Learn How To Make Farmers Cheese Recipe using only one ingredient. Use this quick and easy whey-enriched homemade cheese in savory and sweet recipes instead of ricotta or cream cheese.
Add it to your salads, have it for breakfast with some raspberries, top up your pudding or make the best-ever farmer’s bread with it.
Using only one ingredient, you will get homemade fresh cream, cheese, and whey, all filled with healthiness.
This un-aged, cultured cheese recipe using fermenting method is a perfect addition to our low-carb lifestyle. Use it with various recipes, from simple spreads and bread-making to superb cakes and sweets.
What is Farmers Cheese?
Farmer’s cheese is mild fresh cheese with a curd-like consistency. It is an un-aged cheese made from either milk, sour cream, kefir, or yogurt, where during the process, lactic bacteria are fed on lactose and subsequently produce healthy acidity.
Therefore it is a member of the acid-set cheese group. Non-acidic types of cheese like feta is mostly used for grilling or baking, example recipe is my feta cheese egg bites.
Different Names Used
There are several names used around the world. Some of them to mention are:
- Quark Cheese
- Curd Cheese
- Fromage Blanc
Quark cheese has the firmness of sour cream but is slightly drier, resulting in a somewhat crumbly texture like an American ricotta.
Origins of Farmers Cheese
Farmer’s cheese, or quark as some call it, has a long history and has been used for centuries, primarily in Eastern European countries.
From childhood, I remember everyone from my grandmother to my neighbors making their cheese at home. It is easy to make, much cheaper than the store-bought one, and fresh like no other. Very few people used to buy it in the supermarket.
Farmer’s cheese in central and Eastern European countries contains much less whey and therefore is much drier in consistency compared to the quark or cheese you buy in the US.
Tvorog
The origins of name tvorog come from the Slavic name “tv or, “which means “form,” meaning, in the process, cheese is formed.
Some Names Used Around Here Are:
Polish Twaróg, Belarusian Tварог, Russian Tворог, Czech and Slovak Tvaroh, Austrians name it Topfen (“pot cheese”), Flanders Platte Kaas (“flat cheese”), Dutch Kwark.
How is Farmers Cheese Made?
There are various ways:
- Natural way without any additions – our recipe
- Acid method – using lemon juice or vinegar
- Fast way – using rennet and starter culture
Our homemade recipe is made using a cultured method instead of relying on acid. No lemon, vinegar, rennet, or starter culture is added to the milk. The pure fermentation process takes care of all after the milk gets fermented for approximately three days.
Using Our Method, You Will Get the Following:
- Fresh cream to spread on your breakfast bread
- Farmers cheese
- Whey to add instead of water to soups, bread, or cake making.
Is Farmers Cheese Keto Friendly?
It for sure is. Depending on what you are watching, look at the amount of protein, as every cheese is rich in proteins. One portion (100 grams) contains 11 grams of protein, which you must count to stay in ketosis. One hundred grams contain 3 grams of carbohydrates, which fits our lifestyle.
Best Milk for Homemade Farmers Cheese Recipe
The best quality milk should be used to make your own homemade cheese.
Pick an organic, full-fat, whole milk. More fat the milk has, the more goods you will get from it at the end of the process.
If you can get unpasteurized milk directly from the farmers you trust, you will have a 100% chance of making the best cheese you can.
This process only works on some of the regular milk bought in the store. In this case, you can also use lemon juice to help the process.
Few Tips:
- You can also use goat, sheep’s, or ewe’s milk, which will also work. The taste differs slightly, but you get a different take.
- If you get unpasteurized milk, which you are unsure about, just cook it at 80 degrees to kill all the viable bacteria and follow the process described in our post.
- The more fat your milk contains, the more cheese you can produce.
- Do not use expired milk if you think of speeding up the process. This will not happen.
- If you have big enough containers and a cooking pot, you can use 1 gallon of milk to make enough farmer’s cheese for all the yummy recipes.
Flavouring Curd Cheese or Farmer’s Cheese At Home
This cheese could be consumed either on a sweet side or salty. Adding honey, cinnamon, or sugar substitutes, is a perfect breakfast option.
On the other side, mixing it with various herbs and condiments is a perfect addition to any spreads or toppings for your snacks or a party preparation.
What Do You Need To Make Farmer Cheese?
Ingredients needed:
- Unpasteurized Milk
*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING FARMER’S CHEESE FROM SCRATCH
First Step: Glass Container
For the best fermentation and getting the most of the products you will get in the next three days, choose the container with a wide mouth opening and the top for covering. Glass container works the best. I have purchased those in Ikea and use them for storage and making various homemade products.
Pour all of the fresh milk into the container.
Second Step: Cover
For the proper fermentation, you should cover the jar with something. I have a glass cover, but you can also use a plate or anything that would fit your chosen pot. Find the best place in the kitchen to keep your jar for the next three days. The area should be dry, room temperature warm, but without direct sunlight.
Third Step: Day 2 – Fresh Cream
On the second day, you will already see a change. Looking through the glass, you will see the fresh cream formed, a bit more white than the rest of the milk. You have a choice to scrap a fresh cream into a bowl. The wider your glass jar is, the more fresh cream will form.
We love to eat it with a piece of our farmer’s bread or add it to any of the dips we make for breakfast or a snack.
You can decide to leave it in and not use it, but I advise you to at least try. Fresh homemade cream is out of this world.
Fourth Step: Day 3 – cooking
On a third day, you will see the consistency change again, and that is mostly the day when your fermented milk is ready. On top, you might see a bit of fresh cheese drying and cracks form, and that is the time for you to get on making the best deliciousness.
Place all the milk into a big cooking pot and switch the heater to low. No stirring occasionally as with other recipes. Do not mix during or after. The more you mix, the fewer curds will form and, therefore, less cheese you will have at the end.
Cover it with a lid and let it cook at the lowest temperature possible for about half to 1 hour, depending on how much milk you are using.
Do not bring the milk to a boil. The high temperature will destroy all the good bacteria and nutritious protein; you might also risk scorching the milk at the bottom of the pot. Be very particular about the lowest temperature you can set your stove on. Also, the curdle will happen less.
Fifth Step: Let it sit
Once you see the whey is separated from the curds, turn off the heat and let it fully cool.
Do not stir. Please do not move it. Just switch the stove off and go and do something else.
Sixth Step: Check if ready
Once all of it is cooled, check with the end of the spatula if the curds are appropriately formed by gently moving them away from the whey. When you feel comfortable that enough curds have been created and all of the whey is fully separated, it is time to move into the next step.
Seventh Step: Strain
Again very gently strain all through a strainer covered with a muslin cloth. Pour gently and let the whey work through the sieve into the container. Let it sit, and the rest of the whey will slowly drip through.
From 2 litres or half a gallon of milk, you will get
- 1,5 litres of Whey
- 400 grams of Farmer’s Cheese
- 100 grams of Fresh Cream
At this point, you have few choices.
- Use a cheesecloth to wrap the cheese and squeeze all whey out for more dry cheese. You can let the whey drip overnight.
- Transfer the cheese straight into a mason jar or a container for a creamier consistency. This way, some whey will stay in, making the cheese much creamier.
Using the second choice, you can mix the already-made cheese with a hand blender to get the smooth cheese, which you can use for various cheesecakes or spreads.
RECIPE TIPS AND TRICKS:
- DO NOT THROW THE WHEY: Whey is very nutritious, and you can use it in many ways. Use it instead of water for various soups; add it to our farmer’s bread instead of water. Drink a small shot every morning on an empty stomach. I have decided to make a separate post on homemade natural whey and its uses and on whey root vegetable soup.
- Pick organic, full-fat, whole milk. More fat the milk has, the more goods you will get from it at the end of the process.
- For extra dry, crumbly cheese, hang the cheesecloth and let the whey drip overnight.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
How To Use Farmers Cheese?
There are millions of ways you can use this homemade cheese. You can add it to almost anything. Think cream cheese.
- Eat it plain.
- Add some berries with granola or keto muesli for breakfast (the favorite for my daughter).
- Pan-fry with it.
- Use it as fillings for fathead cakes or pierogi.
- Add to our bread pudding.
- Bake soft teddy bear cookies with it
- Bake the best farmers bread.
- Use it as a salad topping.
- Mix it with yogurt and some herbs for a veggie dip.
- Bake puddings.
- Add it to a casserole dish.
- Serve with crackers as an appetizer.
- Use it as a spread for roll sandwiches.
- Add it to wraps and tortillas.
- Use it for pasta dishes.
- Mix it with our fiber noodles.
What Is a Substitute for Farmer’s Cheese?
In most of my recipes, I always suggest using quark or farmers’ cheese, but also you can use it as a substitute for cream cheese, curd cheese, ricotta, cottage cheese, or Fromage.
What Is the Difference Between Farmers Cheese and Cottage Cheese?
To make cottage cheese, a bacterial culture or some acid separates milk and whey and forms curds. Those curds are then cooked again by adding some salt. Therefore the first thing you will realize trying cottage cheese is the saltiness of it. Also, it has more soft like curds.
Is Ricotta, Cream Cheese or Farmers Cheese the Same Thing?
No, it is not. Cream cheese is made by adding cream to milk and forming a very soft creamy consistency. You can use it as a substitute for some recipes, but it is a differently structured type of cheese.
How To Make Farmer’s Cheese From Buttermilk?
Using buttermilk, kefir, or Arabic leban makes it a bit sour but still extremely tasty. You do not need the milk to culture because the acidity is already in.
All you have to do is let it cook at a low heat until the curds form, and then follow the same steps as I describe in our recipe.
Can I Make Farmer’s Cheese in an Instant Pot?
You certainly can, and I have made it. And I have decided to make a separate post on curd cheese in Instant Pot and a recipe using this method.
As it is made fresh and no preservatives are added, it is best to consume it as soon as possible. But this homemade wonder will still last 5-7 days in an airtight container stored in your refrigerator.
Can I Freeze Farmer’s Cheese?
You can freeze almost any cheese without a problem. I suggest doing that if you do not have time to consume it immediately. Just wrap it in the food plastic wrap fully, so the freeze does not get in, and place it into the freezer for up to 3 months.
Once you are ready to unfreeze, the best way is to take it out the day before. I usually do this with almost anything I take out from the freezer.
The evening before, I take it from the freezer and place it straight into the refrigerator to gradually thaw.
Tasty Recipes That Use Farmer’s Cheese
This is an ingredient I have used for as long as I remember. We bake and cook with it daily. And therefore, I do have some recipes on the web for you to have a look at:
- Keto Farmers Bread – the best bread, which is the closest to the real thing
- Low Carb Chocolate Roulade – Keto yule log or chocolate Swiss roll cake, as some might call it
- Wild Blueberries Keto Cheesecake – No-bake cheesecake with the base you will be craving for
- Farmers Cheese Keto Bundt Cake – Summer cake to go with your morning coffee or taken for that BBQ
Add it to salmon spinach roulade instead of cream cheese.
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How To Make Farmers Cheese Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Colander
Ingredients
- 1/2 Gallon Organic Whole Milk
Video
Instructions
- Pour all of the milk into a wide Mouth glass jar and cover it.
- Store it on your kitchen cabinet or in a room temperature dry place for the next 3 days and let the milk ferment.
- On a second day a fresh Cream forms on top of the milk. You can collect this and use it as a spread for your breakfast.
- Third day, you will see the top of the Fresh Cream beeing a bit dry and see some cracks. That is the time to make the Farmers Cheese.
- Place all of the milk into a big cooking pot and switch on the heater for low. Do not mix during or after. More you mix, less curds will form and therefore less Farmers cheese you will have at the end.
- Cover it with a lid and let it cook on the lowest temperature possible for about half to 1 hour depending on how much milk you are using.
- Once you see the Whey being separated from the curds, it is the time to switch the heat off and let it fully cool. Do not stir.
- Once the milk is cooled, check with the end of the spatula if the curds are properly formed, by gently moving the curds away from whey. When you feel comfortable that enough curds have been formed and all of the Whey is fully separated, it is the time to move into the next step.
- Very gently strain all through a strainer covered with a muslin cloth. Pour slowly and let the whey work through the strainer into the container. Let it sit and rest of the whey will slowly drip through.
Notes
- DO NOT THROW THE WHEY: Whey is very nutritious, and you can use it in many ways. Use it instead of water for various soups; add it to our farmer's bread instead of water. Drink a small shot every morning on an empty stomach. I have decided to make a separate post on homemade natural whey and its uses and on whey root vegetable soup.
- Pick organic, full-fat, whole milk. More fat the milk has, the more goods you will get from it at the end of the process.
- For extra dry, crumbly cheese, hang the cheesecloth and let the whey drip overnight.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.
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I would love to make my own cheeses!
try it. So easy
This looks so tasty, I can’t wait to try and use it in some of my casseroles this fall!
perfect addition
I’ve never heard of farmers cheese but it sounds delicious! I love that you can easily make it at home.
Some call it quark or curd cheese as well
I’ve never made any type of cheese. Sounds like a new challenge to conquer!
Worth trying
I’ve always wondered what the difference was between quark and farmers cheese. Now I know and now I know it’s so easy to make!
Yeah, worth trying
It’s been forever since I’ve made farmer’s cheese! Now I want some. 🙂
Quick and easy
I have just learned of quark and I cannot find it anywhere so I’m excited about this recipe! I’m going to try this weekend. Wish me luck
Worth trying
I love how fresh and creamy this looks! My little one can’t tolerate cows milk but he can goats milk so I’m going to give it a try with that – thanks!
You can make it with whatever milk that suits you. Only not nut milk. I have not succeeded in that as yet.
Wow, I think I might be able to do this . . I figured it was much harder! And what a bonus to have all that leftover whey
It really is so easy. But the results is amazing
This reminds me to start making my own cheese again, homemade always tastes better. Thanks for all of your tips
It does and is so versatile to use
I have made homemade cottage cheese and mascarpone, but not this. Looks wonderful and versatile!
This is in our fridge all the time
So versatile this is
Hi. I made the farmers cheese. After the first 24 hours there was hardly any cream (I did use full cream milk) up top and not much more after 48 hours. Then on the 3rd day all the curd had separated from the whey and looked very much like your cheese in the picture. I never got to the heating stage as it was practically finished. However it has an unpleasant smell. Is that normal? Thanks 🙂
Dear Inge, the amount of cream on the second day really depends on the type of milk you get. Even Full-Fat milk have differences in them.
With regard to the taste, it is more like the sour-milky taste. Not sure how yours did smell.
And yes, some milk bought in the store will not really work or get off very quickly. I only do it with the milk I purchase directly from Farmers and know there is nothing else in.
I had a different issue. I used 2 litres organic, full fat (whole) milk. No additives. On the 3rd day it was NOT thick in my jar like your Zuzana. So I left it another day, still no crack in the surface. Poured it into my pot, heated on low for 1 hour. Checked it, a skin had formed on the surface, but no whey/curds. Now kept on stove low heat another 45 minutes. Has formed another skin, not really sure what to do about the skin. Temperature of milk never goes over 70 Celsius, don’t know if that’s good or bad. Very disappointed, not sure what to do with this milk now??? No unpleasant or bad smell. I guess I can just bake with it in milk form.
Zuzana, you mention in your post that you’ve made this in the Instapot, and that you were going to post the method, I cannot find that. Do you used the yoghurt setting?
Dear Dianne,
I am in the process of making the full recipe for IP. I just needed a few pictures for it. So probably next week. But yes, I switch it on yogurt and it works perfectly. One thing – milk needs to be raw. Not pasteurized. Most of the pasteurized milk even the best organic I buy I can not make it perfectly as from the raw milk.
The only organic full fat milk I can get is ultr pasteurized. Will this work for farmer cheese. I hate to experiment as it is much more expensive than regular milk. It makes wonderful kefir though.
Dear Ruth,
I have gone through similar experience. But you really have to try the brand. I have tried several all pasteurized and with some it worked, with some not. But if it does not, squeezed lemon juice should help the trick.
That should be ultra pasteurized.
Hi there. So, I can only find ultra pasteurized whole milk. It is from our local creamery though. At what point would I add some lemon juice if going to need it? Also, at what point would I add in some salt and herbs? Last time I tried to make this it tasted so rancid and gross that I just had to toss it.
if you want to add lemon, then whan you start cooking it. Herbs and salt I would add at the same time s lemon
We can only buy Pasteurized milk here. Is this recipe going to work with that?
If you add few drops of lemon, it should work. Or if you have sour milk, that might be a great option
I recently started to make my own yogurt in the Instant Pot so this recipe is fascinating to me. I can’t wait to try it.
You are never gonna go back to store-bought one.
not sure what went wrong. I used full fat whole milk, glass jar with loose cover no direct sun light. all was well cream was OK, not great. Day 3 small order was coming from the jar, heated it slowly, all was well, but then I drained it and the smell, was very pungent. I was wanting the whey, couldn’t get past the smell. What went wrong? Only cooked it 35 mins on very low heat. smells like rancid milk left out too long.
Dear Tina,
It could have been the type of milk. Most of the pasteurized milk from the shop has got almost all of the cultures out and you will not be able to make Farmers cheese with them. Try to get milk directly from the farmers if you can.
Zuzana:
I made this with whole, fresh, raw milk from my local farmer. I skimmed the cream off of day two (wonderful). The third day I saw the separation happening (no cracks on top) but when I poured in pot looked like your picture thick yogurt like parts and other part like water. Cooked on low for 1/2 hour…couldn’t see separation so left on low for another half hour (didn’t want to stir) then took handle of spoon and there were curds BUT they seemed really like “cheese” not like creamy very dry. Then drained and there is really no creaminess to it at all. Did I just cook too long? Also, can I still use it in your keto farmers bread? I really made it for that. Definitely couldn’t use in dip (not creamy) but could sprinkle on salad or add to casserole. I don’t think I could add sweet or salt since it’s so dry. Any help would be appreciated! I am willing to keep trying!! Thanks, Jade
Dear Jade,
The way you are describing it, you made it absolutely perfect. The Proper farmers cheese should be dry and curdy. And this is the best to go with the Farmers bread recipes as it needs to be as dry as possible.
What happens with some farmers cheese products, they are later on mixing it together with a bit of whey or cream cheese to make it creamy consistency. But for the Farmers recipe it should be as dry as possible. have a look at the pictures as well as video to see how the consistency looks.
Good luck with baking the bread. It is my favorite of all. Just try and shape it more longer and thinner to make sure the middle gets fully baked.
@Zuzana,
Yay!!! I’m so excited!! Yes, I just checked and after being in fridge overnight has a very slight moisture to it but mostly dry…BUT taste delicious. Making bread this afternoon! Wish I could share pictures 🙂
Thanks for replying so promptly.
All the best,
Jade
Perfect. Looking forward. If you have Facebook or Instagram, or any other social medias, please do share your bread and tag me so I can see it.
So do you remove all the cream layer? Or leave some for the next step in the Farmer’s Cheese process? Sounds like some cream is left in the jar because there is mention of it drying and cracking…
More cream you leave, mote farmers cheese and thicker cheese you get. It is really up to you.
I’m originally from Germany,where it’s Quark.
Us Germans make Quark with buttermilk .
Some make it out of just buttermilk,some with part buttermilk and part milk.
My understanding was always that the buttermilk part makes it quark.
We did have another kind of fresh cheese farmers used to make out if just milk but it was not called Quark.
My aunt used to make it but I can’t remember what she called it but definitely not Quark and didn’t taste as good.
Quark can be made out of the butter milk as well. Germans call it topfen. Maybe thats the word you were looking for. It is just not freely available worldwide.
@Zuzana, Hello, I’m hoping to make this recipe using buttermilk, to be used in your farmer’s bread. What percentage fat would be recommended. And do you know if powdered buttermilk might work, to reconstitute for the heating process? Thank you
I would go for the highest fat content to get most of the cheese crumbs. With powdered buttermilk, i have really no idea. Have never ever even tried it.
My busia (my mom’s mom) always made this. I can remember it hanging on the faucet of the kitchen sink wrapped in cheesecloth to drain. It is one of the foods we eat at our traditional Easter breakfast. We also use it to make a topping when we bake our Easter bread. It is also used to make a delicious sweet cheese filling for our homemade pierogi for Christmas Eve. This year I am going to make it for Easter and save the whey to use and try some of your recipes. Thank you for this.
(I never got to meet my dad’s mother but feel a connection because her name was Zuzana. I smiled when I saw your name.)
Marie, it is really nice to hear what you remember from your grandma. Ad yes, you are so right, this is the cheese, used in so many ways and recipes. Savory, sweet, baked, cooked, you name it. We always have it in the fridge, especially, because it is alo one of the most nutritions and healthiest cheese filled with protein one can have.
My husband is lactose intolerant. Can I use lactose free milk for this recipe?
Not sure if it would work. I have tried various nut milks, but without positive results. But worth trying.
Not sure if it would work. I have tried various nut milks, but without positive results. But worth trying.
My husband is lactose intolerant. Can I use lactose free milk for this recipe?
This is similar to how I make dairy free cheese! I heat 4 cups full fat unsweetened soy milk to a siimmer, add 2-3 TBSP vinegar, stir, and then cover. You can start straining it adter 10 minutes, but I wait longer. Sometimes overnight.
Maybe this information with help someone?
Now that I know what you do is similar, I am going to try your Farmers bread.
Thank you very much, Zuzanna!
Thanks for the tips Judy.