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When you're craving a cheesy snack, whip up a batch of fried ricotta with spicy marinara dipping sauce. So easy to make and hard to resist!
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What makes this dish special
I recently discovered that some of my best dishes are the ones I create with leftover ingredients. With almost a full tub of ricotta left over, I decided to prepare a dish that would utilize the cheese.
The result? Fried ricotta with spicy marinara! Since Superbowl Sunday is right around the corner, this dish was perfect for the Sunday festivities alongside garlic parmesan chicken wings, nutella stuffed pretzel bites, and chorizo corn spinach dip. Don't you love it when you can kill two birds with one stone?
Ingredients
- Ricotta: A creamy and smooth Italian cheese with a mild, slightly sweet flavor. Use whole milk ricotta for the best results. Whole milk ricotta has a creamier, richer texture and holds its shape better than low-fat ricotta.
- Parmesan: The hard Italian cheese adds umami to the fried ricotta. Ricotta has a very subtle flavor, so we're adding parmesan to add a more intense cheese flavor.
- Panko: A type of breadcrumb from Japan made from white bread. Panko has larger flakes than regular breadcrumbs, giving the fried ricotta a crunchy exterior.
- Marinara: A classic Italian tomato-based sauce made from tomatoes, garlic, onions, oil, and herbs. The bright sauce complements the rich fried cheese perfectly.
- Red chili flakes: To make the dip spicy, add red chili flakes to the marinara.
Substitutions and variations
- Non-spicy: You can omit the red chili flakes and serve the fried ricotta with plain marinara as well.
- Sauces: Experiment serving the appetizer with another sauce, such as pesto or romesco.
- Gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free breadcrumbs instead of panko and gluten-free flour for the breading.
Recipe
Fried Ricotta with Spicy Marinara
Ingredients
Fried ricotta
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 large eggs divided
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup panko
- oil for frying
Spicy marinara
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes or more if desired
- 1 cup marinara sauce
Instructions
- Drain ricotta by putting it in a fine sieve mesh and letting it sit for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Mix drained ricotta with parsley, grated parmesan, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and 1 large egg until well combined.
- Put ½ cup all-purpose flour into a shallow bowl. Crack 2 eggs in another shallow bowl and put 1 cup of panko into a third bowl. Roll ricotta into 1 tablespoon size balls. Coat each portion in flour, dip in egg, then coat in panko. Repeat with the remaining ricotta. Place on a lined baking sheet and let freeze for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make spicy marinara. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepot over medium heat. Add garlic and red chili flakes, adding more chili flakes if desired. Saute for 30 seconds then add marinara sauce. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
- Preheat frying oil to 375 degrees F.
- Carefully drop ricotta balls into oil and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drain ricotta on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Serve fried ricotta with warm spicy marinara dipping sauce.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Prepare ricotta
The first step in making fried ricotta is to drain the cheese. If you buy a tub at the market and open the lid, you may find excess liquid sitting on the top. We want to drain as much of the liquid as we can to achieve a crispy exterior. Whole milk ricotta tends to have less liquid than the reduced-fat version (which is my way of saying, buy the whole fat).
You need to let the ricotta sit for at least 30 minutes, but if you have the time, let it sit overnight.
Season the ricotta with parmesan, egg, a little bit of garlic, salt, pepper, parsley, and onion powder, and shape them into uniform-sized balls. I used a mini ice cream scooper to make the job easier. Keep in mind that the bigger the portions are, the harder it'll be to shape them.
Coat each ball with flour, dip it in whisked eggs, and coat it again in panko. If the ricotta is too soft to coat, you can freeze the portioned ricotta balls for about 15 minutes. This should firm up the cheese and make it easier to coat in the batter.
Pop the shaped ricotta in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Chilling the ricotta helps it keep its shape as it fries.
Step 2: Make spicy marinara
While the ricotta balls are chilling, make the spicy marinara dip, adding as much or as little red chili flakes as you like. I went the easy route and used jarred marinara sauce this time, but perhaps when tomatoes are in season, I will make a fresh tomato sauce.
If you prefer a mild marinara dipping sauce, you can skip the red chili flakes. You can also buy premade sauce at the store and just heat it before serving.
Step 3: Fry
Preheat the frying oil to 375 degrees F and fry until the ricotta balls are golden brown. Some of the cheese may seep out a little, but most of it should stay intact.
I imagine that you can also use an air-fryer, but I haven't personally tried it myself. If you have had success using an air fryer, I would love to hear your thoughts!
Serve these bad babies hot with a warm side of spicy marinara. You can also fry the ricotta ahead of time and keep it warm in the oven until serving time.
If you're a fan of fried cheese, you'll like this fried ricotta. It's crispy, it's cheesy, it's delicious. Stop me if you can from eating the whole batch!
For another crispy appetizer, check out these crispy hot honey shrimp!
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: Complete the breading stage (step 2) and keep the ricotta balls in the freezer until ready to fry. The marinara sauce can be prepared the day before.
- Store: Keep the marinara sauce in the refridgerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The fried ricotta can be held in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheated in the oven or air fryer. The texture won't be as crispy, but it will still taste great!
Frequently asked questions
Chilling the ricotta helps it keep its shape while frying. I've had more success chilling the ricotta balls and frying them afterward rather than frying them immediately.
Like most foods, fried food waits for no one. I would suggest eating them as soon as they come out of the fryer and while the cheese is still hot inside.
Pesto, romesco, harissa aioli, chimichurri, or even plain ketchup would all pair with the fried ricotta.
More cheesy appetizer recipes
Looking for more cheesy bites? Try these:
Alyssa says
These look so good I'm excited! Curious if you have insight on air frying these beauties!
Cherry on My Sundae says
I don't have an air fryer and never used one but from what I've seen it can do, I think you can use it!
Sabrina says
350 degrees 10-12 mins. Flipping 1/2 way thru the time.
When I made these I didn’t realize I didn’t have any oil. Found the alternative.
Stephanie says
These fried ricotta balls were so good! They were a little tricky to roll in the flour, egg, and panko because the ricotta mixture was so soft but you just have to be delicate with it. I froze the breaded ricotta for 30 minutes just to make sure they were firm and they kept their shape while frying. We all loved it!
Christine Ma says
I'm so glad you enjoyed the fried ricotta! I agree, they can be a little difficult to bread because ricotta is soft but a little patience goes a long way! Thank you for giving my recipe a try!
Casey says
This fried ricotta tasted as good as they looked! I love the creamy centers and the marinara dip is the perfect pairing.
Christine Ma says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!