Recipes Everyday Cooking More Meal Ideas DIY Homemade Mozzarella Cheese 4.5 (15) 14 Reviews 3 Photos Learn how to make mozzarella cheese from scratch using this delicious recipe! You can create any shape you desire — try larger balls, small balls, or twists and knots. Store in the refrigerator. Recipe by ChefJackie Updated on February 21, 2023 Save Saved! View All Saved Items Rate Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Add Photo 3 3 3 Prep Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Additional Time: 5 mins Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins Servings: 12 Yield: 3 balls Jump to Nutrition Facts Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Ingredients ¾ cup cool water, divided 1/4 teaspoon liquid rennet 1 ½ teaspoons citric acid 1 gallon raw milk 1 teaspoon salt (Optional) Directions Combine 1/4 cup water and rennet in a small bowl; mix well. Combine remaining 1/2 cup water and citric acid in another small bowl; mix until dissolved. Pour milk into a large pot set over medium heat. Stir in citric acid mixture. Heat milk, stirring occasionally, until it registers 90 degrees F (32 degrees C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Remove milk from heat and stir in rennet mixture in a figure-8 motion for 30 seconds. Stir counterclockwise for 30 seconds to still the milk. Let stand, covered, until milk sets into curd, 5 to 10 minutes. Press edge of curd gently with a palette knife or the back of a spoon to check for firmness. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Slice vertically into the pot to cut curd into 3/4-inch cubes with a palette knife. Stir curds gently, but leave cubes mostly intact. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Return pot to the heat; cook over medium heat, stirring curds gently, until temperature reaches 109 degrees F (43 degrees C), about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Ladle curds into a colander set over a large bowl using a slotted spoon. Press curds gently to extract liquid whey. Pour drained whey back into the pot. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Heat whey to 185 degrees F (85 degrees C), about 5 minutes. Wearing gloves, tear off a piece of curd and place on a slotted spoon. Dip curd into hot whey for 5 to 10 seconds. Stretch, fold, and knead curd. Repeat until mozzarella is smooth and elastic. Knead in salt and form curd into a ball. Repeat dipping and kneading process with remaining curd. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Allow mozzarella to cool. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator. Tips Do not use ultra-high temperature processed (UHT) milk. Regular pasteurized milk will work, but raw milk is best. At the end of step 7, you may place your curds in a plastic bag and store both the curds and the whey in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days before continuing the process. If you want a softer-textured, moist mozzarella, do not let the curd get as firm and work less when stretching and kneading. You can speed up the cooling process in step 9 by placing mozzarella balls in an ice-water bath. I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 195 Calories 11g Fat 15g Carbs 11g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 12 Calories 195 % Daily Value * Total Fat 11g 14% Saturated Fat 6g 31% Cholesterol 33mg 11% Sodium 324mg 14% Total Carbohydrate 15g 5% Total Sugars 15g Protein 11g Calcium 368mg 28% Iron 0mg 1% Potassium 465mg 10% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption. Powered by the ESHA Research Database © 2018, ESHA Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved