Better than ricotta indeed?

January 8, 2012 5:54 PM

What can I do with Tofutti Better Than Ricotta besides lasagna or manicotti?

I bought 16oz of vegan ricotta substitute on a whim today and would love to make something delicious, maybe even a little unexpected!, with it. Any ideas? Even if they're not vegan, throw 'em my way, I'm a pro at "veganizing." Not too interested in lasagna or manicotti.

posted by srrh to food & drink (12 answers total)

Wouldn't this be anything you can do with regular ricotta? Start with cannoli and keep going.
posted by carlh at 6:02 PM on January 8, 2012

Yes! I've never cooked with ricotta at all, though. (: and recipe sites seem to be a lot of variations of the same couple recipes. Any other recs besides cannoli and keeping on going?
posted by srrh at 6:22 PM on January 8, 2012

I live in the land of Moosewood, and they have an AMAZING ricotta mousse that I am no longer allowed to order with certain friends because it's so good that I make embarrassing noises. The recipe is in a number of their cookbooks--it's just ricotta, a bit of whipped cream (maybe coconut milk would work?), some sweetener, but not as much as you'd expect, and a bunch of soft, superfresh fruit. You whip the ricotta until it's fluffy and then add the whipped cream and fold in the fruit. Very easy and very tasty.

I think the amounts are fairly flexible but for the record the cookbook I have with the recipe says 1 pound ricotta, 1 cup cream, 1/2 cup of jam or preserves, and a pint of fresh fruit of the same type that was in the jam. I think you could do a tablespoon or two of agave or maple syrup to get the same sweetening effect as the jam.

Now I need to go buy some ricotta.
posted by tchemgrrl at 6:23 PM on January 8, 2012 [2 favorites]

Ricotta pancakes.
posted by aparrish at 6:27 PM on January 8, 2012 [1 favorite]

Ricotta cookies are awesome. Here's the recipe:


Cookies:
-2 cups sugar
-1 cup butter, softened
-1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-2 large eggs
-4 cups flour
-2 tablespoons baking powder
-1 teaspoon salt

Icing:
-1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
-3 tablespoons milk
-colored sugar crystals (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat sugar and butter until blended. Increase speed to high; beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. At medium speed, beat in ricotta, vanilla, and eggs until well combined.

2. Reduce speed to low. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; beat until dough forms.

3. Drop dough by level tablespoons, about 2 inches apart, onto ungreased large cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes or until cookies are very lightly golden (cookies will be soft). Cool on a cooling rack.

4. When cookies are cool, prepare icing: In small bowl, stir powdered sugar and milk until smooth. With small metal spatula or knife, spread icing on cookies; sprinkle with sugar crystals. Set cookies aside to allow icing to dry completely, about 1 hour.


I posted this before in another Ask about ricotta that you may find helpful.
posted by phunniemee at 6:32 PM on January 8, 2012

I just tonight made spinach enchiladas using ricotta. Now, it did call for sour cream (which I omitted) and cheese (which I can't imagine omitting but perhaps you can). Delicioso!
posted by kirst27 at 6:33 PM on January 8, 2012

This Lasagna Tart recipe from 101 Cookbooks is amazingly delicious.
posted by carolr at 6:36 PM on January 8, 2012

Artichoke, Kale & Ricotta pie. You'll need to veganize around the egg.
posted by judith at 6:43 PM on January 8, 2012

Dollop of ricotta + fresh ground black pepper + drizzle of honey on a slice of good bread is heavenly.
posted by telegraph at 7:20 PM on January 8, 2012

My favorite thing to do with ricotta is to put it on pizza. It's awesome with sun dried tomatoes, artichokes, peppers, pretty much anything you'd want on a pizza. And I know pizza is pretty easy to veganize.

Also there is this ricotta cake recipe that looks pretty good.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 7:21 PM on January 8, 2012

You could make a vegan calzone..or better moussaka!
posted by troublewithwolves at 10:33 PM on January 8, 2012

Cabbage Rolls!

Make the filling with wild rice, ricotta, cottage cheese, and grilled tomatoes & perhaps other veg. Grilled veg sauce for the topping.
posted by csmason at 7:52 AM on January 9, 2012