How Long Does Ricotta Cheese Last?

An unopened tub holds 1-2 weeks past its printed date in the fridge, while an opened one should be used within about 5 days, since its high moisture content and soft, loosely structured curds give bacteria more to work with than a firmer, drier cheese does. A sour smell, visible mold, or liquid pooling on top that's taken on a yellowish or off-color tint, distinct from the normal thin whey a good tub can release, are the real signs it's turned.

Because ricotta is soft and loosely structured throughout, mold can spread through a tub faster and less visibly than through a firm cheese like cheddar, which is why this site's guidance leans toward discarding an entire tub once mold shows up anywhere in it, rather than scooping around a visible spot the way some cooks do with a hard aged cheese. Keeping the tub tightly sealed and using a clean spoon each time, rather than dipping in with whatever utensil is on hand, meaningfully slows how fast an opened container declines within that shorter five-day window. Draining off any watery liquid that collects on top before each use, rather than stirring it back in, also helps the remaining ricotta hold its texture a little longer. A tub kept toward the back of the fridge, at the coldest and most stable temperature, also holds up a bit better through that shorter window than one stored in a door shelf that swings through wider temperature changes each time the fridge opens.

See Ricotta Cheese's full storage & shelf-life guide (with spoilage signs) →