Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese is a fantastic, inexpensive, and cost effective recipe to make ricotta cheese at home! All you need is two ingredients and some basic equipment to make easy homemade ricotta cheese in 30 minutes.
Making your own ricotta couldn’t be easier, and it’s simple to get the consistency that you want. You can make a thinner ricotta, or a thicker one by straining the longer with a cheese cloth. Enjoy this delicious homemade cheese on fig & honey ricotta toast, as a delicious ricotta dip for fruit, or in savory cheese ricotta baked ziti pasta.
If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at homemade cheese – this is the easiest recipe to get you started! All you need is milk, lemon juice or white vinegar, and some everyday kitchen equipment and you’ll have delicious homemade ricotta in 30 minutes.
Ricotta cheese is one of my favorites, for a few reasons. It’s low in sodium – it only has the natural sodium found in the milk, no salt added! It can be used in sweet or savory dishes, and tastes fantastic in both! And it’s really simple. If you can stir, you can make this cheese.
This Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese Recipe Is
- Creamy
- Delicious
- Simple
- Rich
- Flavorful
- Made with 2 Ingredients
- Vegetarian & Gluten Free
Inexpensive and Affordable Cheese Recipes To Make At Home
I love how inexpensive ricotta cheese is to make, compared to store bought! This recipe uses many ingredients you would have in your fridge, pantry or cupboards – some of which you likely already have on hand. The cost of this recipe is a half gallon of milk ($3 now-a-days, #inflation) and $1 for white vinegar or lemon juice if you don’t have any. That’s $4, compared to the $8-$10 or so dollars it would cost to buy store bought ricotta.
Since we’re talking fridge & pantry favorites: I made a list of my Top 125 Plant-Based Pantry Staples that always keep stocked. And you can check out all my favorite pantry staple ingredients. By stocking up on healthy whole ingredients you can cook delicious recipes without a trip to the store!
What’s In Instant Pot Whole Milk Ricotta Recipe?
I stock up on organic produce with Misfits Market – they have a fantastic selection of in-season fruits & veggies, healthy pantry items, and great food finds for a fraction of grocery store prices! You can get $10 off your first $30 box by clicking here!
- Whole Milk – I like using organic homogenized whole milk when I can, which makes for a delicious and creamy yogurt.
- White Vinegar or Lemon Juice – the acid helps to separate the curds (which becomes ricotta) from the whey (the liquid) in the milk. I used white vinegar for this recipe, because that is what I had on hand.
- Large Pot
- Digital Kitchen Thermometer – Optional for this recipe, BUT if you don’t have a kitchen thermometer, I’d highly recommend getting one. They are inexpensive so it’s not a big investment and also ensures proper food safety (make sure food is cooked through, especially meats). The thermometer is great for this recipe to ensure the milk reaches the proper temperatures.
- Strainer – I use a large kitchen strainer, which helps to separate the ricotta from the whey.
- Reusable Cheesecloth Bags – I have these reusable cheesecloth bags, which I can utilize again and again with every batch of ricotta or homemade yogurt I make. They reduce kitchen waste and last much longer than traditional cheesecloth.
How Do You Make Ricotta Cheese from Whole Milk?
- Place a large pot on the stove. Add the milk and vinegar, stir well, and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, you should see the curds and whey separating in the pot. Remove the pot from the heat, and allow it to cool for 20 minutes.
- Place a large strainer in the sink, or over a bowl or pot where it can catch the whey. Line the strainer with cheese cloth (or a reusable cheese cloth bag) and slowly pour the contents of the pot in over the cheesecloth. The whey should be strained out, leaving only the ricotta cheese in the strainer.
- Allow the ricotta to strain for 5 to 10 minutes, until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Enjoy or use right away. If saving, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Make Ahead Ricotta Cheese
This ricotta can be a fantastic and simple ingredient to make ahead. Great for a busy weeknight, for entertaining, or just for those nights when you don’t feel like cooking.
This ricotta is fantastic to make the day before you need it for a recipe. Check out all my make ahead meals on The Herbeevore for some inspiration to help you prep, keep, heat, and eat!
Recipes with Ricotta Cheese
Use your delicious, fresh, homemade ricotta in these fantastic meals. From breakfast to dinner – enjoy your ricotta any time of day!
Butternut Squash Ricotta Soup Recipe (Vegetarian, Gluten Free)
Arugula Plum Ricotta Toast Recipe (Vegetarian, Gluten Free)
Stuffed Shells Without Eggs Recipe (Vegetarian & Egg Free)
Egg and Ricotta Toast Recipe (Vegetarian, Gluten Free)
Pesto Ricotta Pasta Recipe (Vegetarian, Gluten Free)
Get the Same Ingredients for this Ricotta with Whole Milk
As always, if you make this vegetarian and gluten free ricotta with whole milk recipe be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you. I love seeing all your photos of my recipes!
Let’s keep in touch – make sure to subscribe to my monthly newsletter to get free recipe inspiration.
And don’t forget to follow over on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & TikTok – I’d love to connect with you there!
Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
Equipment
- Strainer
- Cheese Cloth
Ingredients
- 8 cups whole milk
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice
Instructions
- Place a large pot on the stove. Add the milk and vinegar, stir well, and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, you should see the curds and whey separating in the pot. Remove the pot from the heat, and allow it to cool for 20 minutes.
- Place a large strainer in the sink, or over a bowl or pot where it can catch the whey. Line the strainer with cheese cloth (or a reusable cheese cloth bag) and slowly pour the contents of the pot in over the cheesecloth. The whey should be strained out, leaving only the ricotta cheese in the strainer.
- Allow the ricotta to strain for 5 to 10 minutes, until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Enjoy or use right away. If saving, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
Save Money on Fresh Groceries & Pantry Staples!
I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market - they sell produce & pantry staples (even wine!) at a super discounted price. We get Misfit Market boxes every month and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can get $10 off your first $30 box by clicking here! Give Misfits Market a look if you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend it!Nutrition
Or tag me @theherbeevore in your photo on Instagram!
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the brands that support The Herbeevore and our beehives!
I love to make Italian food and love to eat it even more. This recipe saves me a ton of money