Homemade Ricotta Cheese
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Homemade ricotta cheese is so much easier to make than you’ve ever imagined. Just a handful of ingredients and a big pot is all you need to make a bowl of luscious, creamy, cheese. Cook’s tip: have a big spoon and some honey handy because when you test it out, you’ll want to drizzle a little honey on. You can thank me later.
Making fresh ricotta from scratch, especially when the result is rich, creamy, and better than anything you can buy at the store, is incredibly satisfying. Homemade ricotta cheese is one of those game-changing recipes that will instantly elevate your cooking, whether you’re dolloping it onto crostini, folding it into lasagna, or savoring it by the spoonful with a drizzle of honey.
In this post, I’ll walk you through exactly how to make ricotta at home using simple ingredients and tools you likely already have on hand. It’s easier than you think and comes together in under an hour. Let’s dive into why homemade ricotta should be on your must-make list and how to store it for maximum freshness.
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Heather’s Notes
- Unbelievably Simple: This recipe requires just five ingredients; whole milk, heavy cream, lemon juice or vinegar, water, and sea salt. No fancy additives or stabilizers here.
- Incredibly Versatile: Use homemade ricotta in both sweet and savory dishes. It’s perfect in pasta, on toast, stirred into scrambled eggs, or baked into cakes.
- Flavorful and Fresh: Unlike store-bought versions, this ricotta is creamy, bright, and free of preservatives. The lemon juice gives it a subtle tang that’s hard to resist.
- Cost-Effective: Making it yourself costs significantly less than artisan ricotta from the deli case, especially when you’re cooking for a crowd.
- Sustainable Bonus: The leftover whey is nutrient-rich and can be used in bread baking, smoothies, or fed to pets and livestock. Zero waste win!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sea salt untreated like Sel Gris or Grey Salt
- Water: used to dissolve the salt before adding to the milk mixture
- Whole milk: for best results, use whole milk
- Heavy cream: adds extra creamines to the ricotta
- Lemon juice: to create the curds and whey
Find the full printable recipe with exact measurements and instructions above.
How to Make Homemade Ricotta Cheese
- Dissolve Salt: Mix the sea salt and water, until mostly dissolved.
- Heat Dairy: In a large stock pot, add the milk, heavy cream and sea salt water.
- Slow Boil: Heat over medium heat until the milk begins to boil softly. this can take some time, make sure to keep an eye on it or it can scorch.
- Curdle: Add the lemon juice and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. watch for the curds to come to the surface.
- Let Rest: Once a thin layer of curds has formed, remove from the heat and let sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. This helps the curds fully separate from the whey.
- Strain: Place a double layer of cheesecloth (you can buy this at the local fabric store) in a colander or fine mesh strainer set in the sink. Use a slotted spoon, skim the curds off the top and place in the lined strainer. What will remain will be a yellowish colored water.
- Hang and Drain: Gather the cheese cloth corners and tie them around a long utensil set over the sink and let drain for 20-30 minutes or until the desired consistency the longer you hang it, the dryer the cheese.
- Store or Serve: Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Use within 3 days for best taste and texture.
Tips for Storing Ricotta
- Refrigerate Immediately: Once drained and cooled, place your ricotta in an airtight container and store in the fridge.
- Use Within 3 Days: Homemade ricotta is free of preservatives, so it’s best consumed within 3 days for maximum freshness.
- Avoid Freezing: Ricotta’s delicate texture doesn’t hold up well in the freezer, frozen ricotta becomes grainy when thawed.
- Store Leftover Whey Separately: Pour whey into a mason jar and refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze it in ice cube trays for small portions later.
FAQs
Yes! Both lemon juice and apple cider vinegar provide the acid needed to separate the curds from the whey. Apple cider vinegar has a milder flavor, while lemon adds a bright, citrusy note.
For the creamiest results, stick to whole milk and heavy cream. Using reduced-fat or skim milk may yield less curd and a drier texture.
Absolutely! Whey is full of protein and nutrients. Use it in smoothies, soups, or bread baking. It’s also great for feed chickens or watering acid-loving plants like tomatoes.
If curds don’t form, you milk may not be acidic enough. Add another tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and gently stir. Also, be sure you’re using non-ultra-pasteurized milk for best results.
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Final Thoughts
There’s a little magic in watching milk and cream transform into fluffy, rich ricotta cheese with just a splash of lemon juice and some heat. Making ricotta at home not only gives you control over the ingredients, but it also opens up a world of possibilities in the kitchen. From creamy pastas and dreamy desserts to rustic tarts and elegant appetizers, this simple cheese adds richness and depth to any dish.
Once you’ve tried homemade ricotta, you might never go back to the store-bought version again. If you make this ricotta recipe, tag @farmgirlgourmet on Instagram – I love seeing your creations!
Homemade Ricotta Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp sea salt, untreated like Sel Gris or Grey Salt
- 2 cup water
- 1 gallon whole milk
- 16 oz heavy cream
- ⅓ cup lemon juice, from 2 lemons or 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Mix the sea salt and water, until mostly dissolved.
- In a large stock pot, add the milk, heavy cream and sea salt water.
- Heat over medium-low heat until the milk begins to boil softly. this can take some time, make sure to keep an eye on it or it can scorch.
- Add the lemon juice and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. watch for the curds to come to the surface. once you have a thin layer of curds, remove from the heat and let sit undisturbed for 10 minutes.
- Place a double thickness of cheese cloth (you can buy this at the local fabric store) in a colander set in the sink. with a slotted spoon, skim the curds off the top and place in the colander. what will remain will be a yellowish colored water. you can feed this to your chickens and cats like it as well, or you can toss it out.
- Gather the cheese cloth corners and tie them around a long utensil set over the sink and let drain for 20-30 minutes or until the desired consistency the longer you hang it, the dryer the cheese. Store in the fridge up to 3 days.
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Notes
Nutrition
* Nutritional information is not guaranteed to be accurate.
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Co-Founder at Spiceology | More About Heather…
Heather is a recipe developer and content creator living in Vancouver, Washington. She started Farmgirl Gourmet in 2006, almost 20 years ago, as a way to share recipes with friends and family. Heather is also the co-founder of Spiceology , a unique spice company, which she started in 2013. She shares family friendly recipes for easy everyday meals with a gourmet twist.
Just curious, as I’ve never made cheese before, but what do you do with the cheese cloth after? Do you wash it with the towels in the laundry, just rinse it off, or throw it away? Thank you for a great website that can take a novice like me and show me how to make delicious foods. And I love the dog!
Hi Rick, I usually wash it out really well in the sink with mild kitchen soap (low or no perfume). If you wash it in the washing machine, it will take on the smell of your detergent (know this from experience). Not so great when you make that second batch of cheese. Also, a great place to buy it is at the fabric store. You can get it in bulk for far less than the grocery stores minuscule square – which makes chucking it after each batch less painful. Thanks for commenting! Let me know how you like it!! It’s my favorite recipe for ricotta and I’m drooling now just thinking about it. Enjoy! ~Heather 🙂