Creamy, Tangy Tofu Basil Ricotta Cheese

By Jennifer Provenza at Good Food From The Heart

Whole food plant based, oil free, sugar free, gluten free, nut free

This creamy, tangy tofu ricotta will work perfectly in any recipe that calls for ricotta cheese. Use for lasagna, ravioli, manicotti, or even appetizers.

Break Time!

It’s officially Spring Break! Woot! So happy to get a little time for the family after all the hard work we have all been doing teaching and studying from home. My brother and his wife and my sweet neice will be visiting all week and we have so many fun plans. We are going to the zoo, a local kids’ amusement park, and a playground. And, of course, we have egg hunts planned and will be celebrating Easter at my house. My neice and my kids will even be able to watch the virtual kids’ play I directed. So fun! Best of all, after break is over, my kids finally get to go back to school in person! It will be only two days a week for three hours, but oh my gosh, we will take it! (And I’m so relieved the teachers, including my husband and I) have gotten our vaccines. The kids are so excited to finally get to see their teachers (and friends!) in person. Anyway, between directing the play and supervising the learning at our home, I haven’t had much time to cook lately. I’ve been keeping it simple. And this tofu ricotta cheese definitely fits the bill.

So Versatile…So Delicious!

This tofu ricotta is such an easy, delicious, and versatile recipe. I use this anywhere that I would use traditional ricotta cheese. It’s great in homemade ravioli, baked manicotti, and lasagna! (Stay tuned for my lasagna recipe coming soon!) It’s also a super easy appetizer. I love to serve it spread on warm whole wheat pita bread. It is also very high in protein and low in calories and fat. Perfecto!

Ingredients

Tofu: I like to use firm or super firm tofu for this ricotta. One of the best parts about this recipe is that you don’t have to drain or press the tofu first, as you want some added water in there. I just slice into a few smaller pieces and put right into the food processor.

Nutritional Yeast: This adds that “cheesy” flavor and also lots of vitamin B12. (Vital for those who eat a plant based diet). I like Bob’s Red Mill brand.

Fresh Basil: The basil is what adds a delicious pop of flavor to this cheese. Don’t skip it! If you can’t find any fresh basil (sometimes my store is all out of it), you can substitute semi dried basil. You could also use a different herb, such as cilantro, but that will definitely change the flavor significantly. The only time you might skip the basil is if you are using the ricotta in a basil pesto dish. In that case, you should have more than enough basil flavor.

Lemon Juice: The lemon juice adds that tangy and bright flavor that makes it taste more like cheese.

Salt: The salt really adds to the cheesy taste and brings out the other flavors. If you reduce the amount or skip it, you definitely won’t have the same results.

How To Make This Tofu Basil Ricotta Cheese

This recipe could not be easier! Simply place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until you have a nice, creamy ricotta cheese like texture. This is great served immediately as an appetizer or in cooked dishes, such as stuffed shells, baked manicotti, lasagna, etc… This recipe would go great with my Vanilla Bean and Rose Lemonade or an aperatif!

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