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.

When it comes to storing ricotta, you can use the freezer, but it's important to know that it will compromise the quality of your cheese. While its flavor may endure the freezing process, the texture of ricotta suffers once it has been frozen and thawed, transforming from smooth and creamy to gritty and clumpy.

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.

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.

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.

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).

Baked Ricotta Storage Instructions

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

Does ricotta melt when cooked? ›

No. Unlike other cheeses that melt into string pools of melty cheese, ricotta does not melt when cooked in the oven. Instead, it becomes ultra-soft and creamy while still retaining its overall shape.

Draining the excess moisture from ricotta is an important step, especially before using it in baked goods. Soggy cheese makes for heavy pie crusts and cakes. To drain properly, place a cheesecloth-lined, fine-mesh strainer over a bowl.

Why should we mix ricotta cheese with egg when making a lasagna? People use egg to make the ricotta firm and bind it, but if you drain the liquid out of your ricotta, you don't need egg. It will be firm enough.

Mold on ricotta can be green, blue, or soft pink. If the ricotta has also turned a yellowish color (instead of its regular creamy white), it's another sign of spoilage. You can also apply the sniff test to ricotta. Ricotta that's fine to eat will either have no odor at all, or it might have a regular milky smell.

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.

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. When it comes time to thaw it, put it in the fridge overnight or until it reaches the right consistency.

If using a plastic bag, partially seal the bag, then use a straw to suck out all air from the bag. Place the ricotta cheese in the freezer and freeze for up to 2 months. To defrost the ricotta cheese, place it in the refrigerator 24 to 36 hours. Once thawed, stir.

Yes you can thaw ricotta cheese in the microwave, it is easier to thaw the harder cheeses such as cheddar or provolone. Softer cheeses like ricotta and brie are soft cheeses which when thawing begin to sweat and melt when defrosted. When thawing cheese iy is preferred to thaw it in the fridge over 3 days.

Stir the ricotta with a spoon so that the cheese will freeze more evenly. Remove the cheese from the container and press it down with a layer of paper towels to drain. Wrap the cheese in plastic wrap, either as a whole or in individual portions using an ice cube tray (the latter is easier for thawing).