You only need a handful of ingredients, a high-powered blender, and about 15 minutes to make this Easy Almond Ricotta! It’s super creamy and perfect for using in both savory and sweet recipes.
It’s so simple to whip up this ricotta-style cheese at home!
My biggest tip for making it is to have patience and resist the urge to blend on high speed, as this will affect the consistency.
I’ve found that blending on medium-high speed and stopping to stir things around a few times results in a better texture than blending on the highest speed.
For another dairy-free ricotta-style cheese, check out this tofu ricotta next.
Ingredient Notes
- Slivered Almonds: These are blanched and have had the skins removed. I have not tried this recipe with blanched whole or sliced almonds.
- Almond Milk: Gives the “cheese” a creamier consistency than just using water alone. Be sure to use unflavored, unsweetened almond milk. I’ve also tried using soy milk when I didn’t have almond milk on hand (gasp) and it worked just as well.
- Flavor Boosters: Lemon juice provides tanginess, nutritional yeast adds cheesiness, and salt enhances the overall flavor.
To soak or not to soak?
That is the question. And here is the answer: it’s up to you.
After making it both ways, I prefer to soak the almonds for about 10 minutes in boiling water. I find that soaking helps break down the nuts so that you’re less likely to overblend, which can lead to a paste-like texture.
But hey, if you don’t feel like boiling water…and waiting…and draining…and washing the extra tools you used for that process, I get it!
You’ll probably need to stop more often to mix things up to avoid little chunks of nuts.
Watch: How to Make Almond Ricotta
Storage
Keep the almond ricotta stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Serving Suggestions
This ricotta alternative is perfect for all your favorite pasta dishes from baked ziti to lasagna. Use it as is or mix in some fresh herbs, garlic powder, and/or dairy-free Parmesan.
You can also add a dollop on top of a bowl of pasta. Try ziti, penne, rigatoni, or rotini and mix with marinara sauce, and then top with a scoop of almond “cheese.”
Add some freshly ground black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, non-dairy Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, and/or fresh herbs like basil or parsley to jazz it up.
Because the almonds give this “cheese” a touch of sweetness, it’s also great for sweet dishes. Use it to make cannoli, ricotta pancakes, or ricotta toast.
Here are some tasty toast ideas:
Strawberry-Balsamic – Spread some “ricotta” onto a piece of toast and top with sliced strawberries, balsamic glaze, and fresh basil.
Blueberry-Lemon – Spread the “cheese” onto a piece of toast and top with blueberries, maple syrup, and lemon zest.
Watch: Almond Ricotta Toast – Two Ways
Easy Almond Ricotta
Equipment
- High-Powered Blender I recommend Vitamix
Ingredients
- 10 ounce slivered almonds, (I used 1 bag of Mariani brand)
- 1/2 cup almond milk, plain and unsweetened
- 1/2 cup cold filtered water, plus more if needed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3/4-1 teaspoon fine sea salt, depending on preference
Instructions
- Add the almonds to a glass dish or Pyrex and cover with boiling water. Soak for 10-15 minutes.
- Drain the almonds and rinse with cold water.
- Add the almonds and remaining ingredients to the blender. Start blending on low speed and gradually increase the speed to medium-high. Blend until no chunks of almonds remain and the consistency is creamy and resembles traditional ricotta. Stop to scrape down the sides as needed and stir the mixture around with a silicone spatula to re-incorporate any chunks of nuts. Add more water if needed and blend again. Be careful not to blend too high or overblend, as the consistency will become paste-like.
- Use right away or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed.