What to Do with Leftover Ricotta Mixture for Lasagna

If you’ve ever made lasagna, then you know what it’s like when you find yourself with a ton of leftover ricotta mixture.

It’s not like you can just throw it away—that stuff is delicious!

Read Also: Lasagna Wine Pairing – The Best Wines for Lasagnas

But what are you supposed to do with it?

If you have leftover ricotta mixture after making lasagna, you can use it for a wide variety of dishes.

You can make a quick pasta salad by combining the leftover ricotta with some chopped basil, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Adding some balsamic vinegar will give it a nice acidic flavor that complements the cheese well. To serve, simply toss everything together in a large bowl and serve on top of pasta noodles or as is with breadsticks.

Another option is to serve the leftover ricotta over toast with fresh herbs (like basil) and sliced tomatoes.

This makes for an easy breakfast or snack that’s perfect for sharing with friends when they come over for dinner.

Looking for more ideas?

Then keep scrolling!

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What to Do with Leftover Ricotta Mixture for Lasagna

Here are 25 ideas for how you can use up your leftover ricotta mixture from making lasagna:

1. Make a Frittata

Frittatas are easy, delicious, and versatile.

You can make them with just about anything you want—eggs, cheese, meat, veggies…you name it.

Just stir the leftovers into the egg mixture and bake it until the frittata is firm around the edges but still soft in the middle. Serve it hot or cold.

2. Spread It on Toast and Top with Sliced Tomatoes

If you like a little crunch with your cheese, this is the perfect way to use up any leftover ricotta mixture that’s hanging around in your fridge!

Just spread some ricotta on top of some crusty toast (or baguette slices!), then top with sliced tomatoes and black pepper before serving.

This is also a great way to turn your leftover pasta into an easy bruschetta (See Also: Best Kinds of Tomatoes for Bruschetta) appetizer!

3. Add It to Your Favorite Green Salad

You can also try mixing it into a green salad.

The burst of tangy flavor will add something special to an otherwise boring bowl of greens!

This is also an excellent way to use up any extra veggies hanging in the crisper drawer—just chop them up and toss them in with the lettuce, tomatoes, carrots and other ingredients from your favorite recipe.

4. Add It to An Omelet

This is one of our favorite ways to use up leftover ricotta mixture!

Just add some grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil leaves to your omelet before folding it over and cooking it in an oven-safe skillet until cooked through (about 5 minutes).

Then top with more grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

5. Make Ravioli

Ravioli is one of our favorite dishes to make at home because it’s so easy and delicious.

Plus, if you have kids they will love helping out with the process.

Just roll out some dough and fill it up with a little bit of ricotta filling (about 1/4 cup per ravioli).

Then just seal it up by pressing the edges together and boiling them in water for about 4 minutes until they float to the top. Serve with sauce or butter if desired!

6. Use It as A Filling for Stuffed Peppers

If you want an even easier way to use up your leftover ricotta mixture from making lasagna, try using it as a filling for stuffed peppers!

You can use any other ingredients that you may have lying around.

7. Toss It with Cooked Pasta, Veggies, and Shredded Chicken

This is a great way to use up that leftover ricotta mixture in a quick meal.

Toss it with some cooked pasta and veggies, like mushrooms or bell peppers, then top it with some shredded chicken breast or pork tenderloin.

Bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through.

You can also add cheese if you’re feeling extra indulgent!

8. Stir Into Tomato Sauce and Serve Over Spaghetti

This is a classic Italian dish that you can make in just minutes.

To do so, simply add a splash of olive oil to a pan and heat it over medium heat.

Add some chopped onions, garlic, and bell peppers to the pan and sauté them until soft (about 5 minutes).

Then add some chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, basil—whatever herbs you have on hand will work!

Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in your leftover ricotta mixture.

Serve over spaghetti noodles or zucchini noodles!

9. Make a Pizza with It

Another great way to use up any leftover ricotta mixture from making lasagna is by making pizza with it!

Just take the leftover ricotta out of its container and spread it out over some dough until it’s covered.

Then bake until the cheese has melted and browned slightly (about 10 minutes at 350°F).

10. Eat It with A Spoon, Just Because You Can

This idea is simple: just eat it with a spoon.

You made it—you earned it!

And if there’s a spoon nearby, why not?

We know this sounds silly, but sometimes we’re in the mood for something sweet after dinner and this will hit the spot.

11. Use It in A Quiche Recipe

If you’re feeling adventurous and want to do something other than just eating your mixture by itself, consider making a quiche recipe with it!

You can use it as a topping or base (depending on what flavor of quiche you make), or even mix it into the filling itself.

The options are endless when it comes to using up leftovers!

21. Freeze It in An Ice Cube Tray and Use Them Later On

The next time you make lasagna, save some of the ricotta mixture for later!

Simply take an ice cube tray and fill it up with the leftover ricotta mixture, then freeze it overnight.

The next time you need to make a meal that calls for some ricotta cheese, just pull out one of these cubes and add it to your dish.

It’ll give it a nice creamy texture without having to go through all of the work of making more fresh ricotta!

13. Add It to Scrambled Eggs for Breakfast

If you’re looking for an easy breakfast or brunch option, try scrambling up some eggs with some of your ricotta mixture!

It will give them a nice creamy texture and make them extra delicious!

14. Use It in A Pasta Bake for Lunch or Dinner

This is an easy way to get rid of your leftover ricotta mixture so that you can use it later.

Simply make a pasta bake with the rest of your ingredients, and serve it up!

This is a great option if you want to use the mixture right away, but if you don’t need to eat it right away, then consider storing it in an airtight container in the fridge until later.

15. Make a Soft Cheese Dip out Of It

 Another great idea is to make a soft cheese dip out of it!

Just add some herbs and spices to taste, then serve with crackers or veggies for snacking on!

You can also add this dip to sandwiches or salads for extra flavor and texture.

16. Stir It Into Soups and Stews to Add Some Richness

If you have some leftover ricotta, there’s a good chance that it’s pretty rich—and that can be a good thing!

You can stir it into soups or stews to add some richness and creaminess.

Just make sure the dish is hot when you add it so that the cheese doesn’t separate out of the sauce.

17. Make an Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich with The Mixture

If you’re looking for something savory to eat, consider making an eggplant parmesan sandwich.

You’ll need bread, sliced tomato, sliced eggplant, shredded mozzarella cheese, olive oil and garlic powder (optional), salt and pepper (optional), parsley (optional).

1. First, take slices of bread and spread them with olive oil; sprinkle with garlic powder if desired (you can also just use salt and pepper if you want).
2. Then put those slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper.
3. Place thinly sliced tomato on top of each piece of bread followed by thinly sliced eggplant (sliced lengthwise) and shredded mozzarella cheese.
4. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until golden brown in color.

18. Make a Ricotta Cheesecake

This is a great way to get rid of any leftovers, but it’s also a delicious dessert on its own!

All you need to do is combine one cup of ricotta cheese with 2 eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl.

Pour this into an 8-inch baking pan, then bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

For best results, serve with fresh berries or strawberries!

19. Stuff a Sweet Potato with It

If you don’t want to make your own cheesecake (or if you don’t have time), try stuffing a sweet potato with ricotta cheese instead!

Just scoop out the center of half of the sweet potatoes and fill them with some leftover ricotta mixture—then wrap them in foil and bake them at 400 degrees F until tender (about 45 minutes).

To finish these off right, top them with some grated Parmesan cheese and more salt if needed!

20. Eat It with Tortilla Chips

It’s a well-known fact that tortilla chips are the perfect vessel for eating leftover ricotta mixture from lasagna.

You can add a little bit of salt and pepper, but you don’t have to—they’ll taste great as is!

This is an especially good idea if you’ve made the lasagna with spinach or kale, since they tend to be a little more bitter than other types of greens.

And if you want to get fancy, try dipping them in marinara or bolognese sauce instead of just olive oil or butter!

21. Eat It with Breadsticks

If you’re feeling like something on the sweeter side, breadsticks are also an excellent option.

Just cut up some Italian bread and spread some butter on it before sprinkling your leftover mixture on top!

That’s all there is too it; just throw it in the oven at 350 degrees F until it’s nice and crispy (about 10 minutes).

22. Use It as A Topping for Sandwiches

Try using it as a topping for sandwiches! You can spread it over bread and grill it in an oven or panini press, or just spread it on top of some bread slices and eat them open-faced.

23. Use It In A Salad Dressing

If you love salads with creamy dressings, this one is for you!

Try mixing together some olive oil, vinegar (we recommend balsamic), salt and pepper with your ricotta mixture—then pour over your favorite salad greens.

This will add just the right amount of richness without overpowering the flavors of your salad ingredients!

24. Turn It Into Potatoes Au Gratin

If you have leftovers, it’s the perfect time to make potatoes au gratin! This is one of our favorite ways to make this dish, and it couldn’t be easier.

All you have to do is scoop out about 1/4 cup of the leftovers per person (or more if you like), add some milk, butter, salt and pepper, then bake them in a casserole dish until they’re golden brown on top—and voila!

25. Add It to Chili for Extra Creaminess

If you want something more savory than sweet, try adding some of that ricotta mixture into your next batch of chili!

Just mix it up with some diced tomatoes or salsa before cooking them down with ground beef and beans; when everything’s ready just spoon it over some cooked spaghetti noodles or rice (or both!) and serve up a tasty treat everyone will love!