The #1 Underrated Dairy Product You Should Be Eating More Of, According to a Food Writer

Recently, a friend was telling me about her sister's strict training regimen for the New York City Marathon, which included voluntarily eating cottage cheese as a snack. My friend and I both agreed this was far beyond anything we’d be willing to do in the name of fitness. 

As a food writer, I know all the benefits of cottage cheese—and even ways to make the stuff more palatable. And as someone who has recently been hitting the gym pretty hard, I welcome a new way to get my body the muscle-building protein it needs. But while cottage cheese has a longstanding—and well-deserved—reputation as one of the healthiest forms of dairy you can eat, there is an alternative with many of the same nutritional benefits, and, in my opinion, a lot more appeal in the flavor department: ricotta cheese.

If you, like me, were introduced to ricotta cheese as the filling in a cannoli or stuffed shells, you might be surprised to hear it called a health food. But if you do a head-to-head comparison, you’ll see that ricotta cheese can be used in many of the same ways as cottage cheese and offers many of the same benefits—plus some bonus ones.  

What Is Ricotta Cheese?

Ricotta is a fresh, soft cheese that can be made from the milk of sheep, goats, cows and even water buffalos. Its defining characteristic is that it is made from whey, a liquid left over in other cheese-making processes. The whey, which was boiled during the cheese-making process, is boiled again and strained to make a soft, spreadable cheese, which is how ricotta, a derivation of the Italian word for “recooked,” got its name.  

Ricotta has a smoother, creamier texture and less salt than cottage cheese, which is made from curds (cheese solids) rather than whey. Ricotta is higher in calories because of its higher fat content: a half-cup serving of whole-milk ricotta has around 200 calories and 14 grams of fat (9 of which are saturated) compared to cottage cheese’s 110 calories and 5 grams of fat. But they have similar amounts of protein, with 10 grams for ricotta versus 12.5 grams for cottage cheese. Ricotta also has significantly less sodium, fewer sugars and more calcium than cottage cheese. 

You can knock down the fat and calories somewhat by opting for part-skim or fat-free ricotta, although the latter sacrifices protein. I’ve personally been on the whole-fat bandwagon for years, and now nutrition science is backing me up with findings that link whole-milk dairy to lower body weight, possibly because the additional fat helps keep you full longer.

In general, I try to be mindful of saturated fat in my diet because my father died of heart disease fairly young, but emerging research also indicates that full-fat dairy may not negatively impact cardiovascular health as previously thought. Because I don’t get a lot of saturated fat elsewhere in my diet, I opt for whole-milk or reduced-fat dairy most of the time and never go fat-free.

Compared with other high-protein snacks like peanut butter or hard-boiled eggs, ricotta actually comes in slightly lower in saturated fat, as well. And in my opinion, ricotta cheese is absolutely delicious and versatile in the kitchen. 

How to Eat Ricotta Cheese

Granted, many of the recipes you’ll find for ricotta cheese are desserts, but there are some healthy, balanced ways to enjoy this high-protein food. My go-to for a fast, low-sugar, low-carb snack is a scoop of whole-milk ricotta cheese with some mini dark chocolate chips. It’s like cannoli filling without the added sugar, and it’s very satisfying. 

Ricotta is such a versatile food that it lends itself to savory uses as well. Spread it on toast or use it in a vegetable frittata in the morning for a high-protein way to start your day, which can have benefits for physical and mental health, increasing satiety and improving mental function. 

Given that it originated in Sicily, ricotta cheese pairs well with Italian flavors, so it’s a great way to boost the protein and add creamy goodness to pizza and pasta. You can also use it pretty much anywhere you’d use yogurt for a less-tangy protein kick: smoothies, parfaits, dips. You can whip it for an even smoother texture, or you can bake it—because ricotta cheese tastes equally good hot or cold. 

The Bottom Line

If you’ve been avoiding ricotta cheese because you think it doesn’t fit into a healthy diet, reconsider. This creamy, low-sugar, low-sodium cheese is a great source of protein, calcium and other nutrients. It fits into a low-carb diet and can be used in so many ways. Start experimenting and you’re sure to discover one or two you can’t live without.