Ricotta cheese originated from Itlay, is an Italian cheese made from sheep, cow, goat, or Italian water buffalo milk leftover from the production of other cheeses .
Fresh Ricotta is traditionally smoother than cottage cheese and tastes mildly sweet. The light, delicate consistency and clean flavors make it a perfect accompaniment to various recipes and dishes.
However, Ricotta cheese is relatively expensive and may not be readily available everywhere, so this list highlights the best substitutes for Ricotta cheese.
19 Best Substitutes for Ricotta Cheese
The best substitute for Ricotta Cheese are – Fromage Blanc, Cottage Cheese, Sour Cream, Mascarpone Cheese, Cream Cheese, Greek Yogurt, Buttermilk Cheese, Pot Cheese, Goat’s Cheese, Clabber Cream, Requesón Cheese, Quark Cheese, Queso Blanco, Bocconcini, Paneer, Brousse Cheese, Béchamel Sauce, Parmesan, and Tofu. They are discussed in detail here –
Fromage Blanc
Fromage blanc “white cheese” originating from the north of France and the south of Belgium is a fresh, spreadable cheese.
This cheese is almost fat-free in its purest form, whereas a cream is added to augment its flavor, increasing its fat content.
It has a clean, slightly citric flavor with a texture similar to Ricotta.
Summary
Fromage blanc is used in pastry fillings, pasta, or served as a dessert with fruits.
Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese, considered fresh cheese, is a curd product with a mild flavor.
It is not aged as it does not undergo an aging or ripening process to develop flavor .
Cottage cheese is creamy, lumpy, and sold in pots. Its curd is washed to get rid of the acidity and leaving a sweet taste.
Different types of milk with various fat levels make Cottage cheese.
Summary
Cottage cheese is soft, white is eaten by itself or with fruits, toast, or even used in salads.
Sour Cream
Sour cream is prepared from cream with different fat content, a dairy product obtained by fermenting regular cream with certain lactic acid bacteria.
In Sour cream, the combined action of strains of Lactococcus lactis bacterial culture, introduced either deliberately or naturally, sours and thickens the cream.
Summary
It is used in many savory foods stroganoff, vegetable dishes, dressings, snack dips, etc.
Mascarpone Cheese
Mascarpone cheese is an Italian cheese from the Lombardy region, is a soft cheese.
It is made by coagulating milk cream with citric acid or acetic acid.
This cheese has a thick, double, or triple cream, soft cheese with a very high-fat content ranging from 60% to 75%.
Summary
Mascarpone is used in both sweet thicken puddings and dessert creams and savory dishes.
Cream Cheese
Cream cheese created in England cheese is made combining cream and milk cause the cheese to have a high-fat content.
It is widely consumed in cheesecakes, frostings, dips, toppings, sweet & savory dishes, and desserts.
Summary
Cream cheese smooth, spreadable cheese consistency helps make toasts and makes an excellent substitute for Ricotta cheese.
Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is a yogurt whose whey is removed by straining.
Due to the removal of strain, Greek yogurt has a thicker consistency than regular unstrained yogurt.
Though different originally, this yogurt retains the distinctive sour taste of yogurt.
Summary
Greek yogurt is used in toast, fruit, salads, shakes, eggs, and shakes.
Buttermilk Cheese
Buttermilk cheese is moist and coagulated , similar to ricotta cheese.
This cheese is mostly sweet and creamy.
It has an acidic taste and a little zing flavor to it.
Summary
Buttermilk cheese is used in sweets but mostly in savory recipes such as pasta.
Pot Cheese
Pot cheese is a soft, crumbly, unaged cheese.
It is simple to make and versatile, making Pot cheese a very popular cheese.
It is said to be in the midway stage between cottage cheese and farmer cheese .
Summary
Pot cheese is drier and firmer, and it requires more moisture compare to Ricotta cheese.
Goat’s Cheese
Goat cheese or chevre is a versatile cheese made from goat’s milk.
The flavor in Goat cheese is tart, with a light, almost spreadable texture.
Chevre is more acidic, though, and culinarians should use only fresh cheese to replace Ricotta cheese.
Summary
Goat cheese or chevre is used in lasagna, fruit platters, pasta, pizza, and mostly in savory dishes.
Clabber Cream
Clabber Cream is a spooning cream that is unpasteurized milk that curdles and becomes sour rather than a pouring cream.
Its cream tastes cheese-like when it comes to flavor.
It is very similar to créme fraîche but has a thicker texture, more like smooth Ricotta.
Summary
Clabber Cream is used in fruit and veggie dips, toppings, spreads.
Requesón Cheese
Requesón cheese, also known as Requeijão , is a Latin cheese produced in Portugal and Brazil.
Requesón cheese-making process is similar to the making of a Ricotta; the cheese is often called the Hispanic version of Ricotta cheese.
It has a spreadable, creamy, yellowish-white, and lumpy cheese that is consumed fresh.
Generally, this cheese consistency can differ from solid to creamy with a characteristic strong and salty taste.
Summary
Requesón cheese highlights the flavor of dishes like salads, pasta, enchiladas, and desserts.
Quark Cheese
Quark or quarg traditional, creamy, vegetarian, unripened cheese tracing to German-speaking and Eastern Europea n countries in various fresh dairy products made by warming soured milk are said to be a cross between yogurt and cottage cheese.
It makes a great base for recipes such as cheesecake, pasta, creamy sauces, sandwiches, salads, and desserts also pairs well with Champagne White sparkling, Pacherenc-du-Vid White, Coteaux-du-lay on White, Monbazillac White, and Cadillac White.
Summary
Quark cheese is classified as fresh acid-set cheese that is moist, snowy white with a subtle taste and smooth & soft texture.
Queso Blanco
Queso Blanco, also called Queso Fresco, literally white cheese in Spanish, is a soft, unaged fresh cheese made from pure cow’s milk or a combination of goats and cow milk.
This cheese is pretty simple to make at home due to its short maturation process.
It has a mild flavor with a firm and crumbly texture.
Summary
Queso Blanco is commonly used in salads over rice and beans or served as a table cheese with fresh fruit, marmalade, or chutney.
Bocconcini
Bocconcini meaning “little bites” in Italian, are small mozzarella cheese balls the size of an egg that originated in Naples.
This particular cheese is white, semisoft, and rindless, mild unripened cheeses usually made from a mixture of water buffalo and cow’s milk.
It has a refreshingly delicate and creamy aroma and is used in a salad or a wrap.
Summary
Bocconcini cheese is versatile and can be used in any baked dish, from pizza to lasagna.
Paneer
Paneer or Indian cottage cheese s a fresh cheese frequently used in South Asian Cuisine; similar to queso Blanco is a fresh acid-set cheese common in the Indian subcontinent made from cow or buffalo milk.
Paneer moist and soft crumbly in texture is a non-aged, non-melting soft cheese made by curdling milk with derived acids, such as lemon juice.
Its acid-set form before pressing is called chhena.
Summary
Paneer is used in cooked dishes, works great in pizza, pies, pasta, and lasagna.
Brousse Cheese
Brousse du Rove, a cheese made from fresh, unaged goat’s milk cheese, is a white and lumpy whey cheese from Provence, Corsica, and north-western Italy.
Texture and taste wise this cheese are similar to Ricotta.
Summary
Brousse cheese is versatile and is used in cooked, baked, and uncooked dishes.
Béchamel Sauce
Béchamel sauce is a basic white sauce traditionally made from a white roux and milk.
The sauce is silky-smooth, amazingly flavorful, and quite neutral in taste.
It is also known as one of the “mother sauces” of French cuisine.
Summary
French, Italian, and Greek Béchamel sauce recipes intrinsically use salt and nutmeg as a seasoning base.
Parmesan
Parmigiano-Reggiano is an Italian hard, grainy cheese produced from cow’s milk.
It is famous for its name based on Reggio Emilia, Parma, the part of Bologna west of the Reno, and Modena, and Mantua on the right/south bank of the Po.
Summary
Parmesan melts easily and can be added to pastries, pieces of bread, or baked pasta dishes
Tofu
Tofu, also called bean curd, is prepared by whirling soy milk and pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of different softness .
It can be silken, soft, firm, extra firm, or super firm and has a creamier texture and a sweet taste.
Summary
Tofu is a vegan substitute that replicates ricotta taste making it a good ricotta replacement.
FAQs
Ricotta cheese is a rich source of calcium and provides a range of other essential nutrients, including vitamin A; riboflavin. Ricotta contains less salt and fat – 10 percent fat, of which 6 percent is saturated.
Ricotta cheese is commonly found in baked dishes like lasagna and desserts; it does not need to be cooked; it can be eaten fresh from the store just like any other cheese.
Bottom Line
Ricotta is a key ingredient in many Italian dishes like lasagna, manicotti, cassata, cheesecake, calzone, pizza, and ravioli and dips. There are, however, many substitutes available in place of Ricotta cheese with similar use and taste.
I hope this list helps find you your suitable replacement for Ricotta. Also, do share your experience and recipes in the comments section.