Homemade Ricotta Cheese
This homemade ricotta cheese recipe calls for nothing more than milk, buttermilk, salt, and 15 minutes. I promise it will be the best ricotta you’ve ever tasted…you might not ever buy supermarket ricotta again!
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why we love this recipe
Okay, the first thing I have to say is, hang in there with me for a few minutes. I know you are thinking, make your own homemade ricotta cheese? REALLY?
Here on this blog, where I have said about a million times, it’s all about getting in and out of the kitchen in 30 minutes or less? Has she finally eaten one too many piece of bacon and gone off her rocker?
Hang in there with me while I promise you these three things:
1. If you can boil water, you can make your own ricotta cheese.
2. It will take you less than 15 minutes from start to finish.
3. It will taste so good, you will wonder why on earth it took you so long to figure out that you should have been making your own homemade ricotta cheese for the past hundred years.
Let’s do this thing!
ingredients you need
ingredient notes and substitutions
- Buttermilk: You can find buttermilk near the cream in the dairy section of your supermarket…make sure you give the bottle a good shake before you pour it out.
- Milk: You have to use whole milk to make this heavenly ricotta…no low-fat or skim, please!
- Salt: We love using fine sea salt for this recipe, which you can find in the spice aisle.
how to make this recipe
STEP 1: Get out your handy strainer and put it in your sink. Line it with a little cheesecloth, which you can find in your supermarket, sometimes with the baking stuff and sometimes with the laundry stuff, for mysterious reasons. I usually fold it into a square that has about 3-4 layers until it looks like this. This will take you two minutes.
STEP 2: Now take a nice heavy saucepan and pour in 4 cups of whole milk and one cup of buttermilk.
PRO TIP: If you have any heavy cream hanging around, you can add this to the buttermilk and milk mixture – any amount up to 1/4 cup – and your ricotta will be extra super duper rich. Sometimes I do this and sometimes I don’t.
STEP 3: Set it on the stove and put the heat on to medium high and bring it to a boil.
In the early going, you may want to clip a candy thermometer on to the pot so you can watch the temperature, because when the temperature gets to about 185 degrees, the curds (the solid part) will have separated from the whey (the liquid part), and it’s time to strain it.
If you don’t have a thermometer don’t fret, because you can pretty much see it happening.
The milk mixture will boil, and it will gradually curdle and separate into the solids and the watery looking liquid. This will take about 10 minutes…sometimes less.
STEP 4: When the liquid starts to look like clearish milky yellow and you see lots of curds, take the pot off the burner and reach for your handy slotted spoon, and start scooping out the solids, letting the liquid drain off. Drop the spoonfuls of solids into your strainer.
STEP 5: I like to sprinkle a little sea salt onto the cheese every couple of spoonfuls or so. Once you are done, let it drain for about 2 minutes (if you like your ricotta moist) or 5 minutes (if you like it drier).
You can leave it right in the strainer, or you can be like I was when I first made it and hang it dramatically from your kitchen faucet.
STEP 6 (my favorite step): Taste it after a few minutes…if it’s gotten too dry just stir in a tablespoon or two of milk, and if it’s too moist for you, let it keep draining.
Fifteen minutes have now passed, and you have made your own homemade ricotta cheese. 🥳
recipe FAQ
Buttermilk is a low-fat dairy product that is high in protein. It has a slightly sour taste and a thick, creamy texture.
So many things! We love making steak marinated in buttermilk (super tender), buttermilk fried chicken tenders and of course, buttermilk pancakes!
Most supermarkets carry in either the laundry aisle, the baking aisle or both.
Pop your question the comments section below and I will answer pronto!
Recipes that are perfect for fresh ricotta
There are SO many, but I’m going to control myself and just tell you about my top three faves!
Number one on the list is scrambled eggs with ricotta. It’s comfort food on top of comfort food. And a close second is the recipe I make on repeat all summer…Summer Lasagna, full of fresh summer veggies and, yep, ricotta!
I’m also in love with this peach ricotta crostini, which is the perfect blend of a sweet and salty nibble.
And honey cheese pizza! Dolloped with this ricotta. THE BEST.
other homemade staple recipes we love
could you leave us some stars?
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section. Your thoughts and advice will help both us and your fellow readers. 🥰
Homemade Ricotta Cheese Recipe
This homemade ricotta cheese recipe calls for nothing more than milk, buttermilk, salt and 15 minutes!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Staples
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk
- One cup buttermilk
- Sea salt
- 1/3 cup heavy cream (optional)
Instructions
- Line a fine mesh strainer with several folds of cheesecloth and set it in your sink.
- Combine milk, buttermilk and (if you are using it) cream in a medium heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Bring to a boil until cooking thermometer registers 185 degrees (if you don’t have a thermometer, keep an eye on it to see when the curds (the solid white parts) are mostly separated from the whey (the cloudy liquid). This will take about 10 minutes – stir a couple of times during the boiling process.
- Remove from heat and using a slotted spot, scoop spoonfuls of the curd into the cheesecloth-lined strainer, sprinkling with a little salt every few spoonfuls or so.
- Let the ricotta drain for about 5 minutes and then taste to check the consistency. If you like it drier, then let it drain a little more. If you like it moister, stir in a tablespoon or two of milk. This ricotta is best used right away, but will keep for a day or two in the fridge.
Notes
- Buttermilk: You can find buttermilk near the cream in the dairy section of your supermarket…make sure you give the bottle a good shake before you pour it out.
- Milk: You have to use whole milk to make this heavenly ricotta…no low-fat or skim, please!
- Salt: We love using fine sea salt for this recipe, which you can find in the spice aisle.
This is the second post I've read this week on how to make ricotta. OK, OK, I get it! I am convinced! Bookmarking this to try soon.
Loved all the pictures and all the ideas to use fresh ricotta. I do make fresh paneer and ricotta whenever required just because there in nothing better than that :-)
OK, seriously, you are amazing. I have heard of those crafty people who make their own cheese, but never thought that it would be this easy! Thank you!
I found your blog yesterday via Pinterest. My husband is an executive chef at an Italian restaurant and loves making as much as he can from scratch but didn't know you could make fresh ricotta cheese. Needless to say, he's trying this tomorrow at the restaurant!
How amazing is this? I was just at Blue Hill at Stone Barns for a cooking class and this was the first thing they showed us. We were all amazed by how simple, but delicious it is!
I really can't believe ricotta is this easy. Then why is it so expensive!
Absolutely divine!!!
this was such a great post and i will definitely be trying this! i live in italy and the ricotta there is so creamy and heavenly…i could bathe in it.
so i can't wait to finally be able to have some good ricotta when i'm here in the states! thank you!
i just made ricotta for the first time! it is simply amazing, i will definitely have to try it with the buttermilk.
What did you replace the butter milk with?
You can make ricotta with lemon juice instead of buttermilk..I’ve never tried it that way, but if anyone has, please let us know!
http://video.about.com/frugalliving/How-to-Make-Homemade-Buttermilk-Substitute.htm
I found this through google. It leads onto other how-to make.
So here goes me. So simple. So happy:)
Hurray – let us know how it turns out!
I will do Kate.
The lemon version works, but it does have quite a bit of lemon flavor to it so it may not be the best for things like pasta dishes. It would likely be excellent for a dessert where the lemon tang would mesh well.
I think the dessert suggestion is a great one – I’m going to try it!
I regularly ‘create’ buttemilk since it’s much easier than stocking it in the fridge – 1tbsp lemon juice to 1 cup whole milk, stand 5 min.
Just finished my first batch of ricotta – THANK YOU for sharing this recipe, can’t believe how easy and delicious it it :o)
You are so welcome – glad you liked it!! :)
i used 2 whole lemon juice with 1 liter of full cream milk, drained overnight, add salt & pepper when it done.. or add salt and mixed dried fruits, then keep in the fridge for 2 days.. more yummy!
yes you can make it with lemon juice, I have but my favorite way is with white wine vinegar. since I have been making it now for 3 yrs will never buy from the store again. homemade is much creamier, at least mine is. I use Ina Garten’s recipe. All you need is one of these three to curdle the milk. lemon juice, buttermilk or vinegar.
White vinegar has worked wonderfully for me every time.
I have replaced the buttermilk with a quarter cup of vinegar and it works fabulously…my girls have sworn off store bought cheese for their lunch snacks! I like to also save my whey in a jar in the fridge and use it in my homemade bread for a high protein milk replacement.
I’ll have to try this – and yes, once you make your own ricotta it is SO hard to go back! :)
mnw: about 2 cups, give or take
My brother: NO, I am not on vacation! And the ricotta recipe is new to the blog, thank you very much. Jeesh.
Everyone else: xoxo, as usual. :)
I'm so intrigued! I want to try it! What an awesome post!
About how much ricotta does this recipe make?
Are you on vacation? Is this the greatest hits album? This seems very familiar….framed cooks groundhog day edition?
(yes, this IS why I never get invited over for dinner)
I need to try this so I can make those eggs!
ooh I cant wait to do this!