Fresh Ricotta
Put down the storebought tub and learn How to Make Ricotta Cheese from scratch! It’s surprisingly easy and uses minimal ingredients. Use your homemade cheese for cannolis, cheesecake, lasagna, stuffed pasta, and more!
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 281kcal
Equipment
- Colander
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 4 cups Whole Milk
- 1 ⅓ cup Heavy Cream
- 1 ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
- 4 tablespoon Lemon Juice Freshly Squeezed
Instructions
- Line a colander with a double layer of cheesecloth and place in the sink
- Combine the milk, salt and cream in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and stir together4 cups Whole Milk, 1 ½ teaspoon Sea Salt, 1 ⅓ cup Heavy Cream
- Heat your mixture over medium-high heat until mixture reaches 190-195 degrees Fahrenheit
- Remove from heat and immediately add lemon juice4 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- Stir once slowly then let everything sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. Wait until you see curds starting to form before continuing on!
- Once you see curds forming on the top of your milk mixture, pour mixture into the prepared colander carefully and let drain for one to two hours, depending on how dry or moist you would like your ricotta to be!
Notes
Storing and freezing
To store: After straining, transfer the fresh ricotta to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
To freeze: Homemade ricotta will be ok in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just keep in mind that the texture will be dry and crumbly once thawed.
Tips and tricks
- Do not use ultra-pasteurized milk! There isn’t enough natural bacteria to react with the acid and the curds will not form.
- Meyer lemons are also a NO. While delicious, Meyer lemons aren’t nearly as acidic.
- The longer you let the curds drain, the thicker your ricotta will be. Let it drain for at least 2 hours for a firm texture or 1 hour for a thinner, spreadable consistency.
- If you really like smooth and creamy ricotta, pulse the finished cheese a few times in the food processor before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 669mg | Potassium: 258mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1034IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 214mg | Iron: 1mg
