Home / Substitution Guides / Ricotta
Ricotta is mild, slightly sweet, and grainy rather than creamy. That texture is why it holds up in baked layers instead of melting into liquid, so a good substitute needs body rather than just flavour.
Best for: Lasagna, stuffed shells, baked dishes
Blend briefly for smoothness, or leave it if you want texture. Drain it first.
Best for: Desserts, cannoli filling
Much richer and sweeter. Cut with a little Greek yogurt for savoury uses.
Best for: Lighter savoury dishes and dips
Tangier. Strain an hour in a sieve or it is too loose.
Best for: Vegan lasagna and stuffed pasta
Crumble rather than fully puree so it keeps a ricotta-like texture.
Whatever you use, drain it. Watery filling is the single most common cause of a soupy lasagna, and cottage cheese and yogurt both carry more liquid than ricotta. Twenty minutes in a fine sieve is usually enough. In cheesecake, ricotta is structural, so a loose substitute will not set the same way.
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Yes, 1:1, and it is the closest common substitute. Drain it first, and blend briefly if you want a smoother texture. In lasagna most people cannot tell the difference.
Firm tofu crumbled and blended with lemon juice, salt, and a little olive oil. Keep it slightly coarse rather than smooth so it reads as ricotta rather than as a puree.
In small amounts in desserts, yes, but it is much denser and tangier. Thin it with a little milk or yogurt, and expect a heavier result than ricotta would give.
Cottage cheese, blended is the closest match, at 1:1. Lasagna, stuffed shells, baked dishes. Blend briefly for smoothness, or leave it if you want texture. Drain it first.
Cottage cheese, blended (1:1) if you want the closest result, or Mascarpone (1:1) for desserts, cannoli filling. Which one is right depends on what the ricotta was doing in the dish.
Related guides: Cream Cheese · Mascarpone · Yogurt · Melting Cheese · All guides