Homemade Ricotta

This Homemade Ricotta is rich, creamy and absolutely delicious!
(And it’s much easier to make at home that you might think.)

Some number of years ago, Laura and I took a weekend trip to Montreal. This was back when we were living in upstate New York, so it was just a short drive over the border. Old Montreal is a great place to visit, and I highly recommend a trip there! But this post isn’t about Montreal. This post is about homemade ricotta cheese.

While we were in Montreal, we broke one of our core travel rules. We ate at the same restaurant twice. Normally we force ourselves to try different places so we can really experience a city. That is until we walked into olive et gourmando. This charming cafe is open for breakfast and lunch, and there is almost always a line. (Traveler’s tip: When you see a restaurant with a line, look closer. There’s probably a reason why!)

olive et gourmando has been written up in all sorts of travel guides and internet reviews. And it deserves every bit of praise! Based on one of these tips, we ordered the homemade ricotta. One bite. That’s all it took. We were in heaven!

The first day, the ricotta was served with toast and mixed greens. A drizzle of good quality olive oil and a twist of cracked pepper was all that garnished the ricotta itself. We went back for brunch the next day, and as luck would have it, the menu had changed to the next season. The ricotta + greens was gone, but it was replaced with a whipped pumpkin ricotta. Different. Unexpected. Equally as delicious!

I noticed a couple of years ago that olive et gourmando published a cookbook. That book now rests on our shelf, and we go to it often. And, yes, their recipe for homemade ricotta is in that cookbook! And now we make ricotta here at home a couple of times a year. It’s a staple appetizer/lunch for when we have visitors in town.

Homemade Ricotta

I know the thought of making ricotta at home sounds intimidating. Maybe a little scary. Take that thought and toss it out the window! Homemade ricotta is actually incredibly easy to make. All you need is a large pot, a candy thermometer, some whole milk, buttermilk, cream and salt. Spread a schmear of that ricotta on a piece of good crusty bread? I promise you’ll be addicted…just like us!

While making homemade ricotta is not difficult, it does take a bit of time. You will also need to pay close attention to temperatures. But that’s really it.

What is Ricotta?

Ricotta is an Italian soft cheese that is made from either sheep, cow or goat’s milk. It is often made using the leftover whey that remains after other cheeses are produced. That leftover whey is allowed to become a bit more acidic by letting it rest at room temperature for 12-24 hours. The acidic whey is then reheated to near boiling. This process solidifies additional proteins in the liquid. Those proteins (curds) are strained out and you have ricotta.

In practice, lemon juice or white vinegar is often added to whole milk to make it more acidic. This allows you to skip the 12-24 resting phase. That mixture is then heated to 175°F. From there, you just strain out the curds, add some salt and cream (for taste and texture), and you’re all done. (olive et gourmando uses buttermilk in place of lemon juice – and it’s amazing!)

We typically serve this ricotta over slices of good sourdough bread from a local bakery. If I have the time, I’ll make a loaf of this Jalapeno Cheddar Bread (minus the jalapenos and cheddar), and we’ll use that instead. We always drizzle good quality olive oil on top and finish with a twist of a pepper mill. This is the time to reach for the good olive oil – it makes a real difference.

If you want to get creative, you can spread the homemade ricotta on bread and then top it with chopped tomatoes, olive oil and fresh basil. Serve with a glass of white wine for an excellent summertime lunch!

Homemade ricotta is one of those recipes that sounds super fancy. (“You made homemade ricotta!?”) Our little secret is that it’s super easy to make! If you happen to stumble across milk on sale? Grab a gallon of milk and make a double batch of ricotta!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do here in our house – it’s a favorite that we’ve make regularly. Cheers!

Did you make this Homemade Ricotta Cheese recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!

Homemade Ricotta

This Homemade Ricotta recipe is rich, creamy and absolutely delicious! (And it's much easier to make at home that you might think.)

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 20 servings

Calories: 84kcal

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Ingredients

• 8 cups whole milk
• 2 cups buttermilk
• ¼-½ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp salt
• {for serving} good quality extra-virgin olive oil crusty bread

Instructions

• Using a large stainless-steel pot, add milk and buttermilk. (Note: Make sure pot is very clean before starting.)
• Place pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until temperature reaches 175°F. Do not let mixture come to a simmer. (Tip: A candy thermometer clipped to the side of the pot is the easiest way to monitor temperature.)
• Remove pot from heat and let rest for 45 minutes uncovered at room temperature.
• Line a sieve with 2 layers of cheesecloth. (Note: The cheesecloth should be large enough that it hangs over the side of the sieve.)
• Using a skimmer, spider or slotted spoon, gently remove the milk solids (curds) from the pot and place in the sieve.
• Fold the edges of the cheesecloth over and squeeze gently. Let drain in sieve for 90 minutes at room temperature.
• Transfer the cheese into a clean bowl. Add cream and salt; gently fold until well combined. (Tip: Start with ¼ cup of cream and add more as needed to reach desired level of creaminess. We typically add ~½ cup total.) Add more salt if needed.
• The ricotta can be eaten at this point, but we often let it rest in an airtight container overnight in the refrigerator. It will firm up once refrigerated, so you might need to add more cream the next day.
• Store leftover ricotta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• For serving, we typically spread the ricotta on slices of crusty bread and drizzle it with good quality olive oil.

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