CheeseXML 1.00
30-Minute Mozzarella (no microwave)
Ingredients
| Whole milk, not ultra-pasteurized | 1 gal |
| Citric acid | 1.5 tsp |
| Liquid rennet | 0.25 tsp |
| Non-iodized cheese salt | 1 tsp |
Process
| # | Steps | Plan | Facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prepare rennet Crush 1/4 tablet of rennet and dissolve in 1/4 cup of cool non-chlorinated water, or add 1/4 tsp single strength liquid rennet to the water. Set aside. | Step code · Milk preparation · Time: 2 min | |
| 2 | Mix citric acid and milk Add 1 1/2 tsp citric acid to 1 cup cool water, pour this into your pot. Pour cold milk into the pot quickly to mix well with the citric acid. | Step code · Milk preparation | |
| 3 | Heat milk Heat the milk slowly to 90 °F (32 °C). If the curd will not form, the source says you may need 95–100 °F. Meanwhile heat a pot of water to 175 °F (79 °C) for stretching. | Heat · Milk preparation · Temperature: 32 °C (32–38 °C) | |
| 4 | Add rennet At 90 °F remove the pot from the burner and add the diluted rennet. Stir top-to-bottom about 30 seconds, stop, cover, rest 5 minutes. The curd should look like custard with clear whey; if soft, wait up to 30 more minutes. | Step code · Coagulation · Temperature: 32 °C · Time: 5 min (5–35 min) · Stir: Duration: 30 s · Until: Custard texture · Addition: Amount: 0.25 tsp; Dilute in: 0.25 cup | |
| 5 | Cut the curd Cut into a 1 inch checkerboard. Heat to 105 °F (40.5 °C), or 110 °F (43 °C) if stretching in hot water. Stir slowly 2–5 minutes off the heat for a firmer cheese. | Cut · Cutting · Time: 5 min · Size: 25 mm · Stir: Duration: 4 min · Curd cuts: Cut: Size: 25 mm; Wait: 5 min; Cut: Size: 25 mm · Settle: Duration: 5 min | |
| 6 | Cook the grain Heat the grain after cutting, as written on the source sheet. | Step code · Cooking · Temperature: 43 °C · Time: 5 min · Stir: Duration: 4 min | |
| 7 | Drain Scoop curd into a colander, drain whey back to the pot, rest the colander in the warm whey. Salt 1/4–1/2 tsp. Fold the curd on itself as it drains. | Drain · Draining · Drain: Draining in a colander | |
| 8 | Heat and stretch Pour 175 °F water into a bowl. Break curd into 1–2 inch pieces, work in the hot water until it melds, then stretch like taffy until smooth and shiny. Form a ball. | Step code · Stretching · Temperature: 79 °C · Until: Ready to stretch · Stretching water: Temperature: 79 °C | |
| 9 | Chill Optional brine: 2–3 Tbsp salt plus 2–3 Tbsp clear whey in a quart of very cold water. Chill so the ball holds shape. | Step code · Packaging · Brining: Water: 1 qt; Salt: 2.5 tbsp; Temperature: 4 °C |
30-Minute Mozzarella (no microwave)
Pasta filata · Difficulty: 2
Batch scale
Scale factor:
Description
Jim Wallace's no-microwave 30-minute mozzarella: citric acid acidifies a gallon of milk so the curd stretches in 175 °F water. Published by New England Cheesemaking Supply.
Recipe details
- Style
- Pasta filata
- Country
- Italy
- Region
- Campania (home method)
- PDO
- No
- Schema version
- 1.00
- Type
- Home recipe
- Vegetarian
- Yes
- Created
- 2026-09-09
- License
- CC-BY-4.0
- Author
- CheeseXML 1.00 reference set
- Units
- US
- Milk
- Cow milk, Pasteurized, Homogenized
- Milk volume
- 1 gal
- Expected yield
- 1 lb
- Yield ratio
- 0.119826 ratio
- Active time
- 40 min
- Total time
- 1 h
- Scale
- For milk volume: 1 gal
Ingredients
- Whole milk, not ultra-pasteurized — 1 gal
Role: Base milk · Kind: Whole milk
- Citric acid — 1.5 tsp
Role: Acid · Kind: Acid Citric
Preparation: Dilute in: 1 cup; Instruction: Dissolve in cool water before the milk.
Dissolved in 1 cup cool water, poured into the pot before the milk.
- Liquid rennet — 0.25 tsp
Role: Coagulant · Kind: Rennet
Preparation: Dilute in: 0.25 cup; Instruction: Dilute in cool non-chlorinated water.
- Non-iodized cheese salt — 1 tsp (Details: Salt: Salting in curd; Iodized: No)
Role: Salt · Kind: Salt
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pot
- Dairy thermometer
- Curd knife
- Slotted ladle
- Colander
- Heat-proof gloves
Process
Prepare rennet
Step code · Milk preparation
Crush 1/4 tablet of rennet and dissolve in 1/4 cup of cool non-chlorinated water, or add 1/4 tsp single strength liquid rennet to the water. Set aside.
Time: 2 min
Mix citric acid and milk
Step code · Milk preparation
Add 1 1/2 tsp citric acid to 1 cup cool water, pour this into your pot. Pour cold milk into the pot quickly to mix well with the citric acid.
Heat milk
Heat · Milk preparation
Heat the milk slowly to 90 °F (32 °C). If the curd will not form, the source says you may need 95–100 °F. Meanwhile heat a pot of water to 175 °F (79 °C) for stretching.
Temperature: 32 °C (32–38 °C)
Add rennet
Step code · Coagulation
At 90 °F remove the pot from the burner and add the diluted rennet. Stir top-to-bottom about 30 seconds, stop, cover, rest 5 minutes. The curd should look like custard with clear whey; if soft, wait up to 30 more minutes.
Temperature: 32 °C · Time: 5 min (5–35 min) · Stir: Duration: 30 s · Until: Custard texture · Addition: Amount: 0.25 tsp; Dilute in: 0.25 cup
Cut the curd
Cut · Cutting
Cut into a 1 inch checkerboard. Heat to 105 °F (40.5 °C), or 110 °F (43 °C) if stretching in hot water. Stir slowly 2–5 minutes off the heat for a firmer cheese.
Time: 5 min · Size: 25 mm · Stir: Duration: 4 min · Curd cuts: Cut: Size: 25 mm; Wait: 5 min; Cut: Size: 25 mm · Settle: Duration: 5 min
Cook the grain
Step code · Cooking
Heat the grain after cutting, as written on the source sheet.
Temperature: 43 °C · Time: 5 min · Stir: Duration: 4 min
Drain
Drain · Draining
Scoop curd into a colander, drain whey back to the pot, rest the colander in the warm whey. Salt 1/4–1/2 tsp. Fold the curd on itself as it drains.
Drain: Draining in a colander
Heat and stretch
Step code · Stretching
Pour 175 °F water into a bowl. Break curd into 1–2 inch pieces, work in the hot water until it melds, then stretch like taffy until smooth and shiny. Form a ball.
Temperature: 79 °C · Until: Ready to stretch · Stretching water: Temperature: 79 °C
Chill
Step code · Packaging
Optional brine: 2–3 Tbsp salt plus 2–3 Tbsp clear whey in a quart of very cold water. Chill so the ball holds shape.
Brining: Water: 1 qt; Salt: 2.5 tbsp; Temperature: 4 °C
Also known as
Quick citric mozzarella
Storage
Temperature: 4 °C; Shelf life: 7 d
Packaging
No packaging
Allergens
Allergen: Milk
Safety
Use milk that is not ultra-pasteurized. Pasteurize unknown raw milk. Sanitize equipment.
Source
Title: 30 Minute Mozzarella Recipe (no microwave); Creator: Jim Wallace / New England Cheesemaking Supply; Year: 2023; URL: https://cheesemaking.com/collections/recipes/products/30-minute-mozzarella-recipe-no-microwave
Tags
Tag: For beginners; Tag: Ready the same day; Tag: Vegetarian