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30 Rich Ricotta Dishes That Will Make You Fall In Love With The Cheese

It's rich, creamy, and sooo smooth.

By Mo Goldstein
individual cannoli bites topped with chocolate chips, crushed pistachio and powdered sugar
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: LENA ABRAHAM

If you ask us, ricotta is an heavily underrated cheese. Sure, you can't eat it like you would a slice of cheddar, but it adds the creamiest, smoothest taste to SO many dishes. These recipes—some savory, some sweet—prove it. It's also incredibly easy to make from scratch with our homemade ricotta recipe. While store-bought can work, there's nothing quite like the homemade thing. Once prepared, it's ready to be added to practically anything: pasta dinners, spread on toast, and to plenty of Italian desserts. Honestly, we wouldn't blame you if you ate it plain from a spoon. Join us as we celebrate the creamy goodness of ricotta with these 30 recipes.

Whether you're craving the comforting layers of a classic ricotta lasagna, starting your day off right with a delicious breakfast like our lemon ricotta pancakes, indulging in a comforting bowl of pasta from our corn & ricotta pasta to our pasta alla norma, or treating yourself to a sweet and simple dessert with our no-bake whipped ricotta cheesecake—ricotta cheese is the star ingredient that adds richness and depth to every bite. Need a show-stopping appetizer at the last minute? Ricotta to the rescue in our whipped ricotta toast, our fried ricotta-stuffed squash blossoms, or our cannoli bites. Gather your ingredients and get ready to savor the irresistible flavors of these mouthwatering ricotta dishes. Buon appetito!

Need more cheese-filled recipe ideas? Check out our best cheesiest recipes. Or try one of these delicious homemade pizza recipes.

1

Cannoli

cannolis
Parker feierbach

Italian bakeries have been serving up cannoli forever. The crispy shell and creamy sweet filling are nearly irresistible. Often times, they come with mini chocolate chips or chopped pistachios or dipped in chocolate. No matter what topping you pick, they're a MAJOR treat. (It's why we couldn't stop ourselves from making cannoli cupcakes!)

Get the Cannoli recipe.

2

White Pizza

white pizza with garlic chips and ricotta
Parker Feierbach

White pizzas can be boring without the acidity of tomatoes, but we've made a pie that takes advantage of the flavors from three different cheeses. If you want to go totally homemade with this recipe, be sure to use our simple and delicious pizza dough recipe.

Get the White Pizza recipe.

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3

Chicken, Spinach & Artichoke Lasagna

cheesy lasagna with layers of spinach and artichoke
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

We love spinach–artichoke anything, be it a hearty bun, a cozy soup, a deluxe stuffed baked potato, or a crispy taquito... While we’ve already paired these flavors with gnocchi, tortellini, pasta shells, and more, making a super-cheesy chicken, spinach, and artichoke lasagna just had to happen.

Get the Chicken, Spinach & Artichoke Lasagna recipe.

4

Whipped Ricotta Toast

whipped ricotta toast
Andrew bui

This light, fluffy whipped ricotta is as close as you can get to eating a cloud. Spoon it onto a serving plate and top with roasted vegetables, add it to bruschetta, or serve as dessert with fresh or roasted strawberries.

Get the Whipped Ricotta Toast recipe.

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5

Baked Ziti

baked ziti with italian sausage ricotta garlic basil and tomato sauce
PHOTO: KATE JORDAN FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

After 5 rounds of testing, we finally found the ideal combination of flavors and effort for our best-ever baked ziti—it’s got rich ricotta and a meaty, tomato-based sauce, thrown together in a dish and baked with your pasta.

Get the Baked Ziti recipe.

6

No-Bake Whipped Ricotta Cheesecake

no baked whipped ricotta cheesecake with vanilla bean and biscoff lemon cookie crust
PHOTO: NICO SCHINCO; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

"No-bake" and "whipped" in the same recipe name as "cheesecake"? Sure! This may be the anomaly to cheesecake, but I promise it’s one of the best—I’m not being biased—cheesecakes I’ve had. The NY-style, Basque, or Italian ricotta cheesecakes you’re familiar with can step back for a second.

Get the No-Bake Whipped Ricotta Cheesecake recipe.

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7

Ricotta Gnudi

platter of gnudi with browned butter and peas and mint
Andrew Bui

Making gnudi, or Italian ricotta dumplings, only sounds fancy. They're actually an easy pasta dinner anyone can pull off. If you love gnocchi as much as we do (make sure to check out this Sheet Pan Burrata Caprese recipe), you'll likely love these too.

Get the Ricotta Gnudi recipe.

8

Frittata

frittata with spinach mushrooms and ricotta
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: FRANCESCA ZANI

Quiche’s less-fussy cousin, frittatas are the answer to almost every meal dilemma. Looking to get creative with your leftovers? Veggies going bad in your fridge? Home late and craving a simple breakfast-for-dinner recipe? Say it with us: frittata, frittata, frittata.

Get the Frittata recipe.

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9

Lemon, Ricotta, & Asparagus Pasta Salad

pasta tossed with asparagus and creamy ricotta
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

While pasta salad can get creaminess from mayo, sour cream, or yogurt, we want to make a case for ricotta. Mixed with fresh lemon juice and zest, plenty of grated Parmesan, and pasta water, the ricotta melts into a creamy, bright sauce without any additional oil.

Get the Lemon, Ricotta, & Asparagus Pasta Salad recipe.

10

Spanakopita Stuffed Shells

spanakopita stuffed shells
Andrew bui

Although many stuffed shells recipes contain spinach, we tweak that by adding feta, dill, and scallions to make spanakopita-inspired stuffed shells. The result is a slight spin that might be better than the original.

Get the Spanakopita Stuffed Shells recipe.

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11

Zeppole

zeppole
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: ERIKA JOYCE

It’s time to say ciao to your new favorite Italian treats, zeppole! Zeppole are tiny fried donuts rolled in a sugar mixture, and we can’t get enough of them. They’re the perfect snack for serving with coffee for a midmorning pastry break, or with chocolate sauce for a more decadent dessert to finish off the night.

Get the Zeppole recipe.

12

Whipped Ricotta Pasta

whipped ricotta pasta
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

If you’ve ever had whipped ricotta toast, you know how the simple ingredient can elevate even something mundane to new heights. The same goes for pasta. In fact, whipped ricotta might just be one of the best pasta upgrades, especially when it’s paired with a sun-dried tomato sauce and spinach like we did here.

Get the Whipped Ricotta Pasta recipe.

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13

Blueberry-Lemon Ricotta Stuffed French Toast

blueberry lemon ricotta stuffed french toast
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Stuffed with a rich, lilac-colored blueberry ricotta, this dish is exactly what we crave when we’re dreaming of a sweet breakfast to go with our morning coffee. Sourdough is our bread of choice, but if you love brioche or challah French toast, feel free to experiment with those instead.

Get the Blueberry-Lemon Ricotta Stuffed French Toast recipe.

14

Pasta alla Norma

pasta alla norma
Emily Hlavac Green

While we love eggplant Parmesan and eggplant rollatini, when we're craving a little less work but those same eggplant flavors, we turn to this pasta recipe. It’s a classic Sicilian recipe for very good reason, and is the perfect easy summer dinner to celebrate peak fresh flavors.

Get the Pasta alla Norma recipe.

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15

Cannoli Bites

individual cannoli bites topped with chocolate chips, crushed pistachio and powdered sugar
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: LENA ABRAHAM

There's no debate: The combination of the crunchy exterior and creamy filling of a cannoli is one of the world’s best bites. These bite-sized treats are the perfect way to serve the classic Italian treat to guests this holiday season without all the mess and stress.

Get the Cannoli Bites recipe.

16

Cheesy Green Bean & Mushroom Tart

cheesy green bean and mushroom tart with crispy shallots
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Think of green bean casserole but better. In this tart, fresh blanched green beans are layered onto a creamy blend of ricotta and goat cheese, topped with garlicky mushrooms and cheddar cheese, then baked on a puff pastry crust until perfectly melty, crisp, and crave-able.

Get the Cheesy Green Bean & Mushroom Tart recipe.

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17

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

lemon ricotta pancakes
Parker Feierbach

Perfectly tart with a hint of sweetness, these are the absolute-best lemon ricotta pancakes. Compared to traditional buttermilk pancakes, they're fluffier in texture, and a perfect spring or summer breakfast.

Get the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes recipe.

18

Corn & Ricotta Pasta

corn and ricotta pasta
RACHEL VANNI

A light pasta is an ideal dinner during the warm summer months. Fresh ricotta and sweet corn are the stars of the show for this quick and easy pasta. The dish comes together in one pot and in about 30 minutes, which you just can’t beat.

Get Corn & Ricotta Pasta recipe.

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19

Ravioli Lasagna

Ravioli Lasagna horizontal
Parker Feierbach

Italian night is better when your two favorite pastas combine. This dish takes ravioli and turns them into a hearty casserole, guaranteed to please even the pickiest of eaters.

Get the Ravioli Lasagna recipe.

20

Ricotta Lasagna

ricotta and spinach lasagna roll ups
Ethan Calabrese

If you're looking for a quick and easy lasagna, this is the recipe for you. We took a couple shortcuts for this recipe by using store-bought marinara, boxed pasta sheets, and ricotta instead of a homemade béchamel.

Get the Ricotta Lasagna recipe.

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