Food Ingredients Dairy Cheese Homemade Fresh Ricotta 4.3 (3) 3 Reviews This easy homemade fresh ricotta cheese recipe only requires three ingredients—milk, buttermilk, and salt—and yields a light, fluffy ricotta that's a delicious blank canvas for sweet or savory recipes, or you can enjoy it as a decadent toast topper. Source high-quality local dairy if possible for the richest flavor and best results. By Paige Grandjean Updated on August 2, 2023 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Kathleen Cook Varner Active Time: 45 mins Total Time: 3 hrs 10 mins Yield: Makes about 2 1/4 lb. (About 5 cups) Ingredients 1 gallon organic and/or grass-fed pasteurized whole milk 1 quart organic and/or grass-fed buttermilk ½ teaspoon kosher salt Directions Stir together milk, buttermilk, and salt in a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches 180°F on an instant-read thermometer, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand, uncovered, at room temperature, until curds have formed and floated to the surface and are surrounded by clear whey, 2 to 3 hours. Line a colander with a double layer of damp cheesecloth, leaving at least 6 inches of overhang on all sides. Set colander over a large bowl. Using a fine wire mesh strainer, gently scoop ricotta curds from stockpot, and place in colander. Keep curd pieces as large as possible to avoid overworking, which can toughen the ricotta. Let ricotta drain at room temperature 30 minutes for a creamy texture or up to 2 hours for a drier texture. Reserve whey in stockpot for another use. Bring corners of cheesecloth together, and lift ricotta. Gently twist over colander to squeeze out any remaining clear whey from ricotta. Continue twisting until whey draining out becomes opaque and milky. Reserve drained whey for another use. Use ricotta immediately, or store in an air-tight container in refrigerator up to 1 week. Make Ahead Ricotta can be made up to 1 week ahead and stored in an airtight container in refrigerator. Originally appeared: March 2022 Rate It Print