Vegan Cashew Ricotta Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What does vegan cashew cheese taste like? ›

A sliceable, spreadable vegan cheese that will blow your mind! This cashew-based cheese is made with just a handful of ingredients and is an explosion of salty, cheesy, tangy, and umami flavors thanks to fermentation.

In general, there are two main methods for making vegan ricotta: one with soy milk and the other with blended nuts and tofu. They are both delicious. However, we recommend you try the soy milk method, which yields ricotta that is ridiculously similar to real Italian ricotta.

Whole Milk (not ultra pasteurized!): I recommend whole cow's milk for creamy flavor and texture. Alternatively, 2% or 1% milk can be used; but the final result will not be as creamy. Ultra pasteurized milk does not work for homemade ricotta. It won't curdle properly.

Nuts were a game-changer for vegan cheese because they provide a lot of fat: 100 grams of cashews have 44 grams of fat, versus 6.4 grams of fat in the same amount of soybeans. This allows for richer flavor and texture that gets closer to imitating animal milk dairy.

Parmela Shreds

Parmela nailed it (don't ask us how). These cashew-based shreds not only taste like cheese, but they also melt perfectly. Varieties include Mild Cheddar, Sharp Cheddar, Mozzarella, and Fiery Jack. The last one is phenomenal in dairy-free quesadillas!

For extra creamy ricotta, add in an extra egg, a handful of grated parmesan, and a quarter cup of shredded mozzarella. Eggs help prevent the ricotta from drying out and serve to bind the ricotta so it doesn't become runny.

There are a few plant-based ricotta cheese brands and alternatives out there. I've used Tofutti ricotta and made my own tofu ricotta to make baked ziti, and both were good. But for this review, I finally tried Kite Hill vegan ricotta cheese, and I was really impressed with the results.

Cottage cheese delivers a chunky texture, perfect for pancakes or quick bread; remember to give it a blend for smooth textures. Meanwhile, a bit tangier but creamy, Greek yogurt works like magic in dips or baked treats, an easy one-to-one sub for Ricotta shortages.

The Best Scrambled Eggs

A classic breakfast made even better, with the addition of ricotta cheese to make an even fluffier scrambled egg. Make these at the next brunch, but you better make enough because they are sure to be an instant favorite. Beat together eggs, ricotta, salt and pepper with fork.

Why is my ricotta turning pink? ›

In cheeses without added colorant, pink discoloration has been associated with: certain strains of thermophilic lactobacilli and propionic acid bacteria, Maillard reactions, and microbial pigments (e.g., carotenoids and phenolic compounds), which may be responsible for development of pink-brown or dark brown ...

Whereas ricotta is sweeter, cottage cheese has a notable tangy flavor from the slow acid fermentation. It has a heavier, thicker consistency than ricotta, and is generally studded with larger curds, though it comes in small and large curd varieties.

The cashew-based cheese alternatives were the most likely products to be low in sodium (Table 1). Over 80% of the cheese alternatives were low in calories, while only 2% were high in fat.

Cashew plants contain a toxic substance called urushiol in the plants' leaves. This substance is also found in between the nut and the shell, making shelling these nuts a highly skilled and sometimes hazardous process.

If a good vegan cheddar is hard to find, a vegan smoked cheddar is the holy grail. This Smoked Block of cashew-based cheese not only slices up perfectly for a cheese board, it also melts onto your burger like a dream.

Despite being so easy to make, this cheese feels fancier than most homemade cheeses and is packed with flavor. In addition to having subtle cheesy vibes from nutritional yeast, it has so much more tanginess and umami than your standard vegan cheese thanks to fermentation. Make ahead.

Like kimchi, kombucha and other cultured foods, the nuts will continue to ferment, changing the flavor over time. After about a week, the cashew cheese will taste more sour. After a couple of weeks, you may find it too sour.

Violife has continued to be our all-around favorite! The dairy-free mozzarella cheeses are perfect for pizza night or my Gluten-free Dairy-free Lasagna. And a good cheddar or Mexican cheese is perfect for my Enchiladas or Enchilada Bake Dip!

In terms of taste, there is no fine line separating vegan and dairy cheese. It could be either bland or a smack in the middle of unexpected taste familiarity. For a cheese lover, the criteria to make up with the taste is a bit underwhelming given with vegan cheese's main components.