Homemade Ricotta

A round, creamy cheese topped with chopped nuts, herbs, and dried fruit sits on a white speckled plate. A knife rests on the plate with a portion of cheese spread beside it.

5 from 2 votes

Made from leftover whey, this fluffy, cloud-like homemade ricotta is the ultimate upgrade — rich but light, subtly tangy, and dangerously addicting. Whether you're team savory or sweet, one spoonful of this next-level ricotta and you’ll never settle for store-bought again.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Resting Time20

Total Time40

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: homemade ricotta, ricotta, ricotta cheese

Servings: cup

Author: The Modern Nonna

Equipment

Ingredients

1 gallon whey leftover whey from homemade cottage cheese recipe
2 cups whole milk
⅛ cup vinegar or lemon juice
salt to taste

Instructions

Note: if you don't have leftover whey, please look at my "How to Make Ricotta from Whole Milk" heading on top of this recipe card in the body of the post. This method below (from the leftover whey) yields only one cup so if you want a bigger batch make the other version up top.
Take the leftover whey (that we reserved when we made homemade cottage cheese) and add 2 cups of whole milk to it.
Turn the heat on and slowly bring the milk and whey up to 195-200F (90-93C) making sure to use a thermometer every few minutes.
When it reaches 195-200F (90-93C), add in 1/8 cup of vinegar or lemon juice. Take it off the heat and let it sit for 20-30 minutes. You should see the Ricotta at the top.
Next, take a slotted spoon and spoon the ricotta sitting at the top into a cheese mold (or into a cheese cloth). Let the water strain out and add salt at the end if needed.
You should be left with a creamy ricotta that you can enjoy on some sourdough with honey, crushed nuts, or any way you like.

Video

Notes

Note: If you do not have whey on hand, you can use a gallon of whole milk instead - eliminating the two extra cups of whole milk called for in this recipe. (You will only need the gallon of milk, vinegar, and salt.)
Milk substitute: Instead of cow's milk, you can use sheep's milk (which is traditional in Italian cheeses) for a richer and creamier ricotta.
Optional Cream: Mix in heavy cream or whole yogurt for a creamier texture.
Acids: Use different acids like lemon juice, apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. Lemon juice especially adds subtle flavor that works well in most Italian dishes.
Mix-ins: Add fresh herbs like chopped basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, or chives for bright flavor. Blend with honey for a sweet, spreadable dip.

Nutrition