🧀 Mozzarella
Also known as: mozzarella di bufala, fior di latte
A soft cheese. Classic mozzarella di bufala from Campania is made from buffalo milk, but mozzarella is more often made from cow's milk.
Mozzarella is a soft fresh pasta filata (“stretched curd”) cheese from southern Italy. The milk is curdled with rennet, the curd is left to acidify, then cut and covered with hot water. The softened mass is stretched and kneaded until it becomes elastic and stringy, after which it is shaped into balls and kept in brine or whey.
Classic Campanian mozzarella is made from buffalo milk: “Mozzarella di Bufala Campana” has held a protected designation of origin in the EU since 1996 and is made only from fresh buffalo milk in four Italian regions. Mozzarella made from cow’s milk is called fior di latte, and it accounts for most of world production. There is also low-moisture mozzarella for pizza, which melts better and keeps longer.
Mozzarella differs from ricotta in being made from milk rather than whey, and from suluguni in being less salty and fresh (suluguni is aged in brine). Mozzarella is eaten fresh with tomatoes and basil (caprese) and used on pizza and in bakes.
Composition per 100 g
| Fat | 22.1 g |
|---|---|
| Protein | 22.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 2.4 g |
| Energy | 299 kcal |
| Calcium | 505 mg |
Source: USDA FoodData Central: Cheese, mozzarella, whole milk
How it connects to milk
🧀 Mozzarella ← milk for ← 🐃 Water buffalo → gives → 🥛 Milk
Links
- Made from which milk
- 🥛 Buffalo milk
- From whose milk
- 🐃 Water buffalo
- Where it is traditional
- 🌍 Southern Europe
- Which peoples make it
- 🧑🤝🧑 Italians
- Product type
- 🏺 Traditional dairy products
- Part of
- 🧀 Cheese
- Wine and milk
- 🍷 Wine and cheese
Frequently asked questions
What milk is mozzarella made from?
The classic kind is made from buffalo milk (Mozzarella di Bufala Campana), but most of the world’s mozzarella is made from cow’s milk (fior di latte).
What is the difference between mozzarella and suluguni?
Both are pasta filata cheeses, but mozzarella is a delicate fresh cheese, while suluguni is firmer, saltier and aged in brine.
Why does mozzarella stretch?
During production the acidified curd is kneaded and stretched in hot water, and the proteins line up into fibres. That is why the cheese melts and stretches when heated.
Comparisons
Similar
🧀 Parmesan · 🧀 Pecorino · 🧀 Ricotta · 🧀 Feta · 🧀 Halloumi · 🧀 Paneer
ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.