Use It Up! 11 Recipes for Leftover Ricotta (2024)

FAQs

What can I do with too much ricotta? ›

Previously frozen ricotta will last for up to three days in the fridge. Don't bother refreezing, as this will completely ruin the texture. This is why you may want to consider freezing the ricotta in individual servings — silicone ice cube trays are great for this purpose ($13, Amazon).

If you have an unopened container of ricotta, you can stick the whole thing right in the freezer, but if the package has been opened, you have to transfer the cheese to a new container. Use a clean, airtight container or freezer bag to prevent freezer burn and bacterial contamination.

What do I do with a leftover ricotta mixture for lasagna? You can use it to fulfill some puff pastry cannoli, or to season pasta.

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.

Cream cheese: Cream cheese is made with milk and cream, while ricotta is made with just milk. The lower fat content makes the latter cheese slightly less creamy. However, cream cheese can still be substituted for ricotta.

It's also grainy thanks to its milk curds. But it will work as an effective, low-fat substitute for cream cheese with a bit of manipulation. Simply blend the ricotta in a blender or food processor until smooth, add a bit of lemon juice to mimic the tang of cream cheese, and use in any baking or cooking project.

Made with cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and a ground almond crust, the cake is a hybrid between an American-style cheesecake and an Italian-style cheesecake. The fruit topping is my addition; the tart sweetness of the jam and fresh raspberries is the perfect contrast to the cake, which isn't overly sweet.

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).

You can smear ricotta on toast and then top it with almost anything for an easy meal. Try it with corn and scallions, or pesto and tomatoes, or a fried egg. You can also eat it for dessert: top with strawberries and honey or banana and nutella.

How long does cooked ricotta last in the fridge? ›

Baked Ricotta Storage Instructions

This baked ricotta will last up to 6 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer.

Ricotta cheese has a high water content and the water separates from the cream when frozen. Vigorously stirring frozen and defrosted ricotta is the best way to bring back the creamy consistency, however it might still be slightly grainy.

On top of that, it's also a good idea to know what to look out for when checking if the ricotta has gone bad. To start with, look out for any sort of odor. Ricotta doesn't have much of a smell to it, so if it smells foul or off in any way, then it's time to throw it out.

Does ricotta go bad in the fridge? Even with this careful handling, an opened package of ricotta will only last one to two weeks, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. To be on the safe side, discard ricotta cheese that's been in your fridge for longer than two weeks after opening it.

Yes! Say you've made a ravioli filling with ricotta cheese and other ingredients like Parmesan cheese, eggs and herbs, it is perfectly fine to freeze it. On thawing, excess liquid may need to be drained away but otherwise it will be good.

and too much cheese on lasagne will just ruin the taste of the other ingredients, like the sauce, vegetables in it, meat in it, seasonings, and even the noodles. It gets a weird texture and is too heavy. A good lasagna has a balance so it works together.

Does ricotta go bad in the fridge? Even with this careful handling, an opened package of ricotta will only last one to two weeks, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. To be on the safe side, discard ricotta cheese that's been in your fridge for longer than two weeks after opening it.

A half-cup serving of whole milk ricotta cheese contains 14.2 grams of fat, 8 grams of which is saturated. Saturated fats are known to contribute to the risk of heart disease. For a 2,000 calorie diet, it is recommended to keep saturated fat intake to 20 grams or less.