37 Ricotta Cheese Recipes to Use Up the Rest of That Tub
When you think of ricotta cheese recipes, you might think of stuffed shells, cheesy casseroles and calzones, luscious cheesecakes, and ricotta pancakes. We do too. But when we took a deep dive into the Epicurious archives in search of more ways to cook with ricotta, we found many more ideas, including classic cannoli, snackable cakes, and impressive appetizers for your next gathering. Of course, you could really step it up and make your own fresh homemade ricotta cheese—grab your cheesecloth and follow this step-by-step guide to make the curds and whey process easy. But these ricotta cheese recipes will be luscious and creamy even if you’re just grabbing the half-full tub from your fridge.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks1/37Cheesy Delicata Squash and Kale Casserole
Let’s start our list of ricotta cheese recipes with the kind of vegetarian comfort food we crave throughout fall and winter. Thinly sliced squash and kale (plus plenty of ricotta cheese) combine in a cozy casserole packed with flavor.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich2/37Creamy Mushroom Lasagna
This cozy white lasagna recipe is all about the pairing of mushrooms and cheese. (If you’re looking for an easy lasagna with tomato sauce and sausage, we have that too.)
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell3/37Vegetarian Skillet Stuffed Shells
Stuffed shells can be a project. But this stovetop version makes the classic pasta dish weeknight-friendly. For a true feast, serve with a Caesar salad and some garlic bread too.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Frances Boswell4/37Manicotti
Serve this labor of love before the turkey at Thanksgiving or after the antipasti at Easter.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano5/37Sicilian Cannoli
Mixing the chocolate, pistachios, and candied orange peel into the creamy goat cheese and ricotta filling gives you optimal flavor in every bite.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova6/37Sheet-Pan Cider-Ricotta Pancakes With Pear Compote
Photo by Linda Xiao9/37One-Bowl Ricotta Olive Oil Pound Cake
Meet your new favorite one-bowl cake recipe, enriched with olive oil and imbued with orange zest.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson10/373-Ingredient Charred Green Beans With Ricotta and Lemon
Photo by William Meppem and Chris Court11/37Ricotta and Zucchini Cannelloni
Stuffed pastas are a classic way to use ricotta, but if you’re hoping to use up a zucchini surplus (or just trying to eat more vegetables) you’ve got other options, like these mozzarella-topped zucchini rolls.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Pearl Jones12/37Cacio e Pepe Pie
This sliceable spaghetti pie is a fun take on classic cacio e pepe. Serve with blanched green beans on the side.
Photo by Romulo Yanes14/37Sweet Ricotta Pudding With Roasted Grapes
Making this simple ricotta pudding from Gourmet is as easy as whirring ricotta, eggs, cinnamon, salt, and sugar in your blender, pouring into a pie pan, then topping with pine nuts and popping it in the oven. Juicy, buttery roasted grapes dress up the plate.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks.16/37French Bread Pizzas With Ricotta, Roasted Tomatoes, and Pesto
Don’t feel like messing with pizza dough on a Tuesday? French bread to the rescue. Creamy ricotta, herby pesto, and roasted cherry tomatoes give these French bread pizzas bright flavor.
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Heather Greene, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou17/37Sausage and Ricotta Baked Cannelloni
Is there a better festive meal than a big casserole dish full of cannelloni? This five-star recipe brings together silky béchamel, fresh Swiss chard, whole milk ricotta, and store-bought marinara for ease.
18/37Slow Cooker Ricotta-Spinach Polenta with Tomato Salad
Cooking polenta in a slow cooker is a game changer. Stirring in a dollop of ricotta and some Parmesan and topping with a simple tomato salad makes it even better.
Gentl & Hyers19/37Ricotta Gnocchi With Asparagus, Peas, and Morels
The fluffiest gnocchi of all time start with ricotta. Save this dish for spring, when morels, peas, and asparagus are at their best.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks20/37White Pizza With Shaved Vegetables and Pesto
You probably already know that ricotta is fantastic slathered on toast, whether you pile it with veggies or just add a drizzle of pesto or honey. But have you tried ricotta on a pizza? This fresh take on white pizza gets a slathering of ricotta mixed with pesto, mozz, garlic, and lemon zest, and then a veritable salad of green veggies.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova21/37Fettuccine With Shredded Zucchini, Fresh Ricotta, and Lemon Zest
Ditte Isager22/37Ricotta Gnudi
Since ricotta is a mild-flavored cheese, consider this gnudi a blank canvas for sauce experimentation. Try it with a tomato sauce or go with luxurious brown butter and sage.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Jerri Joy, Food Styling by Anna Hampton24/37Carrot Tart With Ricotta and Almond Filling
Photo by Alice Gao, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Diana Yen27/37Shredded Brussels Sprout and Ricotta Toast
A bright tangle of shredded brussels sprouts, raisins, and pine nuts tops silky ricotta here; it’s the perfect hors d’oeuvre for Thanksgiving or the holidays.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks28/37Ricotta-Pumpkin Gnocchi With Brown Butter
Canned pumpkin purée isn’t just for pie. This dinner celebrates fall flavors and requires only an hour of prep time.
Nigel Cox32/37Ricotta Cheesecake With Caramel-Orange Sauce
Like many cheesecake recipes, this one requires a night in the fridge to set. Which means you can serve it at a dinner party without any last-minute fuss.
Lara Ferroni34/37Arugula With Brûléed Figs, Ricotta, and Prosciutto
How to make a classic flavor pairing seem as fresh as this arugula? Give the figs on this salad a moment under the broiler for a sweet, caramelized addition.
Photo by Ditte Isager37/37Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes
Of course we couldn’t wrap up a list of the best ricotta cheese recipes without including this brunch favorite. This recipe comes from Gjelina in Venice, California, and these pancakes are nutty, lemony, and remarkably moist. These don’t need maple syrup—fresh berries macerated in lemon juice do the trick.
