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

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

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

“I thought I was having a stroke, like an elephant was on my head,” Michaelis said from her garden, while she slowly made her way through a tomato and mozzarella salad her husband had prepared.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 14, 2025

The mozzarella sticks are going viral on TikTok.

From Slate • Aug. 11, 2025

“Empty Plastic Bottles!” he bellowed around a mouthful of mozzarella sticks.

From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon