This foolproof method for homemade ricotta cheese is so easy, it requires only 3 ingredients and 20 minutes to produce the most delicious ricotta cheese you've ever had!

Whether I'm using it to make fluffy pancakes, Italian style cheesecake or folding it into scrambled eggs, ricotta cheese is a staple ingredients in my kitchen. Making cheese at home sounds impossibly difficult and time consuming, and it can be, but making homemade ricotta cheese is about as easy as boiling water!
Why this recipe works
- Easy, beginner friendly recipe - anyone can make this!
- Uses buttermilk rather than vinegar or lemon juice for the cleanest flavor and creamiest texture.
- Only takes 20 minutes and 3 simple ingredients to make.
Essential Ingredients
- Buttermilk - Homemade ricotta cheese is produced when an acid is used to coagulate milk proteins and the curds (solids) get separated from the whey (liquids). This can be done with vinegar or lemon juice, but I've found that buttermilk producess the creamiest, best tasting homemade ricotta with the most neutral flavor. Since it's not as strong of an acid and already has a dairy base, it curdles the milk gently and produces a ricotta that's really smooth, incredibly creamy and light. (Use leftover buttermilk to make the best waffles you'll ever have!)
- Whole Milk - Whole milk makes the creamiest, best tasting ricotta cheese. While you can still make ricotta with 2% or even skim milk, it will not taste nearly as good. For best results, stick to whole milk.
- Heavy Cream - This makes the ricotta extra rich and delicious, but if you want a lighter version you can replace the cream with milk, light cream or half and half instead.
Helpful Tools
- Cheesecloth - While traditionally used for cheese making like the name suggests, cheesecloth can be used for a wide variety of tasks in the kitchen. I always have it on hand, but you can substitute a coffee filter or even a few paper towels in a pinch.
- Large Strainer - You can use a colander for this but I find a large strainer with fine holes works a little better.
- Handheld Strainer - A fine mesh, metal handheld strainer or spider is one of my most used tools in the kitchen. I use it for cooking pasta, deep frying, and straining small items. It's great for transferring the curds into the larger strainer to prevent adding too much liquid, but a large spoon will work too.
- Candy Thermometer - While not totally necessary for making homemade ricotta, you may want to use a candy thermometer to make sure the liquid is reaching the correct temperature.
Step by step instructions
- Pour the milk, cream and buttermilk into a large pot and place it over medium to medium-high heat.
- Give it a stir, then let it slowly come up to a simmer (have patience) without disturbing it.
- As soon as the milk just barely begins to bubble, turn off the heat. You don't want it to actually boil, but just barely start to gently simmer (190 degrees F if using a thermometer).
- You will begin to see the milk solids start to separate and rise to the top. Again, don't stir. Set aside for at least 10 minutes to cool, undisturbed.
- Line a colander or strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth *(see note).
- Use a handheld strainer or large spoon to remove the curds from the liquid and place into the colander *(see note).
- Allow the ricotta to drain to your desired thickness - the longer it goes, the thicker it will get *(see note).
- Transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to use. Homemade ricotta cheese will last I the refrigerator for about 5 days or up to 1 week.
Tips for success
- Be sure to refrain from stirring the mixture as it comes up to a simmer. This will ensure the curds stay nice and large and don't break up too much, which is what you want.
- Use a hand held strainer to scoop out the curds and transfer them to the cheese cloth rather than pouring the whole pot of liquid into it. This will make straining the ricotta much faster and easier.
- No cheese cloth? A coffee filter or a few layers of paper towels can work too. The paper towels can tear easily when wet, so handle them with care.
- The leftover liquid (whey) contains lots of protein and nutrients, so don't throw it out! Store it in a container, refrigerate and add it to smoothies and other recipes, like baked goods, in place of water, or use it to soak legumes, nuts or grains. It also freezes well.
- Homemade ricotta can easily be turned into Paneer or Queso Fresco by keeping it in the strainer, covering with cheesecloth, then placing a plate along with something heavy (like a large can) on top to weigh it down. Store it in the refrigerator overnight (12-24 hours) with a bowl underneath to catch the liquid. I like to mix in some salt before pressing if I'm going this route.
Faq about Homemade Ricotta Cheese
Homemade ricotta cheese can be used the same way you would use store bought ricotta cheese - in lasagna, cheesecake, ravioli, stuffed shells, whipped, in pancakes, etc. That said, my favorite way to eat homemade ricotta cheese is smeared on a piece of toasted bread with a little bit of flaky sea salt and honey. So good!
I prefer to keep the cheese unsalted so that you can use it in sweet applications (like ricotta cheesecake), but also because I love the contrast of the mellow, creamy cheese with some flaky sea salt sprinkled over top. If you want to add some salt, ¼ - ½ teaspoon will do.
Unlike store bought ricotta cheese, which has preservatives to keep it fresh, homemade ricotta will perish much quicker. It stays fresh for about 5 days to 1 week tops and does not freeze well.
Related Recipes
Did you make this recipe and LOVE it? Please leave a star ⭐️ rating and/or comment to help other readers. I absolutely love hearing from you and do my best to answer all questions and comments. I love seeing when you make my recipes, so please tag me @ColeyCooks on Instagram and I will repost!
PrintHomemade Ricotta
This foolproof method for homemade ricotta cheese is so easy to make. This recipe uses buttermilk as the acid to produce a super creamy ricotta with the best flavor and texture. Adapted from Alex Guarnaschelli.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 mintues
- Yield: makes about 1 ½ cups, depending on drainage 1x
- Category: cheese
- Method: simmered
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 6 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 cups buttermilk
Instructions
- Pour the milk, cream and buttermilk into a large pot and place it over medium to medium-high heat.
- Give it a stir, then let it slowly come up to a simmer (have patience) without disturbing it.
- As soon as the milk just barely begins to bubble, turn off the heat. You don't want it to actually boil, but just barely start to gently simmer (190 degrees F if using a thermometer).
- You will begin to see the milk solids start to separate and rise to the top. Again, don't stir. Set aside for at least 10 minutes to cool, undisturbed.
- Line a colander or strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth *(see note).
- Use a handheld strainer or large spoon to remove the curds from the liquid and place into the colander *(see note).
- Allow the ricotta to drain to your desired thickness - the longer it goes, the thicker it will get *(see note).
- Transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to use. Homemade ricotta cheese will last I the refrigerator for about 5 days or up to 1 week.
Notes
- Be sure to refrain from stirring the mixture as it comes up to a simmer. This will ensure the curds stay nice and large and don't break up too much, which is what you want.
- Use a hand held strainer to scoop out the curds and transfer them to the cheese cloth rather than pouring the whole pot of liquid into it. This will make straining the ricotta much easier.
- No cheese cloth? A coffee filter or a few layers of paper towels can work too. The paper towels can tear easily when wet, so handle them with care.
- The leftover liquid (whey) contains lots of protein and nutrients, so don't throw it out! Store it in a container, refrigerate it and add it to smoothies and other recipes, like baked goods, in place of water, or use it to soak legumes or grains. It also freezes well.
- Homemade ricotta can easily be turned into Paneer or Queso Fresco by keeping it in the strainer, covering with cheesecloth, then placing a plate along with something heavy (like a large can) on top and storing it in the refrigerator overnight (12-24 hours) with a bowl underneath to catch the liquid. I like to mix in some salt before pressing if I'm going this route.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 7.7 g
- Sodium: 95.6 mg
- Fat: 15.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.4 g
- Protein: 5.2 g
- Cholesterol: 47.8 mg
Keywords: homemade, easy, ricotta, cheese, cheesemaking, foolproof, method, buttermilk, Italian, Sicilian
Joanna
Hi! I'm the girl you met you at the Pittsburgh airport a few weeks ago.
I loved your homemade Ricotta video (all your videos I have seen so far are so well done and fun to watch)! I recently made Ricotta for the first time. I used vinegar, and now I want to try again using buttermilk like you recommended.
Thank you!
Coley
Hey Joanna! Thank you so much for commenting. I'm so glad to hear you like my videos! You should totally retry making ricotta with the buttermilk - I think it makes a big difference and really gives a much better texture and all around flavor. Report back! Hope you had a great trip. Hope to hear from you again. 🙂
Rebecca
Hi Nicole -- love your blog and your videos!
What if you wanted to make a low fat version? Would low fat milk or cutting out the heavy cream work the same way?
Also, how long will it last in the fridge after it's made?
Thanks!!
Coley
Thanks, Rebecca!! You can totally make this lower fat buy swapping out the heavy cream for lower fat milk. I wouldn't go totally skim though, as I'm not sure how well it would work. It won't be quite as rich and creamy, but will still be very good!! If you make it with low fat milk, let me know how it turns out!
Rebecca
So, I made it with lowfat milk (1%), instead of the heavy cream. It didn't come out as creamy as yours did -- this could also be because I let it drain for about 10 minutes; I think I'll scoop it out sooner next time. However, it was still delicious!! I'm totally hooked! So simple too, like you said. Thanks again for the post!
Allie | In This Kitchen
This is awesome! I've heard about making it at home but have always been intimidated- I know I just need to try and it'll be great. Yours looks so good!
Coley
Thanks, Allie!! You MUST give homemade ricotta a whirl. You'll be amazed at how easy it is!
Joy Brown
I've got some extra raw milk and buttermilk right now (and I ALWAYS have heavy cream on hand!) so I think I will try this.
Question.... Do you wash and reuse your cheesecloth or do you just chuck it? It seems like a lot needs to be used for this.
Coley
You only need two layers or so of cheesecloth for this so it's really not that much. But to answer your question, yes! I always wash and reuse for as long as I can (which is usually a while). It holds up better than you'd think. I still have the cheesecloth I used in this video a year ago!
Vickie
Ithis is great as many recipes using ricotta ask for full fat ricotta but stores only carry low fat.
★★★★★
Coley
So true! Glad you love it!
Coleen
I dont' know if it's the heavy cream or the buttermilk but this turned out better than any homemade ricotta recipe I've ever tried (and I've tried a few). It was soooo creamy, I couldn't stop eating it!
★★★★★
Coley
So glad you love it!
Deb
This is by far the best ricotta cheese I've ever tasted. I was second guessing how easy it was the whole time, but it worked. The heavy cream makes it.
★★★★★
Coley
Thanks Deb! So glad you loved it 🙂