Making homemade ricotta cheese is far easier than it sounds. A handful of staple ingredients, a little bit of time, and you have enough ricotta to slather on toast, tuck into pasta, dollop over roasted vegetables, or simply eat straight from the bowl.
Making ricotta at home is probably the kind of thing most people don’t even consider doing. After all, ricotta is neither a seasonal ingredient nor an exotic one, but something readily available at every grocery store year-round. Ricotta comes from a tub, so why complicate things?
But making your own ricotta couldn’t be easier. I’ve been making my own for years and can’t remember the last time I bought it at the store. When a recipe requires only a few ingredients you already have and thirty minutes of your time, I think it’s worth the effort. Not only is it cheaper but you also get to tweak and play with the recipe and make it as creamy and rich as you like.
And aside from a piece of cheesecloth, which you can pick up at the dollar store, homemade ricotta requires no special equipment. Once you’ve made it yourself, it’s hard to go back to store-bought.
I like keeping a container in the fridge for the same reason I keep good butter on hand: it elevates a simple piece of toast, enriches a pasta sauce, and can be turned into dips, tarts, and galettes. Homemade ricotta is just the beginning of many, many dishes, so let’s get into it!
A Foolproof Recipe
This recipe is from The Kitchn, and it’s so easy anyone can make it. It takes about half an hour, but most of it is hands-off. I highly recommend using a kitchen thermometer because it takes out the guesswork and makes your life easier, but don’t worry if you don’t have one—you can still make ricotta by observing visual cues.
Bring the milk almost to a simmer, then stir in the lemon juice. Remove from the heat and let it sit while you work on something else. That’s when the curds start to form. Then all that’s left to do is strain it, and in about 10 minutes you’ll have ricotta!
To make ricotta salata, simply wrap the drained ricotta in cheesecloth and press it beneath a weighted plate. Store it in the refrigerator overnight, and that’s it.
A bonus of making your own ricotta is the leftover whey. You can use it to make pancakes, cakes, bread, etc., so nothing goes to waste!
Key Ingredients in Homemade Ricotta
Whole milk: In my experience, it’s imperative that you use whole milk. Avoid ultra-high-temperature (UHT) pasteurized milk, as this process changes the protein structure of the milk and prevents it from separating, so make sure to check the carton before buying. Whole milk has more fat, which means more flavor and a richer, creamier texture. I would even recommend substituting some of the milk with cream.
Lemon juice: I always use freshly squeezed lemon juice, but you can also use distilled white vinegar or citric acid if you prefer.
Kosher salt (optional): I usually don’t salt my ricotta because I like using the leftover whey to make my morning smoothie, but you can absolutely add salt to yours.
Helpful Swaps
- 2% milk: Whole milk is my absolute favorite for making ricotta, but 2% milk can also be used. The ricotta will be noticeably less rich and creamy. Avoid skim and nonfat milk; these don’t separate as easily into curds and whey.
- Pasteurized milk: Pasteurized milk is fine for making ricotta, but avoid UHT (ultra-high-temperature) pasteurized milk, as this process changes the protein structure of the milk and prevents it from separating.
- Add cream: For a richer, creamier ricotta, substitute some of the milk with cream.
Helpful Tips
- Fresh ricotta salata: To make ricotta salata, simply wrap the ricotta in cheesecloth and place a heavy weight—like a can of beans or a bowl—on top. Store in the refrigerator overnight. More whey will be pressed out, and the cheese will firm up.
- Using the leftover whey: The leftover whey can be used in place of water in any baking recipe, or blended into smoothies or pancakes.
- Fresh ricotta can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
More Recipes Using Ricotta Cheese
Whipped Ricotta and Olive Dip: Creamy whipped ricotta meets briny olives in this simple dip that feels equally at home on a snack board or dinner party table.
Ricotta Tomato Toast: A thick layer of fresh ricotta, juicy tomatoes, and good olive oil turn an elevated slice of toast.
Lemon and Ricotta Donuts: Ricotta keeps these donuts tender and moist, while lemon adds brightness and just the right amount of zing.
Caramelized Onion Zucchini Galette: Sweet caramelized onions, zucchini, and creamy ricotta come together in a rustic galette that’s perfect for lunch, dinner, or entertaining.
Homemade Ricotta Cheese
Ingredients
Equipment:
- Cheesecloth
- Thermometer
Ingredients:
- 8 cups whole milk (not UHT pasteurized)
- ⅓ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed (1 ½ to 2 lemons) (or ⅓ cup distilled white vinegar), plus more as needed
- 2 tsp kosher salt (optional)
Instructions
- Warm the milk to 200°F: Heat the milk slowly in a large pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 200°F. The milk will become foamy and begin to steam; if it starts to boil, remove it from the heat. Turn off the heat.
- Add the lemon juice: Gently stir in the lemon juice and kosher salt, if using, until combined. You should already start to see some curds forming.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes: Let the mixture sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. The milk should separate into clumps of milky-white curds and thin, watery, yellow whey. If you still see a lot of unseparated milk, stir in 1 additional tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar and let it sit for a few more minutes.
- Strain the curds: Fit a strainer over a large bowl and line it with a double layer of cheesecloth. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the larger curds out of the pot and transfer them to the strainer. Pour the remaining curds and whey through the strainer.
- Drain the curds for 10 to 30 minutes: Let the ricotta drain at room temperature for 10 to 30 minutes, depending on how wet or dry you prefer it. If the ricotta becomes too dry, stir some of the reserved whey back in before using or storing.
