How many of you have always wanted to try to make your very own Creamy Homemade Ricotta Cheese? Well, today is the day! Are you excited? I sure am! I can’t wait to share this recipe with you!
Who doesn’t like ricotta?
Its creamy texture lends itself perfectly to sweet foods like cannoli, cheesecake or this Rice Ricotta Easter Pie.
The taste and texture are equally appreciated in savory dishes, whether making Ricotta Cavatelli, used in Italian Stuffed Shells, or in a Tomato Ricotta Sauce.
It is also great when making Italian appetizers. One of my favorite “quick” appetizer recipes to make with fresh ricotta is these Ricotta Stuffed Medjool Dates.
In just under one hour, and with only 3 ingredients, you can be spreading some creamy ricotta on a toasted baguette with a drizzle of honey. It’s easy, economical and tastes great!
Life doesn’t get any better than this, my friends!
So…are you ready to begin?
What do I need to make Homemade Ricotta Cheese?
- Whole milk. Yes, full fat 3.25% milk.
- Salt. Adjust to your own personal taste.
- Lemon Juice. The acidity of the lemons will create those wonderful curds.
As far as accessories are concerned, you need a heavy bottom saucepan with a lid, a wooden spoon, a slotted ladle, a bowl, and a strainer.
You also need a cheesecloth and a ricotta basket. The objective is not to lose any of the curds when you drain your freshly made ricotta. I reuse the plastic containers from the times that I purchase store-bought ricotta.
How to Make Ricotta Cheese:
Begin by lining a large colander with a large piece of lightly dampened cheesecloth that has been folded over itself at least 3-4 times. Place the colander over a bowl. Make sure to use non-reactive materials. Alternatively, you can use a recycled ricotta basket. Set it aside while we begin to make the ricotta cheese from scratch.
You are now ready to combine two of the ingredients (milk and salt) in a large heavy-based saucepan.
Please note you CANNOT make ricotta with ultra-pasteurized milk.
Over medium heat, heat the milk to 185°F (85°C), making sure to give the mixture an occasional stir with a wooden spoon.
If you do not have a thermometer, heat the milk until it reaches a stage where there is a lot of steam, where little bubbles are forming close to the edge of the pot, and a slight film appears over the milk. It takes about 20 minutes to get to this stage at medium heat.
Making ricotta requires a source of acidity in order for the curds to form. I usually use lemon juice or white vinegar.
The results with lemon juice can vary since it depends on the acidity of the lemon. Don’t hesitate to add an additional tablespoon or two of lemon juice if your milk does not curdle immediately.
Do not use Meyer lemons as these are sweeter and do not have the same acidity as regular lemons.
Lemon juice is definitely my preference when making sweet recipes using ricotta cheese. Here are some examples: Easy Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, Italian Sweet Ricotta Easter Pie, or even this Rice Ricotta Easter Pie. Can you tell I just love ricotta!
I use white vinegar to make ricotta for savory dishes like a pizza, lasagna, pastas, or these Spinach Calzones.
Reduce the heat to low and add your source of acid (I used lemon juice). You will notice that the mixture will immediately begin to curdle…continue to gently stir the mixture about for 2 minutes.
Isn’t it amazing that in just a few minutes, you will begin to notice the formation of curds?
You are well on your way!
Carefully remove your soon-to-be creamy homemade fresh ricotta cheese from the heat. Let it stand, covered for about 20 minutes.
Carefully ladle your ricotta into the cheesecloth-lined colander or your basket. Your bowl will be filled with a liquid, which, as you know, is the whey.
Since we are talking about whey, I would like to clarify that true ricotta is made from the leftover whey of cheese production. Hence the name “ricotta”, which literally means “recooked”.
At this point, you have a decision to make. The consistency of the final product will depend on the amount of time you leave the mixture to drain.
If using the ricotta cheese to make a cheesecake or stuffed pasta, you need a firmer consistency – therefore allow to drain for at least 20 minutes. If you are using it as a spread (for example on a baguette), 3-5 minutes is more than enough time to obtain that creamy consistency.
As a personal preference, you can replace 1-2 cups of full-fat milk with cream. This creates even creamier ricotta.
What will you make with this homemade ricotta recipe?
Tips
- Replace the lemon juice with an equal amount of white vinegar.
- Reduce the draining time for a creamier consistency.
- Homemade ricotta cannot be made with ultra-pasteurized milk…so, check your labels.
- Use fresh ricotta immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Can I use Meyer lemons to make homemade ricotta? No, since this variety of lemons does not have the same level as acidity as regular lemons.
What is whey? Whey is the liquid that is formed following the addition of the lemon juice and after straining the curds.
What can I make with whey? The leftover whey is great to use when making bread, pizza, pasta or even in soups.
Can you freeze ricotta? Yes.
Ricotta cheese recipes we love
Recipe origins
During my youth, most Italian families made their own wine, their own sausages, cheese, prosciutto, tomato sauce, pickled vegetables, jams, jellies, pasta, bread…I could go on, but you get my point.
Imagine my surprise when I realized not everyone had homemade soppressata hanging in their cold room!
I realize now what a privilege it was to have been exposed to so much passion when it came to food. When I think back to my grandparents and my parents (and to a whole generation of immigrants), I am always impressed by how food helped preserve their identity.
The philosophy is easy -enjoy and share food with family and friends.
I hope you enjoy this ricotta in your favorite meals with your loved ones.
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.
Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have made this Homemade Ricotta Cheese recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Homemade Ricotta Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 cups whole milk 2 liters
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Line a colander with a large piece of lightly dampened cheesecloth that has been folded over itself at least 3-4 times. Place the colander over a bowl. Make sure to use non-reactive materials. (Alternatively, you can use a recycled ricotta basket placed on a bowl).
- In a large heavy based saucepan, over medium heat, heat the milk.
- Add the salt and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. Make sure the milk does not scorch.
- If you have a thermometer, heat to 185 F. If you do not have a thermometer, you need to reach a stage where there is a lot of steam, little bubbles close to the edge of the pot and the formation of a slight film. It should take about 20 minutes to get to this stage.
- Lower the heat to low.
- Add the lemon juice (or vinegar).
- Slowly agitate the mixture for 2 minutes. You will notice the curds (the ricotta) separating from the whey (yellowish liquid).
- Remove from heat.
- Cover pot and let stand for about 20 minutes.
- Carefully “ladle” your ricotta into the cheesecloth lined colander or your basket. The consistency of the final product will depend on the amount of time you leave the ricotta to drain. For a creamy ricotta, let it sit for 3-5 minutes; for a dryer ricotta, it can sit up to 20 minutes.
- Use immediately. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.
Video
Notes
- Replace the lemon juice with an equal amount of white vinegar.
- Reduce the draining time for a creamier consistency.
- Homemade ricotta cannot be made with ultra-pasteurized milk...so, read your labels.
- Use fresh ricotta immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Inactive time: 20 minutes 1 serving = 1/2 cup Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on February 21, 2016 and republished on February 8, 2019 with updated content, photos and a video. Thanks for watching and sharing.
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Roberta says
Maria, the recipe worked great using regular milk & Lacteeze to make it Lactose-free. Looking forward to making lasagne later today!
Maria says
Amazing Roberta! Thanks so much for taking the time to share! I am sure this comment will be appreciated by so many.
Thomas Cappiello says
I don’t quite understand why Organic milk might NOT work. Also, there is no mention here of raw milk which is what I have to work with. Would like to know if anything to know about that. Thanks.
Maria says
Thanks for your interest Thomas. I honestly never figured it out. That’s why I tried it on 3 different occasions. At first, I thought it was the variation of the acidity from the lemons… I tried with vinegar and the same thing happened…
Unfortunately, I have not attempted to make ricotta with raw milk. Would love to hear about your results if you do decide to try it out.
Danielle W says
Great recipe. Really tasty. I used lemon juice and was happy with the flavor. The main thing I struggled with–having never made anything like this–was how to remove the ricotta from the cheesecloth. It seemed like there was a ton leftover on the cloth and I was sad to see it go to waste…
Maria says
Thanks for the comment Danielle. I am guessing the ricotta did not fully form. Perhaps adding a teaspoon (more or less) of lemon juice would have encouraged larger curds.
Lisa Ciccardini says
I finally got around to making homemade ricotta using your recipe.
The first batch I made was with lemon juice and I wasn’t too thrilled with the lemony after taste – as I planned to use in in a chicken/spinach dish. But, I have plans for it – so no worries there!
So now I’m doing my second batch and will be using white vinegar. I’ll keep you posted.
Thank you for sharing this easy recipe Maria. Ciao for now.
Maria says
Thanks for sharing Lisa. Yes, I will sometimes get a more pronounced lemon taste… fresh lemons can vary in the level of acidity (where they are grown, storage time and conditions…)
Corrie says
I used Wholesome Pantry organic whole milk from Shoprite and it came out fantastic! I needed to use up some milk that was about to expire so I made chocolate pudding and this! Thank you!
Maria says
Fantastic Corrie! Thanks for sharing.
GREG DILEO says
Thank you for your instructions and details. Hard to rate your recipie because I used one from my aunt. First time I tried and I wanted to cross reference what I did with someone who’s done it a few times. Great explanations and directions. I’m Italian too and trying to carry on as many family traditions as possible. Great tip on what acid to use depending on the end result for the use of the ricotta. I used two tablespoons of white vinegar and one of lemon juice, right now it’s still cooling off so I’ll have to try it tomorrow. thanks again.
Maria says
My pleasure Greg. Thanks so much for sharing! I agree family traditions are so important, especially for the next generation. Thanks again for stopping by, appreciate it!
Bridie says
Magic!!!
Maria says
Thanks so much Bridie!
Sharon says
Turned out amazing! So fresh & delicious! I will never buy store bought again!
Maria says
Thanks Sharon, thrilled to hear this!
Richard says
Simple process and good explanation along the process.
But, would like to know how to make more ricotta from the whey produced.
Maria says
Great comment Richard. In fact that is the traditional way of making ricotta… from leftover whey. I tried a couple of times but I did not get great results. I prefer to use the leftover whey in my baking. Thanks for stopping by.
Anna says
If I’m making cheese, I will use the leftover whey to make ricotta. I add one liter of milk to the whey, bring back up to 185 degrees, then add the vinegar and proceed as usual. I add the extra milk to give a better yield.
Maria says
That is amazing Anna! Thanks so much or sharing. I will definitely try this!
SK says
Can this be made using lactose-free whole milk? My husband is lactose intolerant and we so miss good ricotta.
Maria says
Yes, as long as it is not ultra-pasteurized (edited), you should be able to make ricotta with lactose-free whole milk. Have fun!
Roberta says
SK- I use a product from Amazon called Lacteeze. It’s lactose drops that you put in the regular milk one day before you use it. I am lactose intolerant also; I have never found any lactose-free milk that isn’t ultra-pasteurized. The Lacteeze has enabled me to have normal yogurt again (though that has to sit for 2 days bc of thickness. I am trying the ricotta recipe tonight. I am very excited about it!
Maria says
Thanks so much for sharing Roberta! I am anxious to hear about your results!