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Learn How to Make Ricotta Cheese – The Easy Way!

Enjoy the taste of homemade and never purchase store-bought again!

January 16, 2020 By Mary's Nest 2 Comments

Learn How to Make Ricotta Cheese – The Easy Way!

Watch the How to Make Homemade Ricotta Cheese Video

Learn How to Make Ricotta Cheese – The Easy Way! And once you learn how to make this homemade ricotta, you’ll discover that it’s perfect for using in both pasta dishes and desserts, as well as lots of other recipes. Or you can eat it right from the spoon!

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No Need to Start with Mozzarella

This recipe for Ricotta Cheese is the quick version. Traditional Ricotta Cheese is made from whey, which is a by-product of making mozzarella cheese. But this version is made from milk, cream, and a bit of an acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice. That’s it. And best of all, it will taste very similar to traditional ricotta!

It’s Easy to Make Ricotta Cheese

Not only is this recipe the quick method for making Ricotta Cheese, it’s also the easy way. All you have to do is pour your milk and cream—plus your salt, if using—into a heavy bottom pot or saucepan, warm it, and then pour in your vinegar. The curds will start to separate from the whey, and it’s those curds that are your homemade Ricotta! You’ll strain those curds from the whey for about 30 minutes, which will create the perfect creamy ricotta cheese.

More Homemade Dairy Videos

Now that you’ve made ricotta cheese, try your hand at other Homemade Dairy recipes, including cottage cheese, kefir, evaporated milk, condensed milk, and an easy yogurt made without a yogurt maker.

  • How to Make Cottage Cheese – The Easy Way!
  • How to Make Homemade Yogurt – No Machine Required
Mary's Nest Milk Kefir YouTube
  • How to Make Milk Kefir – Discover the Champagne of Milk
Mary holding a jar of evaporated milk
  • How to Make Evaporated Milk
Mary holding a bottle of condensed milk.
  • How to Make Condensed Milk

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Print Recipe

How to Make Ricotta Cheese

This is the quick and easy way to make Ricotta Cheese that is perfect for using in pasta dishes, as well as desserts.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Resting Time5 mins
Total Time40 mins
Course: Cheese
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Cheese, Homemade Cheese, Homemade Ricotta Cheese, Ricotta Cheese
Servings: 4 cups
Author: Mary’s Nest

Equipment

  • Large Heavy Bottomed Pot or Saucepan

Ingredients

  • 1 gallon Whole milk
  • 2 cups Heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon Fine ground sea salt, optional
  • 1/4 cup White vinegar or lemon juice

Instructions

  • Add milk, cream, and salt (if using) to a pot.
  • Warm milk to between 195°F and 200°F on medium heat. If you do not have a food-grade thermometer, warming will take between 30-40 minutes, depending on your burner. When you see foam and bubbles form around the edges of your pot, and foam form on the top of the milk/cream mixture, the liquid has most likely reached the proper temperature. (See video.)
  • Once the milk/cream mixture reaches the proper temperature, turn off the heat but leave the pot on the burner. Pour in the vinegar and stir gently. Allow the milk/cream mixture to sit for 5 minutes.
  • After 5 minutes, you should see curds forming. If you do not see many curds, add a bit more vinegar. No more than 2 tablespoons of additional vinegar should be necessary to obtain curds.
  • Once the curds have sufficiently formed, strain the curds and the liquid (whey) into a cheesecloth or flour sack towel lined colander or mesh strainer that has been placed over a bowl. The whey will drain into the bowl, and you will be left with the curds in the lined colander or strainer. Allow the curds to drain for 30 minutes for a cream ricotta or 1 hour for a firmer ricotta.
  • Once the ricotta is done straining, transfer to a container with a lid and store in the refrigerator. The ricotta will stay fresh refrigerated for about 2 weeks. The "acidic" whey will last approximately 6 months, refrigerated. See video for ideas on how to use the acidic whey.

Video

Notes

Find this recipe and video at https://marysnest.com/learn-how-to-make-ricotta-cheese/
Copyright © 2020 Mary’s Nest, LLC, All Rights Reserved

Shop for items used in this blog post or video

Favorite Cheese Making Supplies

  • 4-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Pot
  • Spatula
  • Stainless Steel Colander
  • Stainless Steel Mesh Strainer
  • Flour Sack Towels
  • Glass Bowl Set

Recommended Reading

  • Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and Diet Dictocrats
  • Nourishing Broth: An Old-Fashioned Remedy for the Modern World
  • Nourishing Diets: How Paleo, Ancestral and Traditional Peoples Really Ate
  • Nourishing Fats: Why We Need Animal Fats for Health and Happiness

Amazon Shop and Shopping Guide

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  • Visit my Shopping Guide page
    Learn where I buy my beef bones, electric grain mills, sprouted grains, and more…and get special discounts for Mary’s Nest visitors, including from US Wellness Meats, Mockmill, Masontops, and Cultures for Health.

*Affiliates note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. My videos and blog posts may contain affiliate links to products and services. If you click through and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission. It does not affect the price you pay.

**Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, a medical professional, a dietician, or a nutritionist. All content found on the MarysNest.com website, including text, images, videos, eBooks or eGuides, social media, or other formats, were created solely for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or proper nutritional advice. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have watched in a video or read on this website. Use caution when following the recipe in this video. The creator and publisher of this video and website will not be held responsible for any adverse effects that may arise from the use of this recipe and method or any other recipe and method on this website or corresponding video channel.

Filed Under: Cheese, Homemade Cheese Tagged With: Cheese, Homemade Cheese, Homemade Ricotta Cheese, Ricotta Cheese

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. mk rusty says

    June 21, 2020 at 1:32 pm

    Can you
    1.use instant powdered milk reconstituted
    2. divide recipe in half (there are only 2 of us)
    3. which better enhances the flavor: lemon juice or vinegar

    Just watching your videos encourages me to get back to the basics. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Mary's Nest says

      June 28, 2020 at 5:17 pm

      I haven’t tried it but I think it might just work! Keep me posted. Glad you want to get back to the basics! Love, Mary

      Reply

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