Make your own mozzarella: An easy 30-minute mozzarella recipe

Many people love mozzarella, but few know that it’s not that difficult to make at home. With the right ingredients and the right technique, you can make a light and delicious homemade mozzarella that contains no preservatives and is a perfect addition to a variety of dishes. You only need 4 ingredients (plus water) and some patience!

How do I make mozzarella myself?

This homemade mozzarella cheese is elastic, smooth and much better than store-bought. Plus, read the notes for some basic tips!

Learn how to make your own mozzarella cheese with this delicious recipe

Why citric acid in mozzarella?

Citric acid is used to make various cheeses, including 30-minute mozzarella, ricotta, and paneer. It increases the acidity and causes the casein molecules to partially unfold and combine with each other. For mozzarella and burrata, she immediately adjusts the pH value so that it is suitable for the rennet. With full-fat ricotta, the combination of acid and heat ensures that the curd curdles without rennet.

Citric acid is a key ingredient in making mozzarella

Why rennet in mozzarella?

Rennet is another important ingredient in making mozzarella. Its job is to harden the proteins in milk and form a firm, elastic curd. You can use rennet tablets or liquid rennet (which allows you to skip a step). For a vegetarian version, you can use vegetable rennet.

You also need rennet to make mozzarella

Which milk is suitable for making mozzarella?

When it comes to milk for making mozzarella cheese, almost anything will do: whole milk, 2%, skim milk, cow’s milk, goat’s milk, raw, organic or pasteurized. However, avoid milk that has been pasteurized at ultra-high temperature (UHT). This special pasteurization method denatures the proteins in milk to the point that they lose their ability to fully solidify into curds. Also be careful when purchasing organic milk as many brands are UHT pasteurized and the packaging does not always indicate this.

If your mozzarella ends up looking like cottage cheese, try switching to a different type of milk

Make your own mozzarella: a simple 30-minute recipe

Making mozzarella is not as complicated as it seems at first glance. Don’t be afraid of citric acid and rennet. Both things sound strange, but they are actually normal, everyday ingredients.

#Ingredients for the mozzarella

• ¾ cup lukewarm water, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon liquid rennet
• 1 ½ teaspoons citric acid
• 1 gallon raw milk
• 1 teaspoon salt (optional)

#How to make mozzarella step-by-step

1. Place 1/4 cup water and the rennet in a small bowl. Stir well.
2. Add the remaining 1/2 cup water and the citric acid to another small bowl and stir until dissolved.
3. Next, pour the milk into a large pot and heat over medium heat. Stir the citric acid mixture.
4. Heat the milk, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 32°C (use an instant-read thermometer to measure).
5. Remove the milk from the heat and stir the rennet mixture in a figure eight motion for 30 seconds and counterclockwise for 30 seconds. Cover the pot and let the milk sit until it curdles, 5 to 10 minutes. To check for firmness, gently press the edge of the curd with the back of a spoon.
6. Cut the curd vertically into 2 cm cubes. Then stir the curd gently, making sure the cubes remain mostly intact. Put the vessel back on the fire.
7. Cook over medium heat, stirring gently, until temperature reaches 100°F, about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
8. Pour the curds into a sieve set over a large bowl. Press the curd lightly to extract the liquid whey. Pour the drained whey back into the pot.
9. Heat the whey to 85°C for about 5 minutes. Wearing gloves, tear off a piece of curd and place it on a slotted spoon. Dip the curds in hot whey for 5 to 10 seconds. Stretch, fold and knead it. Repeat this step until the mozzarella is smooth and elastic. Add some salt and form the cheese into a ball. Repeat the dipping and kneading process with the remaining cheese.

You can create any shape you like – try larger balls, small balls, or twists and knots

Tips for making fresh mozzarella cheese

• Stretch and fold the curd repeatedly with both hands. Try not to overprocess the mozzarella.
• If you want mozzarella with a softer, moister consistency, don’t let the curds get so hard and work less stretching and kneading.
• You can speed up the cooling process by placing the mozzarella balls in an ice water bath.
• When the mozzarella has cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator.

Keep these tips in mind when making your own mozzarella

How long does homemade mozzarella last?

Store fresh homemade mozzarella in whey or brine in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze it for up to six months.

Grate the mozzarella to garnish your dishes