Read on to learn the best ways to store ricotta cheese. It is no secret that dairy products do not fare well at room temperature. Unopened and opened ricotta cheese should not be left out longer than two hours. If it is close to two hours or you are unsure, throwing it out would be the safest bet. If your ricotta cheese has been cooked into a recipe, the same rule applies. If it has been left at room temperature for more than two hours, get rid of it.
Ricotta cheese should be refrigerated and lasts much longer when stored that way. Keeping it cold helps prevent bacteria from growing.
Ricotta cheese containers have a best by date stamped on the container. If the container has been unopened, it should be good for a couple of days past that date.
If the container of ricotta cheese has been opened, it would be best to use it within a week. Once oxygen is introduced, the freshness of the product begins to slowly decline. Both opened and unopened ricotta cheese will stay good in the freezer for about three months if properly stored. We will have more on proper storage later.
Three months is the duration in which ricotta cheese will maintain its best quality. As you have learned, ricotta cheese, whether opened, unopened or cooked should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours.
The refrigerator and freezer are your best options for storage. If you are familiar with ricotta cheese, you know it has certain characteristics that help you know it is fresh. Scent: Unlike many kinds of cheese, ricotta has practically no odor. It smells mostly of milk. Determining whether your ricotta cheese is fresh or not is pretty simple. Tip Ricotta cheese kept cold in the refrigerator should stay fresh for two weeks unopened and one week after opening. How to Tell if Mozzarella Is Bad.
How to Defrost Cheese. How to Freeze Salad Dressing. How to Melt Cheese in a Microwave. Julie Christensen is a food writer, caterer, and mom-chef. She's the creator of MarmaladeMom. Use ricotta cheese as a dessert or pasta filling.
Video of the Day. Blue Fuzzy Things. Take a Whiff. Shelf Life. Look At the Date. You can also freeze ricotta cheese. Either pop it in the freezer in the original packaging or freeze it in an airtight container. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
Now, a little separation is completely normal. Just give it a stir to get a regular consistency. However, if you notice a lot, proceed with caution. Unopened, ricotta cheese lasts for 2 weeks in the refrigerator, whereas an opened packet of ricotta cheese will only last for 1 week.
Lastly, remember you can always freeze your ricotta for storage for up to 3 months.
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