Then you need some ricotta cheese recipes in your life. Ricotta is a mild, creamy cheese and a must for Italian cuisine. It’s surprisingly easy to make, but available at pretty much any grocery store. From appetizers to desserts, ricotta is a versatile ingredient that transcends dishes to a whole new level. No matter if you’re in the mood for sweet or savory, these 25 ricotta recipes are sure to delight.
And now…the best ricotta cheese recipes!
1. Homemade Ricotta Cheese
If you’ve never made ricotta at home, fear not because it’s incredibly easy. Homemade ricotta only requires four ingredients and about 1.5 hours to make. The trick is to use quality ingredients. Do that and your fresh ricotta will taste far superior to store-bought.
2. Barilla Lasagna
Barilla lasagna is Italian comfort food at its finest. It’s full of ooey-gooey, cheesy goodness that’s impossible to resist. Barilla marinara sauce, Italian sausage, and three types of cheese are layered in between sheets of Barilla wavy lasagna. Then baked to perfection. While you can use whatever cheese you like, ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan are Italian classics.
3. Summer Salad With Herbed Ricotta
Leafy green salads are no match for this summer salad. Herbed ricotta tops ripe heirloom tomatoes, sliced red onion, cucumbers, and crunchy radishes. For a spicy kick, add some chopped serrano peppers. Be sure to salt your tomatoes first to enhance their flavor and texture. Come summer, this is all I crave. And after one bite, you’ll feel the same!
4. Tomato, Basil, and Ricotta Pizza
What better way to showcase some fluffy, creamy ricotta than with a tomato basil pizza! This is similar to a margarita pizza except instead of fresh mozzarella it uses ricotta cheese. To give this pizza a more authentic touch, I recommend making your dough from scratch. However, store-bought will work just fine in a pinch. This pizza is so fresh and tasty, it’ll be your new pizza night go-to.
5. Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells
This stuffed pasta dish is a guilty pleasure of mine. Each jumbo shell is brimming with a mouthwatering hearty cheese filling. To make, you’ll want to quickly saute some spinach with garlic. Mix that with skim-milk ricotta, parmesan, basil, and an egg for binding. Stuff those giant shells until they’re oozing with filling and bake until they start to brown. Get ready, because everyone will be part of the clean plate club tonight.
6. Crustless Sausage, Kale, and Ricotta Quiche
Calling all Sunday brunch lovers, have I got the recipe for you! This fluffy crustless quiche is full of savory turkey sausage, fresh kale, sharp pecorino cheese, and heavenly ricotta. Crustless quiche is similar to a frittata except it has more of a custardy egg texture and bakes longer.
7. Kale, Mushroom, and Ricotta Calzones
Calzones are like pizza turnovers full of savory ingredients. Any way you stuff them, ricotta is a necessity! This recipe uses mushrooms, kale, basil, parmesan, and ricotta. It also calls for an easy marinara sauce for dipping. For a more savory calzone, you could add some pepperoni slices or Italian sausage. I think mozzarella would also taste great.
8. Whipped Ricotta Crostini
Whipped ricotta crostinis will be your new excuse for entertaining guests. Perfectly toasted baguette slices are topped with heavenly whipped ricotta for a delectable treat! Keep things simple and let the ricotta shine as the main topping. Or fancy things up a bit with some caramelized onions, roasted eggplant, or homemade jelly.
9. Roasted Garlic Baked Ricotta
Whatever you’re doing, you need to stop right now and try this recipe. It’s garlicky, cheesy, and so insanely delicious that you’ll skip the crostini dippers and go straight for a spoon. This baked dip is full of quality ricotta and two heads of garlic. Don’t worry about garlic breath, as nobody will care after a bite of this dip.
10. Honey Ricotta Dip With Pistachio and Apricot
This ricotta dip is an excellent choice for the holidays. It’s crunchy, creamy, and the perfect amount of sweet. The mildness of ricotta and thickness of cream cheese make a fantastic pair. Sprinkle some pistachios, dried apricots, and honey on top to complete the dish.
11. Mom’s Baked Ricotta Dip
Indulge your ricotta cravings with this cozy dip. It’s super easy to make and loaded with ricotta cheese. Pour a mixture of ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, lemon, garlic, and rosemary into a casserole dish and bake. That’s all there is to it. There’s no arguing, mom makes it the best!
12. 5-Ingredient Ricotta Cheese Balls
Parties take a lot of hard work and planning. Which is why I’m all about this crowd-pleasing dish. These tantalizing cheese balls only take five ingredients to make. Better yet, you can prep them ahead of time. Crunchy on the outside and oozing with ricotta on the inside, this Italian appetizer will be a hit!
13. Lemon Ricotta Bruschetta
This sweet take on a popular Italian appetizer is too good to pass up. Rather than featuring tomatoes, this bruschetta calls for creamy ricotta, lemon, basil, and honey. The lemon zest adds a citrusy kick that’s the ideal complementary flavor for slightly sweet ricotta cheese. Serve this as an appetizer or after-dinner treat.
14. White Pizza Grilled Cheese
I have three words for you: pizza grilled cheese. If that doesn’t already send you running to the kitchen, here’s more. This recipe takes all the flavors you love about white pizzas and stuffs them inside two pieces of perfectly grilled bread. The result is the best grilled cheese you’ve ever had in your life! Don’t skimp on the ricotta for this one. It’s supposed to be uber cheesy.
15. Ricotta Cheesecake With Fresh Raspberries
This recipe is proof that ricotta is the best addition to a rich, luscious cheesecake. The creamy texture of ricotta and cream cheese will melt in your mouth. Meanwhile, the sweet raspberry topping will have your tastebuds screaming yum! This decadent dessert will take a little bit of work, but it’s so worth it.
16. Italian Ricotta Cookies
These Italian cookies taste just like grandma’s. They’re buttery, citrusy, and full of ricotta cheese. These scrumptious cookies have an almost cake-like consistency. This serves as a wonderful base for the sweet vanilla glaze. This Christmas, do things the Italian way and whip up a batch or two. Come Christmas night there won’t be a crumb in sight.
17. Ricotta Meatball Soup
It doesn’t get any heartier than this rich Italian soup! Mini-lasagna noodles are swimming in a marina beef broth with savory meatballs. Speaking of meatballs, these Italian meatballs are to die for. Not only do they have ricotta cheese, but they also have sweet Italian sausage, salty prosciutto, and parmesan.
18. 20-Minute Ricotta Gnocchi
Gnocchi are little potato dumplings that have a delightfully chewy texture. You can serve this Italian classic many ways, but I highly recommend opting for this recipe. Grab a mixing bowl and combine eggs, flour, parmesan, ricotta, and a dash of salt. Then roll, slice, and boil each pillowy gnocchi square until they float. As for serving, a rich marinara or light pesto sauce would be delightful.
19. Baked Eggplant Rollatini
Eggplant rollatini tastes just like eggplant parmesan minus the carbs. Rather than layering eggplant, this recipe rolls them with a toothsome ricotta filling. But wait, the offerings don’t end there. All that cheesy eggplant goodness gets smothered in a rich marinara sauce.
20. Italian Ricotta Parmesan Bread
Everyone who knows me knows I can’t resist a fresh, oven-baked loaf of this Italian bread! The addition of ricotta gives this bread a prizewinning soft, airy texture. I highly recommend cooking this in a dutch oven to achieve the ideal crumb. This bread will make sensational French toast or fabulous goat cheese and veggies sandwiches. However, it’s so good I have no problem gobbling it up straight from the oven.
21. Lemon Ricotta Cake
Dreamy is how I would describe this plush ricotta cake. It has a slightly sweet taste with a refreshing lemon twist. The addition of ricotta gives this cake a divine flavor and consistency. Meanwhile, the macerated strawberries are like the cherry on top.
22. Manicotti
Manicotti is a long tube-shaped pasta that is perfect for savory fixings. With this recipe, you’ll easily be able to master this dish! For the filling, you’ll stuff the pasta with three types of cheese, brown Italian sausage, and Italian seasoning. You may feel tempted to swap out the cheese for whatever you have on hand. But I highly recommend you stick with the foolproof trifecta of ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan.
23. Sweet Cream Ricotta Pancakes
These pancakes will make you feel like you’re waking up in the Tuscan countryside. Ricotta imparts a blissful creamy texture while buttermilk adds a tender touch. Both of which go smashingly with a berry maple syrup. Stack them high and grab a fork. It’s time to dig in!
24. 5-Ingredient Cannolis
If you want the best ricotta dessert you’ve ever had in your life, then whip up this recipe. Five ingredients are all it takes to create this Sicilian pastry. They’re crunchy on the outside and rich with ricotta cheese on the inside. These pastries taste so lovely, you’ll swear they came straight from la panetteria. That’s Italian for “the bakery.”
25. Baked Ricotta Chicken
Looking for a new chicken dish to add to your routine? Try baked ricotta chicken. Tender chicken breasts bathe in a tangy Italian dressing, then get baked with a layer of a cheesy ricotta mixture. You’ll also want to throw in some diced tomatoes to get the flavors just right. For a full Italian meal, serve this with some garlic bread and Italian salad. Click on a star to rate it!
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