Lupin Free Vegan Cashew Ricotta
Creamy, tangy, and surprisingly close to the real thing, this dairy-free ricotta is made entirely from soaked raw cashews blended with lemon juice, lemon zest, nutritional yeast, and garlic. The result is a thick, spreadable cheese that holds its shape on a spoon and works beautifully on pasta, toast, flatbreads, or stuffed into vegetables. Lupin flour is a common hidden ingredient in plant-based cheese alternatives sold at the store, so making your own from scratch is a smart way to stay in control of exactly what goes into your food. Every ingredient here is straightforward and easy to verify, with no legume-based fillers or thickeners in sight. A short soak softens the cashews so they blend into something genuinely silky, and a 30-minute chill in the fridge lets the flavors settle and the texture firm up just right. Fresh basil stirred in at the end adds a bright, herby lift that takes the whole thing to another level. Once you see how easy this is to pull together, it's hard to justify buying the packaged stuff ever again.
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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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