Chef John’s Homemade Ricotta Cheese

  4.9 – 28 reviews  • Ricotta Cheese Recipes

wedges of seasoned potatoes that have been grilled and are both crisp and tender. Not only is boiling them necessary for texture, but it also enables the wedges to absorb the seasoning. If preferred, dunk in ranch dressing or your preferred dipping sauce.

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 5 mins
Additional Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins
Servings: 6
Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients

  1. 4 cups whole milk
  2. ½ cup heavy cream
  3. 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
  4. 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar

Instructions

  1. Line a mesh strainer with cheesecloth and set over a deep bowl or pot.
  2. Combine milk, cream, and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally in a “figure eight” motion, until it reaches a temperature of 195 degrees F (90 degrees C). If you don’t have a thermometer, this will be right before it starts to simmer. You’ll see steam rising from the surface, and tiny bubbles forming around the edges of the pan.
  3. Turn off the heat, pour in the vinegar, and stir slowly in a “figure eight” motion for 3 or 4 seconds.
  4. Let the mixture sit, untouched, for 6 minutes.
  5. Carefully ladle into the cheesecloth-lined mesh strainer so that the dripping whey drains into the pot or bowl. Let the ricotta drain into the pot for between 20 and 45 minutes, depending on how soft or firm you want your cheese. The longer it drains, the firmer the texture will be once chilled.
  6. Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and lift the drained ricotta out of the strainer and place in a bowl. Let cool on the counter to room temperature, then wrap and chill thoroughly.
  7. Remove cheesecloth and serve. Ricotta usually needs an additional pinch of salt when serving.
  8. If you have a really fine mesh strainer, you may not need the cheesecloth, but if you don’t use it, you won’t get the cheesecloth texture on your cheese.
  9. Do not use “ultra-pasteurized” milk. You can use 3/4 teaspoon fine salt instead of kosher.
  10. This homemade ricotta cheese works great in my
  11. recipe.

Reviews

Michael Duarte
So easy, so tasty. Its really that simple. Tastes like cream. Works great in meatballs and quiches. Nest, I’ll try it in a ricotta, raspberry, lemon dutch baby.
Paul Thomas
An excellent recipe and guide to making ricotta. Thank you, Chef!
Kristen Williams
It turned out perfect . Didn’t have the cream so skipped it. Still turned out great!! Thank you for the recipe!
Luke Collins
So quick, easy, and delicious. Why pay more $$ for less tasty, chemically added, store bought when you can make it yourself in minutes? Use this in everything from appetizers to lasagna. Yum.
Adam Warren
Why would anyone ever buy ricotta again? This is far too easy and delicious. The best thing: I can make it exactly the texture I want for the purpose I’m using it. Truthfully, I’d be ashamed to ever buy it again in a common grocery store. Watch out, Italy! Blue-eyed red-head is coming for you! 🙂
Brent Carson
This is so much better than the store bought, and it really is easy to make. I had the issue where it didn’t curdle, so I added an extra tablespoon of vinegar. It could have been the milk I was using but will definitely make this again. Also, there are so many uses for the whey!
Adam Smith
Excellent recipe followed exactly. My hubby was eating the ricotta out of the bowl, before I could use it in my recipe. Was definitely worth making.
Larry Brown
Absolutely wonderful. I used 3 cups leftover whey in place of water when making a pot roast. Made a heavenly broth.
Kathleen Green
I’ve made this a few times. Ridiculously easy and delicious!
Stephanie Keller
Made this for the first time and WOW! Creamy texture, just amazing!
Cynthia Mendoza
third or fourth time I have made this and we love it
Jennifer Diaz
Followed recipe except used goal milk. It was so easy to make and the texture so creamy. Will try non dairy next time.
Brian Medina
You’ll never go back to store bought Ricotta after trying this. Its especially great as a ball in the middle of hot tomato soup!
Taylor Reyes
Wonderful ricotta and so simple and fun!!
Jessica Allen
It’s gotta be good made it twice never tasted it but my family said it’s good. They didn’t even leave a tiny amount for me to taste it all they wanted to know was when I was making it again.
Brooke Hill
Made it almost exactly, I misread the salt and dumped in 1Tablespoon before I caught it so I added another 3 cups milk and about 6tbls cream, would have just dbl recipe but dint have more cream. Anyway it came out great! Ricotta is getting stupid expensive in Hawaii so just bought a gallon milk and figured I’d make ricotta and IP french yogurt. Using my hm ricotta for pizza and a pasta sauce So glad I made extra!
Michelle Oconnell
I happened to have all the ingredients on hand before finding this recipe, so when I saw it I thought; why not? I’m glad I did, it’s one if the easiest recipes to follow and the finished product is creamy, fresh, and goes well with so many different foods.
Bradley Gonzalez
Just made it but only made half recipe for a lasagne. SO delicious that I need to make another batch just to enjoy
Russell Sanchez
Not quite as nice looking, but sure is tasty!!! Will definitely be adding this cheese to the menu. Thank you again CJ.
Matthew Soto
I like cheese
Jason Miles
This was so easy and turned out so yummy! I will make it again. (Forgot to take a picture before we ate it)

 

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