Ricotta Recipes (Savory and Sweet)

This comprehensive list of versatile ricotta recipes will satisfy every craving, whether you have a sweet tooth or prefer savory.

If you have never tried cooking and baking with ricotta, these ricotta recipes will change that in a heartbeat!

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Hi, there! It’s me, Denisa (Christina’s daughter), filling in for her while she’s gallivanting in Europe once again!

Did you know that ricotta isn’t technically considered cheese?

Ricotta is made with the byproduct of cheese making—so the liquid, or whey, that you would otherwise discard when making “real” cheese, like raclette. This is then re-cooked until curds are formed, making what we know as ricotta. Ricotta actually translates to “re-cooked” or “cooked again” in Italian.

Which Ricotta is Best?

Growing up, my grandmother would make cheese, and then ricotta, from scratch from time to time. My mother sometimes bought a tub of ricotta at the store, which tasted nothing like what we were used to, but it’s usually not actually ricotta; homemade was a different story.

If you use store-bought ricotta, most of these recipes will still turn out well, but find the best quality you have available, like Di Stefano and Murray’s Cheese. Or better yet, make your own ricotta (recipe coming soon!)

Check out my collection of 10 Authentic Italian Cucina Povera Recipes.

Can You Freeze Ricotta?

Yes, but with a caveat. If you freeze ricotta, it will change its texture and it won’t be pleasant to use fresh. As long as you use it in a cooked recipe such as the lemon ricotta pancakes, or ricotta cookies below, it will be perfectly fine.

What to do With lots of Ricotta?

Are you in a situation where you have a lot of ricotta to use? First of all, you lucky duck! Secondly, the recipes below will help you immensely, in fact, you won’t have enough to make them all unless it’s an industrial pack of 12 tubs you have found yourself with!

Here’s the list of recipes using ricotta that I hope you’ll love as much as my family does!

Ricotta Recipes

1. Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Raspberry Syrup (Lemon Soufflé Pancakes) These are special occasion pancakes that will knock everyone’s socks off! They are super light, fluffy and full of lemony flavor. The raspberry sauce just gilds the lily!

2. Truffle Salt Ricotta For those who love the flavor of truffles, this is a great (and inexpensive) way to incorporate truffles into your dishes without paying for a fresh truffle. Use truffle salt ricotta to fill your ravioli, make gnocchi, manicotti and more pasta dishes.

3. Tomato, Ricotta and Basil Antipasto A unique spin on a Caprese salad using ricotta instead of mozzarella!

4. Pumpkin Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce A classic, vegetarian, Northern Italian dish everyone will love!

5. Stuffed Shells Recipe (Italian Style with Ricotta and Spinach) These are not something you will make once and never make again because everyone will request them on repeat! A vegetarian filled pasta that’s filled with flavor and nutrition!

6. Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms Mushroom lovers will rejoice with these spinach and ricotta stuffed mushrooms that are so easy to make.

7. Mushroom Ricotta Pasta When you want something quick and easy, without using a typical Italian tomato sauce, this is the winner!

8. Corsican Ricotta Cheesecake (Fiadone) A popular and classic Corsican cheesecake that’s not too sweet, and totally delicious!

9. Ricotta Gnudi al Sugo (Ricotta Dumplings in Fresh Tomato Sauce) These delicate ricotta dumplings are the perfect weeknight meal for a summer evening.

10. Ricotta Gnudi with Chanterelles cosy comfort food is on the menu with these gnudi and Chanterelle mushrooms!

11. Manicotti (Three Cheese, No-Boil Pasta Recipe) A fantastic make ahead meal that goes great as a primo in part of an Italian menu, and freezes spectacularly, too!

12. Gluten-Free Lasagna with Swiss Chard Need a gluten free pasta dish? This is for you: layers of Swiss chard and ricotta make for a tasty meal where no one will even miss the pasta.

13. Tomato-Stuffed Peppers for an impressive dish, try these tomato stuffed peppers which are charred in the oven, for a delicious way to use ricotta.

14. Corsican Cheese Lasagna (A Lazy Cannelloni au Brocciu Recipe) Try this Corsican cheese lasagna for a different take on this classic Italian dish!

15. Ricotta Gnocchi with Butter Sage Sauce You will kick yourself for not making these sooner when you realize how easy ricotta gnocchi are to make. And the sauce is even easier, but both together make an amazing dish that’s fancy enough for company, yet easy enough for Monday lunch!

Spinach and Ricotta Rolls with Phyllo Try this dish for a delicious vegetarian lunch or make ahead meal.

16. Ricotta Doughnuts (Frittelle di Ricotta, Uvetta e Cioccolato) Addictive and so light and fluffy, you’ll use this as your “go-to” recipe when you find yourself with leftover ricotta that needs to be used.

17. Mini Sicilian Cannoli Shells With Ricotta Filling Can you even have a list of ricotta recipes without include cannoli? Authentic Italian recipe from Italy.

18. Lemon Ricotta Cookies (Biscotti alla Ricotta Morbidi) A cross between cake and cookies, these will be a favorite in no time!

19. Orange Olive Oil Cake A delightful cake that is full of orange flavor!

20. Orange Ricotta Cookies An orange version of the lemon ricotta cookies. Which is your favorite flavor?

21. Limoncello Cheesecake a creamy, limoncello-flavored, baked cheesecake that is perfect on its own or with a topping of your choice. Always better with a glass of limoncello, though!

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Which is your first choice in the ricotta recipes that you’d like to try first? Sweet or savory? Let me know in the comments below!

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