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

It’s got cashew mozzarella, tomato sauce, Italian sausage crumble and more.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026

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

“Or, like, mozzarella sticks and the pizzookie and that’s it,” said Harper.

From Slate • Aug. 11, 2025

He made his voice sound ghostly, shrugged, then ate a mozzarella stick.

From "Look Both Ways" by Jason Reynolds