Cottage cheese and ricotta are both fresh, relatively mild cheeses — and both delicious in their own right — but they’re not the same thing.
“Although both are unripened (read: fresh) cheeses, there are technical differences,” says Kathleen Serino, a national training and curriculum manager at Murray’s Cheese. “From a high level, it is how the milk solids are treated during the cheesemaking process.”
Though they’re both made from cow’s milk, ricotta cheese is produced with leftover whey from the milk-making process, whereas cottage cheese uses the curds. Ricotta and cottage cheese also differ in texture and flavor: Ricotta is smoother and slightly sweeter, while cottage cheese has a lumpier consistency and tangier flavor.
Read on for more on how these dairy-aisle staples differ.
Ricotta cheese means “recooked,” and it’s indeed often made with leftover whey (the liquid that remains after milk has been curdled and strained) from cow’s milk. “The residual curds remaining in whey can be coagulated by acid with the help of steady cooking over heat,” explains Serino. “Easy enough to make at home from scratch, ricotta has to be carefully ladled into a draining basket to maintain its delicate and fluffy texture,” she adds.
Ricotta cheese has a slightly sweet, milky flavor and a noticeably pillowy texture, which makes it ideal for baked Italian-American casseroles, baked goods like cakes and cookies, and sweet and savory hors d’oeuvres. Ricotta salata, meanwhile, is a salted and aged version of ricotta.
To make ricotta at home, start by warming dairy (usually whole milk with a little bit of cream, or with buttermilk for an extra tangy flavor) on a stovetop. Once it begins to steam and foam, add a splash of acid (lemon juice or white vinegar works best) and stir continuously until the curds begin to form. Transfer the mixture to cheesecloth to strain the whey; the remaining creamy curds become ricotta.
What is cottage cheese?
“Cottage cheese is made by coagulating milk with acid [slowly]. The solids are then cut into curd-size pieces and cream is added as a seasoning,” explains Serino. Whereas ricotta is sweeter, cottage cheese has a notable tangy flavor from the slow acid fermentation. It has a heavier, thicker consistency than ricotta, and is generally studded with larger curds, though it comes in small and large curd varieties.
When to use ricotta vs. cottage cheese
Mild, smooth, and fresh-tasting, ricotta cheese is incredibly versatile in sweet and savory dishes alike — it can be used to make fluffy pancakes, whisked into a breakfast frittata, blended into meatballs, or smeared on crostini for a quick appetizer. It’s also delicious in pasta dishes like Skillet Lasagna, Lemon-Ricotta Pasta, or Ricotta Gnocchi, and stars in not-too-sweet desserts like our Honey-Ricotta Mousse and Limoncello-Ricotta Cheesecake. If you’re not using ricotta in a baked dish, it’s best served cold.
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Although slightly tangy, protein-packed cottage cheese is often enjoyed on its own or topped with fresh fruit, it’s traditional in many noodle dishes from around the world like spaetzle and kugel. It can also be layered with fresh or dried fruit and granola for a nourishing breakfast or lunch parfait, or used as a dip for pita chips and raw crudités. While you can substitute cottage cheese for ricotta in certain dishes like lasagna, avoid using it in recipes like cheesecake that call for a smoother texture.
How to shop for ricotta and cottage cheese
Ricotta and cottage cheese are both widely available, and can be found in the dairy aisle of your grocery store. “For ricotta, I am looking for an Italian-style producer, or perhaps organic,” says Serino. “If you find one labeled ‘hand-dipped,’ that is a good indicator for deliciousness and delicate texture.” Better yet, look for imported ricotta made with sheep or water buffalo milk for a rich and creamy flavor.
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When shopping for cottage cheese, look for brands that produce whole milk, large curd cheeses for the best flavor and texture. “When it comes to cottage cheese, I am reaching for either a semi-local producer or an organic version — if there is a local, organic version, all the better,” says Serino. As with all fresh dairy products, look at the best-by date; the more recently the cheese has been made, the better it will taste.
Cottage cheese is the way to go if you're looking for a cheese with higher protein content and lower calories and fat. On the other hand, if you're looking for a cheese that has a creamier texture and is lower in sodium, ricotta cheese may be the better option.
In fact, some people prefer to use cottage cheese because it has a similar flavor and fewer calories. However, it's important to remember that they're not quite the same: Cottage cheese is runnier and less creamy than ricotta.
Lasagna without ricotta is a delicious and creamy dish! This recipe uses mozzarella and Parmesan cheese to create a rich and flavorful lasagna that is sure to please everyone at the table.
We eat it fresh straight out of its fuscella (the basket where ricotta is kept), but also atop pasta, fresh bread, crostini, or eggs. My nonna makes round omelets filled with ricotta and fresh mint, and she spreads the leftover ricotta on warm bread with a drop of olive oil.
Compared to most cheeses, ricotta is a healthier choice because it contains less salt and fat - 10 per cent fat, of which 6 per cent is saturated. It's light and creamy with a slightly grainy texture and delicate flavour that can be used on its own or in sweet and savoury dishes.
Mascarpone is a cream cheese with a 45+% of fat content. Ricotta is a dairy product made by precipitating albumine left in the whey, which is the cheese waste product, and it has a nearly 0% fat content. The two can't be used alternatively to each other. You can't substitute one to the other.
Ricotta is smooth and slightly sweet from the heavy cream and you can even eat it when it's still warm. I love to mix olive oil, salt and pepper into it, then smear it across toast. It's also great mixed into hot pasta, layered onto lasagna, or turned into a dip for raw vegetables like radishes and carrots.
In Italian cuisine, ricotta cheese is a popular ingredient in many dishes, but when it's not available, Italians may substitute it with other soft cheeses like mascarpone, stracchino, or crescenza.
Eggs help bind the ricotta cheese, but if you don't have eggs on hand then it's OK to omit them. Adding egg to ricotta cheese helps to bind the cheese for lasagna so that it doesn't ooze out of the casserole when you cut it. Basically, the egg helps all the cheesy goodness stay intact.
Use Greek yogurt in recipes where ricotta is imparting a creamy texture, like being stirred into a sauce. If you need 1 cup of ricotta and only have 1/2 cup, adding 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt to it would be perfect. But if you're truly out of ricotta, start with 3/4 cup Greek yogurt for every 1 cup ricotta needed.
It is often found in the filling for ravioli or thrown into pasta sauce, ricotta gnocchi are a light, fresh, dreamy alternative to the classic potato version, and there are numerous cakes, tarts, mousses and pies which all utilize the adaptable characteristics of ricotta cheese.
It is also used to stuff ravioli, manicotti, and other pasta. It can be dolloped onto pasta or combined with sugar and spices to make desserts like cheesecake and Italian cannolis. On the other hand, ricotta salata should be used as a finishing cheese, to sprinkle on salads, soups, and other dishes for a salty bite.
For extra creamy ricotta, add in an extra egg, a handful of grated parmesan, and a quarter cup of shredded mozzarella. Eggs help prevent the ricotta from drying out and serve to bind the ricotta so it doesn't become runny. One or more eggs are recommended whether you add the other ingredients mentioned here or not.
Although extremely tasty on that cheese plate, soft cheeses such as Camembert, brie and triple-crème (cheese enriched with cream) fall into the “less healthy” category because of their saturated fat content.
As for substituting cottage cheese for ricotta—it can be done in some recipes, such as lasagna and certain other baked pasta dishes like stuffed shells, but the finished dish will be runnier; and due to its higher moisture content, cottage cheese does not make a good ricotta substitute in most baked dessert recipes.
Compared to cottage cheese, ricotta typically has roughly four times the amount of saturated fats. Though cottage cheese has a lower fat content, ricotta cheese is higher in calcium and selenium, as well as vitamins A, E, D, and B2.
The high protein content in cottage cheese comes mostly from casein, which — because it's slowly absorbed — can build muscle just as well as whey protein. Thyroid health. Cottage cheese is an excellent source of selenium, an essential trace mineral that plays an important role in how your thyroid works.
Cottage cheese will melt somewhat when heated, though not entirely, and the curds will become incorporated into the eggs, adding a rich and creamy consistency. Cottage cheese boosts the protein content and lets you stretch the number of servings without having to use more eggs.
directions. Place the cheese in a food processor or blender, I use a magic bullet blender for this. Blitz until all the curds are broken up and the mixture appears smooth. Place in a bowl and garnish with black pepper.
Its similar moisture content and mild taste make it a fine addition to anything you'd look to ricotta to accomplish – lasagna, pancakes, quick bread, muffins, etc.
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