Soft Cheese Recipe
This soft cheese recipe is the perfect cheese recipe for beginner cheese makers. Made from raw milk, buttermilk, and lemon juice, this fresh cheese can be flavored different ways to fit your preference.
Soft cheese recipes are a simple process that is possibly quickest way to use any extra raw cow’s milk sitting in your fridge. Cheese making is a skill that must be practiced because of how hard it can be, however, this homemade soft cheese is sure to give you the confidence you need to eventually make harder cheeses. This cheese recipe does not require calcium chloride or liquid rennet, unlike some other homemade cheese recipes.
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Equipment Needed
- heavy bottomed pot
- wooden spoon
- fine-mesh strainer
- large bowl
- cheesecloth
- thermometer
- bowl
Make sure all equipment is freshly washed in hot, soapy water.
Ingredients Needed
- 4 cups raw milk – cows milk or goats milk – any milk except ultra-pasteurized milk
- 1 cup cultured buttermilk, freshly cultured within the last week or store-bought cultured buttermilk.
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Salt to taste -1/4 teaspoon sea salt is a good start
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon dried or fresh herbs for flavoring (optional)
How To Make Soft Cheese Recipe
- Pour milk in the heavy bottomed pot and heat it to 175° F over low heat to medium low heat, stirring and checking frequently to make sure that the milk isn’t burning. If you feel any roughness at the bottom of the pot, turn down the heat and keep stirring.
- Once the milk is at 175° F, add cultured buttermilk, stir it in.
- Add lemon juice. Stir thoroughly until the mixture starts to curdle and then let it rest without stirring for about 5 minutes to curdle completely.
- Set strainer in a clean bowl to catch the whey. Place cheesecloth on top of strainer.
- Once the cheese curds form, gently pour into the cheesecloth and drain for 1 to 2 minutes until most of the whey is in the bowl and soft cheese is in the cheesecloth. If cheese still seems too runny, gently squeeze out any extra whey.
- Very gently, dump soft cheese into a parchment paper lined small bowl or cheese mold.
- Add any salt and herbs, if desired. Stir well to incorporate. Start with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and slowly make your way up until it matches your flavor preference.
- Place soft cheese recipe into the fridge in a covered container until it hardens more or eat right away.
How to Store Soft Cheese
If not eating within a day or two, wrap soft cheese in plastic wrap and store in the fridge up to a week.
Print Out The Recipe Card Here
Soft Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 cups milk
- 1 cup cultured buttermilk, freshly cultured within the last week or store-bought cultured buttermilk.
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- Dried or fresh herbs for flavoring (optional)
Instructions
- Pour milk in the heavy bottomed pot and heat it to 175° F over low heat to medium low heat, stirring and checking frequently to make sure that the milk isn't burning.
- Once the milk is at 175° F, add buttermilk, stir it in.
- Add lemon juice. Stir thoroughly until the mixture starts to curdle and then let it rest without stirring for about 5 minutes to curdle completely.
- Set colander in a clean bowl to catch the whey. Place cheesecloth on top of colander.
- Once the cheese curds form, gently pour into the cheesecloth and drain for 1 to 2 minutes until most of the whey is in the bowl and soft cheese is in the cheesecloth. If cheese still seems too runny, gently squeeze out any extra whey.
- Very gently, dump soft cheese into a parchment paper lined small bowl or cheese mold.
- Add any salt and herbs, if desired. Stir well to incorporate. Start with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and slowly make your way up until it matches your flavor preference.
- Place soft cheese recipe into the fridge in a covered container until it hardens more or eat right away.
FAQ’s
What do you use soft cheese for?
Soft cheese is great spread on some crackers for a snack. It’s a great way to replace store-bought cheese that you might use on sandwiches. The sky is the limit on ways to eat this soft cheese recipe!
What do you pair with soft cheese?
Grapes, melons, berries, crackers, and more!
What to do with leftover whey?
There are so many ways to use up leftover whey. Replace water or milk in baking recipes with whey. Cook pastas, potatoes, rice, and oatmeal in it. Water your plants (dilute first). Feed to the dogs, chickens, pigs, or any other pets. Pour into the compost bin.
How to flavor soft cheese?
One of my favorite ways to flavor a soft cheese recipe is with garlic salt and Redmond’s real salt. However, some other good ways are basil, lemon & rosemary, jalapeno, or parsley.
Can you freeze soft cheese?
Yes. However, it does change the texture slightly and is a bit more dry and crumby than when fresh.
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I have 2 questions. After adding the buttermilk do you turn off the heat or keep cooking an additional 5 minutes? Second. Can I use the buttermilk left over from making butter from raw milk? Thank you for the great raw milk recipes.
Turn off the heat after adding the buttermilk. I keep the pan right on the burner though. I have actually never tried buttermilk from butter in this recipe. I would guess it will make a different product though. If you try it, I would love to know how it turns out!