Once you’ve tasted freshly made ricotta, you can’t help but be hooked!
The first time I did was in Tuscany. The cheese was so fresh, it was still warm! I’ll never forget the experience. How could something so simple be so delicious?
Ever since that first bite, I’ve been seeking out freshly made ricotta in gourmet stores or farmers’ markets. It finally occurred to me that I’d be better off simply making my own. I could make the precious cheese whenever I needed it, and would never again have to go out of my way to find it.
The revelation for me was that making ricotta at home is almost as easy as boiling an egg! Today, making my own ricotta is as routine as brewing my morning tea.
Ricotta in Italian means “re-cooked.” It’s made by re-heating the whey left over from making another cheese. In Tuscany, the leftover whey they use is from sheep’s milk pecorino. (Yes, that was my unforgettable first bite!)
So, while homemade ricotta is not a true ricotta, it certainly tastes just as good! Here milk instead of whey is heated up to near boiling point, then acid is added to precipitate the formation of curds. Once formed, the curds are drained through a cheesecloth… and voilà! Within a few minutes you’ve made your very own batch of fresh ricotta.
Here’s the recipe I developed for this most simple of cheeses. I’ve tried it with different acids and with different milks. All yield a different-tasting but always stunning ricotta.
Recipes:
- Bite-size cucumber rolls with ricotta Olivade
- Crostini with ricotta, truffle honey and smoked salts
- Farro with sweet peas, fresh herbs and ricotta
- Bruschetta with ricotta, grilled eggplant and fresh mint
- Pan-fried zucchini flowers with ricotta and garden herbs
- Ricotta pancakes with apple-Calvados syrup
Homemade Ricotta Cheese
makes 1 cup
active time: 10 min
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons distilled vinegar, fresh lemon or lime juice
- fine cheesecloth
- Step 1: Place the milk in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add the salt and heat over medium heat. Stir occasionally so the milk doesn’t scorch. Heat milk to 180ºF to 190ºF (82ºC to 88ºC). If you don’t have a thermometer, heat the milk until it foams at the sides of the pan and starts simmering, but doesn’t boil.
- Step 2: Remove pan from heat and add vinegar, lemon or lime juice. Stir only a couple of times. Almost immediately, curds will start to form. Make sure not to stir any more so as not to disturb the curds. Let stand for 5 minutes.
- Step 3: Line a medium sieve with the cheesecloth and carefully pour the milk mixture into the cheesecloth, disturbing the curds as little as possible. Let drain for 5 to 20 minutes to the desired consistency. Draining for 5 minutes will give you a moist and creamy cheese. Draining for 20 minutes will give you a drier ricotta. You can drain the ricotta for longer of course, just remember that the longer it drains, the drier it’ll be. Scroll down for the step-by-step instructions and photographs.Transfer the ricotta to a container and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for up to 7 days.
The milk Different kinds of milk will give you different ricottas. Cow’s milk is, of course, the milk that’s most readily available. You can use either ultra-pasteurized or pasteurized milk. I find the difference to be minimal, but the pasteurized milk does yield a slightly more moist ricotta. Goat’s milk, which you can find in health or gourmet stores, makes a creamy and tangy ricotta that’s perfect for spreading on a slice of crusty bread or for desserts. I’m still trying to locate sheep’s milk, which to me makes the most sublime ricotta of all.
• Ultra-pasteurized cow’s milk (left): The curds are large and form very quickly. This ricotta drains very fast. I find that 5 minutes is sufficient for a crumbly yet moist texture.
• Pasteurized cow’s milk (center): The curds are also large and form quickly, but the ricotta has a creamier texture. For a crumbly and moist texture, drain it for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Pasteurized goat’s milk (right): The curds are small. This ricotta will need at least 20 minutes of draining or more. It has a soft, creamy texture.
Note: You might find recipes for homemade ricotta that call for adding heavy cream to the milk, but I am a purist and prefer the curds on the lighter and drier side.
The acid
Flavor-wise, distilled vinegar makes for the purest ricotta. The vinegar imparts no flavor to the cheese and is very reliable, yielding the same results every batch.
Lemon and lime juice are also good acids to use for making cheese. They will both give the cheese either a slightly lemon-y or lime-y flavor which works wonderfully in certain recipes. However, since the pH level varies in each fruit you might need to add a little extra lemon or lime juice (about 1 tablespoon) to the warmed milk if your curds are not forming right away.
My advice is to start making ricotta with distilled vinegar until you’re comfortable with the process. Then you can experiment with fresh lemon or lime juice.
Draining the ricotta
This step is crucial. The more you drain your ricotta, the drier it’ll be. The best method is to flake a little bit of ricotta with a fork while it’s draining to see how the texture is turning out.
A cheesecloth is a very handy accessory to have. These days you can find it in most grocery or cooking supply stores. But in a pinch you can use a strong paper towel (the kind that doesn’t fall apart when soaking wet!). I’ve had to resort to this a few times, when I’ve forgotten to replenish my supply of cheesecloth, so I can vouch for its working out well enough.
Regency Naturals Ultra Fine Cheesecloth
If you start making your ricotta on a weekly basis, you might want to get a lot of cheesecloth! This double-pack from Regency Naturals is a good value.
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Disclaimer: As always, my point of view is my own. I do not accept samples, and have no commercial relationship with any product, food or wine company.
{ 88 comments… read them below or add one }
THe ricotta looks great.
Wonderful post! And I love how you gave us the different outcomes using different milks. I’m definitely gonna give this a try someday!
Ohmigoodness! That’s awesome! I’d never even thought about making my own. I bet it does taste amazing :) Thanks for sharing!
Look delicious! Enjoy Cooking!
Wow, what a wonderful tutorial! You make it sound so easy that I will have to try it! Thanks for sharing.
Wow – what a great post! I love ricotta and I remember having it fresh in Sicily….amazing! I love the step-by-step photos! Bookmarked and buzzed!
Ann! Thank you so much for your comment and your constant support – you really are the very best you know!
Everyone! Thank you for stopping by and for your comments – I’m always very grateful for them. Hope you give making your own ricotta a try… You’ll never look back!
Great recipe Viviane! I had no idea making fresh ricotta would be so easy. I’ll give it a try. :)
Let me know how it turns out Donna!
V, thank you for another fabulous post! You and your friendly cows collaborate for another masterpiece with this ricotta!
Sky, You know me… If I had my way, I would have a cow and a couple of goats in the backyard!
Love the goat milk one…so creamy! Thank you, viviane, for the step-by-step instructions.
we’ve recently been advised to move our little one from cow’s milk to goat’s milk, so i’m definitely going to try this one out with goat’s milk!
The photography of the Ricotta steps , clarified it for me! I will try it . Gorgeous and inspiring .
I never made ricotta, and I love your method, very easy instructions. My Grandma use to make it with fresh gout milk and I liked the taste.. Great post though, I will have to get enough courage to try it!:)) Congrats on top 9!
Congrats on the top 9, I love your blog! New follower :) xoxo
It’s been a while since I’ve made ricotta…but it was SO much better than the grocery store variety. Thanks for such inclusive directions…I think it’s time for another batch, but this time for a savory recipe instead of cheesecake :) Have a wonderful weekend~
Grazie per la condivisione. Giulia
Wow! I would have never guessed that it was so easy to make – thank you for the inspiration Vivianne!
Congratulations on Foodbuzz #!!
This is exactly how we make panir (Indian cottage cheese) at home. We can crumble it or press it under a heavy weight to set it in a block and cut pieces to cook/eat.
Congratz on the top 9 on Fb viviane!
Tq for the tutotrial & tips! I’ll make this someday, exited! ;)
I can’t wait to try this and the homemade creme fraiche! How invaluable to have in one’s arsenal. I’ve made my own homemade mascarpone and loved the results. I appreciate how thorough you are and demonstrating the different textures. What a great post, Viviane!
Wow – this is an awesome recipe. Thank you so much. I just need to find some cheesecloth – wonder if coffee filters would work?
Hi Jennifer! Considering tough paper towels do a good job (see my notes about it in the section “Draining the ricotta”), I think coffee filters might work. But they would need to be large ones… It’ll be too hard to pour the milk mixture into small coffee filters. I would recommend you try a strong paper towel first. Thank you for stopping by and let me know how it turns out!
Thank you, Viviane – I missed that. I will try a paper towel today. This is exciting!
Thanks so much for this! I was able to make organic ricotta for much less that the regular ricotta would cost in the store. It seemed a shame to hide the beautiful results (first try) in a lasagna, but that was on the menu for the night. Delicious and unbelievably easy!
Your photos are sooo beautiful!
As to the recipe, I use buttermilk – it adds yet another kind of flavor :-).
Ricotta is draining. Trying the paper towel method, but will try cheese cloth asap. It smells wonderful. My family is very excited. Thank you!
Sam! Thank you so much for your comment. I hope the ricotta turned out delicious.
I use a jelly strainer I found at my local hardware store. It works for ricotta and yogurt (I like thick Greek style yogurt).
Hello Angela! I’m thrilled to know that there’s yet another way to drain ricotta. Thank you for the suggestion.
Made it at last! And it’s delicious. Thanks, Viviane!
I’m thrilled to know this Julie! I too made a batch last night… It’s become second nature to do it.
Viviane, I made my second batch this morning, and got wondering if you’ve ever gone all the way to ricotta salata — or even if ricotta salata is just a question of drying longer and putting pressing on the curds.
Julie! I’m so glad you’re getting into making your own ricotta. I have not done ricotta salata yet… but that’s on my list (along with paneer, queso blanco and all kinds of other easy-to-make cheeses)! I’ll be posting about it after the holidays – so stay tuned…
This turned out perfect. I had been using my home grown lemons and couldn’t understand why it wasn’t producing enough curds. Obviously the ph of my lemons was not right. The vinegar is a much better option. Great, simple, recipe! Enjoying it with my pasta later on today.
Thanks.
Can you re-use the whey from the first batch to make ricotta again
What is the differance between Ricotta and Cottage cheese//??? Please! Do you have a recipe for homemade cottage cheese?
Barbara, cottage cheese is similar to ricotta, but not exactly the same. I don’t have a recipe for it but it’s high on my list of recipes to develop and test. Meanwhile, here’s a recipe (I trust David implicitly, so even though I haven’t made his cottage cheese recipe, I’m comfortable recommending it to you): http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2006/03/la-presure-home-1/
Thanks so much for this recipe! I live in a remote area of northern canada where ricotta is far from available. This recipe will now help me enjoy the comforts of back home :)
Any idea how long it would last (would you say comfortably until the milk’s expiry date?)
Dear Julian, I am thrilled to hear that this recipe will bring a little taste of home to you. I can get ricotta readily where I live, but I still prefer to make my own. There’s nothing like it! Your homemade ricotta will keep in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. Do keep me posted on how your first batch turns out. Happy ricotta making!
Love the ricotta recipe and pictures. My first batch is runny and not many curds. I live at high altitude (11,000 ft above sea level). Would there be a need to change temperature of the warmed milk before adding ingredients at a higher altitude?
Hi Laurie! I’ve never made ricotta at high altitude so I cannot really tell you if that is a problem… In my experience the small curds and wet cheese is more likely due to the milk itself. Try getting a different brand. If you see the curds not forming within a few second of adding the vinegar to the hot milk, add another tablespoon of the vinegar. The temperature is not as crucial I don’t think. Keep me posted… and don’t give up!
Viviane,
Just made my first recipe of ricotta and it taste wonderful, so much better than store bought. I am now a fan. Only problem is that it did not make enough so back to the store for more milk. Thanks
Gisela! I’m so glad you’re a homemade ricotta convert! And I must confess that I face the same problem: one batch is most definitely not enough. So now I always make a double batch… and sometimes even a triple batch! Happy ricotta making my dear.
Wow! I didn’t know that it’s so simple to make ricotta. With your instructions and pictures everyone can make it. I cannot wait to try too.
Wow…the fresh ricotta cheese is looking awesome ! I cant wait to make my batch today. I can feel the flavors of fresh cheese. Regards, Sonia
That’s great Sonia – thank you! Let me know how it turns out…
I have always wanted to do this, but never have. I get so worried I might screw it up. This looks great, thanks for the step by step!
You are most welcome! I’m very excited for you to try making your own ricotta!
Cool! I have seen recipes for home made ricotta before but not really from a trusted source. Now that I have, I feel better about trying my hand at this at home :-)
Janet, You’ll love making your own ricotta… I promise!
Glad you resent this post out! I have never made ricotta and this is a really informative as well as instructional. In viewing the comparison, I think that the one with goats milk would be awesome. This is probably one of those things that homemade taste and store bought taste is miles apart. I made cheese once and it is a pretty big project, but the end result made it well worth it. Great post!
Tina, this is the easiest cheese you’ll ever make! And yes, the types of milk make a big difference. In the end it just depends on what you’ll use the cheese for. The best is to try them all out and see what you prefer. Happy cheese making my dear!
Great, informative post! I haven’t tasted fresh made ricotta yet but I can only imagine how good it must be.
Anita, you’re in for a treat!
This is such a wonderful post. I have always wanted to try doing this. Now I know how. Thank you so much for doing this. Looks easy enough for a gal like me to try.
Kim Bee, thank you for your comment… And do keep me posted if you try making your own ricotta.
Interesting how different milks yield different results. I’ve never made homemade ricotta but it definitely looks like fun! Thanks for such an informative post!
Thank you Mj!
I adore homemade ricotta! The first time I tried I swore I would never go back to store bought varieties. The break down of the different types of milk is incredibly helpful. To date, I’ve only tried ultra-pasteurized cow’s milk and goat’s milk. Like you, I’ve had trouble tracking down sheep’s milk though I’d love to give it a try! Recently I’ve taken to using buttermilk (added right with the milk at the start) in lieu of vinegar or citrus. I’d love to hear your take on how buttermilk ricotta compares!
Samantha, I love the taste of pure ricotta and I think the buttermilk would change that quite a bit… But since you suggest I might give it a try… On for our hunt for sheep’s milk!
I really love this post and how you compare the result from using different types of milk. Very thoughtful, thank you so much!
Thank you Cindy!
Beautifully done…and thanks for showing the difference with the different milks.
You’re most welcome… Thank you for stopping by!
TY so much for sharing this extremely helpful and in depth how-to make ricotta cheese. It’s something I can’t wait to try!
Have fun Kayle… and be prepared to eat your first batch before it has time to cool down!
Viviane thank you for your detailed post. When my daughter lived in Italy the one thing that she constantly talked about was the fresh ricotta. Thanks to you I can surprise her with a batch.
I have been getting raw goats milk for awhile and have been using it to make crock-pot yogurt. I can’t wait to try making something new. I also drain the yogurt through coffee filters wet lining a colander.
Dan! That’s marvelous… You are very, very lucky to be able to get raw goat’s milk. I bet the ricotta will come out even better. Do let me know how it turns out – Happy cheese making!
Tried today. Easy and delicious. Thank you for the recipe and method.
I love fresh ricotta! Never tried making it, but you make it look so doable. Thanks for all the detailed instructions.
This recipe is super easy. Your detailed instructions were very helpful. I’ll be sharing your link today on Facebook because it was super helpful!
Hi Tabitha, Thank you so much for your comment. I’m thrilled that the instructions on the ricotta recipe were helpful. Thank you for linking it to your Facebook too! I hope making your own ricotta becomes a stand-by in your own kitchen.
Thanks for the tutorial, I actually used this to make paneer. If you wrap the curds up in the cheese cloth and put a weighted object on top and let it sit for a few hours you get a brick of paneer which you can slice, fry, and then add to a curry. So good! thanks for the help!
Nate, thank you for your comment and for stopping by. Indeed, this recipe makes a great paneer… Which I adore!
Thanks for this easy step by step and the explanation and picture of how the different types of milk turn out.
I just made my first batch after having this page book marked for months and I LOVE that I can have my yummy ricotta again and never ever have to eat the yuck store bought stuff again!
I’m going to try goats milk next time :-)
Dear Corinn… I am delighted you made your own ricotta and were happy with the results. You just made my day! I make this recipe myself every week and I can safely say that I will never buy ricotta again. Thank you for dropping me a line. Happy cooking!
My ricotta is draining away right now. I’m going for a smoother texture for some zucchini lasagna. This recipe was SO simple!! And I snuck a taste of my batch, it tastes perfect. Thank you so much for posting. This will take my Valentine’s dinner to the next level! :)
Eden, My apologize for this late reply to your lovely note! I am delighted you made your own ricotta and I hope your Valentine’s Dinner was superb. Happy ricotta making!
Thank you for this simple, clear recipe. It worked wonderfully. I won’t buy ricotta from the little plastic tubs again. So many possibilities….
Janet, thank you so much for your note. I am so glad the recipe worked well for you. May you enjoy making your own ricotta for many years to come!
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I have made this twice now and it is amazing. I used her boobs and fresh garlic. I also use half lemon and half vinegar because I think the lemon give it a beautiful flavor in my pasta. thank you for such a good post
I’ve just made my first batch of goat milk ricotta. The taste is unbelievable and it took only 30 minutes to make! I will never use store-bought ricotta from now on. I cannot wait to use it in your zucchini flower recipe!
Josée! You just made my day… Thank you so much for letting me know how your goat milk ricotta came out. It’s normal that it would take longer to drain than ricotta made with regular milk, because goat milk make much smaller curds. But as you tasted for yourself, it’s so, so delicious… and fresh tasting! Enjoy making the zucchini flowers. A few weeks to go in our neck of the woods before they’re is season. Bon appétit!
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