BHA & BHT Free Vegan Cashew Ricotta
Creamy, tangy, and surprisingly rich, this plant-based ricotta is made from just a handful of whole, recognizable ingredients — no preservatives, no additives, nothing you'd need to look up on a label. That matters a lot when you're avoiding synthetic antioxidants like BHA and BHT, which sneak into a shocking number of packaged cheeses, spreads, and dairy alternatives at the grocery store. Here, raw cashews do all the heavy lifting: soaked until plump, then blended with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, nutritional yeast, and garlic into something genuinely luxurious. The nutritional yeast adds a subtle savory depth that mimics the umami of real cheese without any of the questionable shelf-stabilizers. A handful of fresh basil folded in at the end takes it somewhere almost Italian. It holds its shape beautifully on a spoon, spreads like a dream on toast or flatbread, and firms up even more after a short rest in the fridge. Once you see how easy it is to make a clean, additive-free version at home, it's hard to go back to store-bought.
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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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