Vegan ricotta (2 ingredients)

Vegan ricotta (2 ingredients)

vegan almond ricotta 2 ingredients

This is a simple vegan ricotta recipe that I’ve been meaning to share for ages, but I could not get round to it. I finally went through the process of writing it all down and taking photos to guide you in this ricotta making process. I hope you’ll give it a go.

It’s a really simple, 2 ingredient (3 if you count the salt), vegan ‘cheese’ that borrows from a traditional ricotta making process. It relies on curdling high percentage almond milk with the help of acid until it splits into what is known in traditional ricotta making as whey and milk curds. Although it is possible to make it without a kitchen thermometer – in fact my first few attempts were done without one and they all succeeded – I recommend you get one especially if this is your first time curdling (almond) milk.

I used Serious Eats recipe and tried to keep my almond milk in the prescribed temperature range of 79-88°C (175°F-190°F), but don’t panic if there are times when your almond milk drops below that bottom temperature or climbs a little higher either. It happened to me a bunch of times when photographing the process because ‘hello, singlehandedly photographing and doing technically challenging cooking at the same is difficult!’ (that’s a note to my inner critic who is obviously not happy about some of my photos – well, I am going to go ahead and publish them anyway!) and it still turned out fine.

If you want a less involved process, another – more straightforward – method is to warm the milk up a little higher (93°C / 199°F), add acid and let it rest once it starts to curdle. It worked well for me too, but I prefer the first method a little more.

MORE ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS

vegan almond ricotta three ingredients

ALMOND – almonds form the base of this cheese. I used blanched almonds, but you could use unblanched or slivered almonds if you prefer. I have tried using sunflower seeds to create a nut-free version, but it didn’t quite work for me so I have nothing to show for my attempt sadly. I might revisit it at some point.

LEMON JUICE – lemon juice is what helps almond milk to curdle when heated. You could use distilled white vinegar, but if you do use less 10 ml / 2 tsp should be enough to curdle this amount of almond milk.

SALT – salt is an optional ingredient and it isn’t instrumental to the process at all. If you plan on using this ricotta in a savoury context, I like to add ½ tsp of sea salt, but you may find it too much or too little so best to experiment and adjust the level of salt to your taste. I recommend adding just a pinch of salt to your first ricotta and seasoning afterwards if needed.

I DON’T HAVE A RICOTTA MOULD…

If you don’t have a ricotta mould, that’s perfectly fine. You could use a single muslin cloth lined sieve, for example. Any container with plenty of drainage holes will do the job.

vegan ricotta equipment

WHAT ABOUT LEFTOVER PULP?

If you hate food waste, you are in good company! I hate it too! ‘So what do you do with leftover almond pulp?’ you ask. I spread it on a large baking tray and air dry it or dry out in the sun (or low oven in winter). Once completely dry, I pop it into a food processor to grind up finely. I store it in an air-tight container and use like I would almond flour. It’s great in baking – I add it to muffins and tart crusts (some extra moisture may be needed) and add it to ‘meatballs’ for example. If you don’t want to go to the trouble of drying and pulverising it, use it as it is to make these or other muffins and cakes.

HOW DO YOU USE IT?

I like dotting it on top of pasta, gnocchi or salad. I also like to spread it on crackers or sourdough. You can use it in baked dishes too. I recently baked it on top of pizza and it worked really nicely, adding a much needed creamy element. It is very mild in flavour so it does well in all kinds of dishes, both savoury and sweet.

HOW LONG DOES IT KEEP?

I found that it keeps for almost a week (5-6 days) in an air-tight container in the fridge. I also tried freezing it and it freezes well enough although it certainly isn’t as good as fresh. Once defrosted, the consistency changes – individual curds are more discernible, ricotta becomes less creamy and uniform.

vegan ricotta process 1

Blend softened (soaked for minimum 4 hours) almonds with water until almonds are very finely ground and the water turns into rich almond milk.

vegan ricotta process 2

Separate the milk away from the pulp using a nut bag or a double layered muslin cloth and applying pressure.

vegan ricotta process 3

Bring almond milk to 85°C / 185°F or 93°C / 199°F if you want a speedier method – both work, but I prefer the results of the former. Once the milk reaches correct temperature, add the acid and stir gently to ensure distribute the acid evenly. Either rest (if you opted for the speedier method) or carry on simmering the milk for 20 minutes, maintaining it with the 79-88°C / 175°F-190°F temperature range.

vegan ricotta process 4

Rest for 10-15 minutes after taking off the heat then, using a spoon, gently transfer the curds that separated from the milk into a ricotta mould or a muslin cloth lined sieve. Allow ricotta to set and for the excess moisture to drain away for at least 8 hours.

vegan ricotta 2 ingredients texture

vegan ricotta crackers

makes
250 g / 8.8 oz
PREP
10 min
COOKING
5 min
makes
250 g / 8.8 oz
PREPARATION
10 min
COOKING
5 min
INGREDIENTS
  • 200 g / 7 oz raw almonds*, blanched or unblanched
  • 20-30 ml / 4-6 tsp lemon juice*
  • salt, optional
METHOD
  1. Soak almonds in cold water for 4-8 hours or overnight. Drain, discard the water.
  2. Place drained almonds in a blender with 600 ml / 2½ cups of fresh water. If you are using a small blender, only use as much water as it fits in the blender and add the rest directly to the pot in step 5.
  3. Blend until almonds are really finely ground and the water turns into creamy almond milk.
  4. Place a nut bag (or a double layered muslin cloth) in the sieve suspended over a medium-large pot.
  5. Gradually pour the contents of blender into the nut bag and allow the milk to drain into the pot below.
  6. Once most of the liquid drains out, squeeze the nut bag really well to extract as much milk as you can – you should be left with super dry pulp (see blog post above for ideas to use it up).
  7. If using salt, add it to the pot and mix well to dissolve.
  8. Bring almond milk to a gentle simmer, until a thermometer registers 85°C / 185°F. If you want to expedite the process and not have to simmer it for 20 minutes after adding lemon juice, allow the milk to come to 93°C / 199°F instead.
  9. Once your almond milk comes to temperature, sprinkle 20 ml / 4 tsp lemon juice on the surface of the simmering milk. Stir gently to distribute the acid evenly. You should see small curds forming after a couple of minutes. If the milk isn’t curdling, add a little more lemon juice.
  10. This is the point where you could simply rest curdled milk for 10 minutes and transfer the curds to a mould, but I got a nicer end product by simmering it for another 20 minutes and resting – see next step.
  11. Keep the pot on low heat and aim to maintain 85°C / 185°F for full 20 minutes without stirring. Try to keep the milk within 79-88°C / 175°F-190°F range.
  12. You should end up with delicate curds by the end of this process – I found that the separation isn’t always as visually apparent as it is with dairy milk and sometimes the milk just looks thick and creamy but that’s okay the resulting cheese is still delicious. Rest the milk for 10 minutes.
  13. Place a mould/moulds on a deep plate so that any excess liquid can drain away. Gently transfer the curds to the mould (see the post for alternatives).
  14. Keep in the fridge overnight to set. The longer it sets the firmer it will get, but I find that it needs at least an overnight stay in the fridge to firm up enough to use.
  15. Keep ready ricotta in an air-tight container in the fridge, for 5-6 days. It can be frozen, but it will release some liquid once defrosted – simply drain it away and use. It’s perfect spread of toast/crackers, crumbled on top of pasta/gnocchi/risotto or on top of pizza.

NOTES
*ALMONDS: Since I published this recipe, I experimented with using soy milk – which curdles better than almond milk – in place of some almonds and I think I like the results even more – it produces vegan ricotta with a more balanced flavour and firmer texture. Use half of the almonds (100 g / 3.5 oz) and 300 ml / 1¼ cups of quality (no additives, only soy and water) soy milk in place of 300 ml / 1¼ cups of water in STEP 2.

*LEMON JUICE: I find that lemons vary when it comes to their acidity so if your almond milk isn’t curdling, you may have to use more lemon juice. Alternatively vinegar – apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar instead can also be used but you won’t need as much, 20 ml / 4 tsp should be enough.

*SALT: it’s an optional ingredient that isn’t necessary for the process. If you are making it for the first time, I recommend just adding a good pinch and seasoning to taste afterwards. I use ½ tsp of fine sea salt, but it may be too much or too little for your taste so it’s best to experiment.

The method has been adapted from this dairy ricotta recipe.

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NUTRITIONAL INFO
calories
116
6%
sugars
1 g
1%
fats
10 g
14%
saturates
1 g
4%
proteins
4 g
8%
carbs
4 g
2%
*per per 1 (25 g) out 10 servings
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5.0
4 reviews, 22 comments
REVIEWS & QUESTIONS
Jenn:
Hello Ania

This is a wonderful recipe, i made it half almond half soya as you suggested in the notes, , it is so delicate and delicious, thank you, I am going to try the almond feta next,
Enjoy the weekend
Jenn
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Jenn, I am so happy to hear that it didn't disappoint! I hope you'll enjoy my take on feta too...Thank you for taking the time to review - I really appreciate it. Ania
Jenn:
Hello Anita,
Thank you for this and so many wonderful vegan recipes, I am going to give it a go today, one question please, when you talk about subbing soya milk is that to replace half the water is it still 600ml fluid in total? Please excuse if I’m being “thick”!!!
Thank you for your time
Jenn
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Jenn,
    You are very welcome, I am delighted that my recipes are serving you well. What I mean is to use 600 ml liquid in total, half of that would be soy milk, half water and only 100 g (3.5 oz) of almonds. So basically 300 ml soy milk replaces 300 ml of water and 100 g of almonds. Hope this makes sense. Ania
Maria:
hello
Can I make this cheese with shop bought almond milk?
Thanks
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Maria, I have not tried but I am not sure that it would work. What is sold as almond milk is usually quite watered down and you need fat in order to make cheese. Ania
Sinead:
Hello and thank you for this recipe! I have been making basic almond ricotta for my deli and I'm not loving it. I'm excited to try this...I'm going to use the half soy milk method (Edensoy). Can you tell me two things? 1. Do you get better results with fresh lemon juice as opposed to bottled? 2. Is it important for the ricotta pots to have drainage wholes/slots like the ones you have here?
Thank you! I'll definitely share my results with you.
    Ania
    Ania:
    You are very welcome, Sinead! Yes, using half soy milk is a great idea although I don't know this particular brand. I never tried bottled lemon juice but I suspect it will be similar in this case. Yes, drainage holes and lots of them are essential (their shape can of course be different) so that the excess moisture can run off and the 'cheese' becomes firmer. Hope you'll enjoy the result. Ania
Sophie F:
Hi Ania,
this is the first vegan cheese recipe I´m trying and it looks very promising! I'm a digital nomad nad I tend to not buy a lot of gadgets! lol. Can I do it If I don´t have a thermometer by the looks of it? or is it very recommended?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Sophie,
    Sure you can, in fact I usually just make it by feel. You simply need to bring the milk to just before the boiling point (about 93°C / 199°F) before sprinkling in acid, give it a gentle stir and then just wait. The curds will form, they may be smaller than what you expect but that doesn't matter - the cheese will still be delicious once it drains and sets. Hope this helps. x Ania
Jella:
Hi Ania,
Thank you for this recipe. I tried it before as part of a vegan cheese-making course, and we loved it. Your blog reminded me of it. So now I want to make it again.
I have a question: can you do anything with the "whey", the liquid that drips away from the mold? Could it be used in protein shakes or pancake batter, as is always suggested about dairy milk whey? I look forward to reading your ideas.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great to hear that you are planning on making this vegan ricotta, Jella! I don't think so although I am sure there is no harm in using if you wish. I simply discard it. Ania
Mariam:
Hi again! This recipe is amaaaazing.
I thought it tasted too cashew-y and lemony but it worked so well in lasagne.
The cheese didn't freeze very well though, it came out tough and grainy. But I wouldn't say it was a big deal. Still delicious.
I made a smaller batch with almonds and I liked the taste a lot better. I only wish I couldn't notice the lemon as much.
I also love how clear the steps and tips are. It was like walking me through the process and it was impossible to mess up.
Thanks for this wonderful recipe :)
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you Mariam, I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed this vegan ricotta and that it made a great filling for your lasagne. If lemon is too prominent for you, try using white vinegar instead as you need less to get the milk to curdle. Interesting that it didn't freeze well for you - I've had no trouble with it. Anyway, I am glad to hear that it was a success and thank you for taking the time to let me know - much appreciated. x Ania
Mariam:
I'd love to try this recipe but I'm curious if it'd work with cashews instead of almonds. And what amounts would that be?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Mariam,
    Yes, I am pretty sure they will work the same. Use the same amount by weight. Hope this helps! x Ania
Nicole F:
Made this recipe & added two spoonfuls of nutritional yeast along with the pinch of salt. It was easy and creamy and so delicious! I’ll make it again for sure. Thanks!
    Ania
    Ania:
    I'm delighted to hear that, Nicole and great idea to add nooch for some umami! Thanks so much for taking the time to review, I really appreciate it. x Ania
Basia:
I made this ricotta during the weekend and I'm loving it! The curds were super tiny so I ended up using my nut milk bag inside of a tofu press to form the cheese. I wonder if that was because I was using a Thermomix where the blades were in motion throughout the whole process and even though they were very slow they broke up the curds? I used the 2nd method of keeping the milk at a constant temperature of 85°C. I used a Thermomix because it tells me the exact temperature in the pot. I'll try the 1st method next time and will rest the milk + curds.
Anyway, it turned into a delicious cream cheese and I can see how versatile it is! Genius idea :)
    Ania
    Ania:
    Yes, thanks Basia! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed it. It has been a staple in my house for a while now. I don't own a Thermomix but yes, certainly moving blades (or too much stirring) will affect the size of the curds, for sure. Hope you'll find your perfect texture! x Ania
      Basia:
      I'll definitely try again :) I used it all week in sandwiches and then put the leftover on my pizza and it was so delicious!
      Quick question for next time: What happens if you go beyond 93°C? Have you every tried?
        Ania
        Ania:
        Yay, I am glad to hear that it is serving you well. No, haven't tried intentionally as 93°C is the standard curdling temperature, but it might have gone slightly above it a couple of times due to inattention as it was fine. Hope this helps! Ania
Violet Davis:
Can you use almond milk instead of blanched almonds?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Violet,
    If you mean shop bought, I doubt it will work very well as they tend to be really watered down, but I could be wrong. The point of making your own almond milk here is that you want it rich and that richness (fat) becomes cheese. Hope this helps! Ania
Judy:
I'll bet this ricotta would be great in a pizza. One Chicago pizzeria makes an amazing ricotta-black olive deep dish pizza, and as soon as I saw your ricotta, I thought of that pizza. Some tomato sauce and a little vegan mozzarella (the Chicago restaurant puts the mozzarella on the crust so beneath on the toppings). Yum.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Judy,
    Yes, it does work nicely on pizza - in fact, I am making one for the blog as we speak :) Hope you'll give it a go, it's really simple to make too. Ania
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