Homemade Tvorog Farmer's Cheese (7 Easy Ways)

Quick Summary: Tvorog, also called farmer's cheese, is a soft, fresh, unripened cheese made by curdling milk with an acid such as vinegar or lemon juice, or with cultured dairy like kefir and sour cream. This guide shows 7 easy ways to make it at home with just 2 to 3 ingredients, from a moist spread to a dry curd cheese for baking.

Fresh farmer's cheese, or tvorog, is widely used in Eastern Europe for breakfast or for making sweet or savory dishes. A few are syrniki in Ukraine, varškės pyragas in Lithuania, pierogi in Poland, vareniki in Russia, käsekuchen in Germany, and biezpienmaize in Latvia.

What is tvorog (farmer's cheese)?

Farmer's cheese (also farmer cheese, farmers' cheese) is a soft, unripened cheese made from whole milk, with vinegar, rennet, or bacterial cultures used to separate whey from the curd.

In curdled milk, acidic and milk protein molecules connect and form "flakes," "curdles," or lumps that float on the surface of the whey.

Due to its crumbly texture and tangy, fresh taste, farmer's cheese is similar to Mexican queso fresco, which is made from cow and goat cheese.

But unlike most cheeses, farmer's cheese is made solely with fresh cow milk. No milk fat substitutes are used, for example, linseed oil found in German quark cheese-making.

What is dry curd cheese?

Dry curd cheese is a farmer's cheese that has been drained and pressed for a longer period to remove most of the whey. The result is a firm, crumbly, low-moisture cheese with little to no liquid, sometimes labeled dry curd cottage cheese or baker's cheese.

To make dry curds at home, spoon the fresh cheese into a cheesecloth-lined strainer, gather the corners, and press it under a weight or hang it over the sink for a few hours until firm.

Dry curd tvorog holds its shape well, so it is the best choice for baking, such as cheesecakes, pierogi, and pastry fillings.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Made with natural ingredients. This tvorog uses only milk plus an acid or cultured dairy, with no preservatives, additives, calcium chloride, or powdered milk.
• Budget-friendly. Homemade farmer's cheese needs just a few simple ingredients and costs far less than store-bought.
• Easy, quick, and customizable. Depending on how long you drain it, you can make a moist spread or a dry curd cheese, in as little as a few minutes of hands-on work.
• 7 ways to make it. Use vinegar, lemon juice, kefir, or sour cream, and pick the method that works best with what you have on hand.
• Endlessly useful. Turn it into syrniki (farmer's cheese pancakes), cottage cheese cheesecake, or a filling for Polish crêpes.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Milk is an essential ingredient in making farmer's cheese. Opt for fresh milk: full-fat whole milk or milk with at least 2% fat content. Try to avoid 1% milk, part-skimmed milk, or fat-free milk, as well as non-dairy and lactose-free options; they won't produce the right texture for curd cheese.

The higher the fat content, the creamier the farmer's cheese. But the low-fat option has more protein and calcium; it also has a little more phosphorus and vitamins B12 and B3.

The best milk for homemade farmer's cheese is organic. If you live in the States, choose organic milk brands such as Organic Valley or Smith Brothers. Depending on the State you live in, you may have access to buy raw milk at a farmer's market, but the question of food safety arises.

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) states that raw unpasteurized milk can carry dangerous bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and Campylobacter.

Traditionally, cow's milk is used to make farmers' cheese, but you can replace it with goat or sheep's milk if desired.

• Distilled white vinegar is an ingredient that acidifies milk, initiating its curdling. While shopping, look for the label "distilled white vinegar," which is best for cooking and food preservation. Don't confuse it with "white vinegar" for cleaning and disinfecting.

Recipe variations

Yes, only two to three ingredients are needed to make farmer's cheese at home in 7 different ways. Each includes milk as a basic ingredient used in the amount of 4 ¼ cups or 1 liter. If needed, recalculate ingredients for a gallon of milk.

1. Farmer's cheese with vinegar

Farmer's cheese can be made with a simple recipe: milk with only 1.5 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar added. This milk-and-vinegar cheese recipe is basic and yields 5.3 oz. / 150 g) of cheese.

2. Farmer's cheese with apple cider vinegar

Using just the right amount of apple cider vinegar, 1 and ½ tablespoons, creates a small batch (5.3 oz. / 150 g) of the best farmer cheese.

3. Farmer's cheese with rice vinegar

Milk with 1 ½ tablespoons of rice vinegar is another winning combination to make the perfect cheese (5.3 oz. / 150 g).

4. Farmer's cheese with white wine vinegar

With 1.5 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, you can transform regular milk into delicious tvorog (5.3 oz. / 150 g).

5. Farmer's cheese with lemon juice

Fresh lemon juice from 1 ½ to 2 lemons is another way to acidify the milk and turn it into curd cheese (6.4 oz. / 180 g) with a tangy note. Some recipes call for citric acid instead.

6. Farmer's cheese from kefir

Using kefir is another way to transform your milk into delicious farmer's cheese: just add the same amount of kefir. The recipe yields 5.6 oz. / 160 g of homemade cheese.

7. Farmer's cheese from kefir and sour cream

Adding kefir and sour cream (see the recipe below) creates a creamy farmer's cheese with the perfect balance of tangy acidity. The recipe makes 10 oz. / 285 g of cheese.

How to make farmer's cheese tvorog

Step 1: Pour milk into a heavy-bottomed pot (aluminum or stainless steel) and bring to medium heat. Heat milk almost to a boil.

Pro tip: The milk should reach the temperature of 175-200°F (79-93°C), 205°F (96°C) at maximum if you check it with a candy thermometer. You can omit this step; instead, look for multiple bubbles on the milk's surface.

Step 2: Use a metal tablespoon or a hand whisk to stir the milk occasionally to prevent it from scorching at the bottom of the pot.

Step 3: When the first bubbles appear, add distilled white vinegar or another acid ingredient or combination, then reduce the heat to a low-medium.

Gently stir the milk a few times. It will begin to curdle, and the flakes will start to separate from the whey.

Finally, the milk will break into flakes floating in the yellowish-colored whey.

Pro tip: Sometimes, you need to add more vinegar or lemon juice to get the right flakes and distinctive liquid color. It doesn't apply to using kefir and sour cream variations.

Step 4: Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.

Step 5: Meanwhile, prepare a colander or a mesh-fine strainer lined with two layers of cheesecloth or a flour sack towel. Place a saucepan or a large bowl under the colander to trap the whey.

Pro tip: Please ensure the bottom of the colander does not touch the bottom of the bowl; otherwise, the cheese will retain its moisture instead of draining it.

Step 6: Spoon the cooled cheese into the cheesecloth-lined sieve. Be careful when pouring all the cheese at once to prevent it from overflowing the container.

Gather the corners of the cloth and gently squeeze the cheese to let the whey drain. If you like wet-style farmer's cheese, let it stay over the colander for 2-3 minutes before use.

If you prefer a dry product, tie the ends of the cloth and hang the knot over the sink or dish for 2-3 hours. 

Pro tip. Alternatively, place a heavy object, for example, a can of food, on top of the cheese wrapped in the cloth and bring it to the fridge overnight.

The draining time depends on your preference: the longer the whey drains, the drier the curd. Keep the finished cheese refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Expert Tips

1. Avoid an enamel pot for this recipe: milk tends to burn in it.
2. Drain the cheese by using a clean cotton towel or gauze folded in several layers. Use a few layers of sturdy paper towels if you don't have cloth.
3. To speed up drainage, scrape the cheese mixture along the sides of the cheesecloth to allow more liquid to drain out.
4. After draining, rinse the cloth in cold water and dry it before using it again.
5. For regular cheesemaking, use a food-grade, non-rinse sanitizer to clean the sink, refrigerator, and countertop.
6. Save the whey drained from the cheese in a bowl. Store it in a closed glass bottle in the fridge for 4-5 days. Then, use it to make crepes, pancakes, etc.

Storing & freezing

Store homemade farmer's cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Can you freeze farmer's cheese? You can freeze it for up to 1.5 months. Just place it in a freezer-safe container or a ziplock freezer bag, label it, and bring it to the freezer. To defrost, place the cheese in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours.

The thawed farmers' cheese has a slightly different texture, but it is perfect for making syrniki, pierogi, etc.

It is not recommended to defrost and refreeze, as milk proteins lose their beneficial properties during these processes.

What to do with farmer's cheese

This versatile homemade ingredient can be used in a variety of tasty recipes, from sweet to savory.

• Breakfast: Drizzle homemade farmer cheese with honey and fruit preserves, or top with fresh fruit for a delicious breakfast.

• Spread: Use it as a cheese spread for lunch box sandwiches, toasts, wraps, and pitas.

• Dip: Blend tvorog with sour cream, yogurt, or mayonnaise, then enjoy it with crackers or crusty bread.

• Appetizer: Mix it with green onions, parsley, other fresh herbs, olive oil or mayonnaise, salt, and pepper, and serve as an appetizer.

• Salads: Sprinkle it over Mediterranean salads to replace it with feta cheese.

• Filling: Use it for pierogies, ravioli, vareniki, or blintzes. Or make Polish oponki, Ukrainian zapekanka, farmers' cheese pancakes, cakes, and cookies.

• Substitute: Use farmer's cheese in place of cottage and ricotta cheese.

Recipe FAQ

What is another name for farmer's cheese?
Farmer's cheese is also known as tvorog, twaróg, syr, farm cheese, pot cheese, dry curd cheese, baker's cheese, Russian farmer's cheese, or Russian cottage cheese.

How do you make tvorog at home?
To make tvorog at home, heat the milk until the first bubbles appear, then add an acid such as vinegar or lemon juice, or use cultured dairy such as kefir or sour cream. Stir gently until the milk separates into curds and whey, then pour it into a cheesecloth-lined strainer and drain to your preferred texture.

What does farmer's cheese taste like?
Fresh farmer's cheese has a delicately tangy, mild flavor with a characteristic milky profile.

How do you make dry curd cheese?
For dry curd cheese, drain the fresh farmer's cheese longer. Gather the corners of the cheesecloth, then press the cheese under a weight or hang it over the sink for a few hours until firm and crumbly with almost no liquid.

Can you make cheese at home?
You can make farmer's cheese at home using vinegar (distilled white, apple cider, or rice vinegar) or cultured dairy products such as kefir and sour cream.

How to make homemade cheese from milk
Farmer's cheese is made from milk by adding vinegar or cultured dairy, like kefir and sour cream. This acidifies the milk, coagulating it into the curds that make up the cheese.

How long does it take to make cheese?
Cheese-making time varies from a few minutes to several hours, depending on the method (with or without heating) and the draining time.

Can you make farmer's cheese from sour milk?
You can make farmer's cheese from sour milk. Let the milk sit at room temperature for 18 to 24 hours, or in a warm place for 8 to 12 hours. Then place it in the oven at 250°F (120°C) for about an hour and a half, cool it to room temperature, and drain.

How do you eat farmer's cheese?
The most traditional way is to sweeten it with honey, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, or syrup, or top it with fruit preserves, jam, or fresh fruit.

How long does farmer's cheese last in the fridge?
Store-bought farmer's cheese in an airtight container lasts up to 3 days in the fridge, and homemade lasts up to 2 days.

Can you freeze farmer's cheese?
You can freeze farmer's cheese in a freezer-friendly container or bag for up to 1.5 months.

Love farmer's cheese recipes? Try these next!

After learning how to make cheese with vinegar and dairy as a starter culture, you are now ready to dive into making cheese at home. Then enjoy one of the following tvorog recipes:

• Polish Naleśniki
• Ukrainian Syrniki
• Cottage Cheese Cheesecake
• Fruit Charlotte Cake

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The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.