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You are here: Home / Appetizer's and Small Plates / Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

April 17, 2014 By cookingintherockies 17 Comments

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Finished homemade ricotta cheese!

Finished Homemade Ricotta Cheese!

 

Yeah, yeah, I know, 2 weeks and no new posts! I have been so busy in “real estate” world that at this point I’m not sure that I know my name! It’s a good thing and I’m sure as heck am not complaining! Along with being crazy at work, I also got some weird stomach virus and eating food let alone making it has been the furthest thing from my mind all week! It’s just been maddening I’d say, a food bloggers worst nightmare! Enough of my drama! Onto Ricotta…

With my theme of ‘don’t buy it, make it”, I decided to make some ricotta cheese. It’s one of the easiest things to make, as it is really a process than a recipe. The kiddos could even help out on this one!


Here is a picture of what store-bought ricotta cheese has in it. Pretty gross in my book. If we all stopped eating “modified corn starch” and other “gummy” additives, we could all probably be a whole lot healthier. Check it out.

Checking out labels can open your eyes to some eye opening ingredients!

Checking out labels can open your eyes to some eye-opening ingredients!

Icky, huh? The first time I made homemade ricotta cheese was at cooking school in Tuscany a few years back. We went to a sheep farm and made it from sheep’s milk. We “milked” the sheep and took the milk to make cheese. It couldn’t be any fresher. The way that the farmers made it was just fresh sheep’s milk, vinegar and salt. In Tuscany, most ricotta is made from sheep or goat’s milk because that is what is readily available to them. They eat from the land and what is available! Awesome. In America and because our government says so, you can’t drink raw milk (unless you own your own cow). All our milk is required to be pasteurized. Bummer, fresh or raw milk tastes so much better but It is what it is, you can still make cheese. (If you are a blessed person who owns their own cow, please tell me how deliciously amazing it tastes)! Okay, I digress. I am headed over to Europe in a couple of weeks and I can not wait to eat what the Europeans eat. I’m giddy! LOL. Foodie Field Trip!

Anyway, making your own ricotta cheese tastes 100% better than the store-bought variety and in literally the time it takes you to make a salad you can make cheese! Who knew? The great thing also is how often do you use ricotta? It’s well worth it (and less expensive) than buying it. Let me take that back, you will always use ricotta if you make it on your own!

Here’s how it goes.

Homemade Ricotta Cheese
Recipe Type: Cheese
Cuisine: Italian
Author: Heather Blake
Super duper easy to make your own cheese!
Ingredients
  • 3 cups whole pasteurized milk (do not use ultra-pasteurized)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tbs white vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
  1. Put all ingredients except vinegar into a large pot.Let simmer until 200 degrees.
  2. Turn off heat.
  3. Add vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Stir lightly. Then leave it alone.
  4. While the cheese is resting in the pot. Line a colander with double thickness cheesecloth and place in a large bowl.
  5. Pour cheese mixture into a colander and let sit for at least 30 minutes or longer depending on the consistency that you like. The longer you let it sit, the dryer it becomes.
  6. That’s it.
Notes
This recipe makes between 1- 1 1/2 cups
3.5.3229

 

Start with the best milk that you can find. This is what I use in Colorado. It’s super fresh milk from a local farm. I picked it up at Whole Foods. I’m sure any variety will work though.

Good ingredients are what you need!

Good ingredients are what you need!

Here is the first step of the process and what the curds and whey look like after about a minute. Let it sit here for 5 minutes with the heat turned off.

This is what the beginning of the cheese making process looks like.

This is what the beginning of the cheese making process looks like.

Once you put in a colander, let it sit like this until you reach the consistency that you like. The longer you let it sit the drier it becomes. This picture was after 30 minutes and a smooth creamy consistency that I like. On a final note, if you are a protein smoothie drinking person. Don’t throw out the whey. Just add it to your next shake! It’s the same as adding the whey protein powder! Just refrigerate it for no longer than a couple of days!

See how easy this is? Make your own ricotta. It’s easy to be a hero and your next lasagna will never be the same. Heck, put this on toast with jam! It’s that good!

 

 

Filed Under: Appetizer's and Small Plates, Don't buy it, Gluten free, Recipes Tagged With: cheesecloth, cream, easy ricotta cheese, Homemade Ricotta Cheese, milk, salt, vinegar

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Comments

  1. Paulguad says

    March 2, 2018 at 5:51 PM

    Are the temperatures correct? Usually, the temp is lower ar high altitude

    Reply
    • cookingintherockies says

      March 2, 2018 at 7:11 PM

      THanks for pointing this out! This is a really old post! I have made this 100’s of times and I always cook (at 5600 feet) to 200 degrees!

      Reply
  2. Tracey says

    February 4, 2017 at 1:06 PM

    How long do you let it sit for before putting it in the cheese cloth?

    Reply
    • cookingintherockies says

      February 4, 2017 at 1:16 PM

      A couple of minutes. Not long! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Joanna says

    June 24, 2015 at 5:41 PM

    Hi Heather! Enjoying your blog! I’m a Coloradian, too, we live on the western slope 🙂 Just wanted to let you know in case you haven’t heard, here in CO you can own a share in a cow and get raw milk that way. We pay a monthly “share” to a local farmer and get 5 gallons of the good stuff every week. I make mozzarella, ricotta, yogurt, etc… with it, fabulous! So you may want to look into local farmers in your area and see if you can “buy” a lil “piece” of his pet Bessy! 🙂

    Reply
    • cookingintherockies says

      June 25, 2015 at 4:49 PM

      Thanks for the TIP! I have always wanted to own a piece of Bessy or Porky for that matter… I just need to find someone to share it with! It’s my dream. It tastes soo much better and I love raw milk! Glad you are enjoying the blog Joanna! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Ansh says

    May 4, 2014 at 11:00 AM

    It’s taken me weeks to get here and read this post. I love making cheese and Ricotta was on my list for some time. Now I have your recipe and it looks pretty easy. Good times, here I come 🙂

    Reply
  5. Chris says

    April 19, 2014 at 9:07 AM

    I have got to make my own cheese, it’s been on my bucket list for a few years now to make my own ricotta and mozzarella. You definitely make it seem too easy not to try it, thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
    • cookingintherockies says

      April 19, 2014 at 12:31 PM

      You can do it!

      Reply
  6. Larry says

    April 18, 2014 at 4:01 PM

    Great job Heather – it looks perfect.

    Reply
    • cookingintherockies says

      April 19, 2014 at 7:11 AM

      Thanks Larry! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Linda Morris says

    April 17, 2014 at 10:08 PM

    Heather, We are so impressed with your food blog! You made mozzarella from scratch?!? Credit to you! Happy Easter to “amazing you” and to your wonderful parents. Linda & Tom
    Morris

    Reply
    • cookingintherockies says

      April 18, 2014 at 7:36 AM

      Thanks Linda! You can too! Happy Easter to you and your family as well!

      Reply
  8. Holly says

    April 17, 2014 at 9:12 PM

    I can’t believe you made this is well under an hour. It would be wonderful in a vegetable lasagna I have in mind to make this weekend. Where are you headed on your foodie adventure? I am jealous! Be sure to write all about it and keep us updated.

    Reply
    • cookingintherockies says

      April 17, 2014 at 9:32 PM

      Seriously try this! It’s so easy it’s silly! your lasagna will never be the same! Im thinking I’m keeping my trip a secret for a bit, but will post while I’m away. My trip is so cool, that I have been holding it in for awhile and can’t wait to start talking about it!

      Reply
  9. Karen Harris says

    April 17, 2014 at 8:42 PM

    Well you’ve got me convinced Heather! This does indeed look delicious. Next time I need ricotta I’m using your recipe instead of running to the store.

    Reply
    • cookingintherockies says

      April 17, 2014 at 9:33 PM

      You should! You can win contests with homemade ricotta! It’s that good!

      Reply

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