Carrageenan Free Vegan Cashew Ricotta
Creamy, tangy, and surprisingly rich, this plant-based ricotta is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever reached for a store-bought version. Many commercial dairy-free cheeses rely on carrageenan as a thickener or stabilizer, which can be a real headache to avoid when you're scanning ingredient labels at the grocery store. This one skips all of that entirely — just soaked raw cashews, bright lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and a handful of pantry staples blended into something genuinely luxurious. The soaking step is what makes it work: softened cashews blend down into a thick, spreadable texture that holds its shape on a spoon just like the real thing. A touch of garlic and lemon zest keep it from tasting flat, and the optional fresh basil takes it somewhere almost fancy. It's endlessly versatile — dollop it onto pasta, spread it onto crostini, layer it into lasagna, or eat it straight from the bowl with a cracker. A short chill in the fridge before serving lets the flavors settle and the texture firm up beautifully.
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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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