How to Make Farmer’s Cheese

Farmer’s cheese is often called curd cheese. It’s incredibly easy to prepare at home, and if you haven’t tried it yet, let me show you how to make it.

This post was originally published in 2010, updated in 2019.

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HOW TO MAKE FARMER’S CHEESE

This type of curd cheese is popular in Europe, like cream cheese in the US. However, unlike cream cheese, curd cheese is easy to prepare at home using milk, vinegar/lemon, and salt.

WHAT IS FARMER’S CHEESE ?

Farmer’s cheese is a creamy, slightly tangy soft curd cheese made by curdling milk with an acid such as vinegar or lemon juice. Texture can vary, depending on how much liquid is drained after curdling. You can control the consistency of the cheese – letting it drain overnight will produce creamy but denser and a bit more crumbly cheese, and allowing it to drain for just a short period (2-3 hours) will make the cheese less dense, very soft and smooth.

TO MAKE HOMEMADE FARMER’S CHEESE YOU NEED

• Candy Thermometer
• Fine Mesh Sieve
• Large Bowl

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WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS FOR FARMER’S CHEESE

• Whole Milk (cow, goat, sheep) – for the best results, use whole milk. Low-fat or fat- free dairy produces rubbery cheese.
• Vinegar or Lemon Juice – these are interchangeable.
• Salt – don’t add too much if you plan on using cheese to make a dessert

TOOLS

Though not necessary, it’s helpful to use a candy thermometer to measure the temperature of the milk. You’ll also need a fine mesh sieve or a cheesecloth.

If you need a small amount of cheese, you’ll find a recipe for a small and a large batch on the recipe card. My picture tutorial shows how to make a large batch using 1 gallon of whole milk (about 4 liters). The process is the same for both.

MAKE CURDLED MILK

Into a pot, pour whole milk, add salt, and heat milk on medium heat. Stirring occasionally. If you use a pot that you know will burn the milk on the bottom, be sure to stir frequently so milk doesn’t bunt.

Heat milk until it reaches 180F. (83C) Then pour in vinegar or lemon juice, or a combination of both is fine, too. Turn off the heat and gently stir with a wooden spoon till you see curds forming about 30 seconds.

HOW TO MAKE FARMER’S CHEESE WITHOUT A THERMOMETER

You can still make this cheese if you don’t have a candy thermometer. Heat milk and watch it carefully. When you see a thin foam layer on the top and lots of steam rising from the surface of the milk, the surface might look like it’s moving back and forth. At this point, milk is very hot, almost boiling. It’s time to add vinegar or lemon juice.

You should see curds forming in a few seconds. Gently stir 2-3 times to ensure the vinegar is combined well with all the milk. Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.

DRAIN CHEESE

Place a large fine mesh sieve over a large bowl. Slowly pour hot curdled cheese into the sieve. Use a ladle or a measuring cup to pick up curdled milk from the pot. If your sieve is nearly full of curdled cheese, wait for the whey to drain, and then pour more curdled milk into the sieve to drain.

Cover with a plate or a kitchen towel and let curdled milk drain for 6-8 hours on the counter or in the fridge. This will produce denser, firmer cheese. If you prefer less dense cheese, let it drain for 2-3 hours.

As a result, draining curd cheese will solidify and shrink in volume.

With a spatula, scrape cheese from the sieve into an airtight container. Cover with a lid and store in the fridge until ready to use. Kept in the refrigerator, farmer’s cheese will keep for up to 2 weeks.

HOW MUCH CHEESE DOES MILK YIELD?

It depends on the milk. I used a cheesecloth and a large strainer to collect the curds in the picture below.

• 4.5 liters (4.8 quarts, 1.2 gallons) of milk yields about 1150 grams (2.5 pounds) of drained, curdled cheese.

FARMER’S CHEESE SUCCESS TIPS

• Don’t boil the milk, but allow milk to reach near boiling temperature at least 180°F/82°C.
• Heat milk slowly enough so that it doesn’t scald.
• It’s okay to stir the milk while it’s heating up to help prevent scalding.
• Can I make farmer’s cheese with goat milk? Yes. You can use cow, goat or sheep milk.
• How long does farmer’s cheese last? Homemade curdled cheese lasts in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
• I don’t have a thermometer; how can I tell when to add acid to milk? Heat milk on medium-high heat, stirring frequently. When you see a thin foam layer on the top and lots of steam rising from the surface, the surface might look like it’s moving back and forth. At this point, milk is near boiling point. It’s time to add vinegar or lemon juice.
• What kind of vinegar should I use? White distilled vinegar.
• Can I use low-fat or fat-free milk? Low-fat and Fat-free milk both produce rubbery curd cheese. I don’t recommend using them.
• Does farmer’s cheese melt? No, this curd cheese will not melt like mozzarella.
• Where can I buy it? Most European stores carry curd cheeses, though not all are the same. Friendship Farmer Cheese is the closest to my curd cheese recipe. It is sold at most grocery stores here in the United States.
• Can you bake with farmer’s cheese? Absolutely. I bake with it all the time. It’s my go-to cheese to make Kolache or a Layered Grated Cheese Cake.
• I’m not a fan of the texture. Can I make it smooth, like cream cheese? Process 1 cup of drained farmer’s cheese with 3-4 tablespoons of milk or water in a food processor, blender, or immersion blender.
• Can farmer’s cheese be used in lasagna? Yes, you can use it to make easy skillet lasagna (via Midwest Foodie Blog). I also use it to make lasagna rolls.
• Is it the same as ricotta cheese? Though similar and interchangeable in most recipes, the real ricotta is made from whey, whereas Farmer’s cheese is made from curds from milk.
• Is there a substitute? If I don’t have time to make this delicious curd cheese from scratch and you can’t find it in the store, use Ricotta instead.

DELICIOUS RECIPES USING FARMER’S CHEESE

• Sweet Cheese Balls with Toasted Breadcrumbs
• Kolache
• Layered Grated Chocolate Vanilla Cheesecake
• Sweet Potato Cheese Flan
• Flour Dumplings(Spaetzle) with Grilled Cherries and Cheese
• Cheerios Strawberry Cheese Tart
• Farmer’s Cheese Carrot Dill Spread

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This post was originally published in 2010, in 2019, I updated this post with new process photos and written text, and a recipe card.