How to Make Homemade 30 minute Mozzarella Cheese

For years I was intimiated by cheesemaking and focused on making the easier recipes like making butter or yogurt. When I finally decided to try making my own cheese, mozzarella was one of the first recipes I tried. As one of the easiest types of cheese to make, it’s slightly easier that other cheese, takes much less time, and is delicious to eat fresh.

I’ve tried two different methods for making mozzarella cheese – a short method that takes just over 30 minutes and a longer method. While I’ve had consistent success with the short method, the longer method tastes a bit better. In this article, I’ll outline exactly how to make quick 30 minute mozzarella cheese that you can add fresh to your next summer dish!

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Ingredients and Equipment

You just need a few ingredients to make 30 minute mozzarella cheese. You can sometimes find the ingredients in your local grocery store, but I usually buy my cheese making equipment from New England Cheesemaking Supply Co.

List of ingredients

• 1 Gallon of Milk – make sure it’s not ultra-pasteurized.
• Citric Acid
• Rennet – you can use either a tablet or a 1/4 tsp liquid rennet
• Salt – the is optional but improves the flavor in my opinion

Necessary equipment and tools

Most of this equipment you will already have in your homestead kitchen. Make sure you have a thermometer that is sensitive enough to read lower temperatures. For a long time I used a meat thermometer which wasn’t consistently accurate.

• Large Colander
• Large Bowl
• Good Thermometer
• Knife to Cut the Curds
• Spoon or Ladle to Stir Curds

30 Minute Mozzarella Cheese Steps

Making cheese can be more finnicky than other recipes, so it’s important to keep your area clean. Put away other food and keep sponges and towels away from your work area.

Step 1: Prepare Rennet

If you are using rennet tablets, start by dissolving your tables in 1/4 cup of cool water. Make sure the water is non-chlorinated. If you are using liquid rennet, add 1/4 tsp to the water. Leave this to the side while you prepare the milk. I tend to use the liquid rennet and have consistent results with this method.

Step 2: Mix Citric Acid & Milk

Mix 1 and 1/2 tsp citric acid into a cup of water. Put this into your pot. Pour the cold milk into your pot quickly. This mixes the citric acid together. Your milk needs to reach the correct acidity in order to be able to stretch.

Step 3: Heat the Milk

Heat the milk on low to 95 degrees. You will start to see the milk start to curdle. Make sure you heat the milk slowly. If you don’t see curds forming around 90 degrees, you can heat the milk up to 100 degrees.

Step 4: Add the Rennet

Remove the pot from the heat and add the rennet. You want to avoid stirring the pot too much and disturbing the curds. I like to add the rennet all at once and stir with a circular bottom to top motion for no more than 30 seconds. Let the milk sit undisturbed and covered for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes check the curds. It should look like custard and you will see a separation of the curds from the whey. If you don’t see this, you can leave the milk for up to 30 minutes. I usually leave mine at least 10 minutes.

Step 5: Cut and Cook the Curd

Cut the curds. Make a diagonal pattern every 1/2 inch. Heat the mixture again up to 110 degrees as you slowly stir the curds with a spoon or a ladle.

Take the pot off the burner and continue stirring slowly for 2-5 minutes. The longer you stir the firmer the cheese will become.

Step 6: Drain the Curd

Gently scoop the curds into a colander. Gently press the curds and remove as much whey as possible. I do this over a bowl and save the whey for baking, feeding animals or to use when stretching the curds. At this point I also add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of salt to bring out the flavor.

Step 7: Heat Curd (remove the Whey)

Simmer water or whey in a pot of the stove. The temperature should be about 175 degrees F. You will want to use rubber gloves or a spoon to handle the cheese and liquid at this point as this water will burn you. I once watched mozzarella cheese made in Italy and the man’s hands were red and very tough from years or dipping them into burning hot liquid.

Cut or break the curd into 1-2 inch pieces put them into the hot water/whey. Begin pressing the water together by folding over the curds in the hot water. The curds will begin to come together.

Step 8: Stetch the Curd

Remove the curds from the hot water and you can begin stretching the curds. If your curds do not stretch immediately, return it to the water a try again.

Soon the cheese will begin to become smooth. Stretch it a few time and continue to fold it back on iteself. If your cheese is lumpy or starts to tear – return it to the hot water to reheat it.

You want your cheese to become a mass and stretches like taffy. It will also become shiny. At this point you can form your cheese into a ball.

Step 9: Enjoy!

Your mozzarella is done! To store the cheese you can make a brine with 2-3 tbs. of salt plus 2-3 tbsp of clear whey in a quart of cold water. This will chill the cheese and help it hold it shape. Serve immediately or store for a few days in the fridge.

Troubleshooting and Tips

Curd doesn’t form properly

Ensure the milk reaches the correct temperature and use the appropriate amount of rennet to achieve proper curd formation.

Cheese is too rubbery or tough

Adjust stretching time and technique to achieve the desired texture, ensuring not to overwork the curd.

Cheese doesn’t melt well

Use high-quality milk and follow the recipe precisely, including proper acidification and stretching, to ensure optimal melting properties.

Serving and Enjoying Quick Mozzarella Cheese

Mozzarella is seriously one of my favorite things to enjoy – especially in the summer with fresh ingredients from the garden. Eating mozzarella with tomatoes and basil is seriously delicious!

You can also use mozzarella for cooking. Mozzarella become quite gooey and yummy and is perfect in pasta dishes. You can see some suggestion for mozzarella recipes.

30 Minute Mozzarella Cheese Recipe

Below is a recipe card for making 30 minute mozzarella – I recommend also reading the more detailed instruction above before you make your cheese.

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