# Can I Freeze Ricotta?



## mish

I bought it for a recipe, and won't have a chance to make it this week.  Will it be okay if I freeze it?  TIA


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## GB

I don't think soft cheese like ricotta freeze very well. I have never tried it myself, but that is what I have been told.


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## urmaniac13

Unfortunately ricotta doesn't freeze well, it gets all grainy and all the creamy texture will be lost. Make some baked desserts with it, when it is cooked it will be fine for some more days!! (if you need some idea I will send you some recipes )

or make something like cannelloni (or what you may call "manicotti") or lasagna, mixing the ricotta with spinach and some parmigiano as a filling... it is relatively easy and simple to prepare!


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## mish

Thank you GB.

In the past I've frozen cottage cheese. It was not grainey, but watery in texture when I defrosted it.

Urmaniac, I have plenty of recipes, thank you. I was saving it for a recipe I want to make - stuffed shells with spinach souffle mixed with the ricotta, etc.


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## buckytom

technically, it's not a cheese, but a cheese by-product, made from the reamining whey of other cheeses, and cow's milk. it is re-cooked, hence the word ricotta.
i have seen it frozen, and it will change a little, but it still can be used. as urmaniac said, it will lose some of it's creaminess, and it will definitely lose more water as the molecules freeze, then thaw. 
it should be ok for stuffed shells, mish, just not as good as fresh.


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## mish

buckytom said:
			
		

> technically, it's not a cheese, but a cheese by-product, made from the reamining whey of other cheeses, and cow's milk. it is re-cooked, hence the word ricotta.
> i have seen it frozen, and it will change a little, but it still can be used.
> it should be ok for stuffed shells, mish, just not as good as fresh.


 
Thank you, BT.


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## Andy M.

buckytom said:
			
		

> ...it will lose some of it's creaminess, and it will definitely lose more water as the molecules freeze, then thaw...


 
If you freeze and thaw it, you may want to drain it in a strainer for a bit to lose some of the excess water so your dish won't be watery.


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## Jikoni

Not ricotta or any other I would say. It would lose a lot of water when you defrost it,and you will be left with some kind of dry cheese. My opinion anyway, I never freeze cheese, I had rather have cheese fresh  and smelling nice and cheese like  and tasting that way.Cheese loses it's smell/taste when frozen. Keep it warm and it matures and your taste buds are happy.


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## bethzaring

I have been making and freezing ricotta cheeses for over 20 years. It can be made from fresh whole milk or from the whey leftover from making a renneted cheese.  Home made ricotta cheese is dry and suffers no loss of texture, moisture or taste from being frozen.  I use it for cheesecakes and lasagna type dishes, including stuffed shells.  I also freeze fresh made chevre cheeses.  I blend the thawed cheese in a food processor and thin with yogurt, buttermilk or milk to desired consistency.  The only cheese I have found that you can not freeze is store bought cream cheese, it is a mess.


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## RDG

Instead of freezing it, you can do this filling, very good for cakes, but excellent even on bread or bisquits.
in a cup of ricotta, add three or four big spoons of sugar, and mix everything till it becomes a cream. Few minutes will be necessary.
Then, you can add some candy fruits, and a couple of teaspoons of some flavoured liquor. Here we often use an essence, "One-thousand flowers water", but some little Grand Marnier may be correct.
It's the filling of Sicilian Cannoli. The sugar, and then the normal fridge, allows you to mantain for about a week. But I assure you that this will not be a problem...  
If you like better, there is a variant. Same mixing, no fruits, but a teaspoon or two (according to your taste) of cacao powder, and a couple of spoons of bits of chocolate.
Very good on figs, adding just some rhum.


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## CuriousCooker

*Has anyone ever tried freezing Cannoli filling?*

Does anyone have experience with freezing Cannoli filling? Comprised of ricotta and sugar? I wanted to know if the consistency or flavor is loss. I know in theory it should. However, I thought I'd check with some folks who may have done this already.

Thanks..
John


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## VeraBlue

No, unfortunately, it will seperate when you defrost it.  Your best bet would be to make a cheese cake, and freeze the cake....or you could send me the ricotta, and I'll just eat it with rotini pasta and meatballs.


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## magnolia12

Can I freeze low fat baked ricotta?


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