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Homemade Ricotta Cheese / How To Make Ricotta Cheese

By Jigna
Making soft, moist, and creamy ricotta cheese at home is easy, straightforward, and quick.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Drain Time 20 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Cuisine American, World
Course Appetizer, Snack
Diet Vegetarian
Servings 8 (Makes 400g Ricotta)

Ingredients
  

  • 6 cups milk
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup white vinegar

Instructions
 

Preparations

  • Place a strainer on the top of a large bowl. Then line the strainer with a muslin cloth or two to three layers of cheesecloth. Set it aside.

Making Homemade Ricotta Cheese

  • Combine milk, cream, and salt in a large pot.
  • Heat the mixture on medium heat.
  • Stir the mixture frequently and heat only until it comes to a boil. You can also use the temperature method and heat the mixture to 185°F.
  • As soon as the mixture starts boiling, turn off the heat and remove the pot.
  • Add vinegar and stir gently only a few times so that vinegar mixes well and whey separates.
  • Allow the mixture to sit for 30 minutes. Let it sit undisturbed.
  • After 30 minutes, gently spoon the ricotta into the prepared strainer.
  • Let it drain undisturbed for 20-30 minutes. However, drain it only for 5-10 minutes if you want very soft and moist cheese. In contrast, if you want a firmer cheese, drain it for a little bit longer.
  • Once the ricotta cheese is drained, stir it lightly and store it in an airtight container.
  • Refrigerate the ricotta cheese until it is ready to use.

Notes

  1. This recipe yields 400g (about 4 cups) of ricotta cheese. So for the small quantity of ricotta, you can easily half the recipe.
  2. Do not use ultra-pasteurized milk to make homemade ricotta cheese, so make sure to check your milk label.
  3. You can skip the cream if you want and add ½ cup of whole milk more.
  4. For the soft consistency, reduce the draining time of ricotta cheese.
  5. Use the freshly made ricotta immediately or cover it tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
  6. After adding vinegar, make sure to stir the mixture gently and only a few times.
  7. You can use lemon juice instead of white vinegar if you prefer. However, do not use lime juice.

Nutrition (Approximate Values)

Serving : 1ServingCalories : 165kcalCarbohydrates : 9gProtein : 6gFat : 11gSaturated Fat : 7gPolyunsaturated Fat : 1gMonounsaturated Fat : 3gCholesterol : 39mgSodium : 157mgPotassium : 253mgSugar : 9gVitamin A : 515IUVitamin C : 1mgCalcium : 217mgIron : 1mg
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