Homemade Ricotta (Small-Curd Cottage Cheese)
Love ricotta? Homemade ricotta and (or small-curd cottage cheese) is EASY to make, only needs a few ingredients, and is ready in less than 30 minutes.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 205kcal
Ingredients
- 4 cups milk (whole milk preferred) No ultra-pasteurized milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
For Ricotta:
- ⅓ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
For Small Curd Cottage Cheese:
- ⅓ cup distilled white vinegar
Optional Add-In:
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- salt + pepper
Instructions
- Bring milk to a simmer or soft boil. (Approximately 180°F.)Tip: Microwave milk for about 9 minutes instead of cooking it on the stovetop for faster cook time and easier clean-up.
- Add lemon juice or vinegar to the hot milk. Milk will immediately begin to curdle.Tip: Lemon juice will make the cheese sweet like ricotta. White vinegar will yield a more neutral-tasting cheese.
- Let mixture cool for about 10 minutes. The solid curds will begin to separate from the watery-whey.
- Pour the mixture into a fine mesh strainer. Allow the mixture to sit for at least 5 minutes, or up to an hour for a drier cheese.Tip: No fine mesh strainer? You can line a colander with butter cheesecloth or butter muslin, or multiple layers of regular cheesecloth or muslin.
- Add the salt, plus more salt to taste if desired. For a creamier cheese, stir in the heavy cream.
- Store cheese in a sealed container in the fridge, and use within a week.
Video
Notes
Makes approximately 1 cup cheese. This recipe is easily doubled or tripled, but keep in mind that the cheese only has a shelf life of about 1 week.
Serving Ideas:
- Serve on sliced, toasted French bread as crostini. Add fruit, herbs, + honey as desired.
- Serve as a side dish, topped with peaches, salt, + pepper
- Serve as a side dish with berries and honey
- Use in place of store-bought ricotta or cottage cheese in any recipe
Nutrition
Calories: 205kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 692mg | Potassium: 357mg | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 615IU | Vitamin C: 9.3mg | Calcium: 290mg | Iron: 0.2mg
