A ricotta breakfast bowl is the perfect way to start your day this winter! This version – made with roasted pears and cranberries – offers a lovely blend of sweet and tart flavors swirled into creamy ricotta. The result is a flavor-packed bowl filled with wholesome ingredients and nutrients to fuel your body.

Ingredients
Here’s a photo of all the ingredients you’ll need, along with selected ingredient notes:
- Ricotta – I use part-skim ricotta, as it offers a creamy texture and similar protein content – but less calories and fat – compared to whole milk ricotta. However, you can use whatever you prefer.
- Cranberries – Roasting fresh cranberries helps bring out their sweetness while still maintaining some tartness, making them pair nicely with sweet, juicy pears. Fresh cranberries are typically only available at the grocery store a few months of the year, but frozen are also available year round (and can be roasted too; they just might require a little extra time).
Instructions
You’ll find the full recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s a helpful overview with photos and tips. Luckily, this recipe is very simple to make!
Start by preparing the ingredients for the roasted fruit. Chop up the pear (leave the skin on; it adds fiber) and place it on a baking sheet with the fresh cranberries. Drizzle with the olive oil and add the cinnamon, then mix together the ingredients to ensure they’re evenly coated.
Pop that in the oven and bake at 400°F for about 10 minutes, or until the fruit is tender.
Meanwhile, prepare the ricotta by mixing it with the orange juice, orange zest, and honey.
When the fruit is done roasting, add it to the bowl of the ricotta mixture and dig in!
Recipe FAQ
Here are some common questions that may come up as you’re preparing this recipe:
Absolutely. Roasted apples are another great choices in winter, while roasted strawberries are a nice option in spring, and roasted peaches are perfect to cap off summer. You can also use fresh fruit instead of roasted – like fresh berries and cherries. Feel free to add other toppings too like nuts, seeds, chocolate, or coconut.
Yes. The ricotta may get slightly runny after being refrigerated for a day or two, but just stir it all together and it still tastes great. I do prefer it made the day I want to eat it though, as I like the contrast of the warm roasted fruit against the cool creamy ricotta. But it can all be eaten cold together too.
Sure – if you’d like to add more protein to this recipe, you can mix some plain nonfat Greek yogurt or 1% cottage cheese in with the ricotta, you can add some slivered almonds, or add some nut butter as a topping.
Nutrition Benefits
As a dietitian, I love this recipe for many reasons:
- Contains a blend of carbs, fat, and protein, which helps you feel satisfied
- Provides 29% of your daily calcium needs, essential for bone health (especially for all my cross country runners out there!)
- Has 29% of your daily Vitamin B12 needs, an essential nutrient that is involved in energy production
- Good source of immune-supporting nutrients like Vitamin C and zinc
- Ricotta is just so delicious!
More Healthy Breakfast Recipes
If you’re looking for additional nutritious breakfast ideas, be sure to give one of these a try:
- Cottage cheese egg muffins
- Apple pie chia pudding
- High fiber buckwheat pancakes
- Smoked salmon breakfast toast
- Freezer breakfast sandwiches
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you get a chance to try it, feel free to leave a recipe rating or comment below.
Ricotta Breakfast Bowl
Ingredients
For the roasted fruit:
- 1 medium pear, cut into chunks
- ¾ cup fresh cranberries
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp cinnamon
For the bowl:
- ½ cup part-skim ricotta
- 1 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp honey (or more to taste)
- 1 tsp orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place the chopped pear and fresh cranberries on a baking sheet. Add the olive oil and cinnamon, and mix the ingredients together on the baking sheet to evenly coat all the fruit. Bake the fruit at 400°F for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together the ricotta, orange juice, honey, and orange zest.
- When the fruit is done roasting, top the ricotta mixture with the fruit and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
Please pin this post to share with others!
- 6 Helpful Recovery Supplements for Runners - February 5, 2025
- Dark Chocolate Kodiak Protein Muffins - February 4, 2025
- How to Make Running Fun (So You Actually Enjoy It) - February 3, 2025
Leave a Reply