Vegan Ricotta (Cultured!)

⭐️ Why You Should Try It

• Light and fluffy. This ricotta has a rich and airy texture. It spreads great and has a texture extremely close to the real one!
• It doesn’t require lemon. As opposed to other vegan ricotta recipes that make use of lemon, lime, or vinegar to curdle the milk and add tanginess, this one relies on real cultures and a special enzyme to curdle the cashew milk. The result is a more natural and authentic flavor!
• It’s versatile. You can use this ricotta on toast, drizzled with some olive oil or maple syrup, or use it as a base for baked shells, pizza, and more!

📘 What Is Ricotta

Ricotta is an Italian fresh cheese traditionally made using leftover whey from a batch of cultured cheese. Ricotta means “recooked” as the leftover whey is repurposed and cooked again with a coagulant like lemon juice or vinegar. There are many different ways to make ricotta. Some are prepared using the traditional method, while others will start with whole fresh milk.

This recipe is based on the type of ricotta that is cultured and aged (but made vegan!). It gives a cheese with a more pronounced flavor.

🥛 Ingredient Notes

This vegan ricotta recipe requires only 5 ingredients. Here is what you will need:

• Raw cashews – The base of this vegan ricotta is raw cashews. They bring richness and creaminess. I do not recommend using other nuts for this recipe.
• Miso – Optional. The addition of white miso helps create a more complex flavor.
• Probiotics – These will allow the cashew cream to ferment and get a natural tangy/sour flavor. You can use Acidophilus probiotics or mesophilic culture.
• Transglutaminase – The key ingredient to make this vegan ricotta fluffy, just like real ricotta. Don’t be scared by this strange name. Transglutaminase is an enzyme that binds the proteins and helps plant-based milk curdle. You can now find vegan transglutaminase online easily.
• Salt – To enhance the flavor.

🥣 How to Make It

This recipe consists of 3 steps: Preparing the cashew milk, curdling and culturing it, and finally, draining it.

Prepare the cashew milk

1. Make the milk. Drain the cashews and place them in a blender. Add the water, sweet white miso, and salt. Blend on high speed, occasionally scraping down the sides until you get a smooth texture.
2. Add the culture. Add the mesophilic or acidophilus culture and blend for another 10 seconds.
3. Add the Transglutaminase. Dissolve the transglutaminase in 2 tbsp water. Add it to the blender and blend for another 10 seconds. The cashew milk is now ready for the next step!

Curdle the milk and culture it

1. Activate the Transglutaminase. Pour the cashew milk into a large glass bowl and cover with plastic film. To activate the transglutaminase, you must keep the cashew milk at around 104°F (40°C) for 4 hours. To do that, you can use an Instant Pot, a yogurt maker, or an oven if it can go at that temperature.
2. After 4 hours, remove the cashew milk bowl from the heat. It should no longer be liquid but a bit thicker.
3. Culture. To give the ricotta a natural tanginess, let the cashew milk ferment at room temperature for another 6 hours or overnight.

If using an Instant Pot: Place one cup of water in the Instant Pot liner. Add the grid and place your bowl of cashew milk on top. Close the Instant Pot lid and set it on yogurt mode for 4 hours.

Drain the ricotta

1. Prepare your draining station. After 6 hours of culturing, it’s time to drain the curdled cashew milk. Place a plastic or cookie grid on top of a baking sheet, large baking dish, or deep plate. There should be space between the grid and the bottom of the baking sheet to allow the whey to drain.
2. Place two ricotta molds on top of the grid. Using a large spoon, scoop out the thickened cashew cream (leaving out the water sitting at the bottom) and transfer it to the ricotta baskets. Fill each basket to the top. Note: I used two 10oz (0,3 Kg) molds.
3. Drain. Carefully transfer the baking sheet with the ricotta molds to the refrigerator and let it drain overnight or for at least 8 hours.
4. The next day, your ricotta will have lost a lot of water. You can now carefully remove the ricottas from the molds and enjoy!

🍕 Where to Use It

The best thing about this vegan ricotta is that there are countless ways to use it! Here are a few ideas:

• Spread on crackers or bread: Spread on salty crackers or toasted bread, and top with caramelized onions, roasted tomatoes, and ground black pepper!
• Add to charcuterie boards: Drizzle with some olive oil or maple syrup if you prefer a sweet and salty version, and serve it on your vegan charcuterie board or antipasto platter.
• Use on pizza: Top your vegan pizza with crumbled ricotta! I personally love to use the smoked version to add a comforting and smoky flavor to homemade pizza.
• Add to pasta: Scramble vegan ricotta on top of pasta for freshness. It would be delicious with this Mushroom Pasta with Creamy Peppercorn Sauce, Easy Pasta Stir-Fry, or this Caramelized Onion Pasta.
• Use to prepare savory fillings: Combine with chopped fresh herbs and/or spinach and use it as a filling for cannelloni or stuffed shells.
• Use in desserts: This vegan ricotta is perfect for vegan cannolis. You can also spread it on top of French toast and drizzle with maple syrup or use it to make ricotta pancakes!

💬 FAQ