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

FAQs

Can you freeze a tub of ricotta cheese? ›

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.

Ricotta is a fresh cheese, so it doesn't need to be cooked. You could serve it with some fresh fruit or on top of a salad.

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).

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 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.

Frozen ricotta has a grainier texture once it's defrosted. Avoid using it in recipes that call for fresh ricotta. Appropriate uses are in baked or cooked recipes like lasagna, stuffed shells, and pancakes.

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.

Eggs help bind the ricotta cheese, but if you don't have eggs on hand then it's OK to omit them. 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.

It really matters what kind of dairy you use: organic whole milk and not ultra-pasteurized cream are preferred. I also want to emphasize the importance of timing: do not overheat the milk-cream mixture, and do not let it boil. Otherwise, you will end up with tough and rubbery curd.

Substitute whey in any baking recipe that calls for water (or even milk). Try it in fresh breads, cornbread, pancakes, waffles, muffins, biscuits, tortillas and more for a sour tang. *Also works with non-cultured whey from fresh cheeses. Use whey to soak whole grains, legumes and even ground flours.

Can you freeze ricotta cheese with egg in it? ›

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.

The sign your ricotta is bad

Yes, ricotta doesn't have a terribly distinct smell, especially compared to other cheeses, but once it begins to smell sour, that's a sign it's gone bad. Additionally, while mold is a sign to throw out your ricotta, there are other changes in appearance that can indicate something's wrong.

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.

Enjoy with crackers, a drizzle of honey, dried fruits or vegetable sticks. As a spread: Toast slices of banana bread or fruit toast, spread with ricotta and drizzle with honey for a snack or brekky. Finger food pasties: Ricotta and spinach are a match made in heaven.

You can freeze ricotta cheese, but just know that previously frozen ricotta cheese is only going to work for certain recipes. Because ricotta has a high moisture content, the water in it will become ice once it's frozen, causing the texture to change.

Generally speaking, you should think twice about freezing cheese, and doubly so for fresh varieties like cream cheese or ricotta. Ricotta is about 74% water, and when that water transforms into ice, it disrupts the cheese's texture and makes it dry, crumbly, and slightly grainy.

The answer is that you can freeze all cheese but some freeze better than other's. Hard cheese's freeze best. You can freeze cheese successfully if you're planning to use it for cooking purposes. Frozen cheese will remain safe to consume, but it will typically change texture and often become crumbly once thawed.

When it comes to the creamy and cheesy layer, ricotta, cottage cheese, and béchamel fillings can all be frozen, although béchamel varieties tend to weather the freezing process a bit better. Both meat and vegetable lasagnas can be frozen, but be sure to fully cook any meat before assembling and freezing.