracing the lemony vibes here. However, if you want a more toned down or neutral flavor, feel free to just leave out the optional lemon zest and/or decrease the amount of lemon juice! I would still include at least 1-2 tablespoon of lemon juice for some acidity, but by making these small changes the flavor should be significantly toned down.
You may notice that the recipe calls for a mild-flavored plant milk. This is because stronger flavored milks, such as coconut milk, take away too much from the other flavors that we've got going on! I used coconut milk in one test and the coconut flavor just didn't quite work. However, almond milk and cashew milk have both worked wonderfully! I suspect that soy milk would also be a good option.
This is meant to be spreadable - so get creative! Spread it on toast, sandwiches, or crackers. My husband and I love using a combination of this and hummus on our veggie sandwiches! It adds the perfect amount of creaminess and flavor.
The bright lemon flavor of this Lemon Tofu Ricotta lends itself well to any spring or summertime pasta dish. Use it to stuff pasta shells, in a vegan lasagna, or mixed into a pasta sauce to make it creamy!
If you're a fan of cheesy plant based recipes, check out my Marinated Tofu Feta or my Quick Vegan Queso next!

Enjoy!

Lemon Tofu Ricotta (Vegan!)

Recipe by Delaney Romero - Joyful Balance

Servings (as a spread)

servings

From Start to Finish

minutes

This plant based Lemon Tofu Ricotta is dairy free, creamy, and delicious. The perfect easy recipe for spreading on crackers or sandwiches, or to include in pasta dishes!

*Note that "From Start to Finish" is an estimate that includes 20 minutes to press your tofu and soak your cashews, and then only 5 hands-on minutes to complete the recipe directions.

Ingredients

1 block firm tofu, pressed for 20 minutes*
½ cup cashews, soaked in very hot water for 20-30 minutes (OR in room temperature water overnight)
¼ - ½ cup plant milk* (The exact amount will vary based on your blender and your desired consistency. I usually use almond milk, but any mild-flavor plant milk will do!)
3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 cloves garlic
¾ teaspoon onion powder
The lemon juice (and optional lemon zest)* of 1 small/medium lemon
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon salt

Directions

Drain the excess liquid from your pressed tofu, and drain your soaked cashews.
Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender (for the plant milk, start with ¼ cup). Blend on high until your desired consistency is reached, adding more plant milk 1 tablespoon at a time if needed. If available, a blender tamper is helpful throughout the blending process to make sure that everything gets blended evenly. If you don't have a blender tamper, you may need to pause the blender a few times and scrape down the sides of the blender with a silicone spatula.
Use as you wish and enjoy!

Notes

*Firm tofu, pressed for 20 minutes: You can press your tofu by using a tofu press, or by wrapping your tofu in paper towels and placing a somewhat heavy plate on top of it.
*Plant milk: I recommend a mild-flavored plant milk for this. Almond or cashew milk both work perfectly, but something with a stronger flavor (such as coconut milk) might throw off the flavor of the end result.
*Optional lemon zest: I personally love the lemon zest addition, but it definitely gives this tofu ricotta a VERY strong lemon flavor. If you want the flavor to be a bit more neutral, go ahead and skip the zest!

Happy cooking! If you made this recipe don’t forget to tag me (@joyfulbalanceofficial) on facebook or instagram so I can cheer you on for your ricotta-making ways.

Stay joyfully balanced!