Delicious Food Ideas with Ricotta Cheese
I love food, and Ricotta cheese is a favorite of mine. It makes simple dishes into something special. From my grandma’s lasagna to the rich cannoli I enjoy, ricotta is amazing. It’s great for pasta lovers, health-focused cooks, and dessert fans alike.
Table of Contents
Baked Dishes with Ricotta Cheese
Ricotta cheese makes many baked dishes creamy and sweet. It’s great in pasta casseroles and festive breads. This Italian cheese is perfect for adding a special touch to your cooking.
Eggplant Rollatini
The Eggplant Rollatini is a dish that tastes like it came from a restaurant. Delicate eggplant slices are stuffed with ricotta, offering a delightful blend of flavors and textures. It’s topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella, making it both tasty and pretty.
Spaghetti and Veggie Meatballs
Want a healthier version of spaghetti and meatballs? Try the Spaghetti and Veggie Meatballs. It uses ricotta in veggie meatballs, made with chopped veggies. It’s served with spaghetti and tomato sauce, offering a tasty and healthy twist.
Ricotta Easter Bread
The Ricotta Easter Bread is a festive treat. It combines ricotta and almond flavors for a sweet, tender crumb. Enjoy it as a breakfast or snack, and it will become a favorite in your home.
Salads and Appetizers with Ricotta Cheese
Ricotta cheese is great for more than just baked dishes and main courses. It shines in refreshing salads and tasty appetizers. Check out two recipes that show how versatile this creamy cheese can be.
Watermelon and Ricotta Salad
This recipe brings together juicy watermelon and creamy ricotta. It’s a perfect summer dish. The mix of flavors and textures is refreshing and balanced. Toss in a few mint leaves for a cool, aromatic boost.
Breakfast Taco Ring with Ricotta
The Breakfast Taco Ring with Ricotta is a fun and tasty ricotta cheese appetizer. It’s a ring of breakfast tacos filled with ricotta, scrambled eggs, and your favorite toppings. It’s great for starting the day or impressing guests at brunch.
Looking for a refreshing salad or a unique appetizer? These ricotta cheese recipes will impress you. Try different flavors and get creative with this versatile ingredient.
Breakfast Dishes with Ricotta Cheese
Ricotta cheese makes breakfast better. Try the Ricotta Pancake Stacks for a tasty family breakfast. These pancakes are soft and filled with a creamy ricotta mix, making a sweet and protein-rich start.
Ricotta Pancake Stacks
The secret to these pancakes is ricotta cheese. It makes the batter creamy and adds protein for a full feeling. You get light, flavorful pancakes.
To make these pancakes, you need ricotta cheese, eggs, flour, baking powder, and vanilla. The mix is quick, perfect for busy mornings. Cook the pancakes until they’re golden, then layer them with ricotta and your favorite toppings like berries or maple syrup.
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | Value |
|---|---|
| Calories | 177 |
| Total Fat | 9g |
| Saturated Fat | 4g |
| Carbohydrates | 18g |
| Sugar | 6g |
| Protein | 6g |
| Sodium | 164mg |
| Cholesterol | 80mg |
These pancakes are great for any breakfast. They’re a hit with everyone. The mix of soft pancakes and creamy ricotta is a wonderful way to begin your day.
food with ricotta cheese
Ricotta cheese is a flexible ingredient that can elevate numerous dishes. It’s not just for baked pasta and desserts. It also adds creaminess and flavor to salads, appetizers, breakfast items, and main courses. Its mild taste works well with many other ingredients, making it a great addition to your kitchen.
In the U.S., ricotta is mainly crafted from cow’s milk. Some recipes might use sheep’s milk or buffalo ricotta. Whole milk ricotta is creamier than part-skim, but you can swap them. Fresh ricotta tastes better, as aged ricotta can get drier and more acidic.
Ricotta’s neutral taste makes it perfect for both savory and sweet dishes. It can enrich pancakes, fruit bowls, dips, pasta bakes, and even cheesecakes. It’s often paired with spinach, artichokes, squash, and meats, showing its wide range of uses.
| Nutritional Information (per serving) | Value |
|---|---|
| Calories | 166 |
| Fat | 13g |
| Carbohydrates | 8g |
| Protein | 6g |
| Saturated Fat | 8g |
| Cholesterol | 43mg |
| Sodium | 473mg |
| Calcium | 197mg |
Ricotta’s versatility and nutritional benefits make it a great choice for many recipes. It can add creaminess to savory dishes or lightness to desserts. Ricotta cheese is a versatile option that can enhance your dishes.
“Ricotta truly shines as a culinary chameleon, comfortably fitting into both sweet and savory recipes. Its mild taste allows it to shine in a wide range of dishes.”
Seafood Dishes with Ricotta Cheese
Ricotta cheese is not just for Italian classics. It’s also great in seafood dishes. A standout is the Seafood Lasagna with Ricotta. It’s a rich, creamy dish with a sauce of fresh seafood.
Seafood Lasagna with Ricotta
This lasagna combines shrimp, scallops, and more in a creamy white sauce. It’s layered with noodles and ricotta cheese. It’s perfect for special events, like the Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes.
The Seafood Lasagna with Ricotta recipe uses shrimp, crab, mussels, and scallops. It has a mix of fresh lasagna noodles and creamy white sauce. The sauce is made with butter, flour, milk, and Parmesan cheese.
The ricotta filling includes ricotta, mozzarella, egg, parsley, and salt. It adds a creamy touch to each layer. With 550 calories and 35 grams of protein per serving, it’s both rich and nutritious.
For a special meal or just a craving for something rich, try the Seafood Lasagna with Ricotta. Pair it with a green salad or warm breadsticks for a full meal.
Manicotti and Stuffed Pasta with Ricotta Cheese
Ricotta cheese is a versatile ingredient that shines in classic Italian dishes like manicotti and other stuffed pasta creations. The rich, creamy texture of ricotta pairs beautifully with the tender pasta shells. This results in a harmonious blend of flavors and textures. Whether you opt for homemade or store-bought marinara sauce, the ricotta-filled manicotti bakes up into a comforting and satisfying meal.
One of the great things about ricotta stuffed pasta is its convenience. Manicotti is typically ready in 45 minutes or less. This makes it a quick and easy dinner option for busy weeknights. The recipe calls for just 15 ounces of whole milk ricotta cheese and 10 ounces of fresh mozzarella. It also needs 3 cups of homemade or jarred pasta sauce to bake the dish to cheesy perfection.
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Whole milk ricotta cheese | 15 ounces |
| Fresh mozzarella cheese | 10 ounces |
| Spaghetti sauce | 3 cups |
| Manicotti pasta tubes | 8 ounces |
| Chopped parsley | 1/3 cup |
The cooking instructions suggest boiling the manicotti shells for 5 to 6 minutes until slightly softened. Then, stuff them with the creamy ricotta mixture. Once assembled, the dish is baked in the savory spaghetti sauce until hot and bubbly. For an even easier shortcut, you can use pre-cooked manicotti shells or fresh pasta sheets to wrap the filling.
Leftover ricotta-stuffed pasta can be frozen for up to two months. This makes it a great meal-prep option. When ready to serve, simply bake the frozen manicotti for 50 minutes to 1 hour. With its delicious blend of ricotta, mozzarella, and tomato sauce, this Italian classic is sure to become a family favorite.
Desserts with Ricotta Cheese
Ricotta cheese is not just for savory dishes. It’s a crucial component in numerous delightful desserts. The Chocolate Orange Ricotta Cake pairs chocolate and orange perfectly. Meanwhile, Lasagna Cupcakes offer a fun twist on lasagna, making desserts creamy and indulgent.
Chocolate Orange Ricotta Cake
The Chocolate Orange Ricotta Cake has a moist, tender crumb thanks to ricotta. It combines rich chocolate with the bright taste of orange. This dessert is ideal for those who have a sweet tooth. It’s easy to make with just three ingredients: ricotta, sugar, and chocolate.
Lasagna Cupcakes
The Lasagna Cupcakes are a unique take on lasagna. They use wonton wrappers as “pasta” and are filled with a creamy ricotta mixture. Baked in a muffin tin, they’re great for parties or family dinners. The recipe makes 12 servings, perfect for meal prep or feeding a crowd.
Looking for a decadent chocolate cake or a playful twist on lasagna? These ricotta-based desserts will impress. They’re easy to make ahead and have flavors that everyone loves. They’re a great way to add creamy, versatile ricotta to your dessert collection.
Italian Classics with Ricotta Cheese
Ricotta cheese is key in many Italian dishes. Two favorites are the Classic Lasagna with Ricotta and the Italian Ricotta Cookies.
Classic Lasagna with Ricotta
The Classic Lasagna with Ricotta is loved by many. It has layers of pasta, a rich meat sauce, and creamy ricotta. The ricotta makes the dish creamy and adds texture, enhancing the flavors of sauce and pasta.
Italian Ricotta Cookies
The traditional Italian Ricotta Cookies are soft and moist. They’re made with fresh ricotta cheese. These cookies can be flavored with vanilla, lemon, or almond, making them a tasty dessert.
Looking for a comforting ricotta lasagna or a sweet ricotta cookie? Ricotta cheese makes these classic Italian recipes special and delicious.
“The key to a perfect ricotta-cheese dish lies in using high-quality, fresh ricotta and achieving a balance of flavors with the right amount of seasoning.”
Creative Ricotta Dishes
Ricotta-cheese is more than just for Italian dishes. It’s great for making unique and tasty meals. Check out these two recipes that show how versatile ricotta can be.
Skillet Ricotta Crepes
Start your day with Skillet Ricotta Crepes. They’re easy to make and taste amazing. The batter is made with ricotta and cooked in a skillet, making soft, golden crepes. Fill them with sweet or savory toppings for a special breakfast.
Serving size: 4 bites
Calories per serving: 63 kcal
Carbohydrates: 2g
Protein: 4g
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat: 1g
Trans Fat: 0.05g
Cholesterol: 32mg
Sodium: 128mg
Potassium: 82mg
Fiber: 0.5g
Sugar: 0.3g
Vitamin A: 1820IU
Vitamin C: 1mg
Calcium: 84mg
Iron: 0.4mg
Stuffed Shells with Ricotta
Try a new twist on stuffed pasta with Stuffed Shells with Ricotta. Fill jumbo pasta shells with a creamy ricotta mix and bake until golden. Add spinach, ground turkey, or mushrooms for extra flavor.
With 24 ricotta-based pasta recipes, you can make endless creative ricotta dishes. From ricotta crepes to ricotta stuffed shells, ricotta can take your cooking to the next level.
Conclusion
Ricotta-cheese is great for many tasty dishes. It works well in savory baked goods, pasta, and even sweet treats. This article has shown you how to use ricotta in different ways.
Looking for something new to make? Ricotta-cheese is perfect for weeknight dinners, appetizers, or desserts. You can make classic Italian dishes or try something new like ricotta-stuffed eggplant rollatini.
Ricotta-cheese is not only flavorful; it’s also beneficial for your health. It’s high in protein and vitamins. By trying out these recipes, you’ll improve your cooking and make dishes everyone will love.