A cup of ricotta cheese is 246 g — the USDA figure, measured spooned and levelled. If you grate your own cheese, expect your cup to weigh a little differently from a cup of pre-grated cheese, which is packed more loosely and coated to stop it clumping. Soft, mild whey cheese with a grainy texture. It is used for lasagna, stuffed pasta, pancakes and desserts. This guide covers the weight of ricotta cheese in every measure you will use — cups, tablespoons and teaspoons — how to measure it correctly, what to use instead when you run out, and how to store it. All weights on this page are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.

Ricotta Cheese: weight and measurement table

The table below gives the weight of Ricotta Cheese in every measure you will use, from a teaspoon up to 2 cups, all derived from the USDA figure of 246 g per cup, spooned and levelled. Every figure is approximate — spooned and levelled is a technique, not a machine setting — so when the recipe matters, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale instead.

| Amount | Weight (approx.) |

| --- | --- |

| 1 teaspoon | 5.1 g |

| 1 tablespoon | 15.4 g |

| 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) | 61.5 g |

| 1/3 cup | 82 g |

| 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) | 123 g |

| 3/4 cup (12 tbsp) | 184.5 g |

| 1 cup (16 tbsp) | 246 g |

| 2 cups | 492 g |

| 100 g | 0.4 cups |

There are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon and 16 tablespoons in a cup, so you can move between any of these measures by multiplying or dividing. If a recipe calls for 100 g and you only have measuring cups, that is about 0.4 cups. Keep the cups to grams converter open while you cook and you will never need to do the arithmetic in your head.

What is Ricotta Cheese?

Soft, mild whey cheese with a grainy texture. It is used for lasagna, stuffed pasta, pancakes and desserts. Cheese is unusual among baking ingredients because its weight per cup depends so much on how it is prepared. A cup of ricotta cheese that has been grated fine packs down tightly, while a cup grated coarse is mostly air. The USDA figure of 246 g per cup assumes the cheese is spooned and levelled, which is the closest thing to a standard measure that exists for cheese. In practice, weighing cheese is worth doing whenever the amount decides the texture of the finished dish — a sauce, a pizza topping, or a filling.

How to measure Ricotta Cheese correctly

Spoon the ingredient loosely into the measuring cup with a smaller spoon, then sweep a straight knife across the top to level it. Never dip the cup into the bag or jar: dipping packs the ingredient down and can add up to 20 percent to the weight of a cup. For cheese, the grating matters as much as the spooning: grate it fine and it packs down; grate it coarse and the cup is mostly air. The USDA figure used on this page is 246 g per cup, and confidence in this figure is high. Weighing cheese is worth doing whenever the amount decides the texture — sauces, pizza, fillings — because a cup measure can be off by a quarter either way.

Method and source

All the figures on this page are derived from a single sourced number: 246 g per cup of ricotta cheese, spooned and levelled, from USDA. Confidence in that figure is high. Every other number — the teaspoon, tablespoon, quarter-cup and half-cup weights — is that number divided or multiplied, so if the cup figure is right, the rest follow. If a different source gives a different cup weight, every number on this page shifts by the same proportion. Cheese weights are approximate in a way that flour weights are not, because grating changes the density so much. Two cooks grating the same block can fill a cup with weights that differ by 20 g or more. The figure here is a sensible middle value; for a sauce or a filling, weigh the cheese. Every density-based result on this page is labelled approximate, and the honest advice is the same on every page of this site: when the recipe has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.

Worked examples

A pasta bake for four

A pasta bake for four that calls for 2 cups of ricotta cheese needs 492 g. Grate the cheese yourself if you can: pre-grated cheese is coated to stop it clumping, and that coating stops it melting smoothly. Weighing 492 g gives you the amount the recipe was tested with, whatever the grate size, and the sauce comes out smooth instead of grainy.

A pizza topping

A pizza topped with 3/4 cup of ricotta cheese needs 184.5 g, scattered evenly so every slice gets its share. Too much cheese and the pizza steams instead of crisping; too little and it dries out. Weighing the cheese is the difference between a pizza that is the same every time and one that depends on how generous your hand was with the grater.

A small amount for a salad or garnish

When a recipe only needs a little — a salad for two, or a garnish — use the tablespoon figure: 1 tablespoon of ricotta cheese is about 15.4 g, and a quarter cup is 61.5 g. Sprinkle it over the finished dish rather than cooking it in, so the flavour stays bright and the texture stays distinct.

What to use instead

When you run out of ricotta cheese, the substitution data lists these swaps. Every ratio below comes from the site's substitution database, and each one has a page of its own in the substitutions section:

  • Ricotta Cheese to Cottage cheese: 1:1 (drain the cottage cheese first). Cheeses swap 1:1 by weight; saltiness and melt are what change. Do not swap a hard aged cheese for a soft fresh one in a sauce — it will not melt the same way.

  • Ricotta Cheese to Mascarpone: 1:1 (lighter, less rich). Cheeses swap 1:1 by weight; saltiness and melt are what change. Do not swap a hard aged cheese for a soft fresh one in a sauce — it will not melt the same way.

  • Ricotta Cheese to Feta cheese: 1:1 (saltier, crumblier). Cheeses swap 1:1 by weight; saltiness and melt are what change. Do not swap a hard aged cheese for a soft fresh one in a sauce — it will not melt the same way.

And if a recipe calls for something else and you only have ricotta cheese, these swaps go the other way:

  • Cottage cheese to Ricotta Cheese: 1:1, blended smooth. Cheeses swap 1:1 by weight; saltiness and melt are what change. Do not swap a hard aged cheese for a soft fresh one in a sauce — it will not melt the same way.

  • Mascarpone to Ricotta Cheese: 1:1 (richer, smoother). Cheeses swap 1:1 by weight; saltiness and melt are what change. Do not swap a hard aged cheese for a soft fresh one in a sauce — it will not melt the same way.

One warning applies to every substitution: a swap changes the recipe. A different flour changes the crumb, a different sugar changes the browning, a different fat changes the flavour. Use the cream substitute converter to check the swap before you commit, and when the recipe has to work the first time, buy the ingredient the recipe actually calls for.

Storage and common mistakes

Storage. Refrigerate; use within 1 week of opening.

The most common mistake with ricotta cheese is measuring it by the cup and trusting the number. A cup of grated cheese is mostly air, and the weight depends on the grate size, so two cups measured by two cooks can differ by a quarter. Weigh the cheese. The second mistake is using pre-grated cheese in a sauce: the anti-clumping coating stops it melting smoothly. The third mistake is storing cheese badly — wrap it tightly, refrigerate it, and use it within the time on the packet.

When the conversion matters most is when the recipe is unforgiving: a cake, a loaf, a meringue, a sauce that has to set. In those recipes, weigh the ricotta cheese on a kitchen scale and use the numbers on this page as a check, not as the measurement itself. For everyday cooking — a soup, a salad, a stir-fry — a level spoon or a jug is accurate enough, and the figures here will keep you close. The rule of thumb is simple: the more the recipe depends on the exact amount, the more you should weigh it.

Frequently asked questions

How many grams is 1 cup of ricotta cheese?

One cup of ricotta cheese weighs approximately 246 g, measured spooned and levelled, according to USDA. That is the figure every other number on this page is derived from: a tablespoon is 15.4 g, a teaspoon is 5.1 g, and 2 cups are 492 g. All figures are approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.

How do I measure ricotta cheese without a scale?

Spoon the ingredient loosely into the measuring cup with a smaller spoon, then sweep a straight knife across the top to level it. Never dip the cup into the bag or jar: dipping packs the ingredient down and can add up to 20 percent to the weight of a cup. For small amounts, use proper measuring spoons and level them with a knife. For liquids, use a jug on a flat surface and read the level at eye height. These methods are accurate enough for everyday cooking, but for baking — where the ratio of ingredients decides the result — a kitchen scale is worth the small cost.

What can I use instead of ricotta cheese?

The substitution database lists Cottage cheese as a swap for ricotta cheese: 1:1 (drain the cottage cheese first). Cheeses swap 1:1 by weight; saltiness and melt are what change. Do not swap a hard aged cheese for a soft fresh one in a sauce — it will not melt the same way. See the substitution section above for the full list of swaps, and remember that any substitution changes the flavour or texture of the finished dish — a swap is a rescue, not a replica.

How should I store ricotta cheese?

Refrigerate; use within 1 week of opening. Storing it properly also keeps its weight consistent: an ingredient that has absorbed moisture or dried out will not weigh the same per cup as a fresh one, so a recipe that worked last month can drift if the storage has changed.

Does ricotta cheese melt well?

It depends on the dish. Ricotta Cheese is used for lasagna, stuffed pasta, pancakes and desserts, and in those uses it performs well. For a smooth sauce, grate the cheese yourself rather than using pre-grated cheese, whose anti-clumping coating stops it melting cleanly. Add the cheese off the heat or on a low heat, and stir until it just melts — boiling a cheese sauce makes it grainy and can make it split.

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