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

FAQs

What to do with a little bit of ricotta? ›

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).

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.

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 key detail to keep in mind is whether the package of ricotta cheese has been opened or not. 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.

The sign your ricotta is bad

If the ricotta has gone yellowish or brown, or if there's a layer of water sitting atop the cheese, that's also an indicator that your ricotta has spoiled (so don't just shrug and mix the water back into the cheese!).

Because ricotta has a high moisture content, the water in it will become ice once it's frozen, causing the texture to change. As the curds and whey are divided by the ice, the cheese will become more dry and crumbly in texture.

Air exposure is the enemy of fresh ricotta, so keeping it sealed becomes even more important after opening. Opened ricotta generally lasts for about one week in proper storage conditions. To be on the safe side, give it the sniff test. If there is any off odor, toss it.

Spread half the tomato over the top and bake until crust is golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove pizza from the oven and drop spoonfuls of ricotta on top. Scatter the fresh herbs and serve. Repeat with remaining pizza.

What can I do with runny ricotta cheese? ›

Place ricotta in cheese cloth, cover with seran wrap, and place in fridge to drain overnight. The next morning your ricotta will have much less liquid, restoring it to the right consistency.

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."

Use it promptly because it only stays fresh for a week or two. If the cheese doesn't look or smell like it did when you first opened it, your best course of action is to throw it out.

Ricotta is a cheesemaking byproduct

It's actually a byproduct of the cheesemaking process, so (naturally) one must make cheese to get homemade ricotta.

In cheeses without added colorant, pink discoloration has been associated with: certain strains of thermophilic lactobacilli and propionic acid bacteria, Maillard reactions, and microbial pigments (e.g., carotenoids and phenolic compounds), which may be responsible for development of pink-brown or dark brown ...

It can also be eaten by itself, perhaps accompanied by honey or jam, or spread on fresh, warm bread. Made from the leftover curds from cheese making, ricotta is a prime example of the Italian tradition of never throwing anything away.

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. Get the recipes here.

In Italy, ricotta is typically eaten as a filling for pasta or cannoli. Here in Racale, Margherita's ricotta is eaten by the spoonful — without even salt or olive oil. Light and pillowy in texture, it's like tasting a cloud of sheep's milk.

The real difference between ricotta and cottage cheese is fourfold: ingredients, texture, taste, and best uses in recipes—so pretty much everything. They do look similar, though, don't they? And they're both pretty mild-mannered. But you can't always substitute one for the other.