mozzarella

American  

[mot-suh-rel-luh, moht-] / ˌmɒt səˈrɛl lə, ˌmoʊt- /

noun

1. a mild, white, semisoft Italian cheese.

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mozzarella British  

/ ˌmɒtsəˈrɛlə /

noun

1. a moist white Italian curd cheese made originally from buffalo milk

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Etymology

Origin of mozzarella

1910–15; < Italian, equivalent to mozza a kind of cheese (literally, a cut; compare mozzare to cut off ) + -rella -rel

Compare meaning

How does mozzarella compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• burrata vs. mozzarella

Explanation

Mozzarella is a soft, mild cheese that's commonly used to make pizza. If you love that stretchy white melted cheese on your slice of pepperoni, you're a fan of mozzarella. Traditionally, mozzarella has been made from Italian water buffalo milk, although these days it's common to find cow's milk mozzarella in the store. Mozzarella is pale in color and very moist. Fresh mozzarella comes in liquid brine, and must be eaten within a few days, although shelf-stable "low-moisture" mozzarella lasts much longer and often comes already shredded. The name mozzarella comes from the Italian mozzare, "to cut off."

Example Sentences

Products with mid- to late-October sell-by dates included Sprouts Farmers Market smoked mozzarella pasta salad and Scott & Jon’s shrimp scampi with linguini bowl, a precooked frozen meal.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 5, 2025

The mozzarella comes from a 100-year-old family business in Williamsburg.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 8, 2025

And yes, don’t be shy about layering: a little sprinkle of grated parmesan on top of melted mozzarella or cheddar can elevate even the humblest frozen fry to dinner-party territory.

From Salon • Sep. 16, 2025

She takes a bite of a breaded cheese stick and stretches the mozzarella, like, a foot and a half away from her mouth.

From Slate • Aug. 11, 2025

We had mozzarella sticks and then I had a big steak.

From "Feed" by M.T. Anderson