Ricotta Cheese Made From Scratch
Making ricotta cheese from scratch is one of the easiest things in the world to make. My 6 year old can do it on her own. Simply heat your milk, stir in acid, and strain. Freshly made ricotta is a mild cheese that can be used in sweet and savory dishes like:
- Strawberry Chocolate Chunk Ricotta Pancakes
- Blueberry Ricotta Cake
- Orange and Pistachio Ricotta Cake
- Fresh ricotta drizzled with honey and fruit
- Lasagna and stuffed pasta dishes
- Spicy Baked Ricotta and Pepper Dip
- White Pesto Pasta
- Summer Squash Frittata with Herbs
One gallon of milk makes 4 cups of ricotta. Now, you might be thinking…. If 1-gallon milk costs about the same as 1-quart ricotta, why not just buy it at the store? Fair question. First, fresh homemade ricotta has a superior flavor than store-bought which often contains thickeners and stabilizers like xantham gum, guar gum, and carrageenan. These extra ingredients just don’t need to be there. Secondly, when you make your own ricotta, you actually end up with 2 amazing products, ricotta, and whey. Whey is a protein-packed liquid that is super versatile and fun to use in the kitchen.
Whey Worth It!
Having fresh whey on hand is a real treat. Cheesy grits cooked in whey is one of my favorite things! Whey can be used in place of water in batters, oatmeal, bread dough, smoothies, pie dough, cooking rice or other grains, soups, and sauces, etc. It’s also a healthy treat to feed to your dogs, cats, or farm animals.
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Homemade Ricotta + Whey Recipe
- Prep Time: 1
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 21 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Category: Cheese
- Method: Boil and Strain
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This recipe makes 4 cups of delicious fresh ricotta and 12 cups of whey.
Ingredients
14 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup lemon juice or white vinegar
2 t salt
Instructions
Add the milk and cream to a pot and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently all the way down to the bottom with a heatproof spatula so the milk doesn’t burn to the bottom.
Once the milk reaches a low simmer, turn off the heat, add the lemon juice or vinegar and stir for about 1 minute. The milk will separate into curds and whey.
Strain the curds through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl to catch the whey.
The longer the curds sit in the strainer the drier and more crumbly your ricotta will be. 10-20 minutes makes creamy ricotta similar in texture to store-bought. Several hours of straining will make drier ricotta that will hold its shape.
Homemade ricotta is best used within 5 days.
Notes
Ricotta can be made with lemon juice, vinegar, citric acid, or buttermilk. Essentially, any culinary acid will get the job done. Citric acid is the most acidic, and it’s in powder form. I almost never use citric acid. Lemon juice has the second-highest acidity. If you are using vinegar or buttermilk you will need to increase the amount.
[…] byproducts. I realize that this is less practical for the home cook… but if you try my Home-Made Ricotta + Whey recipe, you too can have some whey on hand to play around […]