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

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Compare meaning

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

• burrata vs. mozzarella

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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

See Examples For:

mozzarella

Bacon and a little onion get browned first; low-moisture mozzarella supplies the requisite cheese pull while provolone gives it a little more character.

From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026

Nobody wants to order mozzarella sticks anymore, they want the adventure of finding the best secret combo of mozzarella sticks dipped into various sauces in the cornucopia of a Chili’s Triple Dipper.

From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026

You can find many salads without lettuce as a main ingredient on the site, such as this eggplant purée with tomato salad or this summer medley of melon, mozzarella and prosciutto.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

Cue the return of bottomless mozzarella sticks and all-you-can-eat shrimp.

From MarketWatch ● May 14, 2026

We don’t go to ritzy places like this very often, so I order prosciutto-wrapped mozzarella as my appetizer, simply because I like the sound of the words.

From "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper

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