ricotta

noun

ri·​cot·​ta ri-ˈkä-tə 

-ˈkȯ-

: a white unripened whey cheese of Italy that resembles cottage cheese

also : a similar cheese made in the U.S. from whole or skim milk

Examples of ricotta in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Homemade ricotta, and homemade bread, homemade pasta, everything. —Joseph Hernandez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 Apr. 2025

Dairy Freezing can cause a wide range of dairy products to separate, including soft cheeses like brie, ricotta, and cream cheese, according to Dr. Detwiler. —Caroline Tien, SELF, 25 Feb. 2025

The big picture: While the interior is largely unchanged, the menu has been revamped to include several new items by the Travail team, including a ricotta gnocchi with pesto Genovese and an entire section dedicated to Negronis. —Audrey Kennedy, Axios, 4 Feb. 2025

Whitney’s cinnamon and sugar ricotta donut holes are a fan favorite, and don’t leave without trying the key lime pie. —Terry Ward, Travel + Leisure, 15 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from feminine of past participle of ricuocere to cook again, from Latin recoquere, from re- + coquere to cook — more at cook

First Known Use

1617, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ricotta

• biota
• iota
• lakota
• nonquota
• chota
• cota
• quota

Kids Definition

ricotta

noun

ri·​cot·​ta ri-ˈkät-ə 

: a soft, white Italian cheese