This super simple stovetop ricotta is rich, creamy, and totally satisfying. Once you try it, there’s no going back.
Homemade ricotta cheese is seriously satisfying. Fresh ricotta is miles better than the stuff at the store, and all it takes is two ingredients and a few minutes on the stovetop. In fact ricotta is the perfect home cheesemaking project for a beginner. How can you not make it??
What you’ll need to make homemade ricotta
- some good whole milk
- fresh squeezed lemon juice
equipment
- a heavy bottomed pot
- cheesecloth to strain the whey from your cheese curds…
- you can also use a fine mesh nylon bag such as a nut milk bag. I prefer these because they’re easy to clean and re-use.
making ricotta cheese step by step
Here’s the easy no stress method. Don’t let the fancy complicated tutorials put you off. I think those people secretly want to keep cheesemaking all to themselves.
- Just heat your milk just until it’s just about to boil
- Then stir in fresh lemon juice.
- The curds will appear almost instantly, like magic.
- Strain the whole thing through cheesecloth or a mesh nylon nut milk bag and you’l be left with soft fresh ricotta cheese. Use it immediately or within a few days. It’s fabulous in so many dishes.
homemade ricotta faqs
Yes, you can make ricotta with half-and-half or cream, though the texture and yield will be a little different. Half-and-half works well and gives you a richer, softer ricotta ~ though you might get a slightly smaller yield since it has less protein than whole milk. Cream on its own doesn’t curdle as reliably and can result in a greasy texture, so it’s best used in combination with whole milk. A common approach is to use mostly whole milk with a splash of half-and-half or cream for added richness.
It could be the milk ~ ultra-pasteurized milk sometimes doesn’t work. Or the mixture might not be hot enough. Try adding a bit more acid and gently reheating.
Homemade ricotta will keep in the fridge for up to 4–5 days. Store it in an airtight container.
Whey is full of nutrients ~ you can use it in smoothies, soups, bread dough, or even to water your plants.
Yes, you can absolutely make ricotta cake with homemade ricotta. If your homemade ricotta is especially soft or wet, you may want to drain it a little longer before baking to avoid excess moisture in the cake.
how to use your homemade ricotta
- in pasta recipes, either mixed into a sauce, or spooned on to the plated pasta.
- on pizza
- in lasagna
- in stuffed shells
- as a base for fresh, stewed, or roasted fruits
- on ricotta toast
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How to Make Ricotta Cheese
Video
Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon whole milk
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
Instructions
- Open out your cheesecloth and line the colander with a double layer of the cloth, covering all sides of the colander. Set that over a deep bowl for draining and set aside.
- Pour your milk into a heavy bottomed pot and set on medium heat. Let it heat slowly, until it’s just about to boil.
- Add in your 1/4 cup of lemon juice, and almost immediately you will see the curds form.
- Keeping it on the heat, let the curds fully form. Don’t stir it much, just check to see if the curds have fully separated from the whey. The liquid should be translucent. This won’t take long, just a minute or so.
- Take it off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Then, using a slotted spoon or skimmer, skim the curds out and into your cheesecloth lined strainer. You can gently pour the liquid from the pan straight into the lined colander if you like.
- After a few minutes, pull up the cheesecloth and gently press to release more whey. The more you drain the cheese the firmer it will become. I like it soft so I just let the moisture drip for a few minutes and then put my fresh cheese in an airtight container until I’m ready to use it. The cheese will keep 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Why will ricotta last only 4-5 days when milk lasts longer? It even has lemon juice in it which helps preserve it.
Because ricotta is a high-moisture delicate fresh cheese with lots of exposed curd surface, it actually spoils faster than sealed milk, and the small amount of lemon juice used to make it isn’t enough to preserve it.
I’d like to try this. Has anyone tried it with Lactose Free whole milk?
I have not tried it myself but I believe you can.
I just attempted to make your great recipe. I don’t have milk in the house,now I used 100% whole milk powder with warm water. At a near boil (200*) I added in the fresh lemon juice. I got small curds but the whey never got clear. So I went with what I had and it does look like ricotta. I then reheated the whey/ milk solution and added in more lemon juice and I now have another small batch of cheese which looks and tastes like cream cheese. I’m a newbie to cheese making, but I’m having such fun!
I’m working on a homemade cream cheese recipe 🙂
Can you make this with skim milk instead of whole milk?
I haven’t tried that Sara so I can’t say for sure. I did a little research but didn’t come up with anything definitive.