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Ricotta

Eggs & dairy · Fresh cheeses

Ricotta

Soft, moist, mildly sweet Italian whey cheese for lasagne, cannoli, pancakes and pasta fillings.

A kind of cheese

9 recipes with it

Photo: 8w9d, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0-1.0)

What it is

Ricotta means 'recooked': it is traditionally made by reheating the whey left from cheesemaking (often with added milk) until fine curds rise. It is white, soft and grainy-creamy, lighter than cream cheese and finer than cottage cheese. Ricotta salata is a pressed, salted, aged form that crumbles.

How it’s used

  • Lasagne, stuffed shells, ravioli and cannelloni
  • Cannoli and cassata fillings
  • Cheesecakes and ricotta pancakes
  • Spread on toast with honey or tomatoes
  • Gnudi and ricotta gnocchi

Characteristics

Taste
Mild, milky and faintly sweet.
Texture
Soft, moist and finely grainy.
When cooked
Holds shape in baked fillings but releases water; drain in a sieve if very wet. It does not melt into strings.
Sold as
fresh
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Commonly cooked, Suitable for baking

Storage

Refrigerated. Very perishable: keep sealed and use within a few days of opening; discard if sour or mouldy.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Milk.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Contains milk (allergen).

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
150 kcal
Protein
7.54 g
Carbohydrate
7.27 g
Fat
10.18 g
Fibre
0 g
Sugars
0.27 g

USDA FoodData Central: Cheese, ricotta, whole milk.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Cottage cheese — Blend until smooth and drain; slightly saltier.
  • Paneer — Crumbled homemade paneer, softened with a little milk.

Related ingredients

Recipes with ricotta

More fresh cheeses