These 6 Ricotta Substitutes Will Save the Day in Your Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of ricotta cheese? ›

Use Greek yogurt in recipes where ricotta is imparting a creamy texture, like being stirred into a sauce. If you need 1 cup of ricotta and only have 1/2 cup, adding 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt to it would be perfect. But if you're truly out of ricotta, start with 3/4 cup Greek yogurt for every 1 cup ricotta needed.

Ricotta. Ricotta is a cheese with a similar thickness and mild flavor that can work well in the place of sour cream. If you're cooking, the fine texture of ricotta will melt right into a sauce or batter. It is not fermented like sour cream and won't lend quite the same subtle tanginess.

I recommend cottage cheese because, in lasagna, the flavor and texture is superior to the more traditional ricotta. But that's just my opinion. If you prefer ricotta, feel free to use it in the same amount.

Ricotta Substitute

However, it's important to remember that they're not quite the same: Cottage cheese is runnier and less creamy than ricotta. Opt for a small-curd cottage cheese—the large-curd form is a bit too lumpy. Goat cheese: Fresh goat cheese is an acceptable substitute for ricotta. Key word: Fresh.

Ricotta works well within the full spectrum of baked goods, so as long as you're using your imagination, you'll never run out of ideas for putting it to use. The bottom line is: If a baked good calls for cream cheese, then it can be substituted for ricotta.

In some recipes, you may be able to substitute mozzarella for ricotta, but the texture and flavor of the dish will be different.

Try switching out ricotta for parmesan cream sauce

And according to Kitchn, perhaps it's best to end its uses there, as the outlet says in baked ziti, ricotta can often dry out and develop a grainy texture. An improved substitute, according to Serious Eats, is to make a quick Parmesan cream sauce.

Mizithra or myzithra (Greek: μυζήθρα [miˈziθra]) is a Greek whey cheese or mixed milk-whey cheese from sheep or goats, or both. It is sold both as a fresh cheese, similar to Italian ricotta, and as a salt-dried grating cheese, similar to Italian ricotta salata. The ratio of milk to whey is usually 7 to 3.

Ricotta is made from whey, the part of milk that remains after the curds form as a byproduct of cheese-making. For ricotta, the whey is processed into a firm textured consistency and is a naturally good source of calcium. It's an ideal substitute for cream or whole milk in a cream sauce.

Compared to most cheeses, ricotta is a healthier choice because it contains less salt and fat - 10 per cent fat, of which 6 per cent is saturated. It's light and creamy with a slightly grainy texture and delicate flavour that can be used on its own or in sweet and savoury dishes.

Can I use evaporated milk instead of sour cream? ›

For cooked sauces, combine 1 cup evaporated milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. Let the mixture stand 5 minutes to thicken. If you are looking for a lower fat option to sour cream, mix 1 can of chilled evaporated milk whipped with 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

In Italian cuisine, ricotta cheese is a popular ingredient in many dishes, but when it's not available, Italians may substitute it with other soft cheeses like mascarpone, stracchino, or crescenza.

Cottage cheese: As far as ricotta substitutes go, light and mild cottage cheese is your best bet. In fact, some people prefer to use cottage cheese because it has a similar flavor and fewer calories.

Ideally, store the cheese in the back of your freezer, where the temperature is the lowest. The door of your freezer is a bit warmer and can fluctuate in temperature whenever you open and close it. Stored properly, fresh ricotta will last in the freezer for one to three months.

Whereas ricotta is sweeter, cottage cheese has a notable tangy flavor from the slow acid fermentation. It has a heavier, thicker consistency than ricotta, and is generally studded with larger curds, though it comes in small and large curd varieties.

The primary difference is that making ricotta involves milk; making cream cheese calls for cream and milk. This slight ingredient difference sets it apart from ricotta in terms of its richer flavor and fattier profile. If you're going purely for taste in a homemade lasagna, you should give this swap a chance.

Typically, no. Ricotta and cottage cheese are largely interchangeable, but not with Philly. For example, in a cheesecake, ricotta would not work. Mascarpone would, however.

You can sub it for cottage cheese, and in recipes that don't require a silky texture, farmer cheese can take the place of ricotta or mascarpone in a pinch.