For us vegans, finding new ways to reinvent tofu is simply the norm. Oftentimes, though, tofu recipes call for long marinades, breading, or pan frying – all of which are rather time consuming. How about if you could just whip up tofu and use it in a cheesy way? With this one-minute tofu ricotta, it’s that easy.

While this “ricotta” admittedly does not taste 100% like the real deal, this one satisfies the same texture and craving of the original.

The two star ingredients of this dish are particularly astounding.

• Organic firm tofu. Tofu is a wonderful way of packing in protein when eating plant-based. In fact, 100 grams of tofu offers over 10 grams of protein. Not only that, but tofu also contains more calcium than milk. Per 100 grams, tofu has 350 milligrams of calcium as opposed to milk’s 125 milligrams. Tofu is also a good source of iron and potassium.
  • Worried about your soy intake? According to Dr. Pingel, “If you eat a diet rich in whole plant-based foods and low in processed, inflammatory foods, soy likely won’t cause an unwanted estrogenic impact. And, in that case, non-GMO, organic tofu can actually offer many health benefits.”
• Nutritional yeast. This yeast is made purposely for direct consumption, as yeast cells are killed during manufacturing and not alive in the final product. For those unfamiliar with the taste, it has a cheesy, nutty or savory flavor. Nutritional yeast contains all nine essential amino acids that humans must get from food, with one tablespoon containing 2 grams of protein. Furthermore, one tablespoon of nutritional yeast contains 30–180% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) for B vitamins – a notoriously difficult vitamin to get on a meat-free diet.

In what ways can you use this tofu ricotta?

• Smear it on your bread or bagel. Use the ricotta as a base for other toppings like a chickpea bruschetta, or simply top it with a generous drizzle of punchy olive oil and black pepper.
• Dollop it on your pasta, whether it be gnocchi, lasagna, or spaghetti.
• Spoon it onto a slice of pizza, restaurant or homemade (I like Caputo’s gluten free mix).