snack

Easy to whip together, this tofu ricotta toast is perfect for a vegan breakfast, snack, or light lunch! Homemade tofu ricotta comes together quickly thanks to a blender or food processor. The creamy vegan ricotta is slathered on toast then topped with thinly sliced radishes and an impressive yet easy fennel frond herb sprinkle.

Over the years I’ve made various versions of homemade vegan ricotta using almonds and macadamia nuts. But honestly, my favorite version is one I recently developed with tofu. I actually included it in the Summer Harvest digital cookbook I released last year paired with a cucumber melon salad. It wasn’t until I was making this pickled beet salad a few weeks back that I remembered how much I love this tofu ricotta!

I think the reason that this version of vegan ricotta is my favorite is because it’s incredibly simple. Everything is thrown in a blender or food processor and pulsed several times. It’s also super creamy and luscious compared to the ones I’ve made with nuts. And, it’s much higher in protein per serving and wayyy more budget friendly! Since it does pack a bigger protein punch, I really love using it in quick meals like this ricotta toast. But of course, you can always use it in way that suits your fancy!

How to Make Vegan Tofu Ricotta

The great thing about this vegan ricotta is that there are no crazy ingredients involved. There’s also no need to press your tofu or do anything else other than plopping your ingredients into a blender or food processor. Here’s how to make it:

• You’ll need a block of extra firm tofu. The size will range based on the brand but aim for a block that is about 14 ounces. Remove the tofu from its packaging and blot any excess moisture with a paper towel or kitchen towel. Use your fingers to roughly crumble it up into your blender jar or food processor.
• Add all of the remaining ingredients to the tofu: olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, sugar, and nutritional yeast.
• Pulse the mixture several times (DON’T BLEND!) until all of the ingredients come together and form a ricotta-type texture. In other words, rather than being completely smooth, it will have that grainy texture that traditional ricotta has (see below).
• That’s it! Your tofu ricotta is ready to use! Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge and use it within a week.

Assembling Your Tofu Ricotta Toast

Make sure to use a good, crusty bread like sourdough. If you need to make it gluten free, you can totally use your favorite GF bread! Toast your bread to your liking, then dollop on a nice, thick layer of tofu ricotta. Next, add your thinly sliced radishes. You can either use a very sharp knife or a mandoline to ensure thin, uniform slices. Add as many or as little radishes slices as you like. Then, you’ll mix together the finely chopped fennel fronds, chives, and lemon zest and sprinkle some of this over the radishes. The finishing touch is a sprinkle of flaky sea salt to season and balance all of the flavors.

Use this recipe as a jumping off point! Once you build your base of tofu ricotta and toast, play around with the toppings depending on the season! Tomatoes, basil, and a drizzle of olive oil would be great in the summer while a pile of browned mushrooms and sage would be great in the fall.

Other Ways to Enjoy Your Tofu Ricotta

• Toss it with pasta or use it in between layers of lasagna. I enjoyed my leftovers with some gluten free penne pasta with cooked zucchini, fennel, and some roasted cherry tomatoes.
• Add dollops to a salad (like this one!).
• Use it in place of the macadamia ricotta in this polenta recipe for a more budget-friendly option.
• Stir in some fresh herbs like chives, basil, and dill and use it as a dip with your favorite crackers or crudité.
• Use it as a pizza topping.
• Add dollops to the top of savory pancakes or veggie fritters.

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