The Big Cheese Mozzarella and Ricotta Cheese Making Kit, 10 Batches with Vegetarian Rennet Review (2026)

Who this kit is for

The Big Cheese kit is aimed squarely at first-time cheese makers who want to try mozzarella and ricotta, two of the fastest and most forgiving fresh cheeses to make at home, before committing to more advanced equipment or aged cheese projects. It includes enough ingredients for 10 batches, which is plenty of practice runs to get comfortable with stretching mozzarella curd and draining ricotta whey without needing to restock right away. Because both cheeses can be finished in under an hour with no aging or specialty equipment, the kit also suits people looking for an involved kitchen activity to do with kids or as a one-off gift, rather than someone planning to build a serious home cheese cellar. Anyone who wants to age hard cheeses will need a different kit entirely.

What is included and what you still need

The kit supplies the dry and shelf-stable components: vegetarian rennet, citric acid, a recipe booklet with step-by-step instructions, and the other small ingredients needed to coagulate and season the cheese. The vegetarian rennet is notable for households that avoid animal-derived rennet for dietary or religious reasons, since it lets them make cheese without that restriction. What the kit does not include is milk, which is the one ingredient every batch depends on, and the manufacturer is explicit that ordinary milk should be added by the buyer. That detail matters more than it sounds, because the type of milk used has a direct effect on whether the cheese sets properly at all.

Living with the kit and common pitfalls

The biggest practical pitfall with any mozzarella or ricotta kit, including this one, is milk choice. Ultra-pasteurized milk, which is common on supermarket shelves because of its longer shelf life, often will not curdle properly with rennet because the high heat used in ultra-pasteurization changes the milk proteins. Buyers need to seek out pasteurized, non-ultra-pasteurized milk, sometimes labeled simply as pasteurized or vat-pasteurized, for the rennet to work as expected. Beyond that one caveat, the recipes are designed to be quick, with mozzarella using a stretch-and-knead technique after the curd forms and ricotta relying on simple heat and acid separation. The included booklet walks through both processes, which is helpful for someone who has never worked with curds and whey before.

Trade-offs and how it compares

Because the kit covers only mozzarella and ricotta, someone who wants a wider range of cheeses to try will outgrow it after a batch or two and need a broader kit, such as The Big Cheese's own Ultimate Cheese Making Kit, which covers 10 different cheeses across 40 batches, or a beginner kit that also includes burrata, chevre and other styles. Against a smaller kit with only a handful of batches, this one offers better value per batch thanks to the 10-batch count, but it asks a first-timer to commit to a narrower focus. For someone specifically wanting to master fast, fresh cheeses without wandering into aged or cultured varieties, the focus here is an advantage rather than a limitation.

Verdict

This kit is a sensible low-risk entry point into home cheese making, with enough batches of two reliable, quick cheeses to build real confidence, plus the convenience of vegetarian rennet for households that need it. The main thing to get right is the milk, since ultra-pasteurized cartons will undermine results no matter how carefully the rest of the recipe is followed. Buyers who want more variety than mozzarella and ricotta, or who are ready to try aged cheeses, should look at a broader kit instead, while anyone starting from zero will likely appreciate the narrow, low-pressure focus here.

Frequently asked questions