Did you know that it’s super easy to make homemade ricotta cheese with just 4 ingredients?
To make this deliciously creamy ricotta cheese recipe, all you need is milk, cream, salt & vinegar; no special tools required.
Ricotta is great in lasagna but perfect on toast, for topping pasta, and great in crepes or mixed into dips.
What is Ricotta Cheese?
Ricotta, Italian for recooked, is a soft curd cheese with a mild creamy flavor that easily compliments strong flavors like tomato marinara , basil pesto, or roasted garlic. It’s also great with fruit and a drizzle of honey over crostini.
Ricotta vs. Cottage Cheese
While they look similar and are interchangeable in most recipes, cottage cheese is made with cow’s milk and comes in large or small curds. Cottage cheese is less expensive and easier to find than ricotta, but ricotta has a more depth of flavor and tends to be a bit sweeter.
About The Ingredients
Milk is the main component in ricotta cheese, but not always cow milk. It can also be made with goat, sheep, or even buffalo milk. I use regular cow’s milk in this recipe, be sure you don’t use ultra-pasteurized milk (UHT).
Heavy cream and a dash of salt give ricotta its creamy flavor, but it’s the vinegar that creates those curds that burst with flavor as it rests.
Without an acid, ricotta won’t make curds, but if vinegar isn’t available, lemon juice is a good substitute.
How to Make Homemade Ricotta Cheese
It’s fun and easy to make fresh ricotta cheese!
- Boil milk, cream, and salt in a large pot (per the recipe below).
- Remove from the heat, stir in vinegar and let rest until it forms curds.
- Strain the curds in a colander and enjoy your homemade ricotta!
Leftovers
- Ricotta will last about 5 days in the refrigerator before it needs to be drained, stirred, and re-seasoned with a little salt before using again.
- It can be frozen, but it will be watery once it’s thawed because the cell structures that were once frozen will break down, so it may not perform as well in recipes. In this case, drain and make dips or spreads with thawed ricotta.
What Can Be Made with Ricotta Cheese?
Aside from a classic lasagna, this ricotta cheese recipe can be used in so many dishes! It’s is the perfect addition to pancakes, cheesecake, inside of crepes or (my personal favorite) spooned on top of tomato pasta.
Did you love this Ricotta Cheese recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and a rating below!
Homemade Ricotta Cheese (4 ingredients)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat milk, cream, and salt over medium heat while stirring. Cook just until the mixture comes to a boil.
- Remove from the heat, add the vinegar, and stir to combine.
- Let the mixture rest undisturbed for 30 minutes to allow curds to form.
- Line a strainer or colander with 2 layers of damp cheesecloth. Gently spoon the ricotta curds into the strainer.
- Allow to drain 30-45 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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Adapted from: “No Whey.” Canadian Living, Sept. 2018, 9.
Can you eliminate the salt?
Hi Rebecca, ricotta cheese can be made without salt but we have only made it as listed in the recipe. If you do try it without salt we would love to hear how it turns out.
Is there an alternative for the cream and/or can it be omitted? We have to use lactose free dairy products in our house and there are many options for lactose free milk, but sadly I haven’t been able to find lactose free cream yet.
I haven’t tried this without cream so I can’t say for sure how it would work. Let us kow how it goes if you try it!
I would like to know if there is any use for the liquid that is drained? Mahalo!
Hi Ku’ualoha, I have always drained the liquid off but I bet it would be delicious used to make homemade pasta, bread or in a creamy soup! I would love to hear what you end up using it in!
Mine came out delicious. Used a full cream milk and used lemon juice. Cheese had a sweet smell after it was strained. Used it for ravioli, love it!
I have done this 2 times. Followed every step. Never got any curds. Used white vinegar and whole milk. What am I doing wrong? Ps…I’m a very experienced cook and baker
I can’t say for sure Jayne, we made this ricotta again this week and it turned out beautifully. Did you allow the mixture to just come to a boil? Did you use vinegar or fresh lemon juice?
Hi Jayne,
I suspect I know what your issue might be. Are you using a reactive pan? I have made this a few times (always in my enameled cast iron dutch oven) with great results! Right now, as we speak, I doubled the receipe in side by side pots, enameled cast iron dutch oven on the left and my aluminum pot on the right. The ricotta in the aluminum pot is not curdling, so I suspect this is the reason. I beleive the recipe only works in a non-reactive pot. My $.02 cents.
Thanks so much for the tip Rick!!
Holly: Thank you for the recipe for homemade ricotta cheese. Planned on making lasagna had all the ingredients except the ricotta. Found the recipe here at your website, my son helped me but it together. It was simple. Did not have fresh whole milk but always have several cans of Nestle NIDO Fortificada Instant milk in my cupboard. Used the dry milk in place of the whole milk, just followed the directions for making four cups of milk. Followed your directions for the ricotta step by step. Wow! Now, have the ricotta cheese for my lasagna. Thanks again for posting this recipe.
Sounds super easy. I’m gotta try it, since we use a lot of Ricotta. Does ultra-pasteurized Heavy Cream work, b/c that’s the only kind I find in my supermarket. Thanks
Hi Angelina, Your ricotta may be a little moister but it should work well!
This looks great, but unfortunately, all of the heavy creams at my grocery store has additives (either gellan gum or carageenan). Will this still work if I use one of those creams? Thanks!
I can’t say for sure how it’d turn out Laura. Let us know if you try it!
why my ricotta it come hard?
Oh, I’m sorry to hear that Vincenzo. I’m not sure what would cause it to be hard as I haven’t had that problem. Did you add heavy cream? Did you drain it for only 30-45 minutes?
So easy and taste better than store bought.
What is the volume of ricotta produced?
This will make approximately 1 cup, give or take.
Is it possible to make this with 1 percent milk? Thank you!
1 percent milk will work but the final product won’t be as rich if whole milk was used.
Way too much vinegar. I ruined good milk and cream.
Maria, did you allow the mixture to strain? There should be no vinegar flavor.
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