Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Learn how to make creamy homemade ricotta cheese in just 20 minutes with only 3 ingredients! Works with whole milk, skim milk, or 2% for a fresh ricotta that beats store-bought every time. Perfect for homemade lasagna, lemon ricotta pancakes, and more!

Course Dairy

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword a2 ricotta cheese, Homemade Ricotta, Homemade Ricotta Recipe, homemade ricotta with skim milk, How To Make Ricotta, Ricotta Cheese Recipe, ricotta cheese with 2 percent milk

Cook Time 15

Straining Time 5

Total Time 20

Servings servings (1/2 cup per serving)

Calories 293kcal

Cost $5

Ingredients

8 cups whole milk
3 tbsp lemon juice (or white vinegar)
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

Before you begin, line a colander with coffee filters or cheesecloth to strain the ricotta when it's time. Or use a yogurt strainer like this one (my favorite!) instead.
In a large saucepan, over medium heat, bring the milk to 175°F. Stir often to prevent scorching.
Once the milk has reached the desired temperature, turn the heat to low and add the salt and acid of your choice. Stir gently for 2 minutes as the milk separates.
Carefully pour or ladle the hot milk/cheese into your strainer and let sit for 3-20 minutes. The longer you strain, the drier the cheese will be. For a creamier cheese, strain for less time.
Once the ricotta has reached the desired texture, remove it from the straining and use it right away. Store any leftovers for 1-2 weeks in the fridge. Whey can be portioned and frozen for later use in soups, smoothies, or as animal feed (our chickens love it!).
Optional, but if you want a smoother ricotta cheese, simply blend the desired amount in a blender or food processor!

Notes

Troubleshooting Your Homemade Ricotta

All is not lost! Let's talk about a few of the most common issues that may arise during the process of making your own ricotta.

My ricotta is not curdling! The most common culprit is ultra-pasteurized milk, which will not curdle reliably no matter how much acid you add. Switch to regularly pasteurized or raw milk and you should see immediate results. If your milk is fine, make sure you are using bottled lemon juice or white vinegar rather than fresh lemon juice, as fresh lemons can vary too much in acidity to be reliable.
My ricotta is too watery! This is an easy fix. Just strain it longer! Three to six minutes gives you a creamier ricotta, while fifteen minutes or more will give you a much drier, firmer result. If you need it drier quickly, a yogurt strainer works much faster than cheesecloth.
My ricotta is grainy! This usually happens when the milk gets too hot too fast. Low and slow is the key. Heat the milk gently over medium-low heat and stir frequently. If you rush the heating process, the proteins can seize up and give you a grainy texture instead of a smooth, creamy one. If you want an even silkier result, a quick blend in the blender or food processor after straining will smooth it right out!

Ingredients

With just 3 ingredients, you likely have everything you need right now to make this easy homemade ricotta cheese!

Milk – We use whole A2/A2 cow’s milk, but you can use any whole milk you’d like (as long as it’s animal milk). Dairy-free milk needs additional steps and ingredients to be used for ricotta, and we won’t be covering that information here. Skim milk and 2% milk will also work, though the result will be less rich and creamy than whole milk ricotta. Avoid ultra-pasteurized milk as it may not curdle properly!
Acid – I like to use bottled lemon juice, but white vinegar in equal measure will work just as well! Be careful using fresh lemons, as not all lemons have a high enough acidity. Stay away from Meyer lemons, for example.
Salt – Any salt you prefer is fine, we like to use pink salt for ours!

Nutrition