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Homemade Lemon Ricotta with Honey Recipe

Homemade Lemon Ricotta With Honey makes a deliciously decadent appetizer that is both quick and very easy to make. Once you make it you will never buy it again.

Red plate holds a bowl-shaped homemade ricotta drizzled with honey with slices of a baguette sitting in the front over a wooden cutting board.

Homemade Ricotta is another recipe that’s been on my bucket list for a couple of years. So when John and I recently had Lemon Ricotta with Honey at one of our favorite restaurants, I thought the time is now.

I had to give it a try and only hoped it came out close to what we enjoyed.

A baguette slice with a mound of fresh ricotta spread on top and then drizzled with honey. An antique spoon sits in the back over a piece of parchment paper.

I didn’t always feel this way. I used to think that Ricotta was just dry and flavorless and wondered what the big deal was.

We love lasagna, but if it said it was filled with ricotta cheese, I didn’t bother buying it. I get it now. The difference was “good ricotta”.

Side scene of homemade ricotta drizzled with honey sitting on a red plate in front of a bottle of a glass and bottle of red wine and fresh lemons.

Well, my friends, this Homemade Ricotta is very easy to make and it was definitely just as delicious as what we enjoyed that night at the restaurant.

One of the things that I loved about their ricotta was that it had a delicate lemon flavor and they served it with a side of honey. It was a match made in heaven. Just like this one is.

Side view of a mound of homemade ricotta sitting on a red plate and drizzled with honey.

This Homemade Lemon Ricotta tastes just as good, and I served mine with a drizzle of honey as well as a bit on the side too.

Homemade Lemon Ricotta sits on a red plate drizzled with honey over a piece of parchment paper. A sliced baguette sits in front spread with the ricotta and drizzled with honey.

We baked and thinly sliced a baguette but you could serve yours with crackers or even pieces of fruit.

The hardest thing is not eating it with a spoon!

Don’t have time to make it now? Pin it for later!

Red plate holds a bowl-shaped homemade ricotta drizzled with honey with slices of a baguette sitting in the front over a wooden cutting board.

Homemade Lemon Ricotta with Honey Recipe

Author: Hostess At Heart
Homemade Lemon Ricotta With Honey makes a deliciously decadent appetizer that is both quick and very easy to make. Once you make it you will never buy it again.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Appetizer, Condiment
Cuisine American
Keyword: Honey, Lemon Ricotta, Ricotta
Servings: 8

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • *Zest of 2 large lemons
  • *Honey

Instructions
 

  • Dampen two layers of cheesecloth with water and line the sides of a large sieve. Set the sieve over a deep bowl.
  • Pour the milk and cream into a stainless-steel or enameled pot. Stir in the salt. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vinegar. Let set 1 minute until it curdles. It will separate into thick and milky parts also referred to as curds and whey.
  • Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined sieve. Allow it to drain into the bowl for 25 to 30 minutes, occasionally discarding the whey that collects in the bowl.
  • Pick up and gather the corners of the cheesecloth together and squeeze excess remaining liquid.
  • Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth and any remaining whey. Stir in the lemon zest.
  • Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
  • *I flavored half of this recipe with lemon (zest of one lemon) and pressed it into a bowl. I allowed it to chill and then turned it over on a plate and garnished it with honey. It kept it’s shape.
  • Ricotta will keep 4 to 5 cays covered in the refrigerator.

Notes

The recipe is adapted from Ina Garten of the Food Network.

Nutrition

Serving: 2gCalories: 281kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 5gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 366mgPotassium: 206mgSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1072IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 177mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

This recipe makes two cups. I flavored one cup with lemon and served it as an appetizer. The other half I left plain and used it in another recipe coming soon.

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A two photo collage for Pinterest of a bowl-shaped mound of homemade Lemon Ricotta drizzled with Honey. Slices of a baguette surround the Ricotta.
Recipe Rating




kirstey davis

Sunday 31st of January 2021

What honey do you use to best pair with the ricotta? I’m attempting my own lemon ricotta ravioli with honey drizzled on top but want to get the right honey!

Thanks in advance!

Julie Menghini

Monday 1st of February 2021

I by local honey at my farmers market or the honey in the little bear containers are the store.

Mike

Tuesday 26th of May 2020

Add this to good bread and wine and you have all you want

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Monday 15th of May 2017

[…] Homemade Lemon Ricotta with Honey […]

Jeff

Monday 20th of February 2017

Wow, this is truly unusual. And I have a feeling it's as delicious as it looks. I've heard that you can make your own ricotta, but I've never tried it. Now you've given me an incentive.

Julie Menghini

Tuesday 21st of February 2017

Thank you! I had it hanging in my mind for a long time and it is so easy and so much better than store bought. I hope you have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Debbie Spivey

Tuesday 14th of February 2017

Julie this looks amazing! Never had lemon ricotta. I bet you will NEVER buy flavorless ricotta from the store again!! :) Happy Valentine's Day to you and John!

Julie Menghini

Tuesday 14th of February 2017

Oh my gosh, Debbie. It's so true that I'll never buy it again. I'm making it again for a party this weekend too. Happy Valentine's Day to you and David too!

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