Homemade Ricotta
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Let's learn how to make ricotta cheese at home using 3 simple ingredients! It's so very easy to make homemade ricotta, you'll wonder why you've been buying it from the store all these years. And let me tell you, once you've had homemade fresh ricotta, you're not going to want to eat store-bought ricotta again. It just has so much flavor ... and pairs perfectly with freshly baked sourdough bread!
This homemade ricotta cheese recipe is perhaps a "cheat's way" to make ricotta at home, this easy 3 step process is very simple compared to the traditional method of making ricotta from the leftover whey from making mozzarella or haloumi cheese. This recipe uses 2 liters of milk which will yield around 500g of creamy ricotta cheese (around 2 cups).
I've also included plenty of ways to use your homemade ricotta curds ... like a sourdough honey and ricotta pizza (it's out of this world good). You can even use your homemade ricotta to make Farmer's Cheese. It's a versatile cheese that lends itself to sweet recipes and savory dishes.
What Is Ricotta Cheese?
Ricotta cheese is a mild Italian cheese that is known for its smooth, creamy texture and slightly sweet flavor. It is made from the whey that is left over after the production of other cheeses, such as mozzarella or provolone. Traditionally, ricotta is made from sheep's milk whey, but it can also be made from cow's milk or a combination of the two.
The process of making ricotta cheese involves heating the whey to a specific temperature, typically around 180°F (82°C). This causes the proteins in the whey to coagulate and form curds. The curds are then gently scooped out of the whey using a slotted spoon or a cheesecloth-lined colander, allowing the remaining liquid to drain away. This separation of curds from the whey is what gives ricotta its name, as "ricotta" translates to "recooked" in Italian.
You can read more about traditional Italian ricotta cheese production here.
Once the curds are separated, they are usually allowed to drain for a short period, allowing excess whey to escape. The resulting ricotta is creamy, with a slightly grainy texture. It can be eaten fresh or used in a variety of sweet and savory dishes. Ricotta is a popular ingredient in Italian cuisine and is often used in dishes like lasagna, cannoli, cheesecakes, and stuffed pasta.
In modern production, ricotta cheese is also made using whole milk, cream, or a combination of milk and cream. This method involves adding an acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice, to the heated milk, which causes it to curdle and form ricotta-like curds. The curds are then strained and processed similarly to traditional ricotta - this is the method we are going to use in our kitchen today!
What Milk Do I Use To Make Homemade Ricotta?
While ricotta is traditionally made from sheep's milk, it's best to use whole cow's milk to make ricotta cheese at home. You can use whole milk from the store or raw milk if you have it. For a creamier ricotta cheese, I like to add some heavy cream to the milk. You can use half and half or skim but it won't give you as many curds or as tasty ricotta as whole milk will.
The most important thing is not to use ultra pasteurized milk or UHT heat treated milk. This milk will not work for making ricotta.
What Equipment Will I Need?
At minimum you'll need a heavy based pot, slotted spoon and a way to strain the ricotta. I find it easiest to use a plastic ricotta basket I kept from when we used to buy ricotta cheese (I use the baskets as a banneton alternative for sourdough bread). If you don't have a ricotta basket, you can use a fine mesh strainer, cheesecloth-lined colander, muslin fabric or even a yoghurt strainer.
- heavy based pot (your Dutch Oven used to make sourdough bread is perfect)
- slotted spoon (handy for removing the large curds before pouring into the strainer and checking to see what's happening under the surface)
- ricotta basket or strainer (or cheese cloth)
- large bowl to catch the whey
- instant-read thermometer (handy but not essential)
How To Make Ricotta Cheese
This is a really simple process, using just whole milk, salt and lemon juice (or vinegar) to produce a creamy, homestyle ricotta that you just can't buy at the grocery store. I love to make this homemade ricotta recipe when we have a few liters of milk that is past it's best before date (which happens more than I'd like admit).
- Pour the milk into a heavy based pot and allow it to heat slowly on the stove top (medium heat is best). You don't want the milk to boil. It needs to come to around 185 F (85C) (if you don't have a thermometer, see recipe notes for knowing when the milk is hot enough).
- Add salt to the milk during the heating process and stir through.
- Once the milk is at temperature, turn the heat down to low and pour in the lemon juice or vinegar. Gently agitate the milk to ensure the lemon juice is well distributed and then allow the mixture to remain on the heat for around one to two minutes. Do not let the milk boil, it should just be gently simmering.
- Remove it from the heat now and cover with a dish towel. Allow it to sit for around 20 minutes to allow the curds to fully separate from the whey.
- If you put a spoon into the mixture, you'll see the curds sticking to the spoon and the liquid will be a yellowy color - this is the whey.
- Once the mixture has sat for 20 to 30 minutes, it's time to separate the curds - which is the ricotta cheese - from the whey. You don't want to throw the whey away (check the notes for ways in which you can use this).
- Sit a ricotta basket or cheesecloth over a jug or bowl and carefully pour the ricotta over the basket so that the ricotta is caught in the basket and the whey drains through. See notes for options what to use as a strainer.
- Once the ricotta is separated from the whey, allow it drain for a further hour. If you like wet ricotta, an hour should be enough. If you prefer a firmer, drier ricotta, allow it to sit for two to three hours, or even overnight in the fridge. You'll find you get a lot more whey drain out this way.
- Store the ricotta in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to one week. The whey can be stored in an airtight, clean jar in the fridge and used in many different recipes (see notes).
Important Tips for Making Ricotta
While this is a really simple process, there are a few tips that will make sure you have success when making ricotta every time.
Warming the milk
I used a thermometer that I use when frothing milk for coffee to check the temperature of the milk. If you don't have a thermometer, you will need to watch the milk closely. You want to turn the heat down right when it starts to form bubbles on the sides and there's steam coming off it. DO NOT let the milk boil or scald.
Lemon Juice or Vinegar
You can use lemon juice or good quality white vinegar to make ricotta. Or you can even use a mix of the two if you're short on lemon juice. You don't have to be exact with the measurements for this. I found that 45g of lemon juice is equivalent to the juice of 2 lemons.
It doesn't matter if you add a little extra in this case. One thing to remember is that some lemons aren't as acidic as others, so if you feel the curds aren't forming, just add a bit of extra lemon juice. Vinegar can be a more regulated and consistent way to add the acidity.
Don't Stir Too Much
After adding the acid, stir gently once or twice and then leave it alone. Over-stirring can lead to a less desirable, grainy texture.
Straining the Ricotta
I find it easiest to use a small ricotta basket that I've kept from buying store bought ricotta (these make a great sourdough banneton too). If you don't have a basket, you can use a fine metal seive, a few layers of muslin or cheesecloth or even a slotted spoon. Allow the curds to drain until the desired consistency is achieved. For a moist ricotta, 5-10 minutes draining time will suffice. For a drier ricotta, you might want to let it drain for a couple of hours.
Seasoning
While this recipe adds salt to the milk before separating the curds, you might like to add more salt once the ricotta has drained. Salt also helps the ricotta to stay fresher for longer.
Don't Waste the Whey
The leftover whey can be used in many other recipes like bread making, or to replace water in other cooking processes. It's rich in protein and has a nice, mild flavor. I love adding it to sourdough bread to make sourdough whey bread.
Help! My Ricotta Isn't Working ... How Can I Fix It?
While the ricotta-making process is fairly easy, sometimes things go wrong. The great news is, this process is pretty much fail proof, so no matter what happens, you can usually fix it!
If you've added the acid and the curds aren't separating, make sure you've got the milk mixture on a low heat still, so it's barely simmering. Add a little more acid, particularly if you're using lemon juice. Adding a few tablespoons of vinegar can help things along.
You know you're on the right track when the whey changes to a transparent, yellow/green color.
How Can I Use Ricotta Cheese In The Kitchen?
Ricotta cheese might just be one of the most versatile ingredients in your kitchen! With it's neutral flavors, it can lend itself to both sweet and savory recipes. It's sooooo tasty, you can serve it alongside fresh fruit with a drizzle of honey, or add it to your favorite pasta sauce. Here are some of the most popular ways to use homemade ricotta cheese (all with a sourdough twist of course):
- Stuffed Shells or Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni or just add to your favorite pasta recipes (check out this easy sourdough pasta recipe)!
- It makes the best sourdough pizza topping - check out this Sourdough Ricotta and Honey Pizza or this Sourdough Zucchini Pizza - both use fresh creamy ricotta! I highly recommend using this sourdough pizza dough.
- Whipped Ricotta Dip served alongside these sourdough crostini or sourdough discard crackers.
- Top a slice of your favorite sourdough bread with fresh ricotta, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper and salt.
Shelf Life
You can store your homemade ricotta in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to one week. They whey is also fine in the fridge for a week too.
You'll find that if you go to use the ricotta after it's been in the fridge for a few days, there is a pool of whey sitting on the top. This is very normal. You can either pour it off or stir it back in, depending on what you're using the ricotta for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can use apple cider vinegar to make ricotta cheese at home. You can swap the lemon juice out for apple cider vinegar in this recipe - use the same amount as you would lemon juice.
Yes you can use skim milk to make ricotta cheese, however you won't get as good results from using skim milk as you will using whole milk. You'll find that you won't yield as much ricotta (curds) with skim milk as you will with whole milk.
Farmer's cheese is basically ricotta cheese that has been drained and pressed into a mold.
Yes, you can use metal utensils, as long as it's non reactive metal like stainless steel. Avoid using copper or other reactive metals that could react with the acid in the vinegar or lemon juice.
Homemade Ricotta Cheese
Equipment
- Heavy Based Pot
- Slotted Spoon
- Thermometer
- Straining Basket or Cheesecloth
Ingredients
- 2 liters whole milk (half gallon)
- 5 g salt (½ teaspoon)
- 45 g lemon juice (or good quality vinegar) (3 tablespoons)
Instructions
- Pour the milk into a heavy based pot and allow it to heat slowly on the stove top. You don't want the milk to boil. It needs to come to around 185 F (if you don't have a thermometer, see recipe notes for knowing when the milk is hot enough).
- Add salt to the milk during the heating process and stir through.
- Once the milk is at temperature, turn the heat down to low and pour in the lemon juice or vinegar. Gently agitate the milk to ensure the lemon juice is well distributed and then allow the mixture to remain on the heat for around one to two minutes. Do not let the milk boil, it should just be gently simmering.
- Remove it from the heat now and cover with a dish towel. Allow it to sit for around 20 minutes to allow the curds to fully separate from the whey.If you put a spoon into the mixture, you'll see the curds sticking to the spoon and the liquid will be a yellowy color - this is the whey.
- Once the mixture has sat for 20 to 30 minutes, it's time to separate the curds - which is the ricotta cheese - from the whey. You don't want to throw the whey away (check the notes for ways in which you can use this). Sit a ricotta basket or cheesecloth over a jug or bowl and carefully pour the ricotta over the basket so that the ricotta is caught in the basket and the whey drains through.See notes for options what to use as a strainer.
- Once the ricotta is separated from the whey, allow it drain for a further hour. If you like wet ricotta, an hour should be enough. If you prefer a firmer, drier ricotta, allow it to sit for two to three hours, or even overnight in the fridge. You'll find you get a lot more whey drain out this way.
- Store the ricotta in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to one week. The whey can be stored in an airtight, clean jar in the fridge and used in many different recipes (see notes).
