Can Babies Eat Ricotta?

Ricotta is a whey cheese prepared from cow, sheep or goat milk whey, a by-product or a leftover from the production of other types of cheese. Italians have been making ricotta since the Bronze Age.

Ricotta is creamy white and has a slightly sweet taste. The fat content depends on the type of milk, which was used. If ricotta is not made in aged varieties, it is highly perishable. Just as mascarpone, ricotta plays an important role in the northern Italian cuisine and it is used as an ingredient is many desserts like cheesecake and cannoli. Ricotta is not only used in sweet dishes, combined with sugar, cinnamon, strawberries or chocolate, but also in savory dishes, including pizza, pasta, lasagna and ravioli.

Ricotta is high in fat, cholesterol and protein, but has small quantities of sodium. It is a good source of calcium, and contains vitamin A and D, some iron and magnesium, all depending on the type of cheese it was made of.

Is Ricotta Pasteurized?

Ricotta mostly found in stores is made from pasteurized milk. This means that it is okay to be eaten not only by babies, but also by pregnant women, because during pasteurization listeria gets killed off. Listeria is a harmful bacteria, which can cause infections.

Is Ricotta Cheese Recommended To Babies?

Compared to other types of cheeses, ricotta is a better choice for baby food, because it is pasteurized and has less fat and salt, than most cheese. It can be used in sweet and savory dishes too, making it easier to be introduced into a baby’s diet. Babies can have fresh ricotta as soon as they start eating solid foods, at the age of 6 months old. It can be a great first food.

Pasta With Tomato & Ricotta Sauce

Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 finely chopped small onion, 1 clove of garlic, 1400g can of tomatoes, 1 grated medium carrot, 25g frozen peas, 325g pasta shells, 200g ricotta cheese, 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the chopped onion and the garlic on medium heat for 5 minutes, until they are soft. Put in the tomatoes and the carrot, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. Add the peas and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes, until the peas are cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly. In the meantime, cook the pasta as instructed on the package. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the ricotta and parsley. Drain the pasta, chop it roughly and add the sauce. Serve immediately. This dish is suitable for freezing too.