20 ways to use up ricotta

Ricotta cheese is a versatile ingredient, but often it’s only destined for a lasagna. Ricotta makes cakes tender and tarts insanely creamy — what’s not to love? Plus it can be used to make both savory and sweet recipes.

If you often find yourself with half a container of ricotta and are running out of things to do with it, get inspired by twenty delicious ways to use up ricotta.

Quiche

Crustless sausage, kale and ricotta quiche via the Recipe Runner

What’s easier than an egg bake? Ricotta adds a creamy element to quiche making it a perfect option for breakfast or lunch. Use whatever proteins or vegetables you have on hand to make it your own.

Toast

Honey orange ricotta toast via Snixy Kitchen

So trendy, but for a reason! Ricotta toast is creamy and makes for a perfect breakfast. I love to top mine with fresh blackberries and a drizzle of honey, but the combinations are endless.

French toast

Baked blackberry ricotta french toast via Half Baked Harvest

French toast is typically coated with egg and milk, but adding some ricotta takes it up a notch! If you’re going to go all out and make a french toast bake you gotta go for it.

Pancakes

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes via Gather & Dine

Ricotta pancakes are more tender than buttermilk pancakes, and you’ll love them if you’ve never tried them. Serve them with your favorite pancake toppings.

Scones

Chocolate orange ricotta scones via Completely Delicious

Scones can be, well, dry. There’s an entire Curb Your Enthusiasm plot about it! Ricotta scones however are not dry. The best part is that they’re indulgent like dessert but totally breakfast approved.

Blintzes

Rosemary ricotta blintzes with strawberry rhubarb sauce via My Name is Yeh

If you’ve never had blintzes, you’re missing out! They’re soft crepe-like pancakes that are wrapped with a filling of ricotta cheese and fruit. They’re crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and irresistible.

Tart

Tomato Ricotta Tart via Table for Two

Ricotta makes for a great filling in savory tarts, and then you can top your tart with whatever vegetables you have. It’s endlessly flexible.

Dip

Ricotta dip with herbs and olive oil via Craft Beering

Dips should be effortless, and ricotta dips truly are. All you need is some great olive oil and fresh herbs to pull together a restaurant-worthy dip situation.

Rollatini

Eggplant Involtini via Alexandra Cooks

Eggplant rollatini is a dish in which an herbed ricotta mixture is nestled inside rolls of thinly sliced eggplant. You can also skip rolling up the eggplant and make a layered eggplant parmesan with ricotta too.

Pizza

Spring pizza with asparagus and lemon via A Little Gathering

Ricotta is a must for a white cheese pizza, providing a creamy base for all sorts of toppings! You can even dollop ricotta on top of a tomato pie.

Calzone

Ricotta and Spinach Calzones via Kitchen Cat

Recreate the pizzeria experience at home with baked calzones! Use the vegetables you have on hand, but don’t skimp on the ricotta filling.

Salad

Summer Salad with Herbed Ricotta via Jo Cooks

This is a perfect way to use up a container of ricotta. Add dollops of ricotta to any salad, or mix in herbs to make it extra special.

Stuffed peppers

Vegetarian spinach ricotta stuffed peppers via Garnish and Glaze

Stuffed peppers make a perfect meat-free meal. You can stuff other vegetables too, like eggplant or mushrooms with a herby and cheesy ricotta mixture.

Gnocchi

Spring Vegetable Brown Butter Gnocchi via The Original Dish

Gnocchi can be prepared many ways, they’re essentially dumplings after all, but ricotta gnocchi is truly special. They’re like light pillowy clouds, meant to be served with brown butter.

Lasagna

Pumpkin Sage Lasagna Roll Up Pull Aparts via I Am a Food Blog

Of course lasagna needs to be on this list! There are endless possibilities for lasagna, but I’m obsessed with this twist on it as roll ups.

Meatballs

Tender Ricotta Meatballs via Cooking For Keeps

Ricotta makes meatballs irresistibly tender, while ensuring that they stay moist while cooking. I like the idea of putting ricotta in the meatball mix and serving meatballs dotted with even more ricotta.

Doughnuts

Wild Blueberry & Coconut Ricotta Doughnuts via Top with Cinnamon

You can turn ricotta into doughnuts! Turns out doughnuts are a great source of calcium. This version is packed with coconut and blueberries.

Cake

Vanilla Ricotta Pound Cake with Maple Glaze via The Comfort of Cooking

The theme of this round up? Ricotta makes everything it compliments super tender, including cakes! It can make one delicious loaf cake.

Cheesecake

Orange Ricotta Cheesecake via Baker by Nature

There are different camps when it comes to cheesecake, some like cream cheese and others can’t get enough of ricotta. This recipe uses both for an extra creamy and tangy cheesecake.

Cannoli dip

Cannoli dip via Homemade Hooplah

Making homemade cannolis is time consuming, but a dip? We all have time to make a dip! Cannoli dip is an instant crowd pleaser, served with tons of chocolate chips and crushed up waffle cones.

Is your favorite way to use ricotta on this list?