Homemade Ricotta

Adapted from The Food Lab by J. Kenji López-Alt (W. W. Norton, 2015)

Makes about 1½ cups

To make this recipe, you need an instant-read thermometer. I make this in an 8-cup Pyrex measuring cup; you can certainly use any microwave-safe 2-quart container.

2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
½ teaspoon kosher salt or fine Italian sea salt
¼ cup distilled white vinegar (must be 5% acid)

Pour the milk and cream into an 8-cup Pyrex measuring cup, which is what I use, or another microwave-safe 2-quart container. Stir in the salt and vinegar.

Microwave until the mixture reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. In my small microwave, this takes about 8 minutes. Stir gently for about 5 seconds—the curds should already be forming and separating from the whey.

Pour into a fine sieve lined with a white mesh vegetable bag or cheesecloth. Cover with plastic wrap and let drain until it reaches your desired consistency. The longer it drains, the drier the ricotta will be.

I like the texture when it’s almost like ice cream. Since I usually use this ricotta to make manicotti, it gets thinner with the addition of eggs (and a little heavy cream), so this starting texture is perfect for me.

Kenji also gives a stovetop variation in The Food Lab: heat the mixture in a saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 165°F, then stir gently and let it sit for about 2 minutes before draining. I haven’t tried it myself, but since his recipes are always reliable, you might want to give it a try if you don’t use a microwave.

My Ricotta