Should You Be Saving the Water From Your Cheese Containers?

Fresh mozzarella and burrata, a cheese made with mozzarella and cream, often come stored in water. Most of us dump that water down the drain after we’ve used the cheese, but does that water have uses in the kitchen we're not considering?

Just like aquafaba, the liquid from canned chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), has culinary uses—it makes an effective vegan egg substitute and is a key ingredient in vegan meringues—the liquid that keeps these soft cheeses fresh is actually useful.

What’s in Mozzarella Water?

The liquid that mozzarella or burrata rests in keeps the cheese from drying out. It can be straight water, but more often it’s salted, creating a brine that also adds saltiness to the cheese. Sometimes it’s whey. To know which one your container of cheese is packed in, just turn to the back of the container and read the ingredients.

The water that is the most useful for cooking is whey water.

How to Use Mozarella Water as an Ingredient

When you’ve used up all the mozzarella stored in whey, don’t throw the water out. Experiment with one of these ideas. (Make sure you note if anyone has dairy allergies before you serve these foods. Many of them usually don’t include dairy.)

• Use the salty liquid as a replacement for plain water in pizza dough or bread machine Italian bread.
• Cook rice in it and it should add extra creaminess.
• Use it in place of some of the water in soup such as Italian wedding soup, or minestrone.
• Use it in place of the egg white in cocktails such as a Ramos Gin Fizz or whiskey sour.
• Turn it into plant food. Mix it with an equal amount of water as a fertilizer for some plants. We suggest you research this fertilizing method before using it on any plant.

What About Feta Brine?

Mozzarella and burrata aren’t the only cheeses that come packed in liquid. Feta has a tangy brine that has many culinary uses, too.

Try using feta brine in these recipes:

• Brine chicken breasts with feta brine to keep them moist and add a tangy component to the meat.
• Pack pieces of tofu in feta brine, let them marinate and eat them raw.
• Add a little to soups—ham and split pea soup may be a good choice—before you add the salt to season.
• Add to cheesy dips. Warm blue cheese dip with garlic and bacon sounds like a good recipe to experiment with.

With a little creativity, you’ll probably find more uses for these “cheese waters,” adding depth of flavor and brininess to many dishes.