Tofu Ricotta Toast with Radishes & Fennel Frond Herb Sprinkle

Creamy tofu ricotta is slathered on toast and topped with thinly sliced radishes and a fennel frond herb sprinkle. This beautiful vegan and gluten free toast is perfect for a snack, breakfast, or a light lunch!

Over the years I’ve made various versions of vegan “ricotta” using almonds and macadamia nuts. But honestly, my favorite version was one I 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 suddenly remembered it!

I think the reason that this version of vegan ricotta is my favorite is because it’s incredibly simple (there’s no soaking of nuts required!). 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 toast. But of course, you can always use it in way that suits your fancy!

How to Make Tofu Ricotta

The great thing about this ricotta is that there’s 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. 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 ricotta is ready to use!

Assembling Your Toast

First, you’ll start by locating your favorite bread. 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 comes the 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.

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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