How To Make Ricotta from Whey Produced by Straining Yogurt

Sneak Preview: Discover how to make ricotta from whey leftover from straining yogurt to make Greek yogurt. Whey gives ricotta the perfect flavor. (You can use buttermilk or lemon juice if you don’t have whey.)

a bowl of ricotta made with yogurt whey surrounded by fresh peaches.Pin

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Are you a Greek yogurt maker with lots of whey on your hands? Then, making ricotta cheese is another idea for using the whey from straining regular yogurt.

Three Reasons Why You Need This Recipe

  1. Save yourself a last-minute trip to the store the next time you get hungry for lasagna.
  2. If you try to make yogurt and it doesn’t work, don’t throw away the milk. Recycle it with this recipe using lemon juice or buttermilk instead of whey.
  3. Save money. Store-bought ricotta cheese can be expensive.

Not a yogurt maker? Substitute buttermilk for the whey.

Happy cooks speak up

“I have always made ricotta with milk and buttermilk, but I started making yogurt recently and wanted to make ricotta but did not have buttermilk. Short story, this worked wonderfully for me! I made it stovetop and the curds looked wonderful … draining/drying now.” —LIZ S.

How Is Yogurt Whey Different from the Whey Leftover from Making Cheese?

Traditional ricotta cheese involves boiling whey leftover from making cheese. It’s called “sweet whey.”

Whey drained from yogurt is called “acid whey.” Unlike sweet whey, most of the protein is removed from the whey in the yogurt-making process.

yogurt with whey strained off in bowl belowPin

Why the difference matters:

A massive amount of yogurt whey is required to produce a minuscule amount of ricotta by simply boiling the whey.

To make ricotta with yogurt whey, we add whole milk or 2% milk. Or, to put it more accurately, we add whey to milk so it can act on the protein in the milk. (Do not use ultra-pasteurized milk.)


Can I Use Yogurt Whey as a Substitute for Vinegar or Lemon Juice?

Homemade ricotta cheese recipes typically call for three tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar for every eight cups of milk. Lemon juice is appropriate for ricotta you want to use in a dessert or a recipe with sugar. Vinegar is better for a savory dish like lasagna.

However, yogurt whey creates neutrally flavored cheese, perfect for any savory or sweet recipe.

The good thing about yogurt whey is that it produces ricotta that can be used for savory or sweet recipes.

microwave-safe bowl, milk and yogurt wheyPin

Why Does This Recipe Produce Even More Whey?

The recipe calls for a half-gallon of milk and 2 cups of yogurt whey that yields about 1-1/4 cup of curds, aka ricotta cheese. The liquid leftover from the process is still whey.

At this point, I throw out the leftover whey. I’ve heard that animals like it, but I can’t speak from personal experience.

Using a Microwave Vs. a Stovetop To Heat the Milk

milk mixture n the microwavePin

I’m a microwave person, so I always choose the microwave when possible. For me, it’s faster and easier to clean up, and there is no risk of scorching.

On the other hand, heating the milk and whey on top of the stove is perfectly doable. However, be careful not to let the milk boil over, or you will have a mess on your hands.


How To Make Ricotta Using Yogurt Whey

It’s simple. Grab a half-gallon of whole or 2% milk and a couple of cups of whey you’ve saved from making Greek yogurt. (Even though you use a half-gallon of milk, there is still room to add the 2 cups of milk to most batter bowls. If yours is not that big, reduce the milk a little bit.)

Whisk together in a saucepan and heat on the stove or microwave without stirring.

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measuring the temperature of the milk (showing separation) with a quick-read thermometherPin
As the milk mixture heats, the milk begins to curdle and separate into curds and whey. (Watch out for spiders!) 🙀

Remove from the stove when the temperature reaches 180-190˚F. Allow the mixture to sit for 15 minutes.


Three Ways To Separate the Curds from the Whey

1. Use a fine-mesh strainer.

Use a slotted spoon to remove curds to a fine-mesh strainer. Let the ricotta drain to your preferred dryness. Season with a pinch of salt. Easy. Right?

separating the curds using a slotted spoon and fine-mesh strainerPin
Separate the curds from the whey using a fine-mesh strainer.
straining excess whey from cheese with fine-mesh strainerPin
See the ricotta cheese inside the fine-mesh strainer.

2. Use a nutbag or yogurt pouch.

using a yogurt pouch to strain curds to make ricottaPin

3. Line a cheap colander with 3-4 layers of cheesecloth.

You could also cover a colander with a thin cotton T-shirt (a spotless one).

TIP: Don’t pour all the curds and whey into the colander.

I tried this–once. The tiny curds quickly clogged up the system. It took forever to separate the curds from the whey.

Also, the big chunks of curd fell apart.

Get a slotted spoon or small strainer (like a tea strainer) and carefully dip out the curds. You want to leave most of the whey in the original container.


How Long Should I Strain My Ricotta?

Strain the whey out of the curds until they are as dry or moist as you prefer. It doesn’t take long. Maybe 15-30 minutes.

If your ricotta drains too long or you feel decadent, stir in a little heavy cream. YUM!


How Do I Store Homemade Ricotta Cheese?

Store in a glass bowl or jar in the refrigerator for 4-7 days. If you are a vacuum-sealer, vacuum-pack the finished ricotta cheese in a Mason jar and double the storage time to approximately two weeks.

If you like, freeze ricotta in a plastic container or bag.

Homemade Ricotta--storing in vacuum pack jarPin

Parting thoughts: Some people are dismayed with all the extra whey this cheese produces. See this post for more ideas for using whey.


Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.


a bowl of ricotta made with yogurt whey surrounded by fresh peaches.Pin
Yield: 7

How To Make Fresh Ricotta from Yogurt Whey

Learn how to make ricotta cheese using the whey gathered from straining yogurt.

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Video

Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups (454 g) whey drained from making Greek yogurt drained from making Greek yogurt
  • ½ gallon (1816 g) milk whole or 2%
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Stir the 1/2 gallon (1816 g) milk and 2 cups (454 g) whey drained from making Greek yogurt together in a large saucepan.
  • Heat on stove to 180˚F (82˚C). Milk will curdle.
  • Remove from the stove and allow it to stand for 10-15 minutes.
  • Gently retrieve curds from pan using a slotted spoon and place it into a fine-mesh strainer or use whatever strainer you have, lined with two layers of cheesecloth.
  • When curds have drained to your preferred dryness, store in a glass or plastic jar up to 4-7 days.

Notes

Making Ricotta Cheese in a Microwave:

  • Stir the milk, whey, and salt together in a microwave-safe container.
  • Heat on HIGH for 18-20 minutes or until the mixture reaches 180-190 degrees. (This is just a starting point. Microwave ovens vary hugely. Best to use a thermometer until you figure out how long it takes.) Don’t stir.
  • Proceed with step 3 above.

Substituting Lemon Juice or Vinegar:

Add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar instead of yogurt whey.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25cup | Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 77mg | Potassium: 77mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 236IU | Calcium: 167mg | Iron: 1mg

All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com

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95 Comments

  1. Could you add instructions for using yogurt that didn’t quite turn out right? I noticed that as one of the reasons to make this ricotta and I’ve got some. I think I may have stumbled across something close when I ran the failed yogurt a second time through the yogurt program on my instant pot.

  2. Can you explain why ultrapasturized milk doesn’t work. Also, if you are lactose intolerant, can you treat the milk with drops before making the yogurt?


    1. dabilock@gmail.com

      Hi Debbie,

      So nice to hear from you.

      I recommend you take a look at this post from Cultures for Health. https://culturesforhealth.com/blogs/learn/yogurt-choosing-milk-for-making-yogurt

      Lactose Free Milk Yogurt | Can You Make Yogurt From Lactose Free Milk? – Cultures For Health
      Make your pasteurized yogurt at home, an easy way to make lactose-free yogurt from Cultures For Health. This milk yogurt gives a delicious, tangy treat perfect for breakfast, after-school snacks, or anytime you want to indulge. Learn to make yogurt from lactose-free milk today at Cultures For Health.
      culturesforhealth.com

      Some brands of ultrapasteurized milk will make yogurt, but not all of them. I not sure why some do and some don’t, so I stay away from them altogether. I don’t know about where you live, but they are much more expensive in my neighborhood, so I stick with regular pasteurized milk (which has the best flavor for me).

      I have no idea about the drops. I have readers who say that culturing yogurt for 24 hours will decrease the lactose to almost nothing. I’ve never tried it and don’t know if there’s any truth to it. But it’s an idea you might want to research.

  3. 5 stars
    I followed the directions and produced 16oz of scrumptious, creamy ricotta. I followed the stovetop directions and yes, my milk/whey scorched on teh bottom a little, but the directions did warn me 🙂 I think I was so excited to try the recipe I probably had my electric burner up to high. Definitely a keeper recipe. Purchase one gallon of milk and I can make greek yogurt and ricotta AND because I love shanklish, I use some of my homemade yogurt to make shanklish. Thank you so much!

    1. Hi Monica,

      I’m glad you were successful with the ricotta.

      I had never heard of “shanklish” so I looked it up. You taught me something new today.

  4. Caryn Hart says:

    I have a question about using an 8-cup glass measuring cup when making the ricotta in the microwave. You are using a half gallon of milk which is 8 cups and 2 cups of whey. How will they fit in the 8-cup measure?

    1. Hi Caryn,

      I just went to my kitchen and filled my 2-quart batter bowl to the 8-cup mark. I still had room for 3 cups of water above that. Your bowl may be smaller, but that’s how I do it. If your bowl doesn’t have room for 2 quarts of milk and an additional 2 cups of whey, reduce the milk a little bit. Measurements do not have to be exact in this recipe. paula

  5. Can I use Kefir whey? I make my own and I have a lot of whey when I make Greek yogurt. I don’t use regular yogurt. But I just love Kefir made with Kefir grains.

    1. Hi Donna,

      I am not a Kefir expert. Whether it works will depend on how acidic it is. Worth a try. Add more if it doesn’t curdle. If all else fails, use lemon juice or buttermilk.

      Good luck and let me know.

  6. Janice Bradley says:

    Can you make this in an instant pot?

    1. Hi Jan,

      Yes, how you heat the milk doesn’t matter—whatever is easiest for you.

  7. Jason Stephenson says:

    5 stars
    First time making yogurt, then first time making ricotta! I don’t think I’ve ever bought ricotta before, but it’s so perfect to add to almost any dish since it’s a neutral flavor. Awesome to not waste the whey and super simple process!

    I might experiment with this, but I really wonder what changing the ratio of milk to whey will do. Is this an optimal ratio? Does the milk control the yield? When I end up with a half gallon of whey from making yogurt, can I just use it all and add a half gallon of milk if that’s what I have?

    1. Hi Jason,
      The whey is acid, like lemon juice or buttermilk, that causes the milk to separate into curds and whey. I use just enough whey to cause separation. Adding more whey just means you have more to strain out of the ricotta. I don’t know that it hurts anything, but it seems like more work than necessary. Just my two cents.

      1. Jason Stephenson says:

        5 stars
        I couldn’t figure out how to reply, the reply button doesn’t do anything for me… anyhow, thanks Paula, I think I understand now, I’m getting the ricotta out of the milk, and using the whey as the acid to make the curdling process, so it’s not like I’m extracting anything out of the leftover whey? I am super super new to this, just successfully following directions!

        1. Yes, Jaysen. I think you’ve got it. This is kind of a cheater’s method of making ricotta. Commercially, ricotta is made with cheese whey which contains a lot more solids. But yogurt whey doesn’t have many solids so this method extracts them from the milk. I think it’s just as delicious and a lot fresher than what I can buy at the store.

  8. 5 stars
    Ricotta turned out great.
    Leftover whey is still very nutritious and has a high content of leucine, which is known to assist muscle regeneration. I use every drop of leftover whey in my soups, usually lentil or French Canadian pea soup.

  9. 4 stars
    You mentioned using wither vinegar or lemon juice, but I don’t see either in the final recipe. I doubt anyone will get curds without some, but how much of either lemon or vinegar should be used in this recipe?

    1. Hi Nicole,

      So sorry. I didn’t put it in the recipe since the title is “How To Make Ricotta from Whey Produced by Straining Yogurt.”

      I copied this from the post above the recipe. “Homemade ricotta cheese recipes typically call for three tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar for every eight cups of milk. Lemon juice is appropriate for ricotta you want to use it in a dessert or a recipe with sugar. Vinegar is better for a savory dish like lasagna.” Hope this helps.

  10. Dawn Carr says:

    I am at 190 F and no curds yet. I used half gallon of milk, 2 cups whey and 1/2t of salt. Can you think of any reason why I do not have ricotta?

    1. Stir it. Add more whey if you have it. (If you don’t have more whey, you could add a tablespoon or two of vinegar or lemon juice. Usually 2 cups of whey is plenty, though.) You could also try heating the milk a little hotter.

  11. When do you add the salt?

    1. @Waynonda, Never mind. Wish it was indicated in the recipe’s written directions. I have added it to my liquid from the get go. Fingers crossed. First time making ricotta. Thank you for sharing the recipe, I have been searching for a good use of my yogurt whey.

      1. Hi Waynonda,
        I’m sorry the directions for the salt were missing. I have added it. Salt is actually optional, but adding it at the beginning with the whey is what I do. Thanks very much for letting me know so I could fix this.

  12. Liz Summers says:

    I have always made ricotta with milk and buttermilk, but I started making yogurt recently and wanted to make ricotta but did not have buttermilk. Short story, this worked wonderfully for me! I made it stovetop and the curds looked wonderful … draining/drying now. I see in other comments that people use the ricotta whey in bread, as do I (sourdough). I also pour it on plants if I don’t need it all for bread AND my dog LOVES the whey … LOVES it!! My cat will slurp some also. And a neighbor with chickens will take any for them.

    1. Sounds like you have all kinds of help using up your whey. So happy the ricotta worked out for you. Having that recipe has saved me a trip to the store several times when I had a sudden craving for lasagna.

    2. Liz Summers says:

      @Paula, the final ricotta is wonderful! I am making stuffed shells and a small lasagna. I found out that my dog liked the whey when I poured some (a lot!) around lilac bushes and he immediately began lapping it up dirt and all 🙂

      1. Oh my! I guess it’s true what everybody says that animals love it.

  13. Thank you for your directions. Worked out great for a not so great batch of yogurt that I ended I with lots of leftover whey. Much appreciation!

    1. @Jan, p.s. I will use the leftover whey to replace liquid when making bread, and pizza dough. Thanks again!

    2. Hi Jan, Glad the ricotta worked for you. And using that liquid to make bread is always a good idea. Did you know you can make and maintain sourdough starter with whey, too? Works really great. The directions are at the end of this post. 18

  14. 5 stars
    This is a fantastic way to use up my leftover whey from yogurt making. I made it in the instant pot – yogurt setting followed by sautés. Worked fantastic. Only comment is that I wish I had added the salt to the milk/whey before the curds formed. Thanks for the great recipe!
    If anyone is looking for another way to use up some yogurt whey – try making it in Peasant Bread from Alexandra’s Kitchen. SOOOO good, and you can eat it with the ricotta!!!!!

  15. Kim Turcotte says:

    Is there anything more I can do with the leftover liquid from making the ricotta? It seems like a lot of liquid leftover.

    1. Yes, Kim. I agree. It’s a lot. Have you already read this post about 18 Ways to Use Whey, a By-Product of Greek Yogurt My only suggestions would be smoothies or to use in baking like buttermilk. Even then, you don’t need much. I’m told that animals like it. Some plants like it. For example, acid-loving hydrangeas. Hope your cheese was good.

    2. Kim Turcotte says:

      @Paula,
      Awewsome thank you for this info as I just planted some blueberries and they need acidic soil so I may just use it in that way.

  16. Can I freeze some yogurt whey to use as a starter?

    1. I have frozen yogurt to use as starter but never yogurt whey. Seems like it would work but can’t say for sure.

      1. 5 stars
        I just made your recipe and it worked wonderful! I used some whey that I had frozen from my yogurt, and it worked! I had the vinegar ready just in case but did not need to add any! Thank You!

        1. Fantastic, Kathy. Thank you for writing and especially for the 5-star rating.

  17. Miguel Pérez says:

    Today I made made this but it just didn’t work for me. I used the whey from yesterday’s yogurt, and when I was heating the milk mixed with the whey, it just didn’t curdle.
    To fix it I added 5tbsp of vinegar and the curdles formes right away.
    Do you have any explanation for this?

    1. Hi Miguel, Evidently, your milk needed more “acid” to start the curdling process. Just add more whey until it starts to curdle. It’s sometimes difficult to specify exact measurements because the whey made from homemade yogurt is going to be a moving target because of all the variables involved.

  18. This is a great recipe and you explained everything, so it all makes sense. Other recipes for ricotta from yogurt whey call for vinegar or lemon juice, so I really appreciate that you explain here that the yogurt whey is already acidic.

    Followed your instructions and it worked! We had ricotta cheese!

    AND I accidentally discovered something important – since I finished this ricotta process at night, I left all the remaining whey in the stockpot overnight. In the morning I took it out and started to pour it on my plants — and to my surprise ricotta cheese curds poured out too! There was a whole bunch of ricotta cheese in there! So this keeps making whey if you leave it for longer. I’m on my second batch now and took out all the cheese with a slotted spoon, and now I’m going to leave the leftover whey sitting in the stockpot overnight, so I’ll get more ricotta!

    Thank you for this page.

    1. Sorry – typo above and no edit function
      * So this keeps making ricotta cheese if you leave it for longer…

  19. Jorge Quesada says:

    It does work very well. Thanks soo much for the recipe!
    Greetings from Costa Rica

  20. Kristina Shade says:

    5 stars
    This recipe made wonderfully creamy and fluffy- ish ricotta . Thank you

  21. Terri Baker says:

    I am a home cheese maker. Whey must be used for ricotta within 3 hours of collection, is that true with yogurt whey also? If I make ricotta and I’m not getting much curd, I add a couple tablespoons of vinegar.

    1. Hi Terri,
      Whey from yogurt is completely different from the whey you get from making cheese. You must start with milk to make ricotta from yogurt-whey. Yogurt-whey serves the same purpose as lemon juice or vinegar in making ricotta from milk.

  22. Hi. At the end, I will still end up with more whey? Thanks.

    1. Unfortunately, yes. Whey is merely a substitute for lemon juice or vinegar.

  23. Can the left over whey from this project then be used to make the Norwegian brown cheese? Your other recipes say yogurt whey is not good to use for this as it gets too sour/not enough protein left in it. I love the idea of using my yogurt whey to make ricotta and then use that whey to make the Norwegian brown cheese (can’t remember how to spell the name of it sorry)

    1. Janette,
      I don’t think so. I’m quoting from this website: “Whey from yoghurt making is not very suitable for brown cheese, as the bacteria in the yoghurt culture digest most, if not all, of the lactose in the whey.”

  24. 5 stars
    OMG! I love this! So easy and you get a delicious ricotta! I just love being able to make Greek Yogurt and then use the by product to get something so tasty. I used 1% milk and it turned out great. Two for one! Thanks for the great recipe and directions!

  25. I like this simple way of making ricotta from leftover whey. Mine didn’t yield 2 cups of ricotta, maybe half of that. Can you tell me if my whey isn’t acidic enough; other explanations? Any help you can give me would be appreciated.

    1. Lenna,
      Thanks for writing. The two cups is not right. My mistake. I usually get around 1-1/4 cup of ricotta cheese with this method. It can vary some according to whether you use 2% or whole milk. If there is a difference in acidity from one batch of whey to the next, I don’t know it.

  26. I have tried several recipes to make ricotta from whey and this is by far the best and easiest. I have made it several times and last night I made a mistake. I accidentally left the mix on the stove once while I went to grab a pan from the garage. By the time I came back in the mix was boiling (and popping due to the curds) and far about the 180 degrees called for. I removed the pan and scooped the contents into my yogurt bag and the cheese was just as good as any other time I made the ricotta. I would not recommend forgetting your mix and letting it boil or get too hot but it is nice to know that should “life happen” this method is forgiving. Thank you for sharing!

  27. I started making yogurt according to the instructions, first heating 8 cups of milk then letting it cool. I have found that using nonfat, Store bought milk, can be used right from the refrigerator no heating necessary I stir in 1/4 cup starter yogurt set the yogurt machine for 12 hours and it is done. The yogurt comes out so creamy and good. If I strain the yogurt 12 to 14 hours it is thick and creamy no tartness, you can eat it with a spoon right after straining.

  28. Hi, I’d like to try this as we always have lots of whey left over after clabbering raw whole milk. However, I’d also use raw milk to make ricotta – to preserve the live bacteria and enzymes – so is it necessary to heat raw milk to 180F or would 100F suffice?

  29. So right about trying to do the whey from yogurt on its own, not enough protein to be worthwhile 🙂

  30. Uh huh…. this didn’t exactly get rid of the whey left from making Greek yogurt. After starting with 8 cups of milk (1/2 gal) and 2 cups of whey, one ends up with the close-to-but-not-quite-yet-useful ricotta-type cheese…..and 3+ cups of whey!

    1. Patti Martin says:

      4 stars
      Hi. I found this recipe while searching for “what to do with failed yogurt”. I had my first failed instapot yogurt. I was so sad! So I tried again as suggested with more starter but it failed a second time. I still am not sure what made it fail. So I opted to try and make ricotta. I heated it to 190 and then let it sit and lots of curds formed. Upon tasting it tho, it has a sour tinge to it (as would be the case with the Greek yogurt I always make) Would it normally be a bit sour in taste? It is also not really creamy. I honestly don’t know what ricotta tastes like. Can I attempt to use this in a savory dish like lasagna or do you think it is just a throw away? Thanks for any advice you can give!

      1. Hi Patti,

        I do not find my ricotta made this way to be sour at all. Then again, I don’t like my Greek yogurt to be sour–only slightly tangy. Did the milk still smell OK even though your tried to make yogurt twice? If so, the ricotta is probably fine. If the ricotta smells off to you, I would throw it out.

        Regarding the creaminess, it depends on what kind of milk you used. Whole milk would be the creamiest, of course. But you can always add a little milk or cream to the ricotta after you make it to increase the creaminess.

        You can definitely use it in lasagna if it smells OK. I depend heavily on intuition when it comes to food and smells. If you don’t care for the smell, throw it out.

        I wonder if your starter was too old to make yogurt? Just a thought.

  31. Marilyn Z says:

    Love this site…I don’t know how you gals have the time to do all that you do.

    One part of the Greek yogurt process I hated was the heating of the milk and then the cooling down. I found that by adding powdered milk, you are increasing the protein enough that you don’t have to bother with the rest of that. About half a cup of powdered to one quart or even 5 cups of milk.

    1. Hi Marilyn, Great idea if you don’t mind the slightly different taste and texture you get with the powdered milk. Glad you found a way to do it that works for you.

  32. Thanks again for another great recipe! I tried this with some leftover whey from making your Greek yogurt and it turned out great and only cost me £1, a third of what it would cost me to make my lasagne. I have also been using the leftover whey by adding it to my fresh fruit and veggie juices that I make every day. The pro-biotics in the whey seem to assist with the lack of fiber and you can’t even taste it. I hate waste. Thanks again! 🙂

  33. Can I keep the whey leftover from making ricotta? Will it still be useful? I want to use it to make some sauerkraut.

    1. Hi Sarah,
      Not sure. I haven’t tried it. Let me know if you do.

  34. cheesy cow says:

    This is NOT Ricotta! (your title is mis
    Hi ther
    Ricotta cheese is made with whey (as the main ingredient) left over from the production of other cheese. In this case you are using whey to acidify whole milk.

    have a look at
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricotta

  35. Can’t wait to try this. Is it possible to use fat-free or 1% milk, or is more fat necessary for the cheese making process? I use fat-free milk (sometimes 1%) to make the yogurt.

    1. Caroline,
      I tried this with my favorite fat-free milk and it was not so good—a little chewy. May try again in the future but my first attempt wasn’t great.

  36. Home made is so much better than store bought! I’d love to try making my own cheese- you make it sound so easy! 🙂

  37. I make ricotta all the time, but with much less effort than this (great way to use up whey though!). Simply bring a pot of milk to just below boiling tmep, when hot enough, turn off heat and drizzle over the surface of the milk 50ml (per 1 litre of milk heated) of plain white vinegar. Leave for about 30 mins, and you find the curd seperates beautifully! Simply scoop out the ricotta from the milk with a slotted spoon. Ta daaaaa! 🙂

    1. Hi Dimity,
      Yes, your method works great, as you know. My method is no more trouble IF…you already have the whey, which many of us do who make Greek yogurt. Thanks for writing.

      1. A. Rogers says:

        Thanks for this… I have made this w/the vinegar method and never thought to use whey… which we always have due to yoghurt making… I use it for soaking grains and mix with broth when cooking grains and soups but I love the idea of being able to make the cheese with it. We are getting goats as well and will be make yoghurt and cheese with that milk. Do you know if apple cider vinegar would work as well? We have an apple orchard and I started making my own which came out very nicely but didn’t know if would work in this application. thanks

  38. Jack Monty says:

    Hey Paula,
    That’s a nice looking ricotta, has it tempted you to have a go at making other cheeses? It’s not as hard as most people think and very rewarding!
    Cheers,
    Jack

  39. I also end up with a lot of whey post-yogurt straining and was wondering if I could freeze it to make some ricotta when I need it.

    1. Karen,
      Yes, you may freeze whey. It will keep for at least a month just in the refrigerator.

  40. Actually, I’ve made very nice ricotta from heating milk with a couple of teaspoons of lemon juice (an acidifier) and following same procedure.

    The whey left over from the Greek-style yogurt-draining process is an acidifier causing the proteins to coagulate and separate. No reason not to use whey – especially if it’s already in your fridge – but you do end up with MORE whey – and it can take up a lot of space.

    1. Yes, Nancy, You are absolutely right. I have made it with lemon juice myself. But for those of us who make lots of Greek yogurt, whey is easier to come by than lemons or buttermilk. I throw the whey from making ricotta away (or over my acid-loving plants.) My Greek yogurt easily generates half a gallon or more of whey every week so you can see how I am quickly overrun with the stuff if I were to keep it all.

      Thanks for writing. Most people don’t make their own Greek yogurt so it’s nice to have anther alternative.

  41. threequeensmom says:

    lol…now I know why this recipe didn’t work for me before… I never saw that you had to mix the whey with MILK! 🙂 Thank you!!

    1. Hi Threequeensmom,
      I’ve never seen it anywhere myself. I just knew that boiling the whey by itself did not produce enough ricotta to make it worth it. Not even close. People had told me it worked–but it didn’t for me. So since whey and buttermilk are often interchangeable and many people make ricotta with buttermilk and milk I decided to try substituting whey for the buttermilk and it worked. EUREKA! And besides being fresh, it costs about half what you would pay for ricotta in the store if you count the whey as free.

  42. Can’t wait to try this!! I knew there was a reason my job was cancelled today!! Thanks, Paula, for all you do!