Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Cheesemakers prepare traditional Italian ricotta using whey, a byproduct from making other wonderful cheeses like mozzarella or provolone. But you don’t need to be a cheesemaker with extra whey kicking around to make homemade ricotta. All you need is whole milk, cream, an acid like vinegar or lemon juice, and some salt. In less than an hour, you’ll have rich, creamy ricotta cheese for all sorts of savory and sweet dishes. Plus, it’s a great way to use up a gallon of milk before it goes bad!

Make a batch of ricotta for lasagna, an easy ziti bake or a luscious and elegant old-world ricotta cheesecake. Swipe some on toast with jam, or top a pizza with it. Many ricotta recipes, including Italian ricotta bread and torta pasqualina, are strongly associated with Easter.

How to Make Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Making homemade ricotta cheese is surprisingly easy. All you need to do is warm the milk, cream and salt on the stovetop, then stir in vinegar and let it stand until curds form. Once the curds form, pour it into a cheesecloth-lined strainer until it thickens, then store it in the refrigerator. We’ll walk you through the process with step-by-step photos below.

Ingredients for Homemade Ricotta Cheese

• Whole milk: For the easiest homemade ricotta, choose whole milk. Buy milk with a fresh, delicious flavor, as it’s the main ingredient in your homemade cheese.
• Heavy whipping cream: Adding heavy cream to the milk gives your fresh cheese more substance. You can use heavy cream or whipping cream, but avoid ultra-pasteurized cream. It might not work as well.
• Salt: Ricotta has few ingredients, so salt is super important. It also helps preserve the cheese once it’s made.
• White vinegar: Acidity causes the curds and whey to break apart. White wine vinegar is the most neutral-tasting vinegar for making ricotta, Lemon juice works in a pinch, but will add a subtle lemon flavor to the ricotta.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the ricotta and add an acid

Line a large strainer with two layers of cheesecloth, dampened with water, and place the strainer over a large bowl.

In a Dutch oven, bring milk, cream and salt just to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Remove the pot from the heat. Gently stir in vinegar and let it stand until curds form, about five minutes.

Editor’s Tip: Making ricotta is a gentle process. Once the curds start to form, it’s best to avoid stirring, as that will change the texture of the finished product.

Step 2: Strain out the whey

Pour the liquid into the prepared strainer. Let it stand until ricotta thickens to the desired consistency, 30 to 60 minutes.

Discard the liquid. Store the ricotta in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Editor’s Tip: You don’t have to throw away the whey! Check out the tips section for ideas on how to use it up.

How to Use Serve Ricotta Cheese

• Spread it on toast: Smear ricotta on crisp toasted bread and top it with basil, cherry tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil. You could also try this pistachio and date ricotta crostini. A few berries and some honey would make a nice topping, too.
• Use it for pasta: Lasagna, stuffed shells, baked manicotti … so many baked pasta dishes use ricotta cheese. Blend garlic and spinach or herbs into the cheese for extra pizzazz. Or add a bit of ricotta, lemon zest and fresh basil to hot pasta (with a little pasta water) for a quick and delicious entree.
• Make dessert: Some of the best ricotta cheese recipes are sweet. Fill store-bought cannoli shells with sweetened ricotta cheese, and the semi-homemade dessert will surely impress. Add pistachios, mini-chocolate chips or chocolate shavings for extra flair.

How to Store Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Once the ricotta has drained, store it in a sealed container in the fridge. I like using screw-top glass jars or snap-top glass food storage containers.

How long does homemade ricotta cheese last?

You can use ricotta cheese for up to five days, but it will have the nicest, freshest dairy flavor during the first day or two.

Homemade Ricotta Cheese Tips

What can you do with leftover whey?

There are plenty of ways to use the whey from ricotta making, so don’t feel you need to toss it. You can add it to smoothies, or use it instead of the buttermilk when making pancakes, Southern buttermilk biscuits or ranch dressing.

Can you use other types of milk for homemade ricotta?

Because of its higher fat content, whole milk will give you the best results when making homemade ricotta. Although 2% milk can be used as a substitute, you should avoid skim, ultra-pasteurized and high-heat pasteurized milks, as they may not curdle properly after you add the vinegar. You can also make ricotta with goat, sheep or water buffalo milk.

Do I have to use distilled vinegar to make ricotta cheese?

Nope, you don’t need white distilled vinegar for ricotta. Acidity matters when separating curds and whey, so you can use other low-pH liquids like lemon juice. Lemon juice will give your ricotta a citrusy flavor, which is fantastic for sweet recipes like lemon ricotta cake or pasta dishes like lemony mushroom lasagna roll-ups.

Is there a substitute for cheesecloth?

A clean kitchen towel (something flat, not fuzzy) can be used instead of cheesecloth, as can a large coffee filter.