ricotta

American  

[ri-kot-uh, -kaw-tuh, ree-kawt-tah] / rɪˈkɒt ə, -ˈkɔ tə, riˈkɔt tɑ /

noun

1. a soft Italian cheese that resembles cottage cheese.

---

ricotta British  

/ rɪˈkɒtə /

noun

1. a soft white unsalted cheese made from sheep's milk, used esp in making ravioli and gnocchi

---

Etymology

Origin of ricotta

1875–80; < Italian < Latin recocta, feminine of recoctus, past participle of recoquere to re-cook. See re-, cook ¹

Compare meaning

How does ricotta compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• mascarpone vs. ricotta
• ricotta vs. cottage cheese

Example Sentences

How to grate the mozzarella cheese and mix it with the ricotta and parmesan.

From Literature

And the industry in general seems reluctant to adopt such “artisanal pizzeria” innovations as lavender-flavored pizza, honey-drenched pizza or vegan pizza made with cashew ricotta.

From The Wall Street Journal

The ricotta continues to cool the heat and adds a silky, delicate element to the fiery dish.

From Salon

I paired it with rigatoni, Italian sausage, some toasted bread crumbs and a dollop of ricotta.

From Salon

Oatmeal thrives on dairy and non-dairy alike: almond or oat milk, a spoonful of mascarpone, dollops of ricotta or labneh, tangy flavored yogurt, a little goat cheese.

From Salon