Out of Ricotta cheese, one case

Substitute for ricotta cheese in manicotti

5 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 5 options

Use Cottage cheese

Same amount as the ricotta cheese

For manicotti, replace ricotta with the same amount of cottage cheese, drained and mashed smooth, and keep the egg in the filling so it sets. For dairy-free manicotti, use firm tofu mashed with nutritional yeast, lemon juice and salt, cup for cup, and swap the mozzarella and Parmesan too. Whatever you use has to be thick enough to pipe, or it runs out of the tubes as it bakes.

Verdict —: Tweak it
The tweak —: Drain it in a sieve for 15 to 30 minutes, then mash or pulse it until the curds are small.
Best for —: classic cheese manicotti
Pantry —: Likely in your cupboard

One casethe full ricotta cheese card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Ricotta cheese substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of ricotta cheese	Verdict
1	Cottage cheeseclassic cheese manicotti	Same amountTweak it	Tweak it
2	Tofu ricottadairy-free and vegan manicotti	1 cup crumbled firm tofu + 2 tbsp nutritional yeast + 1 tbsp lemon juice + ½ tsp salt per cupTweak it	Tweak it
3	Store-bought dairy-free ricottadairy-free manicotti with no extra prep	Same amountWorks	Works
4	Cashew ricottaa richer dairy-free filling	Same amountTweak it	Tweak it
5	Cream cheesewhen it is the cheese on hand	Same amountYou'll taste it	You'll taste it

What changesWhat changes, option by option5 options

Cottage cheese

slightly saltier and tangier

The closest dairy match: a mild fresh curd with a little more salt and tang than ricotta. It is wetter, so it has to be drained before it goes into a tube.

Best for: classic cheese manicotti, spinach and cheese filling, when ricotta is the only thing missing
Prep: Drain it in a sieve for 15 to 30 minutes, then mash or pulse it until the curds are small.
Contains: dairy
Where it fails: Undrained, it weeps into the sauce and the filling slides out of the tubes.

A 16 oz tub, once drained, covers a recipe written for a 15 oz tub of ricotta. Taste the filling before you add salt.

Tofu ricotta

plainer and a little beany until it is seasoned

The standard dairy-free filling. Mashed firm tofu has a soft, curdy texture close to ricotta and stays in the tube without any egg.

Best for: dairy-free and vegan manicotti, spinach filling
Prep: Press or pat the tofu dry, then mash it with a fork and stop while it still looks like small curds.
Suits: vegan, dairy-free
Contains: soy
Where it fails: Silken or soft tofu blends too loose and runs out of the tubes. Use firm or extra-firm.

Season it harder than you would ricotta: garlic, basil or Italian seasoning and black pepper all help. A 14 oz block makes about as much as a 15 oz tub of ricotta.

Store-bought dairy-free ricotta

mild, sometimes tangier or nuttier than dairy ricotta

Almond, cashew or tofu-based tubs sold beside the vegan cheeses. Use it straight from the tub in place of ricotta.

Best for: dairy-free manicotti with no extra prep
Suits: vegan, dairy-free
Where it fails: Tubs vary in firmness. If yours is loose, drain it in a sieve before you fill the tubes. Check the label for nuts or soy.

Cashew ricotta

richer and faintly sweet, smoother than ricotta

Soaked raw cashews blended with water, lemon juice and salt into a thick, spreadable cheese. It is the richest of the dairy-free fillings and has no soy.

Best for: a richer dairy-free filling, soy-free manicotti
Prep: Blend it with as little water as the blender will take, so it comes out thick enough to pipe.
Suits: vegan, dairy-free
Contains: tree nuts
Where it fails: It is made from tree nuts, and the cashews need hours of soaking, so it is no help for dinner tonight.

Cream cheese

tangier and much richer

Denser, richer and tangier than ricotta. It pipes easily and stays put in the tube, but the filling eats heavier.

Best for: when it is the cheese on hand, mixing with cottage cheese
Prep: Soften it at room temperature and beat in the egg before the other cheeses go in.
Contains: dairy
Where it fails: On its own across a full pan of manicotti it is heavy, and it is no use for a dairy-free dish.

An 8 oz block is 1 cup. Mixed half and half with drained cottage cheese, it lands closer to ricotta than it does alone.

How it behaves in this recipe

In this recipeRicotta cheese

In manicotti the ricotta is the filling, not a layer: it is mixed with egg, mozzarella and Parmesan, piped into pasta tubes and baked under sauce. That asks two things of a substitute. It has to be thick enough to stay in an open-ended tube, and mild enough to carry the other cheeses and the sauce. Wetness is what goes wrong, far more often than flavor.

Tips for substituting ricotta cheese

5 tips

Fill the tubes from a zip-top bag with one corner cut off. It is faster than a spoon and splits fewer shells.
Keep the egg when the filling is cottage cheese or cream cheese; it sets the filling as it bakes. Tofu and cashew fillings do not need one.
For dairy-free manicotti, ricotta is only one of three cheeses. Replace the mozzarella with a dairy-free shred that melts and the Parmesan with nutritional yeast, or leave them out and season the filling well.
Dried manicotti tubes are normally just wheat and water, but fresh pasta and crêpe-style manicotti contain egg and often milk. Check the pack.
Let the pan rest 10 minutes out of the oven so the filling firms up before you serve.

Questions

5 questions

What is the best dairy-free substitute for ricotta in manicotti?

Tofu ricotta. For each cup of ricotta, mash 1 cup crumbled firm tofu with 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and ½ teaspoon salt. It has the right curdy texture and stays in the tubes. A store-bought dairy-free ricotta is the no-prep option, and cashew ricotta is richer if nuts are fine.

Can I use cottage cheese instead of ricotta in manicotti?

Yes, in the same amount. Drain it first, then mash or pulse it so the curds are small, and keep the egg in the filling. Cottage cheese is a little saltier than ricotta, so taste before you salt.

Why is my manicotti filling watery?

The substitute went in wet. Drain cottage cheese, press tofu dry, squeeze thawed spinach hard, and avoid silken tofu, sour cream and thin yogurt, which loosen in the oven. Resting the pan 10 minutes after baking also lets the filling firm up.

Do I need the egg if I am not using ricotta?

With cottage cheese or cream cheese, yes: the egg sets the filling so it holds together when you serve it. With tofu or cashew ricotta it is not needed, which is what makes those fillings work for vegan manicotti.

How much substitute do I need?

The same volume as the ricotta in your recipe. A 15 oz tub of ricotta is about 1 ¾ cups: one 16 oz tub of cottage cheese once drained, or one 14 oz block of firm tofu made into tofu ricotta, covers it.