Homemade Ricotta Cheese Recipe | The Prairie Homestead (2024)

FAQs

How is ricotta made from scratch? ›

To make ricotta cheese, milk is heated until the curds and whey separate. The curds become the basis for varieties such as mozzarella, while reheating the whey produces the moist, fine grains that traditionally create ricotta (hence the name, meaning “twice cooked”).

Ricotta cheese is especially reasonably priced, so it is a toss-up if you want to make ricotta to save money. It is cheaper to make your own, if you are going strictly on the price of ingredients, but you do have to factor in your time.

It really matters what kind of dairy you use: organic whole milk and not ultra-pasteurized cream are preferred. I also want to emphasize the importance of timing: do not overheat the milk-cream mixture, and do not let it boil. Otherwise, you will end up with tough and rubbery curd.

Cottage cheese: As far as ricotta substitutes go, light and mild cottage cheese is your best bet. In fact, some people prefer to use cottage cheese because it has a similar flavor and fewer calories.

Ingredients: Whole Milk (not ultra pasteurized!): I recommend whole cow's milk for creamy flavor and texture. Alternatively, 2% or 1% milk can be used; but the final result will not be as creamy. Ultra pasteurized milk does not work for homemade ricotta.

Many people are not aware of just how incredibly easy it is to make your ricotta at home, and if you use good-quality dairy for your ingredients, your results will be far superior to most store-bought U.S. brands—fresher, creamier, and more flavorful. Once you've tried it, you might never go back to store-bought!

We tested with white vinegar and lemon juice and found lemon juice created a creamier, smoother, better tasting ricotta. Our testing showed that vinegar produces a firmer, slightly tougher product.

Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth and any remaining whey. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The ricotta will keep refrigerated for 4 to 5 days.

Ricotta lovers will be happy to know that ricotta cheese is a healthy food and belongs to the dairy food group. It can be enjoyed every day as part of a balanced diet.

Eggs help bind the ricotta cheese, but if you don't have eggs on hand then it's OK to omit them. Adding egg to ricotta cheese helps to bind the cheese for lasagna so that it doesn't ooze out of the casserole when you cut it. Basically, the egg helps all the cheesy goodness stay intact.

Why is my ricotta turning pink? ›

As reported by Daly et al. [4], some spoilage microorganisms (Pseudomonas spp, Enterococci, Serratia spp.) but also starter cultures have been associated to pink/red discolorations in cheese [5][6][7][8]; this discoloration was already reported also in Italian seasoned ricotta [9] . ...

Ricotta has a higher caloric and fat content than cottage cheese, but less salt. There are so many wonderful ways to use ricotta in your cooking. Dollop ricotta on pasta, fold it into a sauce, or spread it on a toasted slices of baguette with a drizzle of honey or under tomatoes for bruschetta.

Since it is super tart, sour cream should be used in moderation compared to ricotta. Like Greek yogurt, sour cream is best used in place of ricotta in recipes like dip — we wouldn't recommend layering it into your lasagna unless the recipe specifically calls for it, like in this taco lasagna recipe.

The key to creating the absolute best lasagna is to use a combination of ricotta and cottage cheese. Ricotta brings the rich creaminess while cottage cheese lightens things up and seasons the whole dish. For even more cheese, we recommend also using shredded Mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano).

Stored properly, fresh ricotta will last in the freezer for one to three months. Once you thaw your cheese, it is not recommended to refreeze it. Since freezing it just once already causes the cheese to degrade somewhat, you can imagine what constant thawing and refreezing would do.

Ricotta is made from whey, the remaining leftovers after making cheese. Therefore, in order to make ricotta you first have to make cheese. This recipe will guide you through the process of making Primo Sale, one of the simplest fresh cheeses.

The key distinction between the two really comes down to moisture content and texture: ricotta is smooth and spreadable with extremely fine (almost imperceptible) curds, whereas the preparation of cottage cheese results in a soupy and lumpy finished product with a higher moisture content.

Cottage cheese and ricotta are both fresh, relatively mild cheeses — and both delicious in their own right — but they're not the same thing. “Although both are unripened (read: fresh) cheeses, there are technical differences,” says Kathleen Serino, a national training and curriculum manager at Murray's Cheese.

Ricotta can technically be made from the milk of cows, sheep, goats, or water buffalo, but the ricotta that we consume most frequently—the stuff you can buy at almost every grocery store—is made from the milk of a cow. But historically, that cows milk was used for something else before it was used to make ricotta.