1 Cup Ricotta Cheese in Grams
1 cup of ricotta cheese weighs 246 g (spooned and levelled, USDA). Soft, mild whey cheese with a grainy texture. All the figures on this page are approximate conversions based on the USDA value, so when a recipe really matters, verify with a kitchen scale.
Ricotta is a soft, mild whey cheese with a grainy texture, made by reheating the whey left over from making other cheeses. A cup weighs 246 g, one of the heaviest dairy ingredients per cup, because it is dense and wet with very little air in it. It is the cheese of lasagna, stuffed pasta, pancakes and Italian desserts, where its mild flavour lets other ingredients shine and its moisture keeps fillings soft. Fresh ricotta is creamy and delicate, while supermarket ricotta is firmer and drier, and the two behave differently in a recipe, which is why weighing it and draining it when the recipe asks are both worth doing.
Ricotta Cheese cups to grams conversion table
| Cups | Grams | Tablespoons |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 61.5 g | 4 |
| 1/3 cup | 82 g | 5.3 |
| 1/2 cup | 123 g | 8 |
| 2/3 cup | 164 g | 10.7 |
| 3/4 cup | 184.5 g | 12 |
| 1 cup | 246 g | 16 |
| 1 1/2 cups | 369 g | 24 |
| 2 cups | 492 g | 32 |
| 3 cups | 738 g | 48 |
| 4 cups | 984 g | 64 |
One tablespoon of ricotta cheese weighs about 15.4 g, and a cup is 16 tablespoons, so the tablespoon column is simply the cup weight divided by 16. For small amounts, a scale that reads to the gram is far more reliable than a spoon, because a heaped tablespoon can weigh half as much again as a level one. All the values in this table are approximate, and they assume the ingredient is measured spooned and levelled, exactly as the source measured it.
Why a scale beats a cup for ricotta cheese
Dairy ingredients are measured in cups more than almost anything else, because milk, cream and yogurt pour easily and recipes were written that way for generations. But the weight per cup varies more than most cooks expect: a cup of milk weighs 244 g, a cup of heavy cream 238 g, a cup of sour cream 230 g, and a cup of grated parmesan only 100 g. The reason is composition: water, fat, protein and air all pack differently, and grated or curdled dairy traps air in a way that liquid dairy does not. In baking, dairy adds moisture, richness, acidity and browning, and the amount matters: too much liquid dairy makes a batter slack, too little makes it dry. Weighing dairy is quick, because it pours straight onto the scale, and it removes the meniscus reading error that comes with every jug.
Worked examples
A lasagna that needs 2 cups
A lasagna that calls for 2 cups of ricotta needs 492 g, mixed with egg, parmesan and herbs and spread between the pasta sheets. The ricotta layer is what makes a lasagna creamy rather than dry, and its weight matters: too little and the lasagna is dry and falls apart when it is cut, too much and it is wet and sloppy. Weigh 492 g, drain it first if it looks wet, and spread it evenly so every slice gets the same amount.
Ricotta pancakes
Ricotta pancakes are lighter and fluffier than ordinary pancakes, and a batch that uses 1 cup of ricotta needs 246 g, folded into a batter of flour, eggs and milk. The ricotta adds moisture and richness without heaviness, and the pancakes bake up tall and golden. Fold the ricotta in gently rather than whisking it, because over-mixing breaks the curds and makes the batter thin, and cook the pancakes on a medium heat so they set through before the outside browns.
A cannoli filling
A cannoli filling that calls for 1 1/2 cups of ricotta needs 369 g, and the ricotta must be drained overnight in a sieve lined with muslin before it is used. Undrained ricotta makes a filling that weeps into the shell and turns it soggy within an hour, while drained ricotta stays thick and pipeable for a whole day. Weigh the ricotta after draining, not before, because a cup of ricotta can lose a quarter of its weight in whey.
How the weight was measured
spooned and levelled means filling the cup with a spoon rather than plunging the cup into the bag or jar, then sweeping a straight knife across the top to level it off. Never scoop, and never tap the cup down, because both pack the ingredient and add weight. The difference between a spooned cup and a scooped cup can be 15 to 25 percent, which is enough to change a bake from tender to tough, so the method matters as much as the number. The source for the figure on this page is USDA, and the confidence in the value is high. USDA publishes a standard ingredient weight chart that recipe developers use as a reference, and this page follows that chart rather than any single cookbook. Where the chart gives a range or a note, we say so plainly instead of hiding the uncertainty. All the figures here are approximate conversions: natural ingredients vary by brand, variety, moisture and how finely they are chopped or ground, so when a recipe really matters, verify the weight with a kitchen scale.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is reading a liquid jug from above instead of at eye level, which can add or subtract a tablespoon without you noticing. The second is measuring grated cheese by pressing it down into the cup: grated cheese should be spooned in lightly and levelled, because packing it can add 20 g or more per cup. The third is using a dry cup for liquids, which has no pouring spout and no level line, so you end up guessing. And the fourth is forgetting that dairy separates: cream rises, yogurt weeps whey, and ricotta drains, so stir or drain the ingredient before measuring, and measure the state the recipe expects.
When this conversion matters most
This conversion matters most in baking and sauces, where dairy is part of the liquid balance of the recipe. A cake batter with too much milk is slack and sinks; a sauce with too little cream will not coat the pasta. It matters less in cooking where dairy is added to taste, such as a splash of cream in a soup or milk in mashed potatoes, because you can adjust as you go. It matters again with cheese, because grated cheese is mostly air by volume and its weight per cup depends on how finely it is grated and how hard it is pressed, so a recipe that says two cups of cheese can mean anything from 200 g to 300 g. Weighing cheese is the only way to know which one the recipe meant.
What to do if you do not have a scale
If you do not have a scale, use a liquid measuring jug for anything that pours, and set it on a flat surface and read it at eye level, using the bottom of the meniscus as the line. For spoonable dairy such as yogurt, sour cream, ricotta and cottage cheese, use a dry cup, spoon the ingredient in, and level it with a knife, exactly as you would flour. For grated cheese, spoon it in lightly and do not press it down. These methods work well for dairy, because liquids are the most consistent ingredients by volume, but for baking, where dairy is part of the liquid ratio, weighing is still the more reliable route.
Storing ricotta cheese
Refrigerate; use within 1 week of opening. Keeping ricotta cheese properly stored matters for the conversion as well as for the flavour: an ingredient that has absorbed moisture from the air weighs more per cup than a dry one, and one that has dried out weighs less. Store it in an airtight container, away from heat and light, and measure it in the state the recipe expects, not straight from a damp or stale bag.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ricotta and cottage cheese?
Ricotta is made from whey and has a smooth, fine, grainy texture, while cottage cheese is made from curds and has larger, distinct lumps. A cup of ricotta weighs 246 g, while a cup of cottage cheese weighs 226 g, so they are close but not identical. Ricotta is milder and smoother, which makes it better for fillings and desserts, while cottage cheese holds its shape better in salads and as a topping. They can be swapped in many recipes, but ricotta should be drained first.
Do I need to drain ricotta before using it?
For fillings, yes, almost always. Ricotta releases whey as it sits, and that whey will make a lasagna watery, a cannoli shell soggy and a cheesecake filling runny. Drain it in a sieve lined with muslin or a coffee filter for at least an hour, or overnight in the fridge for the driest result. For pancakes and batters, draining is less important, because the extra moisture is absorbed by the flour.
Can I use cups instead of a scale for ricotta cheese?
Yes, but a scale is more accurate. If you measure ricotta cheese spooned and levelled, exactly as the figure on this page was measured, a cup will be close to 246 g, within a few grams. The problem is that most people scoop rather than spoon, which can add 15 to 25 percent to the weight, and that error is enough to change a bake. For everyday cooking, cups are fine. For baking, where the ratio of ingredients decides the result, weigh it and check the number on the scale.
How many tablespoons are in a cup of ricotta cheese?
There are 16 tablespoons in a US cup, so a cup of ricotta cheese is 16 tablespoons, and one tablespoon weighs about 15.4 g. A teaspoon weighs about 5.1 g. Tablespoons are useful when a recipe calls for a small amount, but they carry the same packing problem as cups: a heaped tablespoon can weigh half as much again as a level one, so level every spoon with the back of a knife, and use a scale for small amounts when accuracy matters.
Does the weight change if I pack or sift ricotta cheese?
Yes, and this is the single biggest source of error in cup measurements. ricotta cheese is measured spooned and levelled, and a scooped cup can weigh 15 to 25 percent more than a spooned cup, because scooping packs the ingredient down. Sifting has the opposite effect: it adds air and makes the cup lighter. Always measure the way the figure on this page was measured, spooned and levelled, and the weight will match the table.