The Difference Between Ricotta, Fromage Blanc, and Quark (and How to Use Them)

Ricotta is pretty well-known, thanks to its inclusion in baked goods and pizza. But, what the heck is quark? You may have also seen something called fromage blanc, and immediately passed over it in favor of something with a more recognizable name. Even a food lover who can wax poetic on the differences between brie and camembert might have a hard time navigating the fresh cheese category.

Sue Conley, co-founder of Cowgirl Creamery, understands. “Aged cheeses look pretty distinctive from one another. Fresh cheese kinda looks the same, but they each behave so differently. It probably doesn’t help that they can have some confusing names like quark or fromage blanc.”

That said, fresh cheese is Conley’s favorite category. “It really requires high-quality milk sourcing and is so versatile.” Along with their flagship Mt. Tam and Red Hawk, Cowgirl Creamery makes a line of organic fresh cheeses like fromage blanc, crème fraiche, and cottage cheese.

When Vermont Creamery co-founder Alison Hooper first went to France, she was introduced to a new world of fresh cheeses and wanted to bring them back to the states. Vermont Creamery has been making cheeses like fromage blanc, crème fraîche, and quark for over 20 years, along with their iconic line of butter and goat cheeses.

But, says Vermont Creamery president Adeline Druart, “Most fresh cheese products are still very unknown. Often, it’s people who have traveled and tried them elsewhere who are drawn to them. But, they’re so approachable and easy to use.”

When shopping for fresh cheeses, it’s very important to check the expiration date, says Conley. “Make sure there’s still time to use the cheese because it’s compromised over time more than other cheese.” She advises to look for local producers or dependable producers “who take fresh cheese just as seriously as their aged cheese.”

Here are the differences between a few common fresh kinds of cheese and how to use each of them:

Fromage Blanc

Fromage Blanc is a fresh cheese that can be made with any milk type but is most commonly made with cow’s milk. It comes in many varieties, including Vermont Creamery Fromage Blanc that is non-fat and Cowgirl Creamery Fromage Blanc that has fat (but still less fat than cream cheese, they note). It can be used as a dip, spread, or eaten straight. The varieties with fat can be great for cooking.

“I grew up in France eating fromage blanc like Americans grew up eating cottage cheese and yogurt,” says Druart.

Both Druart and Conley love fromage blanc with fresh berries or as a dip with fresh herbs, salt, pepper, and olive oil. “Fromage blanc is just made for summer eating,” says Conley.

Druart’s breakfast go-to is fromage blanc topped with granola and a bit of maple syrup. She also loves the Alsatian flammekueche, a flatbread topped with fromage blanc or crème fraîche, onion, and bacon.

Ricotta

When making ricotta at home, it’s usually from fresh milk. But originally, ricotta—meaning “recooked” in Italian—was the clever way to use the leftover whey from the cheesemaking process. After reheating the whey, the leftover proteins would coagulate and become fresh ricotta.

Ricotta can be eaten plain or topped with a drizzle of honey but is also great to cook with both in sweet and savory dishes. It’s just as delicious in pizza and pasta as it is in pancakes and cheesecake.

Quark

Quark is a fresh cow’s milk cheese that has had some of the liquid drained off. Quark means “curd” in German and, according to Druart, “is the German answer to Greek yogurt.” She likes it on toast for breakfast or as an ingredient in desserts like tarts and cheesecakes.

Her favorite use of quark, though, is as a base for a horseradish dip that she serves with grilled steak. “It’s very simple, just salt, pepper, horseradish, and quark, but the acidity helps balance the fattiness of the steak and the horseradish brings out the meatier flavors.”

Druart notes that, while quark is one of the least-known of the fresh cheeses, it’s also incredibly versatile—a simple, fresh dairy product.