A 15 oz tub of ricotta holds about 1.7 cups. Ricotta is heavier per cup than most soft cheeses — 246 g per cup, against 226 g for cottage cheese — because it is dense and holds its shape rather than sitting in loose curds. A tub and three-quarters of a cup is enough for a lasagne and a batch of pancakes, and the 15 oz tub is the size most supermarkets stock, which is why so many recipes are written around it.
How many cups in a 15 oz tub?
A 15 oz tub of ricotta cheese holds about 1.7 cups (425 g ÷ 246 g per cup).
| Amount | Cups | Grams | Tablespoons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full 15 oz tub | 1.7 | 425 | 27 |
| Half 15 oz tub | 0.85 | 212.5 | 14 |
| Quarter 15 oz tub | 0.42 | 106.25 | 7 |
| 1 tablespoon | 0.06 | 15.38 | 1 |
The table gives the full package, half a package and a quarter of a package, plus a single tablespoon, so you can scale the answer to whatever your recipe asks for. If your packet is a different size from the one on this page, the same per-cup figure still applies — divide your packet's weight by the grams per cup, or its volume by 236.6 ml per cup, and you have your answer.
Worked examples
Lasagne that needs a cup and a half
A lasagne for six takes about 1 and a half cups of ricotta — 369 g — mixed with 1 egg and a handful of parmesan, then spread over the pasta layers. A cup and a half is nearly the whole tub, leaving only a couple of tablespoons behind. Stir the egg in first: it binds the ricotta so it sets in slices rather than oozing out when the lasagne is cut. If the tub is a little short, top up with cottage cheese blended smooth — the difference disappears under the sauce.
Stuffed shells that need a cup
A tray of stuffed pasta shells takes about 1 cup of ricotta — 246 g, or a little over half the tub — mixed with 1 egg, 1/2 cup of mozzarella and a handful of spinach. One cup fills about twenty shells, depending on their size, and the mixture should be stiff enough to hold its shape on a spoon. If it is too loose, the shells leak in the oven; drain the ricotta in a sieve for ten minutes first. The remaining two-thirds of a cup in the tub covers a batch of pancakes.
Lemon ricotta pancakes that need half a cup
A batch of lemon ricotta pancakes takes about 1/2 cup of ricotta — 123 g — whisked into a batter with 2 eggs, 1 cup of flour and the zest of a lemon. The ricotta makes the pancakes tender and rich without making them heavy, and the lemon lifts the flavour. Half a cup is just under a third of the tub, so one tub makes about three batches. Cook them gently: ricotta pancakes brown faster than plain ones because of the milk sugars.
How the figure was measured
The weight figure on this page comes from USDA: ricotta cheese weighs 246 g per cup, measured spooned and levelled, and that figure carries high confidence in CookScale's 120-ingredient table. Every cup-based result on this page is approximate, because a cup measures volume and the weight depends on how the ingredient settles, how it was measured, and how fresh it is. When the amount matters — a cake, a cheesecake, a sauce that must set — weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale instead of trusting the cup. Package sizes vary by brand and region, so check the weight printed on your own packet before planning a recipe around this page.
How to measure it
Dairy is measured by volume in most recipes and by weight in most professional ones, and the two agree closely enough that either works — as long as you use the right figure. Milk, cream and cottage cheese pour, so use a liquid jug and read it at eye level; cream cheese and ricotta are spooned, so press them into a dry cup measure and level the top, checking for air pockets. Do not pack cream cheese the way you would brown sugar — firm pressure is enough, and over-packing is how a cheesecake ends up dense. For anything where the amount matters (a custard, a cheesecake, a sauce that must set), weigh it: the gram figures on this page come from USDA or King Arthur tables, and a scale removes the guesswork entirely.
Practical guidance
Dairy is the ingredient most likely to be measured from a carton that has already been opened, which is why the "how much is left" question matters. Write the opening date on the carton and keep it at the back of the fridge, where the temperature is steadiest — the door is the warmest spot and shortens its life. Never pour unused milk or cream back into the carton after it has sat in a jug on the counter; bacteria from the jug travel with it. If a recipe needs a cup and you have half a cup left, do not top it up with water in a custard or a sauce — the fat and protein are doing real work, and water dilutes both. Sour cream and cottage cheese past their date are not a measuring problem; they are a bin problem.
One and three-quarter cups is the number, and the tub size is the thing to check: ricotta is sold in 15 oz tubs in most American supermarkets, but 8 oz tubs hold about 0.9 cups and 32 oz tubs about 3.7 cups. The same 246 g per cup applies to every size, so scale the answer to whatever tub you have. Ricotta is also one of the few cheeses where the brand matters for measuring: some brands are wetter than others, and a wet ricotta weighs more per cup because of the extra liquid. Drain it before measuring and the figure holds.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons are in a 15 oz tub of ricotta?
There are about 27 tablespoons in a 15 oz tub of ricotta, because the tub holds about 1.7 cups and there are 16 tablespoons in a cup. A tablespoon of ricotta weighs about 15.4 g. For a recipe that needs a few tablespoons for a topping, scoop with a tablespoon measure rather than guessing from the tub.
Is ricotta the same as cottage cheese?
No, though they substitute for each other. Ricotta is smooth, dense and slightly sweet at 246 g per cup, while cottage cheese has distinct curds, a tangier flavour and weighs about 226 g per cup. In a lasagne, blended cottage cheese is a reasonable stand-in for ricotta; in a dessert like cannoli filling, only ricotta gives the right texture.
Can I use ricotta instead of cream cheese?
In cooked dishes, yes — a baked cheesecake or a pasta filling made with ricotta works well, though it is lighter and less tangy than cream cheese. For frosting or spreading, no: ricotta is too soft and grainy to hold a shape or spread smoothly. If a recipe calls for cream cheese and you only have ricotta, blend it with a little mascarpone or drain it well first.
How long does an opened tub of ricotta last?
An opened tub of ricotta lasts about five to seven days in the fridge. Keep the lid on and store it at the back of the fridge. Discard it if it smells sour, if the surface has yellowed, or if there is any mould. Ricotta freezes better than most soft cheeses — it is grainy after thawing, but fine for cooking in a lasagne or a baked pasta.
Should I drain ricotta before measuring it?
Yes, if there is liquid on top of the tub or if the recipe needs a firm filling. Tip the tub and pour off the whey, or set the ricotta in a sieve for ten minutes. Undrained ricotta adds water to a lasagne or a stuffed shell and can make the dish soggy. The weight figures on this page assume drained ricotta, spooned loosely into the cup.