This simple homemade cheese tastes much better than store-bought ricotta, and has fresh herbs mixed in for a delicious flavor.

Herbed Ricotta in Red Dish with Swirl
Have you ever tried homemade ricotta?

…no?

Don’t shoot the messenger, but you’re missing out.

And if you HAVE tried homemade ricotta before and agree with me, then please, back me up 😉

Spooning Herbed Ricotta on Bread Slice

To make ricotta, bring cream, milk, and salt to a boil. Take it off the heat and add vinegar, which will curdle the mixture (you can see it around the edges in the photo below).

Homemade Ricotta in Metal Pot

What you’re left with are the cheese curds and the whey (the milky thin liquid).

Pour the mixture into a strainer lined with a wet paper towel, and let the liquid drip out and ricotta thicken up.

Straining Cheese Mixture with Strainer

After twenty minutes, stir in chopped parsley and basil, and spread onto toast!

Herbed Ricotta on Red Dish and on Slice of Bread

Or, use the ricotta for:

Enjoy!

Homemade Herbed Ricotta in Red Dish

Homemade Herbed Ricotta

Servings: 8
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
 This simple homemade cheese tastes much better than store-bought ricotta, and has fresh herbs mixed in for a delicious flavor.
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 3.5 cups skim milk or whole, if you've got it
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 1 tbsp chopped basil

Instructions 

  • Line a fine strainer with damp cheesecloth or good quality paper towel (I use one layer of dampened thick paper towel). Set aside.
  • Place the heavy cream, skim milk, and salt in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Once it’s boiling, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vinegar. Let the vinegar sit for 2 minutes. Pour into the paper towel lined sieve and let this sit for 20 minutes, stirring to redistribute the cheese halfway through.
  • Add the chopped parsley and basil and stir. The ricotta will keep for 4 days in the fridge. Enjoy!

Notes

A bad vinegar will taint the flavor of your ricotta, so be sure to use a good one. If you want a thicker ricotta, let it strain for longer than 20 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 245kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 84mg, Sodium: 370mg, Sugar: 7g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Author: Fifteen Spatulas