That Cheezy Feeling : Tofu Ricotta – An Asian Vegan’s Answer To Crumbly & Creamy Cheese


2 Mins Read

There’s an umami richness to cheese that is so incredibly crave-worthy. Just ask the French, they have over 1, 000 varieties. That being said,  many of us are living a dairy-free, plant-based existence, so we wanted to develop a delicious vegan alternative. What’s also great about this recipe is that it is nut-free! Most vegan cheeses use nuts as a base, which makes life difficult for those allergic to them. This is a pretty quick affair too- all in it’s about 15 minutes of actual work- definitely faster than making your own dairy cheese!

Makes about 2 cups.

Ingredients

  • 390 grams/ 3 cups extra firm tofu, organic if possible
  • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp virgin coconut oil
  • ½ cup Thai basil leaves
  • ½ cup coriander leaves
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • pinch of chilli flakes
  • ½ freshly squeezed lime juice
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

  1. Give the tofu a rinse, then dry with kitchen paper. Put the tofu on a plate or board, place a heavy pot or a number of heavy books on top of it to squeeze out the liquids for 20 minutes- this is an important step if you want a crumbly feel to your ricotta.
  2. Once drained, crumble the tofu in the food processor along with the basil and the coriander leaves- your goal is a crumbly texture. Stop before you get to a paste.
  3. Heat a pan with the coconut oil and lightly fry the onions.
  4. When the onions are translucent, add the tofu mixture and the remaining ingredients, cooking for another 5 – 10 minutes until all the liquids have evaporated. Et voila!

Author

  • Sonalie Figueiras

    2021 Women of Power, 2019 GEN T Honoree, V Label Global Hero, 2 x TEDx Speaker: Serial social entrepreneur & trends forecaster Sonalie Figueiras is a sustainability expert, food futurist and eco-powerhouse who has been inspiring global audiences for over a decade with practical steps on how to fight climate change. Known as the Green Queen of Asia, she is the founder and Editor in Chief of the award-winning Green Queen - the region’s first impact media platform that educates millions of readers on the connection between health, sustainability and the environment and showcases future solutions. She is also the co-founder and CEO of organic sourcing platform Ekowarehouse and climate tech SaaS Source Green, which helps consumer brands quit plastic packaging thanks to proprietary plastic reduction software. In addition, Sonalie is a global keynote speaker and an advisor to multiple mission-driven startups and NGOs, and a venture partner to several VC funds.

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