How to Make Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese

If you have been following along for a while you already know how excited I get when I can make something from scratch with my bulk ingredients instead of buying from the grocery store. This whole milk ricotta cheese was the very first cheese I made and I am in love!

If you are new to homemade cheese, this is a perfect soft cheese to start with because it is simple. You don’t need any extra equipment, besides a cheese thermometer, and time.

My kind of cheese!

Store-bought ricotta just doesn’t compare to the taste of this fresh homemade version of whole milk ricotta cheese.

You likely have all the ingredients you need to make this right in your own kitchen. The biggest downfall is you have to have a plan! This isn’t a quick process, so you just need to make sure you give yourself enough time before you are ready to use it.

If I know I am going to make a recipe that evening using ricotta cheese, I will usually start it in the morning and let it hang all day until I am ready to use it. However, this will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge so you can always make it days ahead of time and stick it in the fridge until you are ready to use it!

Make sure you are using whole milk in this recipe. You want all the benefits of the full-fat dairy products here. I have only made this with cow’s milk, but I’m sure the same process would work with goats milk.

Equipment you need to make easy homemade ricotta cheese.

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The only special equipment you will need for this ricotta cheese recipe is a cheese thermometer. This digital kitchen thermometer is perfect!

But to tell you the truth the very first few times I made this cheese, I just used a candy thermometer that I had. It did the same job and clipped right onto the pot. It was not digital and worked perfect.

You just need something to be able to take the temperature of the milk as it is heating up. If you have a meat thermometer it would do the same thing as well.

Ingredients:

• 8 cups whole milk, you want to use whole milk and not skim milk. I like to use fresh raw milk
• 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt

Directions for whole milk ricotta cheese.

1. Mix fresh milk, lemon juice, and salt in a saucepan. Heat on medium heat until it reaches 190° using a candy thermometer.
2. Once it hits 190° remove it from the heat and let sit for 10-20 min until you start to see the curds separate from the whey.
3. Pour mix into a colander inside a bowl lined with cheese cloth to strain your ricotta curd. Pull the sides together to form a bag. Use kitchen string to tie the sides together and hang from a cabinet knob to let all the whey separate from the curds.
4. After about 5-7 hours and no more whey is dripping off the bag, take it down and open it up. You should have straight ricotta cheese in the bag! Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or use right away!

Best ways to use ricotta cheese.

Homemade whole milk ricotta cheese is so delicious that there are so many ways to eat it up! Simply spreading it on a piece of gluten free sourdough toast does the trick for me. If you have never tried ricotta on top of toast you are missing out!

We also love to use the cheese in savory dishes like our homemade lasagna or gluten free raviolis!

This fresh ricotta makes a perfect snack with some almond crackers or simply add it to your next spaghetti night to give your sauce a cheesy twist.

There are so many ways to use this whole milk ricotta cheese, I promise you will want to get it on your weekly list to make!

Ways to use your leftover whey.

There are so many benefits of whey, it’s hard to list them all. I use to pour it down the drain when I would make cheese, until I learned the benefits of it!

There are so many ways you can use up your whey. I love finding ways to use a whole product so there is no waste.

You can use whey in baking and cooking at a 1:1 ratio with the liquid called for in your recipe. Whey is rich in minerals, but can give your baked goods a slight tang. You can also use whey in smoothies or drinks to get the added benefits of it!

I also love to use whey to soak grains, legumes, and my oats. Soaking those things before consuming them breaks down the phytic acid and makes them easier to digest. I will put a few TBSP of whey with water in with my oats and let them soak overnight. The next morning I cook them for oatmeal. They are delicious!

The last way I use my whey is in my garden as a fertilizer! Just as you can make a compost tea to give your plants a boost, using whey does the same thing. Whey for your plants gives necessary plant nutrients like nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous. You want to make sure that you are being careful when using it in your garden, as to keep it away from streams and lakes so they don’t get algae bloom.

I use equal parts whey and water and pour it on the base of my plants. Some believe you don’t need to dilute the whey with water and pour it right onto the plants. Whey is acidic so I always dilute to ensure I don’t make my soil too acidic. Use your own judgement on this matter.

Making things from scratch is the best feeling in the world. Especially when they include simple ingredients that you likely already have!