Beef Free Vegan Cashew Ricotta
Creamy, tangy, and surprisingly versatile, this cashew ricotta delivers everything you love about the classic Italian cheese — without a drop of dairy or any animal products in sight. Soaking the raw cashews until plump is the secret step that makes the final texture genuinely silky rather than grainy, so don't skip it. Nutritional yeast adds a subtle savory depth, while fresh lemon juice and zest keep things bright and balanced in a way that makes you forget you're not eating the real thing. A small garlic clove rounds out the flavor, and the optional fresh basil takes it somewhere almost luxurious. Because every ingredient here is completely plant-based, there's zero concern about hidden animal-derived additives that can sneak into store-bought alternatives. Chill it for at least thirty minutes before serving and you'll get a firmer, more spreadable consistency that works beautifully on toast, stuffed into pasta, layered onto flatbreads, or eaten straight off the spoon.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 3–4 tbsp water, plus more as needed
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with cold water by at least 2 inches. Soak for 2 hours at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator, until the cashews are plump and noticeably softened.
- 2
Drain the cashews through a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water.
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