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The creamiest, smoothest, most delicious homemade ricotta cheese. You won’t believe how easy and foolproof this recipe is! #ricotta #homemade #cheese #italian #creamy #easy #recipe #simple #withoutcream #cream

Homemade Ricotta (2 ways)

Kelly
The creamiest, smoothest, most delicious homemade ricotta cheese. You won’t believe how easy and foolproof this recipe is!



5 from 20 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Cuisine Italian

Ingredients
  

For Ricotta made with MILK ONLY:

  • 8 cups (2 L) whole milk, not ultra-pasteurized
  • Kosher or sea salt to taste (I use 1 teaspoon)
  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) distilled white vinegar or fresh lemon juice

For Ricotta made with MILK AND CREAM:

  • 4 cups (1 L) whole milk
  • 2 cups (½ L) heavy cream
  • Kosher or sea salt to taste (I use 1 ½ teaspoons)
  • ¼ cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice

Instructions
 

For Ricotta made with MILK ONLY:

  • Heat the salt and milk to 185 F (It will start to look a little foamy on top.)
  • Turn off the heat, and gently stir in the acid, just a time or two around the pan. Don’t over stir or it will break the curds. The curds should form almost immediately.
  • Without stirring, let the curds rest, untouched for 20 minutes.
  • During this time, keep the temperature at about 185 degrees It can go down to 175 F or up to 190 F, but try to keep it in that range. I just take a look at the thermometer every so often and turn on the heat for just a little while until it gets in that range.
  • After the resting period, spoon out the curds and strain through a cheesecloth-lined strainer.
  • Let drain until it reaches the desired consistency.
  • For a creamy smooth ricotta, either whip by hand or process in a food processor for a few seconds.
  • Store in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

For Ricotta made with MILK AND CREAM (no thermometer):

  • Bring milk, cream, and salt just up to a boil (not a full boil, more of a simmer).
  • Turn off the heat and gently stir in the lemon juice, just a time or two around the pan. The curds should form pretty quickly. After they start forming, don’t stir, it may break apart the delicate curds.
  • Let the curds rest for about 20 minutes, then strain the curds through a large cheesecloth lined strainer.
  • Let drain until it reaches the desired consistency.
  • Store in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

Notes:
If the whey looks too milky, add a little more acid to help the formation of the curd.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!