Ricotta cheese is an expensive ingredient that is used in making cakes, pastas, lasagna, baked ziti, stuffed shells and in many other dishes. There are different types of cheese available in market, but most of them can be stored for month or longer. But ricotta cheese can’t be stored for longer time as it deteriorates quickly. So, it is mostly asked can you freeze Ricotta cheese or not? If it can be stored then how they can store it? In this article, we have mentioned the best way you should adopt to freeze ricotta cheese.
How long does ricotta cheese last in the freezer?
Fresh ricotta that is packed in the boxes can be stored for a week, on some of the packs expiration date is mentioned but after opening the seal, it’s better to use it within a week because after one week it’s taste will change and it may become watery, it can also last for a month or more but its texture and taste change by storing it for such a long duration.
Can you freeze ricotta cheese?
Yes, you can freeze ricotta cheese (but never re-freeze thawed ricotta). It is advised to remove the whey before freezing it because it can change its texture. But some people don’t remove the whey before storing it, in that case they should re-heat it before using, by doing so the liquid is again thickened in the form of curd.
There are different types of ricotta cheese, so before freezing you should know which type of ricotta you want to freeze because all have different features.
There are different types of ricotta cheese, some of them are:
- Fresh ricotta
- Basket ricotta
- Salted
- Smoked ricotta
Fresh ricotta is used by majority and you can freeze it for future use by following the method listed below.
What is the best way to freeze ricotta?
Many people wonder about can you freeze ricotta cheese or not? Don’t worry you can store and this is the best way to freeze ricotta. You should place it in packets or airtight containers (you must use freezer bags to store it). Sometimes, it happen that ricotta cheese is left over after use, it is better to store it somehow instead of throwing it away. For that purpose we have an easy method to preserve it for the next time. Read more about How to shred lettuce? Ways to shred lettuce easily.
This is the step by step guide to freeze ricotta by using a simplest method:
- First of all, take a dishtowel or paper towel and press the ricotta cheese properly with it so that all the whey should remove.
- After that you should take a plastic sheet and wrap ricotta in it properly, in order to protect it from external moisture.
- You should label a tag on it and write date on it, it will help you remind from how many days you have stored ricotta. Normally, it can be stored for a month or more depending on the type of ricotta stored.
- For storing large amount of ricotta, you should make small packets of them and store them in the same way we have mentioned above. Never store melted ricotta.
What are the signs that show that ricotta cheese is expired or inappropriate for use?
A lot of people wonder how they will know if ricotta is unsuitable for consumption. So following are the symptoms that might appear if it has expired.
- It will give a little bitter taste.
- Its color will change (it will give pinkish color).
- It will give odor of rancid milk.
Can I freeze meals that have ricotta in them?
Yes, you can store the dishes in which you have added ricotta cheese.
