50+ Uses for Ricotta Cheese

Wondering what to do with ricotta cheese? You’ve come to the right place! There are so many delicious uses for ricotta cheese, from classic Italian pasta dishes and easy appetizers to breakfast recipes, desserts, dips, and even simple snacks.

Ricotta is probably best known as a filling for lasagna, stuffed shells, manicotti, and cannoli, but this creamy cheese can do a whole lot more. Spread it on toast, add it to pancakes, stir it into pasta, whip it into a dip, bake it into a cheesecake, or simply serve it with fruit and honey.

Whether you have a whole container in the refrigerator or just a little leftover ricotta cheese you don’t want to waste, these easy ricotta recipes and ideas will give you plenty of inspiration. So many uses for ricotta cheese!

What Is Ricotta Cheese?

Ricotta is a soft Italian cheese with a mild, slightly sweet flavor and creamy, somewhat grainy texture. The name ricotta means “recooked” in Italian, referring to the traditional process used to make it from whey left over from cheesemaking.

Its mild flavor is one reason ricotta is so versatile. It works in both savory and sweet recipes and pairs well with ingredients ranging from tomatoes, garlic, spinach, and fresh herbs to chocolate, berries, citrus, and honey.

You’ll find ricotta in many Italian-inspired recipes, but it’s also an easy ingredient to incorporate into everyday breakfasts, appetizers, dinners, snacks, and desserts.

What Can You Make with Ricotta Cheese?

Ricotta can be used in pasta, casseroles, pizza, dips, appetizers, breakfast dishes, baked goods, desserts, and more. If you’re staring at a container in the refrigerator wondering what to make with ricotta, try one of these popular ideas.

1. Lasagna – One of the most popular uses for ricotta cheese is homemade lasagna. Layer ricotta with pasta, tomato sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, and your favorite meat or vegetables for classic Italian comfort food. World’s Best Lasagna (AllRecipes)

2. Stuffed Shells – Fill jumbo pasta shells with a mixture of ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, herbs, and seasonings, then cover them with marinara sauce and bake until bubbly. Stuffed Shells (Love & Lemons)

3. Manicotti – Ricotta makes the perfect creamy filling for manicotti. Combine it with cheese, herbs, and spinach or meat before stuffing the pasta and baking it with sauce. Manicotti (Dinner at the Zoo)

4. Baked Ziti – Add spoonfuls of ricotta to baked ziti for pockets of creamy cheese throughout the pasta. Combine it with tomato sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, and Italian sausage or ground beef if desired. Baked Ziti (Once Upon a Chef)

5. Ricotta Pasta – For an easy weeknight dinner, stir ricotta into hot pasta with a little reserved pasta water, Parmesan, garlic, herbs, or lemon. The ricotta creates an easy creamy pasta sauce without needing heavy cream. Easy Lemon Ricotta Pasta & Spinach (The Clever Meal)

6. Cannoli Cookies – Easy drop cookies with all the flavors of the popular Italian pastry, including ricotta cheese. Cannoli Cookies (Snappy Gourmet)

7. Ricotta Corn – Add a little ricotta cheese to vegetables for an easy side dish. Rosemary Ricotta Corn (Snappy Gourmet)

8. Ricotta Ravioli – Use seasoned ricotta as a filling for homemade ravioli. Keep it simple with Parmesan and herbs or add spinach, mushrooms, lemon zest, or other ingredients. Homemade Ricotta Ravioli (Serious Eats)

9. Ricotta Gnocchi – Ricotta gnocchi are a delicious alternative to traditional potato gnocchi. Serve these soft, tender dumplings with tomato sauce, pesto, browned butter, or a simple Parmesan sauce. 20-Minute Ricotta Gnocchi (Gimme Some Oven)

10. Ricotta Pizza – Add dollops of ricotta cheese to homemade pizza before baking. It’s delicious with mozzarella, tomato sauce, spinach, mushrooms, sausage, pepperoni, roasted vegetables, or fresh basil. Ricotta Pizza (Well Plated)

11. Ricotta Mashed Potatoes – Ricotta cheese adds a delicious creaminess to mashed potatoes. Ricotta Herb Mashed Potatoes (Snappy Gourmet)

12. Ricotta Flatbread – Spread ricotta over flatbread and add roasted vegetables, tomatoes, herbs, prosciutto, fruit, or a drizzle of honey for an easy appetizer or light meal. Zucchini & Herbed Ricotta Flatbread (Sally’s Baking)

13. Ricotta Toast – Spread creamy ricotta over toasted sourdough or another hearty bread and add sweet or savory toppings. It’s an easy breakfast, lunch, snack, or appetizer. Ricotta Toast (The Mediterranean Dish)

14. Ricotta Milkshake – An easy add-on to a frozen treat. Add a little chocolate, milk, vanilla, almond extract, or other flavorings. Cannoli Milkshake (Snappy Gourmet)

15. Ricotta Truffles – Delicious in a variety of candy. Cannoli Cream Chocolate Truffles (Snappy Gourmet)

16. Whipped Ricotta Dip – Whip ricotta until light and creamy, then season it with olive oil, garlic, herbs, lemon, or Parmesan. Serve this easy ricotta dip with crackers, crostini, pita chips, or vegetables. Whipped Ricotta with Confit Tomatoes (Delish Knowledge)

17. Sweet Whipped Ricotta – Sweeten whipped ricotta with honey, powdered sugar, maple syrup, or vanilla and serve it with fresh fruit, cookies, or graham crackers for an easy dessert dip. Sweet Whipped Ricotta (Leite’s Culinaria)

18. Baked Ricotta – Season ricotta with herbs, Parmesan, garlic, and olive oil, then bake it until warm. Serve baked ricotta with crostini, crackers, or vegetables for a simple party appetizer. Baked Ricotta (An Italian in my Kitchen)

19. Ricotta Crostini – Top toasted baguette slices with ricotta and your favorite toppings. Try tomatoes and basil, roasted peppers, prosciutto, honey and walnuts, strawberries, peaches, or figs. Whipped Ricotta Crostini (From Scratch Fast)

20. Ricotta Bruschetta – Give classic bruschetta a creamy twist by spreading ricotta on toasted bread before adding chopped tomatoes, basil, garlic, and balsamic glaze. Ricotta Bruschetta (Plays well with Butter)

21. Ricotta Meatballs – Adding ricotta to homemade meatballs can help create a soft, tender texture. Serve ricotta meatballs with marinara sauce and pasta, on a sub, or as an appetizer. Ricotta Meatballs (How Sweet Eats)

22. Ricotta Stuffed Chicken – Stuff chicken breasts with ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, herbs, or sun-dried tomatoes for an easy Italian-inspired chicken dinner. Herb Ricotta Stuffed Chicken Breast (Through the Fibro Fog)

23. Ricotta Stuffed Peppers – Mix ricotta with vegetables, herbs, grains, meat, or other cheeses and use it as a creamy filling for bell peppers. Ricotta Stuffed Bell Peppers (Uncomplicated Chef)

24. Ricotta Calzone – Ricotta is a classic calzone filling. Combine it with mozzarella and Parmesan, then add pepperoni, sausage, spinach, mushrooms, or other favorite pizza toppings. Spinach-Ricotta Calzone (King Arthur Baking)

25. Ricotta Stromboli – Add ricotta to homemade stromboli along with mozzarella, Italian meats, vegetables, or herbs for a cheesy baked dinner. Homemade Pepperoni Stromboli (Life Made Simple)

26. Ricotta Frittata – Spoon ricotta into a frittata with eggs, vegetables, herbs, and other cheeses. The ricotta adds creamy pockets throughout the eggs.

27. Ricotta Omelet – Add ricotta to an omelet along with spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, herbs, or ham for an easy breakfast or brunch. Ricotta Omelet (Framed Cooks)

28. Ricotta Scrambled Eggs – Stir a little ricotta into scrambled eggs for an extra creamy breakfast. Add chives, basil, spinach, tomatoes, or Parmesan for more flavor. Fluffy Ricotta Scrambled Eggs (Little Nomads Recipes)

29. Ricotta Pancakes – Ricotta makes homemade pancakes tender and rich. Lemon ricotta pancakes are especially popular, but you can also add blueberries, strawberries, chocolate chips, or vanilla. Ricotta Pancakes (The Kitchn)

30. Ricotta Waffles – Add ricotta to homemade waffle batter for a tender texture and slightly rich flavor. Top the waffles with berries, maple syrup, honey, or whipped cream. Ricotta Waffles (Laura Fuentes)

31. Ricotta French Toast – Use sweetened ricotta as a filling between slices of bread for stuffed French toast. Add strawberries, blueberries, bananas, peaches, or chocolate for a decadent breakfast. Ricotta French Toast (Our Balanced Bowl)

32. Ricotta Breakfast Bowl – Spoon ricotta into a bowl and top it with fruit, honey, granola, nuts, seeds, cinnamon, or chocolate chips for a simple breakfast or snack. Winter Citrus Ricotta Breakfast Bowl (Half Baked Harvest)

33. Ricotta with Fruit – One of the easiest ways to use leftover ricotta is to serve it with fresh fruit. Try strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, cherries, figs, pears, or oranges.

34. Ricotta with Honey – Ricotta and honey make a simple snack or dessert. Add cinnamon, chopped pistachios, walnuts, almonds, fresh fruit, or chocolate for even more flavor.

35. Cannoli – Sweetened ricotta is the star of classic cannoli filling. Flavor it with vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate chips, citrus zest, or pistachios before piping it into crisp cannoli shells. Cannoli Shells and Cannoli Cream (Snappy Gourmet)

36. Cannoli Dip – Skip filling individual shells and turn sweet ricotta into an easy cannoli dip. Add mascarpone, powdered sugar, vanilla, and mini chocolate chips and serve with broken cannoli shells, cookies, or fruit. Cannoli Dip (Snappy Gourmet)

37. Ricotta Cheesecake – Italian-style ricotta cheesecake is generally lighter and a little less dense than traditional cream cheese cheesecake. Flavor it with vanilla, lemon, orange, almond, or chocolate. Cannoli Cheesecake (Snappy Gourmet)

38. Lemon Ricotta Cake – Ricotta adds moisture and richness to homemade cake, while fresh lemon adds bright citrus flavor. Serve lemon ricotta cake for brunch, dessert, Easter, Mother’s Day, or spring gatherings. Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake (This Italian Kitchen)

39. Chocolate Ricotta Cake – Add ricotta to chocolate cake for a rich, moist dessert. Chocolate chips, espresso, or orange zest can add even more flavor. Chocolate Ricotta Cake (Beyond the Butter)

40. Ricotta Cookies – Ricotta cheese helps create soft, cake-like cookies. Italian ricotta cookies are often flavored with lemon, almond, or vanilla and finished with a simple glaze. Ricotta Cookies (Feeling Foodish)

41. Lemon Ricotta Cookies – Add fresh lemon juice and zest to ricotta cookie dough for a soft citrus cookie. Finish with lemon glaze for even more flavor. Lemon Ricotta Cookies (Food Network)

42. Ricotta Muffins – Add ricotta to muffin batter for extra moisture and richness. Try lemon, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, orange, or chocolate chip ricotta muffins. Cannoli Muffins (Snappy Gourmet

43. Ricotta Pound Cake – Ricotta can add moisture and richness to pound cake while keeping the crumb tender. Add vanilla, almond, lemon, or orange for extra flavor. Ricotta Poundcake (Proud Italian Cook)

44. Ricotta Pie – Sweet ricotta pie is an Italian-inspired dessert that can be flavored with vanilla, citrus, chocolate chips, cinnamon, or other favorite ingredients. Ricotta Pie (Marcellina In Cucina)

45. Ricotta Tart – Use sweetened ricotta as a creamy filling for a dessert tart topped with berries, peaches, figs, citrus, or chocolate. Tuscan Ricotta Tart with Peaches (Zoe Bakes)

46. Ricotta Mousse – Whip ricotta with sweetener and flavorings for a quick mousse-like dessert. Try chocolate, lemon, vanilla, espresso, strawberry, or almond variations. Ricotta Mousse (Platings and Pairings)

47. Chocolate Ricotta Dessert – Combine ricotta with cocoa powder, chocolate, vanilla, and your favorite sweetener for an easy chocolate dessert that can be served in individual cups.

48. Ricotta Ice Cream – Ricotta can be incorporated into homemade frozen desserts for a creamy treat inspired by Italian flavors. Try pairing it with lemon, chocolate, pistachio, cherry, or berries. Ricotta Ice Cream (How Sweet Eats)

49. Ricotta Stuffed Strawberries – Remove the centers of fresh strawberries and fill them with sweetened ricotta or cannoli cream for an easy bite-sized dessert.

50. Ricotta Fruit Dip – Blend ricotta with honey, vanilla, citrus zest, or another sweetener for a quick fruit dip. Serve it with strawberries, apples, pineapple, grapes, peaches, or other fresh fruit.

How to Make Ricotta Creamy

Ricotta naturally has a slightly grainy texture, but you can make it smoother for dips, spreads, and desserts.

Whipping ricotta in a food processor or with an electric mixer can create a lighter, creamier texture.

If your ricotta contains a lot of liquid, some recipes may call for draining it first. This is especially important for recipes such as cannoli, where excess moisture can make the filling too loose. Check out this How to Strain Ricotta Cheese for more details.

Always follow the directions for the specific recipe you’re making.

Ricotta vs. Cottage Cheese

Ricotta and cottage cheese may look somewhat similar, but they’re different products with different textures and flavors.

Ricotta generally has a fine, creamy texture, while cottage cheese has more distinct curds. Ricotta also tends to have a mild, slightly sweet flavor that makes it particularly versatile for desserts as well as savory recipes.

Some recipes allow one to be substituted for the other, but the final texture and flavor can be noticeably different. For best results, use the type of cheese called for in your recipe.

Ricotta vs. Mascarpone

Ricotta and mascarpone are both popular Italian cheeses, but they have very different textures.

Ricotta is lighter and somewhat grainy, while mascarpone is exceptionally smooth, rich, and creamy.

The two are sometimes combined, particularly in desserts. Cannoli dip, for example, can combine ricotta and mascarpone for a filling that’s both creamy and flavorful.

They’re not always interchangeable, so follow your specific recipe before making a substitution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you eat ricotta cheese without cooking it?

Yes. Ricotta can be eaten without cooking when it’s a ready-to-eat commercially prepared product that’s been properly stored. It’s delicious spread on toast, whipped into dips, or served with fruit and honey.

How do you store ricotta cheese?

Keep ricotta refrigerated and tightly covered. Once opened, follow the storage instructions and date information on the package. Always use clean utensils when removing ricotta from the container, and discard it if you notice signs of spoilage.

Can you freeze ricotta cheese?

Ricotta can be frozen, but freezing may change its texture and cause some separation after thawing. Because of this, previously frozen ricotta may work better in cooked dishes such as lasagna, stuffed shells, casseroles, or baked pasta than in recipes where its fresh creamy texture is particularly important. If you freeze ricotta, store it in an airtight, freezer-safe container and thaw it safely in the refrigerator.

Is ricotta cheese sweet or savory?

It can be both. Ricotta has a mild flavor that works in savory recipes such as lasagna and pasta as well as sweet recipes such as cannoli, cheesecake, cookies, and pancakes.

What is an easy way to eat ricotta?

So many uses for ricotta cheese! Spread ricotta on toasted bread and add honey and fruit for a sweet version, or tomatoes, herbs, olive oil, salt, and pepper for a savory version.

What pasta goes well with ricotta?

Ricotta works with spaghetti, rigatoni, penne, ziti, shells, ravioli, lasagna noodles, manicotti, and many other pasta shapes. It can be used as a filling, layered into baked pasta, or stirred into hot pasta to make a creamy sauce.

What desserts can you make with ricotta?

Popular ricotta desserts include cannoli, cannoli dip, ricotta cheesecake, ricotta cookies, lemon ricotta cake, ricotta pie, sweet ricotta dip, and ricotta served with honey and fruit.