When it comes to substituting a food like Ricotta cheese, whether it is lasagna or a cheesecake, it can be quite difficult to find a suitable substitute for your needs.
After all, with this cheese having such a unique flavor and texture, what exactly could you replace it with?
Well, maybe the following ingredients might meet your needs!
Things That You Need In A Ricotta Substitute
Before we get any further here, we should probably cover the most important aspects that any good replacement or substitute for Ricotta will need to meet.
- Texture – Ricotta has a texture that is slightly grainy when placed on its own in your mouth, while at the same time being quite moist still, with an almost fluffy texture.
- Taste – Unlike the somewhat subtle flavor of a similar cheese, such as mozzarella, ricotta is a sweet and milky cheese to taste.
- Consistency – While not exactly the most spreadable cheese, Ricotta is still quite a smooth and soft cheese when compared to many others.
So, with these factors established, we can move on to our possible substitutes, to see how they stack against the original!
1. Cream Cheese
Cream cheese has a similarly milky texture to it when eaten.
However, when it comes to consistency, cream cheese is noticeably more… well, creamy!
Being a cheese with high density and such a silky texture, you’re probably going to need to work on this cheese a bit to get the same texture.
However, when treated right, cream cheese is a very effective substitute for Ricotta. Plus, Cream Cheese is generally easy to find as well, maybe even more so than Ricotta.
When it comes to recipes such as cheesecakes, Ricotta and Cream Cheese are both excellent ingredients to use.
2. Cottage Cheese
In terms of texture, cottage cheese gets quite close to Ricotta, as it can have quite a fluffy texture when prepared right, although it is also considered a slightly chunkier type of cheese.
Cottage cheese also melts well in sauces, making it an excellent cheese for pasta dishes that might otherwise ask for Ricotta to be used.
3. Fromage Blanc
This is often the go-to replacement for Ricotta cheese if you live in places like France or Belgium, where this kind of cheese is easy to find.
Fromage Blanc is known for its fresh, milky flavor, making it quite similar to Ricotta in some capacity.
However, the naturally buttery texture and consistency will likely need some extra work put into it to make it fluffy like Ricotta normally is.
4. Greek Yogurt
Moving away from cheese altogether, Greek Yogurt has a flavor that makes it very similar to Ricotta, thanks to its high milk content.
Although noticeably softer than Ricotta too, Greek Yogurt spreads very nicely and in a similar way to Ricotta, especially on bread or as a good dip.
However, Greek Yogurt is also known for its somewhat tart or sweet flavor, meaning this may be better for desserts and savory dips than a meal like a lasagna.
5. Mascarpone
This cheese is very similar to Ricotta, especially in terms of texture and consistency, along with its milky flavor.
While some may notice that Mascarpone (see also ‘10 Mascarpone Cheese Substitutes‘) is a little more tart than Ricotta, the difference isn’t major, meaning that it is a very good substitute to use.
It is a little fattier than Riotta generally is, however, o keep that in mind when adding it to your ingredients list.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, Ricotta has pretty unique qualities to it. However, with the right eye and work, any of these alternatives will serve you well.
5 Substitutes For Ricotta Cheese
Looking for your Ricotta for that cheesecake recipe, but seem to have none in the refrigerator? This guide can show you some alternatives you might have!
Ingredients
Cream Cheese
Cottage Cheese
Fromage Blanc
Greek Yogurt
Mascarpone
Directions
- Decided on what substitute you need
- Pick a substitute from the list above
- Read what you need to substitute with
- Create the recipe and enjoy
Recipe Video
Cooking is great for your mental, physical, and emotional health. What’s the worst that could happen? Find a recipe that you like the sound of and cook it along with me. You might even unlock a new passion!
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