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With cottage cheese recipes on the rise, it’s having us look for other cheeses that are also versatile. Ricotta is one of those cheeses, and it’s great for more than just lasagna. This list of 27 Ricotta Cheese Recipes will take you through delectable pancakes, cheese dips, cakes, fritters, pasta, and more.

Fresh ricotta is simple in flavor, slightly nutty, and very mild. Due to its neutral flavor, it can be used in sweet or savory dishes. A great example of this is ricotta cheese in lasagna versus ricotta cheese in a classic cannoli – it works both ways. It has a very thick and creamy texture so it’s amazing in cheese dips, and can add a light fluffy texture to tea cakes. Let’s jump into the list!

1. 5 Minute Ricotta Cheese

Before diving into recipes that use ricotta cheese, let’s first go through a recipe on how to actually make ricotta cheese. It’s quite simple. You need three ingredients and a cheesecloth and you can have fresh ricotta made in five minutes. No need for a store run to get started on these recipes.

2. Ricotta Cheese Pancakes

If you didn’t already know, ricotta cheese is amazing in pancakes. These pancake bites are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside thanks to the addition of the ricotta cheese. Serve these with a sour cream topping and fresh berries and you’ve got an amazing summer breakfast.

3. Herbed Ricotta Cheese Dip

We know herbed ricotta is delicious because of lasagna – but as a creamy dip, it’s absolutely amazing. It goes perfectly with fresh veggies if you want to keep it low carb. A toasted baguette (sliced) or seed crackers also make a great vehicle to scoop up this creamy dip. Make this for your next ladies’ brunch or girls’ wine night.

4. Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

I personally love pound cake. It’s an amazing spring or summer dessert that keeps things light. It doesn’t need a lot of dressing up – just some whipped cream and berries. This lemon ricotta pound cake is a divine mix of bright lemon and slightly sweet pound cake.

5. Crustless Ricotta Cheesecake

This cheesecake is a great alternative to traditional cheesecake. It’s a bit healthier -if you’re looking for something lighter than the normal cheesecake. Crustless Ricotta Cheesecake has a vanilla lemon flavor and the texture is light and fluffy. It won’t leave you feeling heavy after having a large piece. It can be served as the perfect finish to a light summer dinner.

6. Crispy Lemon Ricotta Cheese Fritters

You are in for a treat with these savory ricotta fritters. They are crispy and crunchy. The combo of lemon and sage brings the mild ricotta flavor to life. Dipping in garlic aioli, these make a fantastic appetizer if you want to wow your guests. You won’t make fritters any other way after having these.

7. Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Tea Cake

Blueberry and lemon is always a winning combo, but the addition of ricotta keeps this tea cake tender and moist. It is a beautiful addition to any breakfast or brunch table- or of course, save it for tea time. You’ll be snacking on this ricotta tea cake all day long.

8. Spinach Ricotta Pasta

It’s time for a ricotta pasta dish that is not lasagna. Adding ricotta cheese to pasta creates the most creamy texture while leaving you the ability to flavor it any way you want. In the case of this spinach ricotta pasta, it’s flavored with a creamy spinach sauce made of ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. It’s a perfect summer pasta dish.

9. Italian Baked Ricotta Chicken

This is going to be your new favorite way to prepare chicken, and you can do it all in one pan! It’s cheesy, melty, and has the perfect amount of Italian herbs. You can serve this over a bed of rice, vegetables, or keep it Italian and serve it with pasta. You really can’t go wrong!

10. The Best Ricotta Cookies

Think glazed, soft, buttery sugar cookie- that’s what ricotta can do for your next batch of cookies. Adding ricotta cheese does not make these cookies taste like cheese, don’t worry. It creates a lightly sweet, soft cookie with a cake-like crumb. The glaze and sprinkles on top make it extra special. Kids will love it.

11. Fluffy Ricotta Cheese Egg Bites

Fluffy Ricotta Cheese Egg Bites are better than Starbucks Egg White Bites! These make an amazing on-the-go breakfast or quick afternoon snack. And they’re healthy too. Full of high-protein eggs and melty cheese. You can put in whatever veggies you like, or even add sausage or bacon. The choice is yours.

12. Italian Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake

If you have a bridal brunch or ladies’ night coming up, this Italian Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake is a must-have. It’s simple and elegant and most importantly – delicious. It’s a great snack cake as well because it’s not overly sweet. Just the perfect bite to go with a cup of coffee or tea.

13. Tomato Ricotta Pasta

You get a ton of flavor in this easy to make Tomato Ricotta Pasta. It’ll only cost you 30 minutes, and you can have a creamy, healthy pasta dinner on the table that your family will absolutely love. It’s filling and easy to store leftovers, so make enough for the week.

14. The Best Ricotta and Spinach Grilled Cheese

This grilled cheese is inspired by savory cannolis and it is to die for. A creamy, herbed ricotta cheese filling is spread across thick slices of sourdough bread. The sandwich is then toasted in butter until it’s crispy on the outside and melted on the inside. It’s going to be hard to go back to regular grilled cheese after this!

15. Herbed Ricotta Cheese Omelette

It’s time to spice up your omelette game with this delicious herbed ricotta cheese omelette! It’s perfect for a Sunday morning breakfast or even a quick weeknight dinner if you’re one of those “breakfast-for-dinner lovers”. These eggs are filled with creamy ricotta cheese, parmesan, basil, and oregano. It’s very healthy as well.

16. Sweetened Ricotta and Berries

This is the most simple way to use up any ricotta cheese you have sitting around – but it’s absolutely delicious. You won’t believe how easy it is. Just sweeten the ricotta cheese with a bit of sugar and vanilla extract. Then serve it with fresh or even frozen (thawed) berries to make a sweet creamy treat.

17. Zucchini Ricotta Fritatta

Zucchini Ricotta Fritatta features summer squash in the best way. It’s a simple dish with a lot of flavor. You saute sliced zucchini until it’s soft, then add a mixture of ricotta, eggs, and milk and bake it all in the same pan until it’s firm. It’s an easy breakfast option if you don’t want to put a ton of work in.

18. Ricotta Gnocchi

Gnocchi can be a hassle to make, but not this recipe! It features ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, eggs, and all-purpose flour rather than boiled potatoes. It only takes 15 minutes to prep, which is a breeze compared to potato gnocchi. For classic gnocchi, saute these with butter and sage, and you’ve got a delicious date night dinner.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/524458319120151161/

19. Tomato Ricotta Tart

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love a tart. They’re beautiful and so delicious. The buttery, flaky crust is what does it for me. This one is filled with three different kinds of cheese – ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella – and topped with tomatoes, dijon, and cilantro. It’s a match made in heaven.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/122089839891164385/

20. Ricotta Berry Tart

Again, love a tart! So here is a sweet one. This one still has a buttery crust, but is filled with a sweet, creamy ricotta cheese custard and topped with fresh berries. It bakes up into an elegant tart that can be sliced cleanly. It’s a good treat to serve for a ladies’ brunch.

21. Ricotta Meatballs

Ricotta Meatballs are so versatile. You can serve them on a roll, on pasta, or even with a salad. And with this recipe, you can bake them in several ways as well. These work well whether you have a crockpot, stove top, air fryer, or oven. The creamy ricotta mixture is baked alongside the meatballs rather than in them, to create a beautiful, cheesy meatball sauce.

22. Quick Ricotta Cheese Doughnuts

These ricotta doughnuts are easy and can be made without sugar! A delicious doughnut that’s healthy for you? Seems too good to be true, but try these and find out for yourself just how good they are. You only need 7 ingredients (including the oil to fry them in) and you’ve got a warm batch of doughnut holes for your weekend breakfast.

23. Whipped Ricotta Cheese

Whipped ricotta is reminiscent of hummus, but it’s cheese! I couldn’t think of a better way to make a hummus-like dip. This whipped ricotta is full of fresh herbs and is topped with olive oil (so make sure you have good olive oil). Serve it with toasted baguette slices for a delicious appetizer.

24. Almond Ricotta Cake

We’ve got a few cakes on this list, but it’s because ricotta in the cake makes it so light, moist, and fluffy. This Italian Almond Ricotta Cake is naturally gluten-free because it’s made with almond flour rather than all purpose flour. It bakes up with a cheesecake texture and is topped with toasted almonds. It’s a beautiful dessert for the holidays.

25. Ricotta Stuffed French Toast

Stuffed French toast always makes it seem like you put a ton of effort into the meal. But this ricotta stuffed french toast is such an easy bake, you’ll definitely impress your breakfast guests. A honey ricotta filling is stuffed into thick slices of French bread. Top it with a little extra honey for serving.

26. Overnight Ricotta French Toast

If you don’t have time in the morning to make Ricotta Stuffed French Toast, make this overnight version instead. It still features honey and ricotta cheese, it’s just in casserole form. It makes it easy to serve a crowd, and the oven does all the work the morning of. This is an elegant recipe for Mother’s Day.

27. White Pizza with Fresh Ricotta

We can’t forget pizza when it comes to ricotta! Pizza topped with fresh, creamy dollops of ricotta is a beautiful way to impress your date for an at home date night dinner. It’s fancy, elegant, and tastes so good. You could even make it something you do together, and have a date night right in the kitchen!

Now that you have this list of 27 Ricotta Cheese Recipes, you can use up that container that’s been sitting in your fridge from the last time you made lasagna. Get to it!

And below you will find the full recipe for my Spinach and Ricotta Breakfast Pie!

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