Vegan Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake

This vegan ricotta cheesecake is made with a lusciously creamy dairy-free filling flavored with a touch of lemon. It is baked up in a easy press-in shortbread crust for a sublime Italian-style dessert that is surprisingly straightforward to make.

My vegan cheesecake is considered one of my favourite desserts. It is wealthy and creamy and at all times successful at gatherings, even with non-vegan family and friends members. However you realize, there’s greater than only one number of cheesecake on the market, proper? After all you realize. You’ve got all tried my vegan chocolate cheesecake and vegan pumpkin cheesecake (if not, time to get on it). However having grown up in an Italian household, it just lately occurred to me that my cheesecake assortment had one huge omission: it was time to make a vegan ricotta cheesecake.

Soar to:

Should you’ve by no means had ricotta cheesecake earlier than, it’s kind of lighter and never fairly as candy as most cheesecakes, with a touch of lemony taste. Whereas my conventional vegan cheesecake recipe depends nearly fully on cashews for the filling, this one makes use of a mixture of cashews and… prepare for it — tofu. Belief me on this one! You’ll be able to’t style the tofu in any respect. Tofu provides the fitting texture and lightness to my vegan ricotta cheese, so it is no shock it really works nice in a vegan ricotta cheesecake.

We’re additionally ditching the same old graham cracker crust in favor of a simple press-in shortbread crust made with only a handful of straightforward substances. It is calmly candy, buttery, and the proper complement to the creamy, lemony cheesecake filling.

Components You will Want

Under you may discover a checklist of substances on this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the best way to the underside of the publish to see the complete recipe, together with the quantity of every ingredient.

Flour. I’ve solely examined this recipe with all-purpose flour, so that is what I like to recommend sticking with.
Sugar. We’re utilizing natural sugar, since standard sugar is commonly processed with animal bone char.
Salt.
Water.
Vegan butter. Most shops carry this within the refrigerated case, close to the common butter.
Uncooked cashews. These will make the creamy base to your cheesecake. Be certain they’re uncooked (not roasted) for the fitting texture and taste.
Cornstarch. This may assist set your cheesecake.
Coconut oil. This additionally helps with setting, because it’s stable at room temperature. This implies no substitutions. Utilizing refined coconut oil will guarantee your cheesecake would not have any coconut taste. Should you do not thoughts coconut taste, be at liberty to make use of unrefined.
Lemon juice. Use recent juice for one of the best taste.
Lemon zest.
Vanilla extract.
Tofu. Agency tofu is one of the best selection for the sunshine and creamy texture we’re going for.
Recent berries. Non-obligatory, however they make a fantastic garnish and style nice with the creamy lemon filling.

How It is Made

Under is an in depth picture tutorial on how you can make this dish. Scroll all the best way down if you would like to skip proper to the recipe!

Step 1: Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Shortbread press in crust dough in a mixing bowl with wooden spoon.

Step 2: Combine the dough. First, stir the flour, sugar, and salt, then add the melted vegan butter and vanilla. Stir simply till all the things is combined.

Unbaked press in shortbread crust in a springform pan with dry measuring cup inside.

Step 3: Form the crust. Press it evenly into the underside of an 8-inch springform pan, and only a bit up the edges.

Tip: Use a dry measuring cup to softly press the dough into the pan. This may aid you get it good and even.

Steps 4 and 5: Bake and funky. Pop the pan into the oven for about quarter-hour, then transfer it to a cooling rack when it comes out.

Vegan Ricotta Cheesecake filling in a blender.

Steps 6 and seven: Mix the filling. First, mix the cashews, sugar, water, cornstarch, melted coconut oil, lemon juice, zest, vanilla, and salt till easy. Subsequent, add the tofu and pulse the machine. Mix it in, however hold a tiny little bit of texture within the combination.

Unbaked Vegan Ricotta Cheesecake in a springform pan.

Steps 8 and 9: Fill and bake. Pour the filling into the crust, easy out the highest, then stick the pan again into the oven. Bake it for about 35 to 40 minutes. It is accomplished when the highest feels set however a tad wobbly and you do not really feel batter transferring round while you wiggle the pan.

White wooden surface set with slice of Vegan Ricotta Cheesecake on a plate.

Steps 10 and 11: Cool, slice, and serve. Let the cheesecake cool fully on a wire rack. As soon as it is cool, you’ll be able to slice and serve it at room temperature, or chill it should you want a firmer texture.

Variations

Crust swaps. Be at liberty to make use of a standard graham cracker crust, just like the one from my classic vegan cheesecake recipe. Obtained one other favourite crust? Give it a go!
Add toppings. Not feeling the recent berries? No matter you wish to prime your cheesecake with is ok. Strive store-bought vegan whipped topping, roasted strawberries, vegan caramel sauce, vegan lemon curd, or vegan chocolate ganache.
Taste variations. Skip the lemon and add taste extracts, akin to maple, almond, coconut, rum, or anise.

Ceaselessly Requested Questions

Can this recipe be made gluten-free?

I have not tried making a gluten-free model of the crust, however if you would like to take a crack at it your self, I feel an all-purpose gluten-free flour mix could be your greatest guess.

Can I exploit a unique number of tofu, akin to silken or super-firm?

You’ll be able to, however the texture and density of your cheesecake will fluctuate. Gentle tofu ought to work nicely, and silken provides you with a smoother filling. I might keep away from super-firm, which can not mix nicely and can make your cheesecake very dense. Learn my guide to tofu to be taught extra concerning the totally different varieties and the way they may have an effect on your outcomes.

Can I exploit a unique measurement springform pan?

Sure, however you might want to regulate the bake time. A smaller pan will in all probability require a number of extra minutes within the oven, whereas a bigger one will bake in a couple of minutes much less.

How ought to I retailer this cheesecake and the way lengthy will it hold?

Your vegan ricotta cheesecake will hold in an hermetic container within the fridge for about 4 days, or within the freezer for as much as 3 months.

Extra Vegan Italian Desserts

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Recipe

Slice of Vegan Ricotta Cheesecake topped with berries and mint leaves.

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Delicacies American, Italian

Prep Time 20

Cook dinner Time 55

Complete Time 5 15

Components

For the Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup natural granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup vegan butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Filling

1 cup uncooked cashews, soaked in water 4 to eight hours, drained, and rinsed
½ cup natural granulated sugar
⅓ cup water
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup melted coconut oil (ideally refined)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon salt
1 (14 ounce/397 gram) package deal agency tofu, drained

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
To make the crust, first stir the flour, sugar, and salt collectively in a big mixing bowl, then add the melted butter and vanilla. Stir till all the things is mixed and a sticky dough varieties.
Press the combination evenly into the underside and about 1 ½ inches up the edges of an 8-inch springform pan.
Bake the crust for about quarter-hour, or till it is simply set and now not seems moist and doughy. Go away the oven on while you take away the pan.
Place the pan on a wire rack to chill whilst you make the filling.
To make the filling, place the cashews, sugar, water, cornstarch, coconut oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt right into a blender or the bowl of a meals processor fitted with an S-blade. Mix till easy.
Break the block of tofu into a number of chunks and add them to the blender or meals processor bowl. Pulse the machine till the tofu is mixed in, however the combination nonetheless has a tiny little bit of texture to it.
Pour the combination into the crust (it is okay if it is nonetheless heat), and easy out the highest with a spatula.
Bake the cheesecake till the highest feels set, about 35 to 40 minutes. The filling should still be a tad wobbly, however be certain that it would not slosh should you wiggle the pan.
Place the pan on a cooling rack and let the cheesecake cool fully earlier than eradicating it from the pan, about 4 hours. The filling will proceed to set because it cools.
Slice and serve, or cowl and chill for as much as 4 days. Optionally, prime every slice with recent berries earlier than having fun with.

Diet

Diet data is offered as an estimate solely and will fluctuate primarily based on substances, manufacturers, portion sizes, and preparation strategies.

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