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Cheese is easily one of the most popular ingredients throughout the world. It is used in just about any dish, including a variety of different foods, including pizza, mac and cheese, various desserts, pasta, and so much more.
There are actually specific cheeses used to match the needs of specific recipes to create unique tastes.
One of the common types of cheese available everywhere in the world is mozzarella cheese, which is also very easy to make at home.
However, there is one aspect of making this specific type of cheese that most people have a problem with. This is because the majority of mozzarella cheese recipes feature rennet as the main ingredient.
This is neither too common nor is it something that a lot of people prefer to add to their foods for a number of different reasons.
If you’re one of the many people looking to find substitutes for rennet in mozzarella, here are some of the best ones you can choose from.
Best Rennet Substitutes For Mozzarella
1. Vegetable Rennet
One of the best possible alternatives for rennet which a lot of people surprisingly do not know about is vegetable rennet.
With more and more people trying to eat as healthy as possible, there are alternatives to all kinds of different animal meats as well as fats.
Given the name of the ingredient, there isn’t much of a need to explain what it is and how it can be used as an alternative for regular rennet.
It is almost exactly like rennet, but the only difference is that it is extracted from plants and vegetables rather than animals. It can be used in mozzarella without any problems.
You can substitute rennet in mozzarella with vegetable rennet on an exact 1:1 ratio. It is commonly found in most parts of the world, especially nettle rennet, one of the best and most preferred types of vegetable rennet.
2. Vinegar
Another good option as an alternative for rennet in mozzarella would be vinegar. This is one of the best options that you can easily find, and there are many good reasons for this.
Vinegar can provide your mozzarella with that sharp flavor, which gives its distinct feel as well as enhances the overall taste. It can also help shape the texture and feel of the mozzarella itself, which is another added bonus.
Not to forget, vinegar is pretty easy to find, and it’s likely that you already have it in the pantry.
The best part about using vinegar as a substitute for rennet is the ease of use. This is because all you need is some milk and vinegar along with a few other extra ingredients.
Keep in mind that the amount of both these ingredients vary, depending on how much mozzarella you’re trying to make.
3. Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is another very common replacement for rennet in mozzarella, which a lot of people know about.
Much like the previously mentioned option, this can also provide that little sharp tinge to add a distinct taste and feel to your mozzarella cheese.
What makes it all the more preferable is the fact that lemon juice is found very commonly in stores and is available worldwide. Even more, you can always squeeze fresh lemon juice at home within a few seconds.
There is only one alarming thing about this option, which is the lemony taste it has and can be off-putting in some cases. So, make sure that the recipe you need mozzarella cheese for can manage the lemony flavor.
4. Papain
Papain is taken from the fruit of the papaya tree and is widely used for tenderizing meat.
However, it is highly proteolytic, which means it works great for milk clotting, making it a suitable substitute for rennet when you are making mozzarella cheese at home.
It is basically an enzyme, which can replace rennet in the processing of cheese. It is used as the milk protein clotting ingredient.
The best thing about using papain is that it can be easily bought from any grocery store and will also enhance the texture of cheese.
5. Ficin
It is another alternative for people who cannot get their hands on rennet. However, before you go ahead and use ficin in place of rennet for mozzarella cheese, remember that it will add bitter strains, but it’s suitable for curing.
Ficin is actually a proteolytic enzyme that’s extracted from the fig tree and plays a major role in protein hydrolysis.
In addition, it does a great job as a clotting agent for cheese, which is why it can be used in place of rennet when you are making mozzarella cheese.
6. Bromelain
To begin with, you need to use the dry bromelain extract if you want it to clot milk to make mozzarella cheese.
In particular, you need to get the bromelain extract with a 5% concentration because it has a higher potential to be used as a coagulant in the development and production of mozzarella cheese with a better overall quality.
7. Tartaric Acid
Tartaric acid is another coagulant that you can use while making mozzarella cheese. For the most part, tartaric acid is found in tamarinds and citrus fruits, so you can opt for orange juice or tamarind juice.
Tartaric acid adds a delicate flavor to the mozzarella cheese and creates a rich and velvety texture. Usually, it is used to make mascarpone cheese, but it can be used to make mozzarella cheese as well.
8. Apple Cider Vinegar
It’s already mentioned that you can use white vinegar to replace rennet for mozzarella cheese, but you can also use apple cider vinegar because of its acidic nature.
Apple cider vinegar will have a mildly sweet flavor as compared to white vinegar, which is actually great for the cheese.
To add apple cider vinegar, start with the same ratio of white vinegar and check the impact. If the curing is slow and insufficient, you can add a bit more to create the right impact.
9. Ascorbic Acid
It has similar properties as citric acids, such as lemon juice and white vinegar, which is why it’s a suitable substitute for rennet for mozzarella cheese.
The best thing about ascorbic acid is that it not only cures and curdles the milk for cheese-making but also helps enhance cheese’s shelf-life because of the preservation qualities.
10. Wine Vinegar
Wine vinegar is available in red as well as white form, but since you want to make mozzarella cheese, opt for white wine vinegar to ensure it doesn’t change the color and appearance of the cheese.
It adds a rich flavor to the cheese, and the easy availability is one of the biggest perks.
11. Lactic Acid
If you have access to lactic acid, there is nothing better because lactic acid has the bacteria which convert milk lactose into lactic acid.
As a result, the acidity level of the milk is increased, resulting in coagulation, so the cheese-making process will be optimized.
In addition, using lactic acid to make mozzarella cheese also increases the shelf life.
12. Thistle Rennet
The thistle rennet is available in liquid form and can be used to make mozzarella cheese.
To illustrate, you can add around one teaspoon of thistle rennet to one gallon of milk, stir it thoroughly, and it will start curdling the milk. It is actually used in Portugal and Spain, but you can easily order it online.
While it is suitable to make mozzarella cheese, it is also used for artisanal cheese, especially if you are using goat milk or sheep milk.
13. Nettle
Nettle is basically a plant, and the fresh nettle leaves are used to coagulate the milk. This is because nettle leaves have lactic acid bacteria that help curdle the milk and help with cheese.
Some people also make nettle rennet by adding these leaves to water, along with sea salt and coriander. However, if you are tight on time, you can just use crushed nettle rennet and add it to the milk.
These are just some of the main substitutes that you can use if you can’t find rennet to add to your mozzarella.