Ricotta cheese is light, fluffy and delicious. It’s the perfect addition to your morning toast or a crispy baguette with figs for a stunning appetizer. Not only is ricotta tasty, it’s also packed with nutritional benefits that are great for your overall health. High in protein, calcium, vitamin B12 and great for weight management, ricotta is one of the healthiest cheeses out there. If you’re looking to lose weight and still want to enjoy cheese, add more ricotta to your life. Check out our favourite ricotta toast recipes, whether you like sweet, savoury or a mix!
6 Nutritional Benefits of Ricotta Cheese
1. High in Protein
Ricotta cheese is an excellent source of protein, with a half-cup serving containing 10 grams with a complete amino acid profile. Protein is key for building and maintaining muscle, producing enzymes and hormones and playing a key role in bone, skin, hair and nail health. It helps keep you full and satisfied, so add ricotta to your breakfast to start the day off right.
2. Rich in Selenium
Selenium is an antioxidant-packed mineral that helps protect the body from free radicals and oxidative stress. It’s involved in thyroid function and plays an important part in your immunity. Ricotta is a great way to get more selenium in your diet. 100 grams of ricotta provides over 20% of the daily recommended intake, so it’s a great source of the mineral.
3. Good Source of Calcium
Ricotta cheese is a great source of calcium, which is essential for healthy bones, nerve signalling and muscle function. One serving of ricotta supplies over one fifth of the daily RDI of calcium. Calcium intake is key, especially for those who are aging to prevent fractures and osteoporosis and reduce bone mass loss.
4. Vitamin B12
There’s a good dose of vitamin B12 present in ricotta cheese, a vitamin important for metabolism regulation, the formation of red blood cells, and brain development and functioning. Based on a 2,000 calorie diet, ricotta cheese provides 44% of daily vitamin b12 requirements.
5. Supports Weight Loss
Ricotta cheese contains just over 200 calories per ½ cup, making it a great addition to a healthy weight loss diet. Dairy intake has been shown to preserve lean body mass while lowering calories, helping you reduce body fat while keeping muscle. The high protein content of ricotta also increases feelings of fullness and reduces levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone.
6. Not As High in Lactose as Other Dairy Products
If you have a lactose sensitivity, ricotta cheese may be a tolerable dairy product for you. It falls under the ‘low lactose’ category of dairy foods and contains around 2 grams of lactose per 100 grams. This is much lower than foods like milk and yogurt, but if you have strong reactions to lactose, it’s probably still best to steer clear.
17 Ricotta Toast Recipes for Breakfast
1. Quick and Easy Whipped Ricotta Toast | Life Made Sweeter
2. Cherry and Plum Toast with Blueberry Whipped Ricotta | The Curious Plate
3. Ricotta Toast with Fried Eggs | Eggs.ca
4. Vanilla Bean Ricotta Toast | Kiln + Kitchen
5. Roasted Tomatoes with Ricotta Toast | Food Heaven
6. Whipped Ricotta Toast with Roasted Peaches | Our Balanced Bowl
7. Egg, Kale and Ricotta on Toast | Martha Stewart
8. Avocado Ricotta Toast with Poached Eggs | McCormick
9. Egg and Ricotta Toast | The Herbeevore
10. Ricotta Toast with Asparagus and Poached Egg | Rachael Ray
11. Spinach, Eggs and Ricotta Toast | Fork in the Kitchen
12. Pesto, Egg and Ricotta Toast | Gelson’s
13. The Ultimate Ricotta Avocado Toast | Urban Foodie Kitchen
14. Bruschetta Toast with Ricotta and Jammy Eggs | Meag’s Eggs
15. Ricotta, Arugula and Fried Egg Toast | My Recipes
16. Ricotta, Banana, Walnut and Honey Toast | California Walnuts
17. Vanilla Ricotta Banana Toast with Pistachios | How Sweet Eats
17 Sweet Ricotta Toast Recipes
1. Fig and Ricotta Toast | Eating Well
2. Honey Whipped Ricotta Toast | The Feed Feed
3. Ricotta Toast with Honey and Pistachios | Mountain Mama Cooks
4. Strawberry Almond Ricotta Toast | Making Thyme for Health
5. Honey-Roasted Cherry and Ricotta Tartine | Eating Well
6. Cranberry and Prosciutto Ricotta Toast | The Original Dish
7. Caramelized Butternut Squash Toast with Ricotta and Balsamic | The Original Dish
8. Roasted Tomato, Strawberry and Ricotta Bruschetta | Eating Well
9. Whipped Ricotta Toast with Pistachio and Lemon Thyme Honey | Fetty’s Food Blog
10. Chocolate and Ricotta Toast | Eating Well
11. Chocolate Ricotta Toast | The Food Network
12. Lemon Ricotta Cheese Toast | Eating Well
13. Sweet Ricotta Basil Toasts | Sizzling Eats
14. Raspberry Ricotta Toast | Craving Something Healthy
15. Homemade Ricotta Toast with Cherries | Chef Sous Chef
16. Whipped Ricotta Toast with Lemon Thyme Honey | Half Baked Harvest
17. Ricotta Toast with Blueberries and Hot Honey Walnuts | Justine Sucks
17 Savoury Ricotta Toast Recipes
1. Ricotta and Mushroom Tartine | Eating Well
2. Tomato Basil Ricotta Toast | Our Zesty Life
3. Ricotta Toast Two Ways (Tomato Basil and Corn Salsa)| Our Salty Kitchen
4. Bruschetta with Ricotta, Cherry Tomatoes and Chimichurri | Cooking for Keeps
5. Asparagus Ricotta Bruschetta | Eating Well
6. Tomato Toast with Macadamia Ricotta, Shiso and Black Lava Salt | Dolly and Oatmeal
7. Garlic Mushroom Ricotta Toast | The Cozy Apron
8. Ricotta Toast with Pancetta | Real California Milk
9. Savoury Fig Ricotta Toast | Life Love and Good Food
10. Savoury Peach and Ricotta Toast | The Cheese Shop of Salem
11. Ricotta Toast with Zucchini and Lemon Zest | Luci’s Morsels
12. Hot Honey Prosciutto Ricotta Toast | Delish
13. Mushroom and Arugula Ricotta Toast | The Food Network
14. Fava Bean and Ricotta Toasts | Ricardo
15. Melted Pepper Ricotta Toast | New York Times
16. Anchovy Ricotta Toast | Paleo Gluten-Free Guy
17. Pea and Ricotta Toast | Fine Cooking
Ricotta toast makes for the perfect breakfast, lunch, appetizer or snack. No matter your taste buds, ricotta can be paired with various ingredients to make delicious toasts!
