Cream cheese substitutes: 2 swaps and how the nutrition changes
To replace 1 cup of cream cheese, use part-skim ricotta, beaten until smooth, plus 1 more option below. 1 cup of cream cheese has 823 calories, and the swaps come to 163 to 339 calories for the same amount. The biggest change is in saturated fat: 47.3 g in the original, 1.5 g to 12.1 g in the swaps.
Per 1 cup
NDSU names these swaps without a ratio, so the numbers compare equal cups.
| Calories | Fat | Saturated fat | Protein | Carbs | Total sugars | Sodium | Cholesterol | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cream cheese (original) | 823 calories | 80.4 g | 47.3 g | 13.9 g | 10.9 g | 9 g | 883 mg | 242 mg |
| Part-skim ricotta, beaten until smooth | 339 calories (-484) | 19.5 g (-60.9) | 12.1 g (-35.2) | 28 g (+14.1) | 12.6 g (+1.7) | 0.76 g (-8.3) | 244 mg (-640) | 76 mg (-166) |
| Lowfat cottage cheese, beaten until smooth | 163 calories (-660) | 2.3 g (-78.1) | 1.5 g (-45.8) | 28 g (+14.1) | 6.1 g (-4.8) | 6.1 g (-2.9) | 918 mg (+34) | 9 mg (-233) |
Numbers in brackets show the change from the original. USDA FoodData Central.
How to make each swap
- Part-skim ricotta, beaten until smooth. Compared with 1 cup of cream cheese: -484 calories, -60.9 g fat, +14.1 g protein, -8.3 g sugars, -640 mg sodium. Source: NDSU Extension.
- Lowfat cottage cheese, beaten until smooth. Compared with 1 cup of cream cheese: -660 calories, -78.1 g fat, +14.1 g protein, -2.9 g sugars, +34 mg sodium. Source: NDSU Extension.
Which swap fits what you need
Per 1 cup, among the swaps above.
- Fewest calories: lowfat cottage cheese, beaten until smooth, 163 calories (823 calories in cream cheese)
- Least saturated fat: lowfat cottage cheese, beaten until smooth, 1.5 g (47.3 g in cream cheese)
- Least sodium: part-skim ricotta, beaten until smooth, 244 mg (883 mg in cream cheese)
- Least sugar: part-skim ricotta, beaten until smooth, 0.76 g (9 g in cream cheese)
Choosing a swap
NDSU suggests part-skim ricotta or lowfat cottage cheese, beaten until smooth. The source gives no ratio, so start with equal amounts and adjust.
Both swaps have far less fat and twice the protein. A cup of cream cheese has 823 calories and 47.3 g of saturated fat, ricotta has 339 calories and 12.1 g, and cottage cheese has 163 calories and 1.5 g.
Cottage cheese matches the sodium of cream cheese, at about 900 mg a cup. Ricotta has much less.
Written from the extension guidance and USDA numbers on this page, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.
Sources
Substitution ratios
- NDSU Extension, Ingredient Substitutions (FN198, J. Garden-Robinson, April 2013 edition). https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/HHS/HHS-784-W.pdf (accessed 2026-10-12)
Nutrition numbers: USDA FoodData Central (accessed 2026-10-12)
- Cream cheese: Cream cheese, regular, plain, FDC ID 2705760 (FoodData Central survey (FNDDS) 2024-10-31)
- Part-skim ricotta: Cheese, ricotta, part skim milk, FDC ID 171248 (SR Legacy, published 2019-04-01)
- 1% lowfat cottage cheese: Cheese, cottage, lowfat, 1% milkfat, FDC ID 173417 (SR Legacy, published 2019-04-01) · full profile
How we calculate: each part of a swap is converted from its household measure to grams with the USDA portion weight for that food (1 cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp), then multiplied by the USDA values per 3.5 oz (100 g). Water counts as zero, and so do pinches under 5 g (salt, baking powder) where USDA lists no value. A dash (—) means USDA reports no value for at least one part. How we verify.