Kefir Cheese and Whey

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Homemade kefir is the way to go if you are making kefir cheese. This does not always work the same if you are starting with store-bought kefir. It never really thickens right and remains runny. You also get the added benefits of large colonies of beneficial bacteria that is in homemade versus commercial brands. You can use kefir cheese in place of recipes that call for cream cheese and sour cream, and it will have probiotics too! We have lots of recipes on my site that call for kefir cheese, and it's simple and easy to make.
The longer you strain your kefir, the denser the cheese will be. Depending on the recipe, you may want to let it strain longer to achieve a thicker curd. I make this at least once a week and use it often. Make the switch and swap kefir cheese for sour cream. Your body will thank you!
Course: Snacks
Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 – 4 cups Kefir – For each cup of kefir, you will get ½ cup of cheese and ½ cup of whey. Please note that we don't recommend using kefir made from goat's milk.

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Instructions

  • Place a basket-style coffee filter in a strainer and place the strainer in a bowl. Pour prepared kefir into the coffee strainer. The bowl will catch the whey which is the liquid that will drop through the filter. Leave uncovered and place it in the fridge overnight.
  • The next day you will have a beautiful lump of kefir cheese in the filter and whey in the bottom of the bowl. You can let it strain another day if you would like the cheese to be denser.
  • Remove the cheese from the strainer by folding over the coffee filter sides and carefully picking up the coffee filter from the bottom of the strainer. Sometimes the coffee filter can tear or break if you try and pick it up from the edges.
  • Place the cheese on a plate or bowl. You can use the cheese immediately or place it in the fridge. I have found it works best to cover with a cloth cover and not a lid. This way the cheese doesn't over ferment, lasts longer, and tastes better.
  • Save the whey that has dripped into the bowl and place it in a glass jar. Store in the refrigerator. You can use this whey to make fermented drinks or cultured vegetables.

Notes

Storage note: Store kefir cheese with a cloth cover and place it in a container in the refrigerator. It can last for several weeks but will continue to ferment slowly in the fridge. You might get a little more whey leaking out and it will turn more tart tasting. It tastes best if eaten within a couple of weeks of making it.