Homemade Adygea cheese proves that great cheese needs only three ingredients and a little patience. Whole milk, a splash of vinegar, and salt transform into a fresh, mild, creamy cheese in under an hour. Spread it, crumble it, or flavor it with herbs — you will never go back to store-bought.
Ingredients
- 3 liters (12 1/2 cups) whole milk
- 24 ml (1 tbsp + 2 tsp) 9% vinegar (or citric acid / lemon juice)
- Salt to taste
- Cheesecloth or a colander
- Optional: spices, nuts, fresh or dried herbs
Instructions
- Bring the milk almost to a boil.
- Stir in the vinegar until the whey separates.
- Drain the curds in a cheesecloth-lined colander until the whey runs off.
- Salt to taste.
- For extra flavor, mix in spices, chopped nuts, or fresh or dried herbs.
Tips
Don’t let the milk come to a rolling boil — just until steaming and barely trembling. More dairy science at Serious Eats.
Whole milk gives the best yield; low-fat milk makes a drier, crumblier cheese.
For milk-handling safety basics, see USDA.
Crumble it over our Light Chicken Salad with Mustard Dressing or the Fitness Layered Chicken Salad for a protein boost.
Nutrition (per 100 g): 60 kcal, protein 15 g, fat 3 g, carbs 5 g.