What is it?

A mild-tasting Italian cheese made from cow’s (or often in Italy, water buffalo’s) milk. Mozzarella comes in two distinct types.

Fresh mozzarellais ball-shaped, and packed in a whey-water mixture. The balls range in size from 8 oz. softballs to tiny bocconcini The texture is soft and springy and the flavor is sweet and milky.Smoked mozzarellais made from the fresh version, and has a toasty appearance and smoky flavor.

Low-moisture mozzarellais sold as plastic-wrapped bricks, and is a popular cheese for topping pizza in the U.S. because of its shreddable texture and meltability. Low-moisture mozzarella is available in both whole-milk and part-skim versions; in our test kitchen, we’ve found that whole-milk mozzarella tends to melt more smoothly.

How to choose:

Most supermarkets sell fresh mozzarella in their deli section, though for a real treat, seek out the artisanal fresh mozzarella made by local Italian cheese shops.

Low-moisture mozzarella is sold in the dairy section of the supermarket with other plastic-wrapped block cheeses.

How to store:

Keep fresh mozzarella submerged in the liquid it’s sold in, and use it within two days of buying.

Recipes

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  Quicker Homemade Burrata

  This version of homemade burrata starts with store-bought mozzarella curd, so it's a little quicker than making your own. Whether you begin your burrata with milk or with curd, your…

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  Pasta with Roasted Fennel and Tomatoes

  As the fennel and tomatoes roast, their juices mingle to create a luscious sauce. Finocchiona, salami flavored with fennel seeds (finocchio is Italian for fennel), reinforces the fennel flavor of…

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  Broccoli Rabe and Potato Pizza

  Broccoli rabe and potatoes, a classic Italian combination, is even better topped with creamy, smoky mozzarella.

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  或ange, Pear, and Date Salad with Orange-Rosemary Vinaigrette

  Though the jewel-like tones of orange slices scream for attention, the charm of this refreshing salad is its balanced, simple, almost subdued flavors, which beguile with every bite.

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  Roasted Green Bean Panzanella Salad

  Roasted green beans make this summery salad work well in colder months. On its own, it makes a great vegetarian main dish, but it also serves as a hearty side…

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  Baked Eggs with Spicy Tomato Sauce, Chickpeas, and Mozzarella

  This spin on pipérade, the chile-laden French Basque dish, includes nutty chickpeas and meltingly creamy mozzarella along with eggs.

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  Grated Zucchini Omelet with Fresh Mozzarella

  Shredded zucchini is mixed in with the eggs for one giant, extra-hearty omelet that gets cut in half to feed two. Marinara sauce complements the mozzarella and basil.

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  Lasagne Rolls with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Onions

  Instead of being layered in a heavy casserole, spinach, mushrooms, and cheese get rolled into lasagne noodles for lighter dinner-party-ready fare. You might want to boil an extra lasagne noodle…

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  Recipe

  Sausage and Pepper Calzones

  Imagine a cross between pizza and a sausage and pepper sub sandwich, and you get the gist of how good these are. Serve with your favorite marinara sauce for dipping,…

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  Recipe

  Turkey Sausage and Mushroom Baguette Pizza

  An homage to frozen French-bread pizza, but so much tastier. You can substitute pork sausage for the turkey, if you like.