We just love cashew cheeses. So when it was time to explore a vegan ricotta cheese option for our vegetable lasagna (add link), we knew we wanted cashews to be the base. We will admit upfront, if you are looking for the exact ricotta cheese taste, this is not the recipe for you. I actually don’t love traditional ricotta cheese, and find this plant-based option so creamy and delicious. But its intention isn’t to replace that authentic Italian flavor, but rather enhance the flavor of other dishes.
You will need a high powered blender for this recipe. Some people will suggest soaking cashews over night, but I do think this step can be skipped. We soak the cashews in boiling water for 10-20 minutes. The key here is to ensure the cashews are raw and unsalted.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 Cup cashews
- 1/2 Cup water
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano
Prep the Cashews:
- Place cashews in bowl with 2 cups boiling water for 10-20 minutes
- Drain the water from the cashews
Blend it Up:
- Add all ingredients into blender and blend until consistency is thick, fluffy, & slightly chunky