How To Make Ricotta Cheese
How To Make Ricotta Cheese – Learn the easy steps for making rich and creamy ricotta with just four wholesome ingredients, like heavy cream and lemon juice! Homemade ricotta cheese is great to include in all kinds of recipes, or to enjoy as a delicious spread for snacking.
Why We Love This Homemade Ricotta Recipe
Milk is one of the most versatile ingredients available and can be used in many dishes, from decadent desserts to balanced snacks. And with nine essential nutrients, including eight grams of high-quality protein in each 8-ounce glass, milk makes a nutritious and delicious treat that can be enjoyed both in recipes and on its own.
We love to make homemade ice cream, pudding pops, and all sorts of dazzling dairy treats in the summertime. Yet, there’s something else I love to make just as much and serve with fresh summer berries… My homemade Ricotta Cheese Recipe!
Most people would never attempt to make their own cheese at home. But you… You are not most people. You are adventurous. Daring. An appreciator of fine things. An ambassador of flavor. Plus, you know a little secret about cheese making that others don’t. Or at least you are about to.
With only 4 simple ingredients and our step-by-step-guide, you can make the most amazingly decadent ricotta cheese recipe that will put the store-bought versions to shame. It’s silky, spreadable, and completely irresistible served on crackers, bread, or as a dip with veggies.
Ingredients You Need
- Milk – I prefer whole milk, but see the note below
- Heavy cream – for the creamiest, richest and most flavorful cheese
- Lemon juice – fresh squeezed is best
- Salt – sea salt balances the naturally tangy taste of the ricotta
Note: This ricotta cheese recipe is ultra-rich and luxurious because of the creamy whole milk and heavy cream. You can, however, substitute 6 cups of whole milk, and skip the heavy cream. Or even use low-fat milk!
How To Make Ricotta Cheese From Scratch
- First, bring milk and cream to a boil in a large stockpot.
- As soon as the milk comes to a boil, remove the pot from the heat source and stir in lemon juice and salt. The acidity in the lemon juice causes the scalded milk to curdle into tiny cheese particles.
- Allow the milk to curdle for several minutes, then pour the mixture into a sieve (fine mesh strainer) lined with cheesecloth, sitting over a bowl. The sieve will strain out the whey, leaving the fresh cheese curds up top.
It takes time to reach the right consistency… About an hour for really loose ricotta cheese, and two or more hours for something a little more spreadable. Yet it’s worth the wait.
Get the Complete (Printable!) Homemade Ricotta Cheese Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Ways to Use Homemade Ricotta Cheese
Homemade ricotta cheese is something special. A cheese you can easily add to dishes like pasta, rice, or even over a salad to offer a little creamy goodness with nutrients you need like calcium and protein.
Here are a few of our favorite recipes to make with ricotta:
- Whipped Ricotta (Sweet and Savory Versions)
- Lemon Ricotta Pasta (One-Pot!)
- Ricotta Stuffed Shells
- Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce
- Lemon Ricotta Crepe Cake with Strawberry Sauce
- Cantaloupe and Sweet Ricotta Pizza
- One-Pot Spinach Ricotta Pasta
- Mini Spinach Ricotta Calzone Recipe
- Cheese Manicotti with Meat
- Summer Salad with Herbed Ricotta from Jo Cooks
I also like to keep a container of our freshly made ricotta cheese recipe in the fridge at all times, to serve as a quick snack or a garnish that elevates any dish to the next level! Serve with crackers, chips, or fresh chopped veggies or fruit – plus fruit spreads, a drizzle of honey or olive oil, or fresh herbs for an extra pop of flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
The ricotta – the curds – stays on top in the colander. The liquid that drains through is whey.
Yes, you can definitely substitute vinegar. I suggest using an equal amount of white vinegar as a replacement.
Sorry, probably not. However, you can drain it in the sieve overnight in the fridge, and that will help it to thicken!
There are all kinds of uses for leftover whey! It makes a great replacement for regular milk in most baking recipes, as it gives baked good a similar texture as acidic buttermilk. You can also use it to replace water or broth in rich soup recipes, or even as a marinade for meat.
Ricotta will last about a week in the fridge stored in an airtight container.
Looking for More Easy “How To” Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- How to Make Buttermilk
- Homemade Cheese Spread
- How to Make Pizza Dough from Scratch
- Irish Pub Cheese Spread
- How to Make Italian Seasoning
To find more amazing dairy recipes, visit MilkLife.com. You can also learn about all the health benefits of milk on Milk Life’s Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Get the Complete (Printable!) Homemade Ricotta Cheese Recipe Below. Enjoy!
How To Make Ricotta Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons sea salt
Instructions
- Pour the milk and cream into a large stock pot. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. The moment the milk comes to a boil, remove it from the burner.
- Stir in the lemon juice and salt. (I like my fresh ricotta cheese salty and use 2 teaspoons of sea salt, but use less if you like.) Allow the mixture to sit and curdle for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place a large sieve over a large bowl. Line the sieve with 3-4 layers of cheese cloth. Pour the curdled milk into the prepared sieve and wait.
- Allow the ricotta to drain, separating the curds and whey, for about two hours. Then scoop the thickened ricotta into an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The National Milk Life Campaign. All opinions are my own.
thank you for this ricotta recipe, never thought to make this but it’s one of my favorites and to be able to make my own, wow! and to even be able to tweak it a bit over time, wonderful
Be careful substituting vinegar for the lemon juice, it can turn things just a little grainy; it’ll even do that in straight cream. Also, try using lime juice (part for part) as the acid: it lets you add more salt without getting a strong lemon flavor, which makes a larger batch more versatile.
This is basically the Indian Paneer cheese recipe with heavy cream added.
I have made the paneer several dimes with great success using vinegar for curdling. I save the whey and use it for cooking.
This isn’t ricotta.
Ricotta means twice cooked using the whey from another cheese you used cultures to make.
This is Indian paneer, farmers cheese, Mexican fresco etc.
But yes you can substitute it for certain ricotta recipes not all.
You can drain it in a mold and make a harder molded cheese with herbs etc.
Made this with 6 cups of 2% milk, and it came out GREAT!!!!! Straining it took all of 10-15 minutes for it to be reasonably thick, I assume because I used the lower fat milk, so there was less to drain out? I always buy low fat/no fat ricotta, and the consistency was significantly better than store bought. Thanks for the incredibly simple recipe!
Definitely was hesitant in making this but it turned out great!
It’s so delicious!
This is SO delicious! I feel so decadent when I make it, and it’s always impressive to friends!
This is really awesome! And so easy to make!
Not yet. But, I will be…