22 Top-Rated Recipes That Start with Ricotta Cheese

Chef John's Pizza Rustica
Photo by Chef John.

Ricotta is one of those dream ingredients that makes your food taste so much better. It's no wonder the Italians add it to so many of their famous dishes. It enriches pasta sauce making it taste creamy and delicious. Ricotta is also wonderful to bake with. It makes cakes and cookies light and fluffy, and adds a slight tangy flavor. Once you try a traditional Italian ricotta cheesecake, there's no going back. It's the secret ingredient you need to have in your fridge. It even makes a perfect quick snack - ricotta on toast, anyone? Here are creamy ricotta recipes that will convince you of its magnificence.

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Baked Ziti with Sausage

Baked Ziti with Sausage
Baked Ziti with Sausage. Yoly

Rave Review: "I used extra ricotta because the family loves it. This is my new favorite!!! Yum =)" — amberln

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Stuffed Shells

Stuffed Shells III
Photo by House of Aqua.

Rave Review: "Just perfect. So simple and basic, yet so delicious!!!" — CLS1220

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Chef John's Turkey Manicotti

Turkey Manicotti on a white plate
Allrecipes Magazine

Rave Review: "Made this manicotti tonight and it was delish and so easy!"— SHRIEKINGVIOLET

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Chef John's Ricotta Meatballs

Chef Johns Ricotta Meatballs
Photo by Chef John.

Rave Review: "Wonderfully delicious, moist, melt-in-your-mouth meatballs." — Sherri

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Spinach Mushroom and Ricotta Fettuccine

Rave Review: "I made this tonight , adding garlic, onion and Italian spice. Everyone loved it." — Linda Gibbs

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Italian Cream Cheese and Ricotta Cheesecake

Italian Cream Cheese and Ricotta Cheesecake
Photo by Kimbery.

Rave Review: "Easily the BEST cheesecake I've ever eaten! And with no crust to distract from the creamy "cheese" taste...yum!" — KatMac

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Italian Cheesecake Cookies

Rave Review: "Love this!! So light, fluffy, and moist!"— Amy

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Blueberry Ricotta Squares

Rave Review: "This is a keeper!! Fast and so simple. Wonderful and not too sweet. My guests loved it. I will absolutely make it again." — JOAN431

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Cannoli

Cannoli
Ggriv77

Rave Review: "These are amazing. Super easy to make but very time consuming. But, so very worth it!!!" — Rachel Poplaski

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Ricotta Cheese Cookies

Rave Review: "These cookies are great...wonderfully light and airy!" — Amy

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Chef John's Ricotta Pie

1833451_chef-johns-ricotta-pie-photo-by-chef-john-resize

Rave Review: "The crust is easy and flaky, the filling not sweet but light and would go perfect with a dessert wine or cup of coffee or tea." — SouthwestHiAltCook

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Ricotta and Tomato Sandwich

Rave Review: "Nice sandwich it was light and fresh. I used tomatoes from the garden with a home made ricotta and fresh basil. It does not get any better than this" — Ren Causley

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Zavioli with Spinach and Ricotta

Zavioli with Spinach and Ricotta
Photo by Buckwheat Queen.

Rave Review: "These were delicious and fun to make! Loved that these were healthier and gluten-free friendly too!" — SuzyQ

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Stuffed Tomatoes with Grits and Ricotta

Stuffed Tomatoes with Grits and Ricotta
Photo by Allrecipes Magazine.

Rave Review: "This is a true 5-star winner. Very different and interesting combination of grits and cheese. All who tried this recipe were quite impressed." — Ron

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Mushroom and Ricotta Bruschetta

Mushroom and Ricotta Bruschetta
Photo by lutzflcat.

Rave Review: "This was really nice. Light and bright...the hot flakes gave it zing and the lemon was a surprise on the tongue." — lass

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Fig-Ricotta Cake

"The exture is moist and slightly dense, and the taste is sweet, buttery, and rich," says lutzflcat.

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Eggplant Parmesan Bites

"A bite-size version of one of my favorite entrees," says Nashville Nosher. "It's eggplant Parmesan you can eat while standing up! Serve warm or room temperature."

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Pecan-Ricotta Waffles

"Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, with a little crunch from the pecans," says lutzflcat. "Keep waffles warm in the oven as they complete cooking and come off the waffle iron. The ricotta adds tenderness, richness, and great texture to the waffles. Breakfast, brunch, or breakfast-for-dinner never looked better! Serve with butter, maple syrup, and additional pecans, if desired."

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Chef John's Pizza Rustica

Chef John's Pizza Rustica
Photo by Chef John.

"Some people describe pizza rustica as an Italian meat-filled quiche, but I think this traditional Easter recipe is way closer to a savory cheesecake filled with a massive amount of goodness," says Chef John. "The light, flaky crust holds together an embarrassment of riches--sausage, smoked ham, salami, and pepperoni, plus ricotta, mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano cheeses. It's definitely not like pizza!"

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Pasta with Ricotta and Turmeric

Pasta with Ricotta and Turmeric
Pasta with Ricotta and Turmeric. Buckwheat Queen

While the pasta cooks, you'll whip up a simple sauce made with creamy fresh ricotta, ground turmeric, and add a touch of ground pepper. "A quick and filling meal for two is just minutes away," says Buckwheat Queen.

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Spinach and Chicken Enchiladas

"If you like spinach and Mexican food, you'll love these easy chicken enchiladas made with ricotta cheese and spinach," says duboo.

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Creamy Blueberry Coconut Ricotta Bowl

"This filling breakfast bowl will jumpstart your day and keep you full all morning," says Lexus Oliver. "It is chock full of protein and is super delicious and creamy."

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