Ricotta vs. Cottage Cheese

Two cheeses have received much speculation ever since they were first commercially available. Ricotta and cottage cheeses have been the blood brothers for many years now. These cheeses are sometimes used interchangeably in various recipes because of their almost similar appearance, and how they are packed; although an expert cheese lover can immediately differentiate one from the other. Similarly, cheese experts also know which one is best for a certain type of recipe, with the focus being on the cheese’s texture.

The first major difference between the two cheeses, is the materials or ingredients that are used to make them. Cottage cheese is made from the curd byproduct, although it also possesses some whey. It also has a relatively milder flavor. Cottage cheese is one of those cheese types that are non-aged, and does not appear to be colored. Quite often, the curd from this cheese is washed away to give a sweeter cheese blend. Due to all of these flavorful characteristics, cottage cheeses are incorporated into popular dishes, like lasagnas and many desserts. There are actually two major classifications of cottage cheese. One has the smaller curd (size of the cheese chunks), whereas the second class has the larger curd.

On the other hand, ricotta cheese is the complete opposite of cottage cheese. Ricotta makes use of the whey byproduct of cheese making. Unlike the curds that are traditionally conceptualized as cheese chunks, whey is the liquid component that is being separated from the curds to make the ricotta cheese. Like cottage, ricotta is another example of a fresh cheese product (non-aged). Generally, most ricotta cheeses have a lighter texture as opposed to cottage cheeses, although there are some variations of the latter that makes their textures indistinguishable from one another. More so, ricotta cheese is often grainier than it’s cottage counterpart, which has bigger lumps. This particular cheese type is commonly used to make cheesecakes, although it can also be used in pastas and lasagnas.

In summary, cottage and ricotta cheeses differ in the following aspects:

1. Cottage cheese is made from the curd byproduct, whereas ricotta is made from the whey byproduct of cheese production.

2. Ricotta cheese is said to have a lighter texture when compared to cottage cheese.

3. Cottage cheese is said to be lumpier than ricotta cheese.

4. Ricotta cheese is also grainier in texture than cottage cheese.