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5 from 1 vote

Homemade Ricotta Cheese Recipe

Creamy, pillowy, and incredibly fresh, our homemade ricotta cheese recipe uses simple ingredients like whole milk, fresh lemon juice, and salt, and can be made in less than 30 minutes.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Draining Time5 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Condiments, food and drink
Cuisine: American, Canadian, Italian
Keyword: cheese recipe, cheese to make at home, homemade cheese, how to make ricotta, ricotta cheese
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 1233kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 l whole milk homogenized/3.25%
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  • Pour milk into a medium saucepan and stir in the salt. Place on medium heat to slowly bring the temperature of the milk up to 200°F, stirring occasionally.
  • Lower the heat to its lowest setting to maintain the temperature around 200°F. Pour in the lemon juice and give it a quick stir. You should see curds start to form right away, the milk will curdle and separate from the whey, and if not, add an additional tablespoon or two of lemon juice. Let sit for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, dampen a piece of cheesecloth large enough to fit into a sieve or colander. Press the cheesecloth down into the sieve. Use a slotted spoon or ladle to gently transfer the curds to the cheesecloth. Allow to drain until it reaches the desired consistency.
  • Allow the ricotta to drain until it reaches your desired consistency (see notes)

Video

Notes

  • If you don’t have a thermometer to measure the temperature, keep an eye on the milk. Once it is steaming, look for a light layer of foam and a few small simmering bubbles along the edges of the pot, then it is ready for the next step.
  • If you’re looking for a more loose and creamy homemade ricotta drain for 3 to 5 minutes. This consistency is great for dolloping on pasta or pizza, eating plain with fruit or mixing into a shake. For something more spreadable to use for fresh ricotta toast or as a base for pizza drain for 8 to 10 minutes. If you need firm ricotta for things like lasagna or ricotta cheesecake, drain for 20 minutes or longer.

Nutrition

Calories: 1233kcal | Carbohydrates: 100g | Protein: 63g | Fat: 65g | Saturated Fat: 37g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 200mg | Sodium: 2023mg | Potassium: 2703mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 103g | Vitamin A: 3244IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 2264mg | Iron: 1mg