Chicken Free Vegan Cashew Ricotta
Creamy, tangy, and surprisingly luxurious, this cashew ricotta delivers everything you love about the classic Italian cheese — without a drop of dairy or any animal products. Soaked raw cashews are the secret weapon here: once blended with bright lemon juice, lemon zest, nutritional yeast, and a hint of garlic, they transform into a thick, spreadable cheese that genuinely holds its own on a spoon. The nutritional yeast adds that subtle savory depth that makes it taste far more complex than the short ingredient list suggests. A quick chill in the fridge lets the flavors come together and firms the texture up beautifully, so it's worth the wait. Fresh basil folded in at the end takes it from simple to something you'd proudly serve at a dinner party. Spread it on crostini, layer it into lasagna, dollop it onto flatbread, or eat it straight from the bowl — it's that good. Completely plant-based and naturally free from anything poultry-derived, this is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever reached for the store-bought version.
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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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