Ricotta Cheese

About Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Making Homemade Ricotta Cheese is a super easy and simple process.

You need 4 ingredients and 30 minutes (most of which is hands-off) to make this light, spongy, creamy, and fresh ricotta cheese recipe.

The word ricotta means re-cooked. This fresh cheese was traditionally made by re-cooking leftover whey from cheese production, hence the name. But these days, it is made by curdling the milk with a souring agent.

Ricotta Cheese is much creamier and softer in texture than cottage cheese.

You can also control its consistency according to your requirements. Make wetter, looser ricotta or a drier, firmer one, depending on what you will use it for.

Homemade Ricotta Cheese tastes much more economical than store-bought.

I used 34 oz (1 liter) of milk and got about 1 cup of ricotta. You can easily scale the recipe up or down.

This homemade ricotta cheese recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free.

Ingredients

Milk – Ricotta Cheese can be made with sheep, goat, cow, or water buffalo milk, but cow’s whole milk (full-fat milk) is preferred for this recipe.

Avoid skim or low-fat milk, as there isn’t enough fat left in the milk to separate into curd and whey.

Also, avoid using high-temperature pasteurized milk (ultra-pasteurized milk) to make a homemade ricotta recipe. High temperatures alter milk protein structure, preventing coagulation.

Most organic milk is ultra-high-temperature pasteurized, so read the label before buying.

Cream – Adding unsweetened heavy cream makes the ricotta creamier and softer. This is also the differentiating factor between ricotta cheese and cottage cheese.

Lemon – Use freshly squeezed lemon juice to curdle the milk. You can also replace it with plain white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

How To Make Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Add 2 tablespoon water to a heavy-bottomed pan and bring it to a boil over medium heat.

Adding a little water to the pan prevents the milk from scorching.

Add the following ingredients to the pan and bring the milk to a boil.

• 34 oz (1-liter) whole milk
• ½ cup unsweetened heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Stir occasionally while boiling to prevent the milk from scorching.

Once the milk comes to a boil, remove the pan from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice.

The milk will curdle immediately, and the whey will separate from the curd. Let the curdled milk rest for 2-3 minutes.

Note: You can add more lemon juice if your milk doesn’t curdle immediately after adding it.

Line a large sieve with a layer of cheesecloth. Transfer the small curds into the sieve using a slotted spoon, or gently pour them into the sieve and let them drain.

Note: The draining time will depend on the consistency you are aiming for.

If you are making ricotta to use as a dip or spread, drain it for 10-12 minutes; if you are going to use it as a filling or for desserts, drain it for 20 minutes.

You can also wrap the drained ricotta in cheesecloth, press it with something heavy, like a marble rolling pin, and refrigerate it overnight to make paneer, ricotta salata, queso fresco, or other fresh farmers’ cheese.

Tip – If the ricotta becomes too dry, stir some whey back in before using or storing it.

Store the ricotta in a clean, dry, airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Usage Ideas

There are so many delicious ways to use this creamy ricotta cheese. You can use it to make both savory and sweet recipes. Here are some options.

Use it to make desserts like cheesecakes or cannoli.

Add it to your salads, open toast, toasted baguettes, sandwiches, burgers, wraps, etc.

Add it to pasta dishes, risotto, gnocchi, or lasagne.

Scrambled eggs taste great with a little fresh ricotta added.

Add it to grilled fruit with granola and a drizzle of honey for dessert.

Variations

Take your homemade ricotta cheese to the next level by flavoring it using various ingredients. Here are some of my favorite options.

Herbed Ricotta – Add chopped fresh herbs (parsley, basil, chives, etc), salt, and black pepper.

Olive and Garlic Ricotta – Finely chop some green olives and roasted garlic and add it to the ricotta with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Spicy Ricotta – This is one of my favorites! Add some finely chopped red bell pepper, smoked paprika, and salt to the cheese.

Lemon Basil Ricotta – Add some finely chopped basil leaves, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper to the ricotta.

Honey Black Pepper – Add a little honey with black pepper, and there you have a delicious honey ricotta cheese ready.