mozzarella

IPA/ˌmɒtsəˈrelə/
KK[mˌɑtsərˈɛlə]IPA/ˌmɑːtsəˈrelə/

mozzarella — noun

1. a soft, white cheese originally from Italy, typically made from buffalo or cow m

1.nounB1
Definition

a soft, white cheese originally from Italy, typically made from buffalo or cow milk, with a delicate flavour and a springy texture when fresh

Example

Priya topped the pizza with fresh mozzarella before baking it.

common usage: topping pizza with fresh mozzarella

A classic caprese salad uses sliced mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, and basil leaves.

salad ingredient in traditional Italian dish

Common collocations
  • fresh mozzarella
  • buffalo mozzarella
  • sliced mozzarella
  • melted mozzarella
  • ball of mozzarella
  • diced mozzarella
  • shredded mozzarella
  • smoked mozzarella
Synonyms
  • bufala mozzarella

    a specific type made from water buffalo milk, considered higher quality and more delicate than cow-milk mozzarella

  • fior di latte

    mozzarella made from cow's milk specifically, distinguished from buffalo mozzarella in Italian cuisine

  • fresh mozzarella

    emphasises that the cheese is not aged or smoked; typically sold in water or whey to preserve moisture

Grammar Patterns

uncountable mass noun

countable: a mozzarella (a ball of the cheese)

Usage Note

Mozzarella is typically uncountable ('I bought some mozzarella'). It becomes countable when referring to individual pieces, such as balls of the cheese ('I bought three fresh mozzarellas').

Common Mistakes

Mozzarella is a hard cheese that can be grated over pasta.
Mozzarella is a soft cheese that melts easily on pizza or in pasta dishes.
Mozzarella is soft and stretchy when melted, not hard and crumbly like Parmesan.
I need to buy some mozzarella cheese at the supermarket.
I need to buy some mozzarella at the supermarket.
'Mozzarella' already refers to the cheese; adding 'cheese' is redundant in most contexts.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All these terms refer to variations of mozzarella. Buffalo mozzarella (mozzarella di bufala) is made from water buffalo milk and has a richer, creamier taste than standard cow-milk mozzarella. Fior di latte specifically means cow-milk mozzarella, often used on pizza or in baked pasta dishes. Fresh mozzarella is the soft, moist version sold in liquid, while smoked mozzarella (affumicata) has been lightly smoked over wood, giving it a golden colour and a bold, savoury flavour. If you want a mild, creamy cheese for a caprese salad, choose buffalo mozzarella. For a simple baked pasta, shredded fior di latte works best.

buffalo mozzarellafior di lattefresh mozzarellasmoked mozzarella

Etymology

ItalianEnglish

Mozzarella comes from Italian, where it is a diminutive form of mozza, meaning 'cut off'. This refers to the traditional method of cutting the curd by hand when making the cheese. The word entered English in the late 19th century as Italian cuisine became more widely known outside Italy.