25+ Recipes to Use up that Tub of Ricotta (2024)

Table of Contents

🍝 Pasta Recipes 🍗 Chicken Recipes 🥬 Healthy Recipes 🧁 Sweet Recipes 🍴 Breakfast Recipes ℹ️ Ricotta FAQs How Long Does Ricotta Cheese Last? Can you Freeze Ricotta Cheese? ✔️ More Ways to Use Up Ingredients 25+ Ricotta Recipes Ingredients Instructions Nutrition FAQs References

December 18, 2023November 8, 2022 by Erin

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Wondering how to use up that container of ricotta cheese that’s in the fridge? Here are 25+ amazingly delicious ricotta cheese recipes. From pasta recipes, to sweet recipes and more!

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🍝 Pasta Recipes

🍗 Chicken Recipes

🥬 Healthy Recipes

🧁 Sweet Recipes

🍴 Breakfast Recipes

ℹ️ Ricotta FAQs

How Long Does Ricotta Cheese Last?

Can you Freeze Ricotta Cheese?

✔️ More Ways to Use Up Ingredients

25+ Ricotta Recipes

Ingredients

Instructions

Nutrition

25+ Recipes to Use up that Tub of Ricotta (2)

Wondering how to use up that container of leftover ricotta cheese that’s in the fridge?

It’s easy! Ricotta, a creamy Italian cheese, is such a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes – from savory pasta dishes to ricotta desserts!

Here are 25 of the best ricotta cheese recipes. So you no longer have to ask the question – “What can I use ricotta cheese for?”

🍝 Pasta Recipes

This Fennel Pasta recipe features fresh linguini tossed in a light lemon sauce with roasted fennel. It’s topped with dollop of ricotta cheese for extra richness.

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🍗 Chicken Recipes

Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Chicken Breasts is an easy dinner recipe that is low carb and delicious. Prep in 15 minutes before cooking!

Get the RECIPE from Spoonful of Flavor

Delicious recipe of roast chicken breast stuffed with Ricotta and Mushrooms. Discover our step-by-step instructions!

Get the RECIPE from Ottima Cheese

These chicken ricotta meatballs are absolutely delicious chicken meatballs in a savory, creamy spinach Alfredo sauce with crispy bacon.

Get the RECIPE from Chefjar

🥬 Healthy Recipes

These Vegetarian Zucchini Lasagna Rolls are low-carb and gluten-free yet still sinfully delicious with loads of melty cheese and plenty of fresh herbs. Made easy using store-bought tomato sauce.

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Mediterranean Baked Ricotta Muffins. High protein meets high flavour in these delicious ricotta muffins, perfect as a filling snack or post-gym meal.

Get the RECIPE from Hurry the Food Up

Spaghetti Squash Casserole made with tomatoes, Italian spices, creamy ricotta cheese and parmesan is a delicious and hearty vegetarian-friendly dinner option or delicious side dish.

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🧁 Sweet Recipes

Here’s 30+ ricotta desserts to check out!

Coffee Mousse is a decadent, airy dessert flavored with coffee & cocoa. Made with whipped cream & ricotta cheese to make it creamy without gelatin.

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A moist and super soft lemon ricotta cake perfect for this time of the year! It has brown butter inside, which makes it super delicious! A real treat!

Get the RECIPE from Healthy Little Cravings

This Strawberry Ricotta Cake is the most delicious Italian-inspired dessert. The rich ricotta provides the cake with perfect moisture and density and the strawberries make the flavor pop. It’s almost like a combination between a cake and a cheesecake.

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This Lemon Ricotta Cookie recipe is so delicious, fluffy, soft and moist. Made with a cake-like consistency and perfect for any occasion!

Get the RECIPE from Kathryns Kitchen Blog

This easy chocolate chip cannoli dip is made with ricotta, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla, then served with broken waffle cones for dipping.

Get the RECIPE from Homemade Hooplah

Ricotta Mousse can be made in just 10-minutes with 4 simple ingredients. This no-bake, make-ahead raspberry mousse is a creamy, decadent and delicious.

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This Blackberry Ricotta Cake is the most delicious Italian-inspired dessert. The rich ricotta provides the cake with perfect moisture and density and the blackberries make the flavor pop. It’s like the best combination of cake and cheesecake.

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🍴 Breakfast Recipes

This Sweet Ricotta Toast with Blackberries & Honey is finished with fresh berries & coconut flakes. It’s a deliciously sweet & creamy breakfast or quick snack.

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Lemon Ricotta Pancakes made with fresh lemon, lemon zest, and ricotta cheese – these lemony soft and fluffy pancakes make the perfect weekend breakfast and are likely to become a new favorite!

Get the RECIPE from Gimme Delicious

Ricotta Scrambled Eggs is a delicious way to enjoy fluffy eggs in a new way. With a delicious taste profile, let’s make this easy low carb keto egg recipe.

Get the RECIPE from Keto Dirty

ℹ️ Ricotta FAQs

How Long Does Ricotta Cheese Last?

Once opened, that tub of ricotta cheese should be consumed within3 to 5 days.

Can you Freeze Ricotta Cheese?

You can freeze ricotta cheese, however, the texture will change once frozen. Frozen ricotta is best in recipes where it is baked, like in this Cheese Manicotti or Ricotta Cake.

✔️ More Ways to Use Up Ingredients

30+ Ricotta Desserts
Recipes that Use a Lot of Eggs
Cream Cheese Recipes
Cottage Cheese Recipes
Evaporated Milk Recipes
Condensed Milk Recipes
Recipes that Use Buttermilk
Mozzarella Recipes
Recipes that Use Sour Cream
Recipes that Use Heavy Cream

25+ Ricotta Recipes

There are so many delicious recipes with ricotta cheese! One of my favorites is this Fennel Pasta recipe. It features fresh linguini tossed in a light lemon sauce with roasted fennel. Topped with dollop of ricotta cheese for extra richness.

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 servings

Created by Platings and Pairings

Ingredients

10 Ounces Fresh Linguine
1 Fennel Bulb
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
⅓ cup Part-Skim Ricotta Cheese
3 cloves Garlic (minced)
1 Lemon (zested and quartered)
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 Shallot (minced)
¼ Cup Breadcrumbs
Salt and Pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high.
Pick off and mince a few of the fennel fronds. Cut off and discard the fennel stems. Halve and core the fennel bulb; slice into ½-inch-thick strips. Place the sliced fennel on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss thoroughly to coat. Arrange in a single layer and roast, 18-20 minutes, tossing halfway through, until tender and golden.
While the fennel roasts, combine the ricotta cheese and the juice of 2 lemon wedges; season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic, shallot and half the parsley. Cook until fragrant and softened. Add the breadcrumbs and toast over medium heat, until browned. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and transfer to a small bowl. Wipe out the pan.
In the now clean skillet, combine lemon zest, juice of remaining two lemon wedges, ½ cup water, and 2 tablespoons olive oil; heat to boiling on high heat and stir to combine. Remove from heat.
Boil the pasta until just short of al dente. Reserving ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water, drain the pasta and add it to the skillet of sauce. Add the roasted fennel, minced fennel fronds and reserved cooking water. Cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is well coated in the sauce.
Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper, to taste, top with breadcrumb mixture, a dollop of the ricotta mixture, and remaining chopped parsley.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

Nutrition

25+ Recipes to Use up that Tub of Ricotta (2024)

FAQs

What can I do with too much ricotta? ›

Like melty mushroom lasagna, citrusy ricotta pound cake, and creamy slow cooker polenta. When you think of ricotta cheese recipes, you might think of stuffed shells, cheesy casseroles and calzones, luscious cheesecakes, and ricotta pancakes. We do too.

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Can you freeze an open container of ricotta cheese? ›

Yes, you can freeze ricotta cheese in its original store-bought container, even after opening it. Because ricotta tends to be sold in large quantities, but recipes typically only require a small amount, freezing the excess can help prevent waste and preserve it for future use.

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How long does a tub of ricotta last? ›

Soft cheeses like ricotta should last around one week after opening, according to the USDA — that's provided you're storing it between 35 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit (that is, at normal fridge temperatures).

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What can I do with leftover ricotta water? ›

The liquid whey left over from making ricotta is really healthy. Cover and refrigerate it to use in breads, soups, and smoothies instead of milk or water. You can also use it instead of water when cooking pasta or rice. Or, if you're really adventurous, try drinking it plain (you'll make your great-grandma proud).

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What does adding egg to ricotta do? ›

For extra creamy ricotta, add in an extra egg, a handful of grated parmesan, and a quarter cup of shredded mozzarella. Eggs help prevent the ricotta from drying out and serve to bind the ricotta so it doesn't become runny. One or more eggs are recommended whether you add the other ingredients mentioned here or not.

Does ricotta mean twice cooked? ›

Ricotta is an Italian cheese that has been adopted by cuisines worldwide. The word translates to recooked in Italian, the country of origin, as it's cooked twice. Ricotta is a versatile cheese that can be used in sweet or savoury dishes.

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Can you freeze ricotta cheese and reuse it? ›

Fresh ricotta can be frozen for 1 to 3 months, but the texture will change. This is why it's ideal to use fresh ricotta up so that you don't have to freeze it. After being frozen and defrosted, ricotta is less fluffy and smooth and can become watery and grainy.

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What happens if you eat too much ricotta? ›

As with most cheeses, ricotta is high in fat. The majority of the fat in whole milk ricotta cheese is saturated. According to a study published in 2018 by PLoS One, eating a diet high in saturated fat increases risk of cardiovascular disease by raising blood cholesterol levels.

Can you melt down ricotta cheese? ›

In other words, the cheese doesn't melt. So ricotta falls in the same category as paneer, halloumi, queso blanco and other cheeses that can be heated without melting. This is why ricotta is such a fine choice for lasagna, stuffed shells, ravioli and cheesecake. It heats wonderfully, but doesn't reduce to a pool of goo.

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How do you store opened ricotta cheese? ›

Ricotta is usually kept in the refrigerator at a temperature of around 4°C. The packaging must be intact, but after opening, it needs to be properly closed properly or store in a container with a hermetic seal.

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