Easy Homemade Ricotta Cheese
Soft and creamy, this easy homemade ricotta cheese can be made in under an hour and is so incredibly delicious. Compared to store-bought ricotta, homemade ricotta tastes so much better and is well worth the few minutes of hands-on time it takes.
Ingredients
- 8 cups milk see note
- 1 cup cream
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
Instructions
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In a large saucepan combine the milk, cream, and salt. Heat over medium heat until bubbles form around edges of pan and an instant read thermometer reads between 175 and 185 degrees F. Milk should not boil.
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Turn down temperature to low and stir in distilled white vinegar. Let milk continue to maintain temperature between 175 and 185 degrees (adjusting heat as needed) for 20 minutes. Watch milk carefully so it doesn't boil.
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After 20 minutes, the milk curds (cheese) should be well separated from the whey (milky white substance). Scoop out large curds with a fine mesh strainer into a nut milk bag (see note) set in a bowl. Or alternately you can use several layers of cheesecloth laid over a colander in a bowl.
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Pour in remaining milk mixture and, if using a nut milk bag, carefully lift it up out of the strainer and hang so the whey can continue to drip from the bag into the bowl. Let the whey drip for 20-60 minutes, depending the texture of the ricotta you are going for. Less time straining will yield a creamier ricotta while more time straining will produce a drier, fluffier ricotta.
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This ricotta is best used fresh, but will keep refrigerated for about a week.
Recipe Notes
1. I've only made this recipe with whole cow's milk, and I highly recommend it. It's super creamy and delicious that way. Feel free to try it with other types of milk as you wish.
2. For a quicker version of this recipe (which results in a little tangier ricotta), you can use ⅓ cup of vinegar. The curds will separate from the whey quicker (in about 5 to 10 minutes) and you can turn off the heat while you are letting it rest in step 2. It is still very good and a good option if you are trying to speed up the process, but I slightly prefer the milder ricotta with less vinegar they way I've written the recipe.
3. This is the nut milk bag I have and LOVE. It has a wide opening so it's easy to pour in the milk mixture and it's easy to wash and reuse. I highly recommend it!
4. No need to discard the whey. It contains a lot of good nutrients. Do a google search to find out all the ways you can use it.