Whipped Tofu Ricotta

By Nisha Vora

Updated June 3, 2026

  • Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
15 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Rating
5(725)
Comments
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With the same luxe creaminess and savory notes of ricotta, my signature tofu ricotta from my book “Big Vegan Flavor” (Avery Books, 2024) works smashingly well in any recipe that calls for ricotta. For a slightly looser texture, use firm tofu. Use this ricotta to add big flavor to any and all stuffed pastas, like lasagna. It’s also great as a sandwich spread or spread onto pizza dough. Dollop leftovers onto grain bowls or salads for a creamy element. For an easy spicy variation, stir in a few teaspoons of Calabrian chile paste. (Watch Nisha make this recipe on YouTube.)

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Ingredients

Yield:2 to 2 ½ cups (450 to 550 grams)

  • 1 (14-ounce/400-gram) block extra-firm tofu

  • 4 to 6 tablespoons/20 to 30 grams nutritional yeast

  • 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

  • 2 tablespoons white miso paste

  • ¾ teaspoon onion powder

  • 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 medium lemon, zested

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

11 grams carbs; 170 calories; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 10 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 353 milligrams sodium; 14 grams protein; 2 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Drain the tofu and dab away the excess water with a clean dish towel.

  2. Step 2

    Crumble the tofu into a food processor. Add 4 tablespoons of the nutritional yeast, the garlic, miso, onion powder, 1 teaspoon of the salt, a generous amount of pepper, the olive oil, lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Blend until creamy and smooth.

  3. Step 3

    Taste for salt, acidity and cheesiness. As needed, add the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 to 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast. The ricotta will stay good in the fridge for up to 1 week. (It can also be frozen for up to 2 months; defrost in the fridge before using.)

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Ratings

5 out of 5
725 user ratings
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Comments

Lori Hurley

It's long past time the NYT hired a vegan recipe developer and you picked the right one in Nisha Voran. I love this recipe, easy and tasty.

Purna

So many tofu "ricottas" add nutritional yeast which is cheesy, not milk fresh like ricotta and misses the mark by a lot. In my pre-vegan days, I used to make fresh ricotta. Ditch the nutritional yeast and instead put in soaked cashews, almonds, or macademia nuts. Lemon and miso are great. Also a little olive oil for richness.

Robin DeLong

Nisha is a star when it comes to adding flavor and taste to --- well, to anything! This is just another example of her always-delicious recipes.

Jen

I am obsessed with tofu ricotta recipes, and this is an all-star recipe for me. Making it as-is is perfect, but it’s pretty forgiving and is a great base recipe for adding or subtracting with whatever you have on hand. I know some people had criticisms about the use of nutritional yeast, but I personally hate recipes with nuts instead. They’re a gut bomb for me and aren’t quite as airy as ones that use nutritional yeast. You also miss out all the vitamins. This is perfect spread over toast, dipping veggies in, or even using it as the base for a stuffed shells recipe. I’ve made this weekly since I discovered it and keep finding new ways to use it.

Midori G

This is absolutely fantastic! We eat it spread thick on toast for quick breakfasts.

Sue

I watched the video, I went and gone the ingredients I didn’t have on hand, I made it, and having it with vegetables and chips for lunch! It’s great. Do you have the nutritional information per serving and how much is generally considered a serving? I might add a squirt of yellow mustard or apple cider vinegar to add to the lemon. So good

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