Your Ricotta Countdown
Ricotta is a fresh cheese, which is a polite way of saying it’s in a hurry. Here’s the clock, from the store to your spoon:
- Bought and unopened: up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, and never past the date on the tub (USDA FoodKeeper).
- Seal broken: the countdown speeds up. The USDA FoodKeeper gives opened ricotta 1 week.
- For the best flavor: the cheesemaker BelGioioso advises eating its ricotta within 3 to 5 days after opening.
- On the counter: no more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (USDA FSIS).
- In the freezer: not recommended (USDA FoodKeeper).
Keep ricotta in the refrigerator at 40°F or below, in its closed tub or an airtight container. Unopened, it keeps up to 2 weeks; once opened, use it within 1 week (USDA FoodKeeper), or within 3 to 5 days for the best flavor (BelGioioso). Freezing is not recommended. A little water on top is normal: drain it or stir it in.
Why Two Different Numbers?
You may notice that the USDA says 1 week after opening, while BelGioioso says 3 to 5 days. They’re not arguing. They’re answering different questions:
- The USDA FoodKeeper is the government’s storage guide. It provides recommended storage times for refrigerated foods.
- BelGioioso talks about its own ricotta, made without preservatives, gums or stabilizers, and says 3 to 5 days “for best flavor”.
For the USDA’s storage guideline, one week after opening is the limit. BelGioioso recommends 3 to 5 days for the best flavor. Check the package of your brand too, because it knows its own ricotta best.
That Puddle on Top Is Not a Problem
Open a tub of ricotta and you may find a little liquid on top. Many people think their ricotta has gone bad. According to BelGioioso, a little water separation is natural, especially in ricotta without stabilizers or fillers. You can drain it or stir it back in, whatever your recipe needs.
Want thicker ricotta for a filling? The video from Club Foody shows how to drain ricotta. Just keep it in the fridge while it drains, not on the counter.
How to Store Ricotta After Opening
- Close it right away. Press the lid back on, or move the ricotta to a clean airtight container if the lid doesn’t close well anymore.
- Use a clean spoon every time. Ricotta is moist and gentle, and a spoon that has been in the lasagna sauce brings in guests you didn’t invite.
- Keep it cold: in the refrigerator at 40°F or below (USDA). A cheap fridge thermometer tells you if yours really is that cold.
- Write the opening date on the lid. The countdown starts the moment you break the seal.
Can You Freeze Ricotta?
The USDA FoodKeeper does not recommend freezing ricotta. Ricotta is soft and full of moisture, and freezing can change its texture. If you do freeze some anyway, it will probably fit better in a baked dish like lasagna than in a fresh, creamy spread. Thaw it in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
The best “freezer trick” for ricotta is simply buying a tub size you’ll finish within a few days.
How Long Can Ricotta Sit Out?
No more than 2 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour above 90°F. That’s the USDA’s rule for perishable food (FSIS). So when you’re building a lasagna, take out what you need and put the tub straight back in the fridge.
What About Homemade or Fresh Ricotta?
Homemade ricotta and fresh ricotta from a deli or cheese shop are not in the USDA FoodKeeper, and we did not find an official storage time for them. So we won’t give you a made-up number. What we can say: keep it covered in the fridge, follow the date or advice you got with it, and treat it at least as carefully as store-bought ricotta, which keeps 1 week once opened.
Has My Ricotta Gone Bad?
A little liquid on top is fine, as we saw above. These are reasons to throw it away:
- Mold. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says soft cheeses such as cottage cheese and cream cheese should be thrown away when moldy, because mold can spread below the surface of a moist cheese. Ricotta is also a soft, moist cheese, so we would not recommend cutting or scooping away mold. If mold appears, discard the ricotta.
- A sour or strange smell, or an odd color. Fresh ricotta smells mild and milky.
- Past the time: opened for more than a week, or left out for more than 2 hours.
Your Ricotta Questions, Answered
How long does ricotta last after opening?
The USDA FoodKeeper gives opened ricotta 1 week in the refrigerator. The cheesemaker BelGioioso advises eating its ricotta within 3 to 5 days after opening for the best flavor.
How long does unopened ricotta last?
Up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, according to the USDA FoodKeeper. Don’t use it past the date on the package.
Can you freeze ricotta cheese?
The USDA FoodKeeper does not recommend it. Freezing can change the texture of this soft, moist cheese, so frozen ricotta is better suited to baked dishes than to fresh spreads.
Is the water on top of ricotta bad?
No. According to BelGioioso, a little water separation on the surface is natural. You can drain it or stir it back in.
Does ricotta need to be refrigerated?
Yes. Keep it at 40°F or below, and don’t leave it out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.
Can you scoop mold off ricotta?
We would not recommend it. The USDA says soft cheeses such as cottage cheese and cream cheese should be thrown away when moldy, because mold can spread below the surface of a moist cheese. Ricotta is also soft and moist, so if mold appears, discard the ricotta.
Sources & Transparency
Storage times come from the USDA FoodKeeper, which has its own entry for ricotta, and from the cheesemaker BelGioioso. The rules for the refrigerator, food left out and mold come from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. We found no official storage time for homemade ricotta, so we don’t give one.
Making lasagna? The mozzarella guide and the Parmesan guide cover the other two cheeses in the dish. For every cheese in one place, see the complete cheese storage guide, and for milk, butter and eggs, the dairy and egg storage guide.
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