An essential element to any classic lasagna recipe, ricotta is a light and creamy Italian whey cheese that’s lower on the calorie scale than many other cheeses (compare 39 calories per ounce to cheddar’s 113). It’s not only a good choice for cheese lovers looking for a lighter option, but it’s also extremely versatile due to its mild flavor; ricotta can be incorporated into both sweet and savory recipes with great success.

Here are just a few of the delicious ways you can enjoy a little more ricotta in your life:

Ricotta Charcuterie

Ricotta doesn’t often come to mind when you think of charcuterie plates, but there’s no reason you can’t add this creamy cheese to the mix. Soft cheese and honey make one of my favorite food combinations. If you haven’t tried it, I highly recommend it. Add ricotta to your next appetizer menu with honey, toasted nuts, dried fruit and a nice baguette.

Ricotta Scramble

Pump up your scrambled egg game. Add a few dollops of ricotta during the last few seconds of cooking along with some fresh herbs of your choice for a creative twist on a breakfast classic. Tastes great on toast!

Ricotta Pizza

Pizza is one of the world’s most perfect foods in my opinion, but it’s definitely something you should eat in moderation, especially when the cheese amounts get out of control. Pizza lovers can try something a little lighter by using ricotta to top their homemade pie rather than higher calorie cheeses.

Ricotta Dip

Ricotta is also great as a base for dips that tend to be on the heavier side. Try this spin on a classic: Hot Swiss Chard and Artichoke Dip.

Non-Dairy Ricotta

If you don’t eat dairy, you can try The Vegan Project’s equally delicious cashew ricotta (I love it stuffed inside tomatoes or sweet pickled peppers). Just blend all of these ingredients together in a food processor and you’re done!

Ingredients:

• ½ cup raw cashews
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 lb firm tofu, drained and crumbled
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 ½ tsp dried basil

We Love Ricotta!

 We’re such huge fans of ricotta here at Luvo that we’ve included it in several of our good-for-you meals, including our Kale Ricotta Ravioli, Spinach Ricotta Ravioli, Oat Bran & Ricotta Pancakes, our Apple Cinnamon Flatbread and our Strawberry Flatbread.

Give these ideas a try and let us know what you think!