Is Ricotta Cheese The Same As Cottage Cheese

While similar in appearance and taste there are a few key differences that set these versatile cheeses apart.

Is ricotta cheese the same as cottage cheese. For example full fat or creamed cottage cheese has 220 calories while whole milk ricotta has a whopping 428 calories. Not to mention that one cup is about 400 calories. They are two different cheeses i have worked with both in the industry.

However cottage cheese is loaded with sodium compared to ricotta cheese. Ricotta cheese while offering the same amount of protein is crammed with saturated fat and almost an equal quantity of sodium. Make your own 3 ingredient ricotta cheese in just over an hour.

It comes in large curd medium curd and small curd varieties. If you are looking to save some calories it is worth considering substituting out ricotta for cottage cheese where appropriate. They also differ in taste as the ricotta has high acidity due to the whey.

Cottage cheese is created from curds and tends to have a lumpier texture compared to ricotta cheese. In fact some people prefer to use cottage cheese because it has a similar flavor and fewer calories. Cottage cheese is fresh curds from milk whereas ricotta is made from curds harvested after the milk whey has been left to sit outside and ferment for about 24 hours.

Cottage cheese is lumpy and soft whereas ricotta is grainy. Especially if a small curd rather than a large curd cottage cheese. As far as ricotta substitutes go light and mild cottage cheese is your best bet.

Traditional italian ricotta is made using sheep or goat milk and though the flavor isn t particularly strong ricotta is an acquired taste. Cottage cheese is sweeter milky and creamy. Those curds come from the separation of milk or cream into curds and whey.