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

FAQs

Can I freeze ricotta cheese for later use? ›

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.

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).

Fresh ricotta is fluffy, creamy, spreadable. It can be spooned into a dish and baked in the oven to become baked ricotta. The top browns and is slightly crusty and toasted and the middle is warm and creamy. Fresh ricotta can also be baked into dishes or used as an ingredient in baked goods.

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.

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).

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. Additionally, look for any change in the ricotta's appearance. If it's growing mold, you'll have to throw the whole thing out.

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).

The U.S. Department of Health doesn't recommend keeping any perishable food sitting out of the fridge for more than two hours — and that's certainly the case for soft cheeses, like cottage or cream cheese, brie, or fresh mozzarella.

Ricotta is mild, creamy, and holds its shape when heated, making it perfect for dolloping over pizza crust (for a gooey, melty cheese pizza, try Burrata Pizza).

That's why it's important to give yourself as many advantages as you possibly can, especially when it comes to removing excess moisture before and during the cooking process. Epstein explains that if ricotta isn't drained as part of the prep, "the moisture in the ricotta causes the lasagna to fall apart."

Is ricotta cheese healthy? ›

Compared to most cheeses, ricotta is a healthier choice because it contains less salt and fat - 10 per cent fat, of which 6 per cent is saturated. It's light and creamy with a slightly grainy texture and delicate flavour that can be used on its own or in sweet and savoury dishes.

Op could season it and bake it to make a hot dip. Bake it in ramekins and eat it on toasted bread. Or mix it into meatballs. Meatballs with ricotta are really 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.

Adding egg to ricotta cheese helps to bind the cheese for lasagna so that it doesn't ooze out of the casserole when you cut it. Basically, the egg helps all the cheesy goodness stay intact. So what happens if you don't put eggs in your lasagna? It'll just be a bit runnier, but omitting the egg won't affect the taste.

Can you freeze ricotta cheese mixture? Yes! Say you've made a pasta 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.

Stored properly, fresh ricotta will last in the freezer for one to three months. Once you thaw your cheese, it is not recommended to refreeze it. Since freezing it just once already causes the cheese to degrade somewhat, you can imagine what constant thawing and refreezing would do.

Unopened ricotta will last about two weeks in the fridge, while opened ricotta will last just a week. As for the freezer, you can store ricotta for up to three months.

Ricotta salata is also a perfect accompaniment to meat-based pasta sauces, fresh salads, and roasted vegetables; even though the outside looks hard, the inside is still creamy enough to mix very well with warm dishes. It's saltier and nuttier than Pecorino and Parmigiano Reggiano, so use in moderation.