An easy Vegan Ricotta Cheese recipe made with chickpeas and almond flour! It's a great alternative to traditional ricotta. Plus it's quick to make, healthy, and can be prepared ahead of time. (Vegan, gluten-free, refined oil-free.)
This easy vegan ricotta is thick, creamy, and deliciously cheesy! Best of all, it only requires 5 simple ingredients (plus salt and water).
I find it's a great plant-based replacement for traditional ricotta cheese. The chickpeas and almond flour come together beautifully for a rich texture full of nutrients and protein.
Plus it's dairy-free, refined oil-free, and gluten-free. Feel free to use it wherever you'd normally enjoy traditional ricotta!
Ingredients for Vegan Ricotta
For this recipe you'll blend together in a food processor:
- Chickpeas (garbanzo beans): You can either use a 15 oz. can chickpeas, or about 1.5 cups freshly cooked chickpeas.
- Almond flour: I use super-fine blanched almond flour. The natural oils from the nuts helps bind the ricotta mixture. Plus it provides a buttery, creamy texture and taste! (I haven't tried substituting soaked raw cashews in place of the almond flour, but I suspect it could work.)
- Nutritional yeast: This is what gives it a savory, cheesy flavor. You can add more if desired.
- Fresh lemon juice: A little acidity is essential to brighten and bring it all together. (You could also try substituting some apple cider vinegar, but I haven't tested this yet.)
- Garlic powder: Or roasted garlic or one clove garlic. (I love roasted garlic in this!)
- Salt: I use fine grain salt for this recipe.
- Water or aquafaba: We'll add a little liquid to the mixture to help thin to desired consistency. I like to use aquafaba (the liquid found in the chickpea can) but you can just swap in water if preferred which works great too.
Preparing & Customizing
Equipment: You'll need a strong blender or preferably a food processor to blend this vegan cheese. (I use a food processor.)
Herbs: Before blending, you can also include fresh basil, dried basil (about 1/2 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons), or Italian seasonings if desired.
Roasted garlic & basil: My favorite variation is adding lots of roasted garlic and fresh basil. So tasty!
Storing
This can be made 1-2 days ahead of time if desired. Simply prepare, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. I find it keeps at least 4-5 days in the fridge. (I haven't tried freezing this recipe yet.)
Serving
This dairy-free ricotta is a great condiment or flavorful spread. Try it in a variety of dishes such as:
- Vegan Lasagna (pictured below)
- Pasta dishes
- Pizza
- Cracker dip: If serving as a dip or spread, I suggest adding herbs and roasted garlic if available for even more flavor.
- Quesadillas, sandwiches, and wraps
- Stuffed shells or homemade tortellini: Try them filled with spinach & ricotta, then topped with tomato sauce.
- Dolloped on lasagna soup or Minestrone Soup
For more inspiration, also browse all vegan sauce & seasoning recipes.
Vegan Ricotta Cheese (Chickpea Ricotta!)
Ingredients
- 15 oz. can chickpeas
- 1/3 cup almond flour (blanched, superfine)
- 3 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup aquafaba or water
Optional add-ins:
- Fresh basil, roasted garlic, dried basil, Italian seasoning, etc.
Instructions
- Open the can of chickpeas and reserve 1/4 cup aquafaba (the liquid in the can). Then rinse and drain the chickpeas.
- Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend. I start with about 3 Tbsp. aquafaba (or water), then add more 1 tablespoon at a time to achieve desired consistency. It should be creamy, but very thick. You'll need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times between blending.
- Taste and adjust flavors if needed. (More salt, nutritional yeast, lemon, herbs, etc.) I like mine tangy, so I usually add a little more lemon juice. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate to let flavors combine further.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Sodium content: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.
If you're enjoying this vegan chickpea almond ricotta cheese recipe, also check out:
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Hannah says
This looks delicious! Does it have a hummus texture or flavor? Looking forward to making it.
Kaitlin says
Hello, Hannah! The texture is a bit like hummus, but with a thicker, richer, "buttery" feel from the almond flour. (And also slightly "cheesy" from the nutritional yeast.) Feel free to add fresh herbs as well if you'd like! Hope you enjoy it.