Author: This homemade mozzarella cheese recipe will leave you with a ready-to-use mozzarella cheese in 30 minutes! Learn how to make mozzarella cheese at home and never have to buy it again! Perfect for homemade lasagna, homemade pizza, and more!
Whether you are looking to reduce your budget, cut down on trips to the grocery store, or just learn a new skill, making your own homemade mozzarella is a great way to do all 3! Fresh, raw milk is recommended for this recipe, but regular whole milk (not ultra-pasteurized) should work just fine.
We use this homemade mozzarella on our homemade pizza, and pair it with homemade ricotta for a fully homemade lasagna experience!
Best Tips for Homemade Mozzarella
If this is your first experience making homemade cheese, here are a few tips that will make the process easier (and the results even better)!
- Fresh is Best – When possible, opt for fresh, whole milk, which yields a creamier and richer ricotta. Avoid ultra-pasteurized milk, as it may not curdle effectively! If fresh milk isn’t available, store-bought milk with normal levels of pasteurization will likely do just fine.
- Acid Choice – Use bottled lemon juice or white vinegar to curdle the milk. Their standard level of acidity is essential for separating the curds and whey.
- Don’t Over Pull – As you are stretching the mozzarella, don’t stretch it for too long. Overpulling can result in a dry, hard cheese. Instead, just stretch it until you reach a smooth consistency, and then stop!
Ingredients
With 3 common ingredients, you probably have everything you need to make this easy homemade mozzarella cheese right now! Full measurements can be found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Milk – We use fresh, raw, whole cow’s milk, but you can use any whole milk you’d like (as long as it’s animal milk). Ultra-pasteurized milk will not curdle the same way, so avoid that if possible.
- Acid – For this recipe I recommend white vinegar at 5% acidity. I have made it with bottled lemon juice as well, but the lemon juice (even at 5% acidity) did not pull out as many curds as the vinegar.
- Salt – Any salt you prefer is fine, we like to use pink salt for ours!
Instructions
As simple as the ingredients are, the directions are just as simple. You will have finished and ready to enjoy ricotta in about 20 minutes. Let’s get started!
- Heat – In a large saucepan, over medium heat, bring the milk to 115°F.
- Curdle – Once the milk has reached the desired temperature, turn the heat off and add the acid of your choice. Stir gently for 2-3 minutes until the curds have fully separated from the whey. You’ll be able to see the golden whey and the curds very distinctly. If the whey is still white, add more acid 1 tbsp at a time and continue stirring until it’s golden.
- Remove – With a slotted spoon, lift out the curds from the milk and place them in a medium-sized bowl. If the curds are very solid or large, you can cut them into 1″ cubes with a sharp knife before lifting them out of the whey.
- Squeeze – Once you have the curds removed, you want to start pressing out the whey. You can do this with your hands, or the back of a spoon, but apply pressure in some way to remove the whey.
- Heat – Add the salt to the pot of whey and heat to 170°F. Once you have removed the whey and the cheese is pressed into a nice ball, lower the ball into a pot of hot whey for about 2-3 minutes to reheat it for stretching. You can also heat the cheese in a microwave for 20 seconds at a time until the cheese reaches a temperature of 170°F.
- Stretch – Using a spoon or two, stretch the hot cheese until it’s cool enough to manage with your hands. Stretch only until smooth, you don’t want to overstretch or the cheese will be too hard.
- Form – Heat the cheese one last time and form into a smooth ball.
- Chill – While you can use this homemade mozzarella right away, you can also wrap the finished cheese in cling wrap, or place in an air-tight container, and chill if desired.
- Store – Store any leftovers for 1-2 weeks in the fridge. Whey can be portioned and frozen for later use in soups, smoothies, or as animal feed (our chickens love it!).
Tips for Shredding Homemade Mozzarella
I love a slice of this homemade mozzarella with tomatoes and balsamic, or even on its own. However, if you want to shred it for homemade pizza or lasagna, then these tips will help you get the best results!
- Get it Cold – Because of the varied moisture in homemade mozzarella, you will need to chill the cheese first. Usually just refrigerating it for a few hours works just fine. If you find that you are still having issues, you can freeze it first and try again.
- Be Patient – As with all things homemade, taking your time is best here. Don’t use a food processor or an electric grater. Instead, opt for a manual cheese grater so that you can control the speed and keep from over-shredding the cheese into little bits!
- Enjoy Imperfection – And lastly, remember that this is homemade! It’s not mozzarella that was made in a factory and is completely uniform. This is homemade, so embrace it!
Uses for Mozzarella Cheese
If you’re like me and you’re blown away by how easy it is to make your own mozzarella, you’ll probably be making it more often! Here are a few ideas for how to use your fresh homemade mozzarella.
- Caprese Salad – Create the classic Caprese salad by layering fresh mozzarella with garden ripe tomatoes, basil leaves, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar for a simple and delicious appetizer.
- Homemade Pizza – Use your homemade mozzarella as the main cheese topping on your homemade pizzas, achieving a melt-in-the-mouth texture and great flavor.
- Pasta Dishes – Incorporate homemade mozzarella into pasta dishes, such as lasagna, baked ziti, or cheesy stuffed shells for a rich and creamy texture.
- Panini or Sandwich – Layer mozzarella in your panini or sandwich for a creamy, slightly tangy, and melty texture.
- Quesadillas – Grab some homemade tortillas and your fresh mozzarella to create the perfect cheese pull in your homemade quesadillas!
- Gratins and Casseroles – Include mozzarella in gratins and casseroles for a cheesy and bubbling topping that adds a layer of deliciousness to the dish. Our favorite use for fresh mozzarella when we have it is this potatoes au gratin dish from my mother-in-law!
Common Questions
While rennet helps achieve a firmer texture, you can make mozzarella without it by using citric acid, which results in a softer, fresher cheese.
Store your homemade mozzarella in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It’s best consumed within a week or two for optimal freshness.
Fresh lemon juice can be used, however, bottled lemon juice will provide a more standard and predictable acidity level. Avoid Meyers lemons as they have a naturally lower acidity level.
You can use the whey in various ways, like adding it to smoothies, using it as a soup base, or substituting it for water in bread recipes. If you have chickens, feed it to them as it helps with egg production… plus, they love it!
This really depends on the texture you are looking for. For a softer cheese, stretch for less time, and if you want a harder/drier cheese, then stretch for longer.
Yes, you can infuse your homemade mozzarella with flavors like basil, sun-dried tomatoes, or herbs for a personalized touch. Do this during the stretching process!
Whole milk is recommended for the creamiest and richest homemade mozzarella. Avoid using ultra-pasteurized milk, as it may not curdle effectively.
You can control the saltiness by adding more salt during the stretching process. Taste as you go to ensure you get the right levels for your preference!
Overworking the curds can result in a rubbery texture. Handle the curd gently, and be mindful of the heating process.
Even More Homemade Dairy Products
Keep your fridge stocked with even more homemade dairy products with these easy-to-follow recipes to try next!
Homemade Mozzarella Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 cups whole milk
- 7 tbsp white vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 1/3 cup salt
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, over medium heat, bring the milk to 115°F.
- Once the milk has reached the desired temperature, turn the heat off and add the acid of your choice. Stir gently for 2-3 minutes until the curds have fully separated from the whey. You'll be able to see the golden whey and the curds very distinctly. If the whey is still white, add more acid 1 tbsp at a time and continue stirring until it's golden.
- With a slotted spoon, lift out the curds from the milk and place them in a medium-sized bowl. If the curds are very solid or large, you can cut them into 1" cubes with a sharp knife before lifting them out of the whey.
- Once you have the curds removed, you want to start pressing out the whey. You can do this with your hands, or the back of a spoon, but apply pressure in some way to remove the whey.
- Add the salt to the pot of whey and heat to 170°F. Once you have removed the whey and the cheese is pressed into a nice ball, lower the ball into a pot of hot whey for about 2-3 minutes to reheat it for stretching. You can also heat the cheese in a microwave for 20 seconds at a time until the cheese reaches a temperature of 170°F.
- Using a spoon or two, stretch the hot cheese until it's cool enough to manage with your hands. Stretch only until smooth, you don't want to overstretch or the cheese will be too hard.
- Heat the cheese one last time and form into a smooth ball.
- Use this homemade mozzarella right away. You can also wrap the finished cheese in cling wrap, or place in an air-tight container, and chill if desired.
- Store any leftovers for 1-2 weeks in the fridge. Whey can be portioned and frozen for later use in soups, smoothies, or as animal feed (our chickens love it!).
Notes
Tips For Shredding Homemade Mozzarella
- Get it Cold – Because of the varied moisture in homemade mozzarella, you will need to chill the cheese first. Usually just refrigerating it for a few hours works just fine. If you find that you are still having issues, you can freeze it first and try again.
- Be Patient – As with all things homemade, taking your time is best here. Don’t use a food processor or an electric grater. Instead, opt for a manual cheese grater so that you can control the speed and keep from over-shredding the cheese into little bits!
- Enjoy Imperfection – And lastly, remember that this is homemade! It’s not mozzarella that was made in a factory and is completely uniform. This is homemade, so embrace it!
FAQs
Nutrition
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Hi Victoria,
I had a hard time getting it up to 170° but it was very crumbly during the stretching phase, and I kept trying to squeeze everything together so that I could stretch it but it never really got to the stretching point. It almost felt like, gritty mashed potatoes. Any clue what I could’ve done wrong?
Hey Dawna! Getting it to that 170 is what makes it stretchable. You might try putting it in a shallow sauce pan with a little of the whey and melting it like that. I had a batch that I did that with because it was refusing to get there just dipping it in the whey!
Excellent recipe! I love the fact that you don’t have to use rent it use lemon juice does not get any better than this.