Easy Vegan Tofu Ricotta Cheese

Many times, the best recipes are complicated and time-consuming. But not this one. It's made with five simple ingredients and comes together in 10 minutes flat! And this easy vegan tofu ricotta has the right texture and perfect balance of flavors for your favorite Italian recipes, like cannelloni, baked ziti, and vegan lasagna. This recipe is also the basis for my cannoli filling, with some adjustments to the flavor.

I tested lots of different ingredients for this recipe, including cashews, almonds, and sunflower seeds. Ultimately, tofu was the best at recreating the mild flavor and light, crumbly texture of traditional ricotta cheese. Plus, it's nut-free for those of you with nut allergies.

I kept the flavors light for this recipe, so the ricotta can be used in many different recipes. Depending on how you're using it (whether sweet or savory), you may want to add different flavors to your own taste preferences. For example, you could add fresh basil (or other fresh herbs), chopped and wilted baby spinach, garlic powder, onion powder, powdered sugar, or cinnamon.

If you need an excuse to make this dairy-free ricotta, try my stuffed pasta shells recipe (with spinach tofu ricotta). It's not only delicious, but it's also quick and easy to make!

Choose a firm or extra-firm tofu for this vegan ricotta recipe; softer or silken tofu won't work. You usually can find tofu in the refrigerated vegan meat section of most grocery stores. You should press the block of tofu just a little to release the excess water, but don't press too much or your tofu ricotta will be dry. I usually just press the tofu gently with my hands; no tofu press needed!