5 delicious ways to use ricotta in your cooking
What's the story
A versatile ingredient, ricotta cheese can elevate everyday meals with its creamy texture and mild flavor.
Be it enhancing a pasta dish or turning a delightful dessert, ricotta offers a plethora of possibilities.
Here are five ways in which you can use ricotta in your meals, with these simple yet effective ideas to transform ordinary recipes into something special.
From savory to sweet, see how this cheese can become a staple in your kitchen.
Pasta
Creamy pasta delight
Incorporating ricotta into your pasta dishes adds just the right amount of creaminess without overpowering the other flavors.
Just mix it with some cooked pasta and fresh herbs like basil or parsley for an easy yet satisfying meal.
You can even blend it with some lemon zest and garlic for an added zing.
Not only does this enhance the taste, but it also gives a rich texture to different types of pasta.
Pancakes
Fluffy pancakes twist
Adding ricotta to pancake batter gives you light and fluffy pancakes with a hint of richness.
The moisture from the cheese makes for an airy texture while keeping it from collapsing.
Just fold in ricotta into your regular pancake mix before cooking it on the griddle.
Top these pancakes off with fresh fruit or honey for a delightful breakfast treat that seems indulgent yet simple.
Vegetables
Savory stuffed vegetables
Ricotta also makes an amazing filling for stuffed veggies like bell peppers or zucchini.
Mix it with spinach, herbs, and spices and voila, you have a tasty stuffing mixture ready!
Bake the veggies until tender once filled for an awesome meal option that's both nutritious and delicious.
This way you get to enjoy the creamy goodness of ricotta and eat more veggies.
Desserts
Sweet ricotta desserts
Transforming desserts is a cakewalk when you use ricotta as a base ingredient in sweets like cheesecakes or tarts.
Its mild flavor combines well with vanilla extract or citrus zest, resulting in balanced desserts which are not too sweet.
For an effortless treat, mix ricotta with honey and serve it over fresh berries or use it as a filling in pastries for added creaminess.
Spreads
Smooth ricotta spreads
Create smooth spreads by blending ricotta with ingredients like roasted garlic or sun-dried tomatoes for savory options perfect on bread or crackers.
For sweeter spreads, combine it with cinnamon and sugar to top toast or bagels at breakfast time.
These spreads are versatile enough to be used as dips too—ideal for entertaining guests without much fuss.