12 Best Ricotta Salata Substitutes for Cheese-y Meals

Are you planning to prepare an Italian dish with ricotta salata listed as one of its main ingredients, but you can't find one at the grocery or your pantry? Use a ricotta salata substitute instead!

With the many types of cheese available, several varieties can replace this popular Italian cheese. You'll even be surprised to find non-dairy and non-cheese-based alternatives to ricotta salata.

So if you're ready to get cheese-y, allow me to share ingredient substitutes that will work well for Italian dishes and other recipes that require ricotta salata.

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12 Best Ricotta Salata Substitutes

With my years of cooking and baking, I have used several ingredients to find a great ricotta salata substitute. The following is what I found that work well for many recipes:

1. Feta Cheese

This Greek cheese is made from goat's milk, sheep's milk, or a combination of both. While you can use any variety, I recommend opting for sheep milk or sheep-and-goat milk varieties.

Feta cheese has the same texture as ricotta salata but has a milder flavor. It's also a bit saltier, so I suggest using less feta cheese than what your recipe calls for ricotta salata.

In my experience, halving the amount listed in your recipe is the best way to substitute ricotta salata with feta cheese.

That said, you can follow a 1:1 ratio but reduce the salt added to your recipe or completely remove it. Additionally, feta cheese has higher calories than ricotta salata, so a 2:1 substitution ratio would be better whether you're trying to lose or maintain weight.

When used uncooked and used as a topping, the amount you must use will all boil down to personal preference.

I also highly recommend that you opt for feta cheese that has been aged from three to 12 months since it has the closest texture to ricotta salata.

Best for just about anything.

2. Ricotta Cheese

Ricotta salata is basically regular ricotta cheese that underwent pressing and drying processes before sprinkled with salt. Thus, ricotta cheese has a milder or less salty flavor, making it a good ricotta salata substitute when serving individuals with high blood pressure.

Regular ricotta cheese also has a softer texture than ricotta salata. It's why I heat it in my microwave oven for three to four minutes using a high setting if I need to harden and then grate it.

But if you have time, you can wrap your ricotta cheese with cheesecloth and place it in a bowl. Then, place a saucer or smaller bowl on top of the wrapped ricotta cheese and put it in your refrigerator. Leave it for four hours or overnight.

Once done, remove the setup from your refrigerator. Remove the wrapped ricotta cheese and gently press on the cheesecloth to drain out the water inside.

Your ricotta cheese is now ready for use! Simply replace ricotta salata with the same amount of regular ricotta cheese.

When used uncooked and used as a topping, the amount you must use will all boil down to personal preference.

Best for just about anything.

3. Ricotta Infornata

Another type of ricotta when I want to add savory or nutty notes to my baked and cold dishes is ricotta infornata. This cheese has been baked, so it has a brown rind that gives it more flavor. Hence, I don't remove it when I use ricotta infornata as a substitute for ricotta salata.

In terms of substitution ratio, add the same amount of ricotta infornata to your baked dish. You can also increase the amount of salt in your recipe since salata has a saltier flavor than infornata.

When you'll use it as a topping or serve it uncooked, the amount you'll use will depend on your preference.

Best for sandwiches, cheese platters, fresh salads, and baked dishes.

4. Low-Curd Cottage Cheese

Low-curd or small curd cottage cheese is an excellent option if you're looking for a low-fat, low-calorie substitute for ricotta salata. Plus, you can easily find it in your local grocery stores.

While it's made from cow's milk instead of sheep's milk and is less salty, it's flavorful enough to ensure you serve delicious food. Cottage cheese also has a more watery texture due to the higher whey content.

The good news is there is a simple kitchen hack to this issue. Line your fine-mesh colander with paper towels, mesh cloth, or cheesecloth. Then, place your cottage cheese in it and leave it to drain for 10 to 15 minutes. Once done, you'll find that the texture is as close, if not similar, to ricotta salata.

To replace ricotta salata with cottage cheese in your recipe, follow a 1:1 ratio.

Best for dumplings, pastries, desserts, and pasta dishes.

5. Aged Goat Cheese

Like cottage cheese, goat cheese is an easily accessible substitute for ricotta salata that won't disappoint you. One thing I want you to keep in mind is to choose aged goat cheese, as it's firmer and saltier than fresh goat cheese.

Substitution-wise, add the same amount of aged goat cheese as what your recipe requires for ricotta salata.

Best for savory dishes.

6. Cotija Cheese

Cotija is a Mexican cheese made from cow's milk with a firm texture and only softens rather than melts when exposed to heat. Hence, it's one of the most commonly used cheese products in tacos.

Unlike goat cheese, it's best to use fresh cotija cheese instead of the aged variety because it's creamier.

One issue I have with cotija cheese is it has a higher calorie content than ricotta salata. It's why I only try to add half the amount of the ricotta salata required in the recipe when I serve those who want to lose or maintain weight. Nonetheless, you can always add more, following a 1:1 substitution ratio.

When used uncooked as a topping, the amount you add will all boil down to personal preference.

Best for baked dishes, omelets, Mexican dishes, and salad toppings.

7. Queso Fresco

Another popular Mexican cheese that you can easily find in your local grocery stores is queso fresco. It's made from either cow's milk or a combination of cow's and goat's milk and has a mild salty flavor.

Texture-wise, it's also crumbly but isn't too soft like ricotta salata, so you can crumble, slice, and grate it without hassles. This light and creamy texture is also the reason I can easily use this cheese in my cooking and baking recipes and as a topping.

Substitution won't also be a problem because you simply add the same amount of queso fresco as what you'll usually add when you use ricotta salata. When used uncooked as a topping, the amount will all boil down to personal preference.

The only thing that you need to make a note of is that queso fresco is a high-calorie option like cotija. But you can always decrease the amount you use in your recipe if you're or any of your guests are on a low-calorie diet.

Best for savory dishes, salads, and baked dishes.

8. Pecorino Romano

This fancy Italian cheese made from sheep's milk has a similar salty taste to ricotta salata cheese. You can opt for the fresh pecorino romano or the eight-month-old (aged) variety, depending on what dish you're preparing.

The aged cheese is perfect for savory dishes because it has a distinct smoky flavor that can make cooked food more appetizing.

Whichever variety you choose, pecorino romano has a hard texture, making it easy to grate. Thus, you can use it as a topping for cold dishes like fresh fruit and vegetable salads. The cheese also melts perfectly when exposed to heat, so it works well for hot dishes.

Substitution-wise, add the same amount of pecorino romano as you would with ricotta salata to your recipe. Like some of the options on this list, you can add as much as you want when you use it uncooked as a topping.

Best for pasta, pizza, casseroles, and salads.

9. Mizithra Cheese

This type of Greek cheese is made from the leftover whey during cheese production. Its base can be sheep's milk, cow's milk, or a combination of the two kinds of milk, so mizithra is an excellent alternative to ricotta salata in many dishes.

You can also find it in fresh and salt-dried varieties.

Salt-dried mizithra is better because it's salty and crumbly, almost similar to ricotta salata. This similar texture makes it easy to sprinkle to use as a topping. Grating and slicing it won't also be much of a hassle.

That said, I still sometimes use the fresh variety of this Greek cheese to reduce the saltiness of the dish I'm preparing.

Whichever variety you choose, follow a substitution ratio of 1:1 for dishes you need to cook or bake or add the amount you prefer when used as a topping.

Best for salads, red-sauce pasta dishes, and hot dishes.

10. Manouri Cheese

Manouri is another Greek cheese made from leftover whey during feta cheese production that you can use as an alternative to ricotta salata. Its semi-soft nature makes it easy to crumble, grate, and slice.

I also find that it's creamier than ricotta salata, so I love using it in my casseroles, pizzas, and pasta sauces.

What I love most about manouri is it isn't just salty; it has a tangy flavor similar to Greek yogurt and a citrus aftertaste. This flavor profile makes it a versatile cheese because it helps balance out the sweetness of most fruits, even sweeter in your recipes.

To use this ricotta salat cheese substitute, add the same amount of manouri as what's indicated in your baking or cooking recipe. As a high-calorie ingredient, halving the amount added to your recipe is advisable if you want or need to serve low-calorie dishes.

Best for salads, fruit-based baked goodies, pizza, pasta dishes, and casseroles.

11. Tofu

Are you planning to prepare low-calorie Italian dishes and salads, but you also have vegetarian, vegan, or lactose-intolerant guests? Look no further than silken tofu, which has a similar texture to ricotta salata.

While bland, tofu is known for absorbing the flavors of the ingredients you mix it with. It means that tofu can enhance the taste of your dishes because it retains most of the flavor.

The flavorless nature of tofu also ensures you can have better control over your dish. You can make it less salty than when you use ricotta salata and other salty substitutes. You can even add more spices without worrying about serving overly seasoned dishes.

But I also sometimes season the tofu with salt and/or nutritional yeast before adding it to my recipes. The salt will obviously add a salty taste to resemble ricotta salata, while the nutritional yeast can add a cheese-like flavor.

Before using and/or seasoning your silken tofu, make sure you remove excess water that it has absorbed while in its packaging. Place it on top of a paper towel or cheesecloth. Then put another on top of it and gently press.

Once the tofu is ready, add the same amount as what's listed in your recipe for ricotta salata.

Best for just about anything.

12. Cashew Cheese

Did you know that you can actually make cheese out of nuts? Nut-based cheeses are excellent vegan, vegetarian, and dairy-free alternatives to ricotta salata. However, make sure you're not serving anyone with nut allergies.

While you can choose any nut-based cheese, I prefer cashew cheese because it has the closest texture to ricotta salata.

What I love most about cashew cheese is I can easily make it at home. I simply soak around two cups of unsalted cashew in water for 12 to 24 hours or until they're soft.

Once soft, I place the cashew nuts in my blender and add ¾ cup of water, three tablespoons of lemon juice, and a teaspoon of salt. I sometimes add half a cup of nutritional yeast and other seasonings like garlic powder. Then, pulse until well-blended and smooth.

Once done, squeeze out the resulting cashew cheese to remove excess liquid and use it in your recipe by following a 1:1 substitution ratio.

Best for dips, pasta, baked dishes, stuffed shells, cheese manicotti, and scones.

Serving Cheese-y Meals Without Ricotta Salata

This Italian cheese adds a flavor to your uncooked meals like fruit and vegetable salads, cooked dishes like pasta, baked dishes like casseroles, and even dessert recipes that no taste bud will notice.

But one of the greatest issues is that ricotta salata isn't as easily accessible as other Italian cheese products or popular cheese, like buttermilk cheese.

Thanks to the many available ricotta salata substitutes, from other cheese varieties to non-dairy alternatives, you won't have to worry about serving dishes that lack a cheese-y flavor. Some of them even add more creaminess or texture to your recipes.

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