Ricotta Cheese Recipes

What's the first thing that comes to your mind when I say, 'Ricotta cheese'? Lasagna, am I right? Trust me, even I get all wide-eyed and hungry when I think of lasagna. But that's not all what ricotta cheese can be used in. There are many recipes that include ricotta cheese as the main ingredient and turn your dinner table into something of a marvel. And that's what we are going to learn here today. There are many delicious and easy recipes you can prepare. All you need are the ingredients, the directions given below, and hungry stomachs. In this Buzzle article, we will go over some of my favorite recipes made from ricotta cheese.

Ricotta Cheese Dip Recipes

Following are some yummy dip recipes made from ricotta cheese. Take a look.

White Pizza Dip

Ingredients

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 pkt garlic herb dry soup mix

Directions

Preheat the oven at 350ºF. In a microwave-safe bowl, mix all the ingredients properly and place inside the oven. Turn the oven on for a minute or two. Bring the bowl out and stir again properly. Once the ricotta and mozzarella cheeses have melted, serve with pizza crusts or Italian bread.

Dip for Vegetables

Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves, with skin
• 3 sprigs parsley, flat
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• Salt and black pepper, for taste

Directions

In a microwave-safe bowl, place garlic cloves and cover the bowl with Saran wrap. Heat in the microwave for 1½ minutes and remove the skin off latter. Add salt and black pepper to the cloves. Then the parsley leaves. Use a fork to mix everything together and then add the cheese to make a paste. Simultaneously, add lemon zest and olive oil in the bowl as well. Once the consistency is up to your liking, do a taste test and serve with fresh vegetables.

Ricotta Cheese Pasta Recipes

Here are some delicious Italian pasta recipes for you to try.

Spinach-Ricotta Manicotti

Ingredients

• 6½ cups tomato-basil sauce
• 2 teaspoons parsley, minced
• 1½ cups water
• 1½ cups mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 pkt manicotti shells
• 1 pkt spinach, chopped
• 1 can ricotta cheese
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• ½ cup onion, minced
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and black pepper, for taste

Directions

Preheat the oven at 350ºF. Take a bowl to mix spinach, the cheese, onion, and egg together. Add parsley, salt, garlic powder, and pepper in; mix again. Then add 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. In a different bowl, mix water with pasta sauce and keep it aside. Then take a baking dish and spread at least 1 cup of sauce in the bottom. Start filling the manicotti shells with the mixture we just prepared and place them on the baking dish in one layer. Place the rest of the sauce on top and spread evenly. Add the rest of the Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses on top and place the dish inside the oven. Let it bake for 40 to 50 minutes till the pasta is soft. Serve warm.

3 Cheese Lasagna

Ingredients

• 4 cups ricotta cheese
• 4 eggs
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 pkt lasagna noodles
• ¼ Parmesan cheese, grated
• Salt and black pepper, for taste

Directions

Preheat the oven at 350ºF. In a big pot, boil water; once ready, add salt and olive oil. Add the pasta to cook for about 8 to 10 minutes. When the pasta is ready, drain them out of the water, and place the lasagna on aluminum foil to cool down. In a bowl, you mill mix Parmesan, the cheese, eggs, salt, and black pepper together. In a pan, heat olive oil and add the garlic in to cook for a couple of minutes. Add the pasta sauce in and then the Italian seasoning. Heat it for 3 to 5 minutes and keep stirring in between. In a baking dish, place ½ cup of pasta sauce in and spread a layer of lasagna. Add more sauce over the pasta to cover it properly and then the pasta again. Keep making layers till all the pasta is in the baking dish. Add the rest of the sauce on top and sprinkle mozzarella cheese to cover everything. Place an oiled aluminum foil and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes. When the cheese begins to bubble and turn golden brown, your homemade lasagna is ready.

Ricotta Cheese Dessert Recipes

In this section, we will see how to make delicious cookies and one of my favorite recipes.

Ras Malai

Ingredients

• 3 cups half and half
• 2 teaspoons pistachio, chopped
• 1¼ cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon blanched almonds, chopped
• 1 container ricotta cheese
• ½ teaspoon rose water
• ¼ teaspoon cardamom, ground
• Pinch of saffron

Directions

Ras Malai is a popular Indian dessert that looks like cheese dumplings. It is then submerged in sweet cream sauce and served cold. Here's the recipe.

Preheat the oven at 350ºF. In a bowl, mix the cheese and ¼ cup sugar with a hand blender. Make 12 parts of the dough and fill in muffin cups. Place the cups inside the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Once ready, bring the cups out and let them cool down for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a pan, add half and half and simmer it for 10 minutes. Add 1 cup sugar, rose water, saffron, and cardamom inside. Stir properly and leave it on the side to cool down completely. When the cream sauce is cool, add the cheese balls inside and sprinkle pistachios and almonds in. Stir one more time and place inside the refrigerator to chill. Serve cool.

Ricotta Cheese Cookies

Ingredients

• 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1½ cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup butter, soft
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven at 350ºF and place parchment paper over the baking sheet. In a bowl, mix sugar and butter till well incorporated. Beat till the mixture is light at medium to high speed. In the end, lower the speed till medium-low and add the cheese, vanilla extract, and eggs in. After that, reduce the speed to low and add flour, salt, and baking powder. Beat till you have the dough ready. Now take a spoon and scoop the dough onto the baking sheet. Take as many baking sheets as required, all lined with parchment paper. Place the sheets inside the oven and bake the cookies for 15 minutes. When the cookies turn golden brown from top, remove the sheets. Place the cookies on the cookie rack to cool down. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix confectioner's sugar and milk together. Spread the icing on top of the cookies and sprinkle more powdered or colored sugar. Serve with cold milk.

These were some of my homemade ricotta cheese recipes. There are many more recipes made with ricotta cheese that you can make. Try one or try them all; they sure are going to bring the crowd over!