Ricotta (pronounced in Italian) is a dairy product of Italian origin, often (but technically incorrectly) referred to as cheese . Ricotta, which means "recooked" in Italian, was created as a way to utilize whey, a limpid, low-fat, nutritious liquid that is a by-product of cheese production. After realizing that whey cannot be safely dumped as it creates an environmental hazard, Romano makers discovered that when the protein-rich substance is heated, casein particles fuse and create a curd. This curd, after drainage, is ricotta. Because Ricotta is made from whey, rather than milk, it cannot be technically considered cheese , even if it is usually referred to as one.

In its basic form, ricotta is uncooked and unripened curd, which is undrained of its whey. It is fresh (as opposed to ripened or aged), grainy and creamy white in appearance, slightly sweet in taste, and contains around 5% fat. In this form, it is somewhat similar in texture to some cottage cheese variants, though considerably lighter. Like many fresh cheeses, it is highly perishable. Ricotta comes in other forms as well, see variants below.