Quick Answer: Can You Freeze Ricotta Cheese?
Yes, you can freeze ricotta cheese, and it can last well in the freezer for 2 to 3 months without much change in taste or texture. The key to freezing ricotta cheese is to make sure that you are using an air-tight freezer-safe container.
If you are searching for how to freeze and store the creamy goodness of ricotta cheese, this is the ultimate guide on how to.
This method has, in my experience, worked out great and is simple to follow through.
Let’s get right into it.
How to Freeze Ricotta Cheese?
This is a foolproof method that you can use to freeze ricotta cheese without losing its taste or quality.
Materials
- Ricotta Cheese
- Cling Wrap
Tools
- Ziploc Bags or Freezer-Safe Air-Tight Containers
Instructions
- Stir and Portion: Stir the ricotta cheese well to ensure that it freezes evenly. Then divide the ricotta cheese into small, easily manageable portions.
- Wrap Them: Using some cling wrap cover the individual portions of ricotta cheese.
- Pack and Seal: Put the wrapped ricotta cheese into a Ziploc bag or a freezer-safe air-tight container and seal them. If you choose the Ziploc bags, make sure to squeeze out all the excess air before sealing them.
If you chose the freezer-safe container, try to leave some space at the top to accommodate for any expansion once the cheese freezes. - Label and Freeze: Add a label with the date on the container, and you're all set to freeze them.
Freezing Ricotta Cheese in Ice-Cube Trays
Time Taken: 10-15 minutes
What you will need:
- Ricotta Cheese
- Ice Cube Tray
- Cling Wrap
- Ziploc Bag or Freezer-Safe Container
This is a great way to portion and freeze ricotta cheese, especially if you like to use small amounts at a time.
Stir Well
Stir the ricotta cheese weel to ensure that it freezes evenly.
Fill and Wrap
Spoon in the ricotta cheese into an ice-cube tray. Then using some cling wrap, cover the entire tray thoroughly.
Flash Freeze
Leave the tray with cheese in the freezer for a couple of hours or overnight and let the cheese set solid.
Transfer and Seal
Put the frozen cubes of ricotta cheese into a Ziploc bag or a freezer-safe container and then seal them. When sealing a Ziploc bag, try to squeeze out as much of the excess air as you can.
Label and Freeze
Label the container with the date, and you can leave them in the freezer till you need them next.
How Long Can You Freeze Ricotta Cheese?
You can freeze ricotta cheese for 2 to 3 months without losing much of its texture or quality. However, it is recommended to consume it sooner rather than later for the best results in taste.
Keep in mind that ricotta cheese has high water content, and once it freezes, the water crystallizes and separates upon thawing.
So, the longer the ricotta cheese stays in the freezer, the drier and crumbier it gets.
How to Store Frozen Ricotta Cheese?
You can store ricotta cheese in any freezer-safe air-tight container or Ziploc bags. If you have a big batch of ricotta cheese to freeze, then the Ziploc bags are the better option as they take up less space in the freezer.
If you are looking to freeze an unopened package of store-bought ricotta cheese, ensure that the container is freezer safe and air-tight. If so, you can leave the container in the freezer.
You could wrap it with cling wrap for good measure. But it is ideal to transfer it to a freezer-safe container.
The key to storing frozen ricotta cheese is to ensure that the container is fully air-tight because exposed ricotta cheese has a high chance of being contaminated by bacteria.
How to Defrost Ricotta Cheese?
You can defrost ricotta cheese by taking out the portion you need and leaving it in the fridge for 6 to 8 hours, and let it thaw gradually.
It is advised against thawing it at room temperature or on the counter because there are high chances of bacterial contamination when defrosted this way.
Once the ricotta cheese thaws, there might be a slight change in texture as some of the water may separate from the cheese.
You can fix this by mixing it or even draining the excess water out.
After thawing the ricotta cheese, it is best to consume it immediately or place it in the fridge until further use. It can last in the fridge after defrosting for two days.
Can You Refreeze Ricotta Cheese?
It is strongly advised not to refreeze ricotta cheese. Although you can try, refreezing the ricotta cheese might fasten the spoiling process, especially if it wasn’t fresh cheese, to begin with.
Being a dairy product, ricotta cheese is prone to bacterial contamination, which worsens with repeated freezing.
To avoid wasting ricotta cheese after it is defrosted, you can portion them beforehand into serving sizes that can be consumed in one go.
Does Ricotta Cheese Freeze Well?
Yes, ricotta cheese freezes well and can last in the freezer for 2 to 3 months. The ricotta cheese goes through a minor change in texture or quality when frozen.
But the longer it stays in the freezer for too long, the water content can separate, making it dry and crumby. So, it is best used in recipes that are cooked or baked.
If the recipe calls for uncooked ricotta cheese, then it would be best to stick to fresh ricotta cheese than the frozen version.
FAQs
Yes, you can freeze ricotta cheese mixture like a ravioli mix. But keep in mind that the longer it stays in the freezer, the more its texture will change, affecting the additional elements. So, it is best to consume the ricotta cheese mix sooner rather than later.
Yes, you can freeze food like lasagna, gnocchi, or ravioli, which contain ricotta cheese in them. For best results in taste, it is recommended to consume them sooner rather than later. Since you can’t refreeze such dishes, it would be best to portion them beforehand as well.
Bottom Line
I hope this article helped you freeze and store ricotta cheese or dishes with ricotta cheese in them.
If you have any queries or would like to share some freezing tips of your own, it would be great to hear from you.
Feel free to share this article with all your friends and family.