44 Ways You Can Cook With Mozzarella

With its soft, squishy texture, white-as-snow color, and milky, sour taste, mozzarella boasts so many richly unique qualities. Along with Parmesan, it's the darling of Italian cheeses and is wonderfully velvety and melt-in-the-mouth when eaten fresh, just as it is. Mozzarella pairs exquisitely with the richness of tomatoes and the herby intensity of Italian basil when served in thick slabs and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. In dishes, added to sauces, or as a topping, mozzarella is a fantastic melter and transforms into a spectacular stretchy cheese that is so satisfying to eat. It's this extraordinary texture that turns pizzas and pasta bakes into incredible dishes and elevates recipes into something special. There's no end to how you can use this fantastic cheese in recipes not only from Italy, but from other culinary corners. To inspire you, here are 44 ways you can cook with mozzarella.

Gooey sticks of molten mozzarella cheese. What's not to love? They are great as an appetizer, snack during the ball game, or as a sharing plate. If you like a little extra flavor, then sprinkle some paprika into the breadcrumbs or add a kick with some cayenne and a blast of black pepper. Follow the Italian theme and serve with a tomatoey marinara sauce or whatever dip you like. Sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, and barbecue sauce all pair well. Or, you could add to a sandwich with fresh basil and sauce.

Recipe: 30 Minute Mozzarella Sticks

You're going to love, love, love these herby, garlicky mini-mozzarella bites. They are a superb add to a charcuterie board or our on-trend jarcuterie creations, and perfect for an antipasto platter. If you want to enjoy them in a more low-key way, then fan out a few crackers and add some cheesy balls on the side. Or, add a spoonful to pep up your lunchtime salad with some creaminess. This recipe uses dried basil and oregano, but you can play with the flavors. Try adding thyme, black pepper, red pepper flakes, or ground cumin.

Recipe: Marinated Mozzarella Balls

We know that burrata and mozzarella aren't the same, although they're both Italian and made with buffalo milk. However, this salad is also delicious with mini mozzarella balls in place of the burrata which isn't always easy to get hold of. The sweetness of the grapes, crunchiness of the sweetcorn, and juiciness of the peaches are superb with a balsamic vinaigrette and creamy topping that promise a sublime finish. Enjoy this simple salad on some crusty bread or add extra ingredients such as basil and cucumber for a refreshing summer flavor. 

Recipe: Tomato Peach Burrata Salad

Not that you need a reason to cook our easy chicken alfredo recipe, but one might be so that you can make this cheesy garlic bread to go with it. There are literally no words that are as good as the taste of garlic butter toasted on ciabatta with melted shredded mozzarella and a sprinkling of tangy Parmesan. After a firing under the broiler, the two kinds of cheese create stretchy satisfaction with strands of mozzarella as you bite and give the airy Italian bread a buttery taste that's beyond moreish. 

Recipe: Cheesy Ciabatta Garlic Bread

Sometimes dips can taste a little one-dimensional or have the flavor and texture of a gloppy fast-food condiment. This recipe combines the green-goodness essence of spinach and artichoke hearts with sour cream, cream cheese, and grated mozzarella to create a soft texture. The result is a simple-to-make dip that's far more sophisticated, but isn't made with a complex list of ingredients.  The dip boasts a creamy, delicate cheese flavor with onion powder lifting the savory element. Pita chips are the perfect dipping accompaniment to this ideal appetizer or buffet table bowl. 

Recipe: Cold Spinach Artichoke Dip

If you love an old-style pasta bake, then you're going to relish this recipe which is a new take on that. While it may take a few hours to cook, the prep time is literally minutes. Mozzarella melts into spaghetti, marinara sauce, and pepperoni slices, as well as ricotta, to create a creamy ziti-style casserole that serves up classic Italian flavors without any fuss. You don't even need a knife to do any chopping for this recipe which has got to make it a firm favorite for busy family meal nights. 

Recipe: Slow Cooker Spaghetti Casserole

Comfort food sides don't come much richer tasting than creamy, cheesy, garlicky slices of potato baked until they're melt-in-the-mouth delicious. The dairy excess of this dish complements a perfectly grilled steak just as well as it does a fresh green salad with a tinglingly sour vinaigrette. The nutty flavor of the gruyere complements the delicate sourness of mozzarella in this recipe. However, if you can't get enough of the stretchy cheese texture, then you can use just mozzarella instead. Thyme is the magic ingredient that elevates the subtle flavor of the ingredients spectacularly.

Recipe: Potatoes Au Gratin

If it's the cheese that's the star of pizza in your world, then you'll appreciate this marinara sauce-free pie. Not only is there no tomato flavor, but there's way more cheese than usual. In fact, it's a three-cheese recipe. The ricotta on the base creates a creamy sauce substitute while grated mozzarella is a must-have pizza cheese that creates that iconic elastic cheese effect. Parmesan shavings on top of this lift the understated flavor of the mozzarella. Let the crust cool before slicing to enjoy the cheesy feast to its max. 

Recipe: New York-Style White Pizza

A mozzarella version of a classic Canadian dish that's traditionally made using curds, poutine is a superb supper or indulgent snack. If the idea of deep-fried chips with gravy sounds divine with torn-up pieces of mozzarella melting into the sauce, then you need to try this. Just be sure to fry the potatoes in batches so that they cook and brown evenly. For the perfect melt, it's important to save enough of the hot gravy to pour on top of the cheese. Let the mozzarella melt just a little before you do and then enjoy digging in.

Recipe: Poutine

Mozzarella, Parmesan, and ricotta are a terrific cheesy trio that enhances so many recipes, and this well-known Italian dish is no exception. The ingredients add a flavorful twist that's different than the usual layering of bechamel sauce, and is easier to make as well. Add sauce first so that the pasta sheets don't stick. If you're not a fan of beef, then use turkey mince instead, and don't forget to cover the dish with foil until the last 10 minutes. That way the cheesy topping will brown and bubble up rather than burn and dry up. 

Recipe: Easy Lasagna

The perfect pasta party piece is rigatoni on a stick with mozzarella melted all along the top so you get a taste of cheesy wonder in every bite. Cooking cooked pasta threaded onto skewers in an air fryer is genius and creative. It's no wonder that the idea of creating these sticks has become a TikTok sensation. Forget serving bowls of sloppy pasta dishes at an event. Whether a family gathering or garden party, the cheese and marinara sauce stay put while thin ribbons of basil finish off the flavor profile just so.

Recipe: Easy Pasta Skewers

Who says you can't enjoy a spoonful of melted mozzarella at breakfast? This recipe gives you the ultimate permission, with a baked egg recipe that's gentle tasting and ever so soft for days when you want a dish that's warm, comforting, and not an overload of flavors. The mozzarella melts, the Parmesan adds zing, and the polenta and tomatoes create a creamy concoction with an acidic edge. Serve without anything else as a one-pot dish that's just as good for supper as it is first thing in the morning.

Recipe: Corn Polenta With Baked Eggs

Yes, you can be decadent without going overboard into the deep-fat fryer. Air fryers have revolutionized recipes and these breaded sticks of gooey mozzarella are a perfect example. To get the right balance of cheese and crunch, make sure you add five coatings of breadcrumbs. A must-do is to also freeze them before cooking so that they don't fall apart as they heat up. The real challenge is making enough, as they're super moreish, especially when served with a marinara dip on the side. So prepare to make batches. 

Recipe: Air Fryer Homemade Mozzarella Sticks

From family meals to potluck parties, there's something deliciously retro about a tuna casserole. It promises no-frills appeal and a serving of pure nostalgia. Along with tuna, pasta, and mushroom soup, you add peas for a flash of bold color. What does taste luxurious, though, for such a simple dish is when you mix in shredded mozzarella. You also sprinkle the cheese on top along with some panko toasted in butter to get a crispy, cheesy crust that makes this bake something special. Serve as it is, or with roasted broccoli or a wedge salad.

Recipe: Tuna Casserole

Whether you serve bruschetta as an appetizer before an Italian feast or at lunch with a salad, you'll always vow to make this recipe again sooner. It's just that good. The freshness of the tomatoes shines when combined with the sweetness of basil and the creamy sourness of mozzarella. Olive oil-toasted slices of baguette rubbed in garlic add crunch, as long as they're browned long enough to withstand the juicy topping. To finish, splashes of balsamic bring out the flavors of the Mediterranean and bites that tell a story of Italian culinary flavors.

Recipe: Classic Tomato Bruschetta

Sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives, and capers with fresh Roma tomatoes evoke the flavor of summer dishes. Meanwhile, mozzarella pearls are soft and milky and enhance all that this recipe has to offer. See how they soften so luxuriously and begin to melt in a Parmesan-rich sauce made with cream, chicken broth, and Italian seasoning. Together they create a stunning pasta dish that's greater than the sum of its parts. Make sure to drain the pearls before adding them to the pasta and mix them in really well so no one misses out.

Recipe: Creamy Sundried Tomato Pasta

Mozzarella sticks are a classic sports bar snack that you can chow down on while watching the game. This version brings the bar into the recipe with a batter made with dark beer. Adding this to the coating makes it lighter and crispier which is exactly what you want to contrast with the lightness of the cheese. A dense batter could taste soggy and turn this mouthwatering snack into limp cheese sticks. Make these for a party with a dip of your choice, and serve with a beer if you like.

Recipe: Beer Battered Mozzarella Sticks

Sharp cheddar can be replaced for gruyere or even pepper jack in this recipe. Even Parmesan, with its distinct flavor, can be replaced by other strong-tasting cheeses such as manchego. However, you really can't beat the oh-so-special qualities that mozzarella brings to a one-pot cheesy dream of a dish like mac and cheese. The strings of molten cheese as you spoon the pasta from the pot into a bowl are what make it so yummy. You can bake this in the oven with breadcrumbs once it's finished on the stove, too.

Recipe: One-Pot Mac And Cheese

No one can deny how incredible mozzarella is when it melts. However, one of the absolute best ways to enjoy it is just as it is, without doing much more than slicing it. Embrace the colors of the Italian flag — red, white, and green — with layers of heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil, and fresh mozzarella. If you prefer a more classic salad arrangement, you can dice the tomatoes, cube the cheese, and chiffonade the basil and mix them together. As long as you add balsamic, olive oil, plus salt and pepper, it'll be delicious.

Recipe: Simple Caprese Salad

There's something luxurious about the soft milkiness of mozzarella pearls. They are the star of this Caprese-inspired pasta dish. Why have a Caprese salad and a pasta dish when you can combine them? Add the grape tomato halves to the balsamic vinegar as a first step so that they are marinating while you prep everything else. If you want to add some more protein to this dish, then add some white beans, they'll work better than meat. You want to keep the flavors and essence of this dish fresh and vibrant. 

Recipe: Balsamic Caprese Pasta Salad

If you love eggs and cheese on toast then try cooking both in bread-lined muffin cups with a sprinkling of mozzarella. The contrast of the crispy bread slice, gooey cheese, and soft-yolked egg is dreamy. If you want to create a bigger breakfast theme, then add sausage or bacon, or both. Or maybe you want to serve these on the side with some hash browns. Mozzarella in the morning is far more appealing than a strong cheddar or blue cheese as it promises a mild, gentle flavor.

Recipe: Quick Baked Eggs In A Basket

There are plenty of recipes that require a cheese topping to be broiled so that it browns and bubbles. However, all you need to do for this one is close the lid on your skillet and wait for the mozzarella melting magic to happen. As soon as this moreish Italian ingredient becomes soft and dippable, your work is done and you can simply enjoy this warming one-pot wonder. By cooking the orzo in tomatoes, you're removingthe need for lots of pots and pans. This is the perfect weekday meal. 

Recipe: One-Pan Cheesy Orzo Bake

Italian breadcrumbed chicken with Parmesan? Yes. Tomato sauce? Yes. A topping of mozzarella cheese melted to perfection with some more Parmesan? Absolutely. While mozzarella isn't featured in the name of this dish, the presence of this creamy Italian cheese is just as important as any of the other ingredients. You can't make this recipe without it and if you tried, you'd miss it. Just keep an eye on your breadcrumbs and make sure they brown but don't burn. Serve with a crisp green salad, pasta on the side, or vegetables such as an eggplant dish.

Recipe: Chicken Parmesan

Less is more with pizzas, and if you use quality ingredients, then you want these to shine. There's something so sublimely simple about a Margherita pizza, and using frozen pizza crust dough adds to that simplicity. A good tip is to use mini mozzarella balls for this recipe rather than slices as they melt perfectly to cover enough of the surface when they're spaced evenly. Canned San Marzano tomatoes are a must along with fresh basil leaves and a good olive oil to add once your pie is piping hot out of the oven. 

Recipe: Easy Margherita Pizza

If you're put off cooking lasagna because it always seems such a complex dish to make, don't be. This version is not only light on the ingredients and complexity, but also uses ground chicken rather than traditional beef. You only need a jar of marinara and some oven-ready lasagna noodles too, and, of course, cheese. Lasagna without mozzarella isn't possible because the way it melts is what characterizes this classic dish. Remember to change the order of the final layers to make sure you get a super cheesy topping.

Recipe: Chicken Lasagna With Red Sauce

The key to successful mac and cheese is the combination of cheeses you use. While Parmesan adds a lovely salty tang, it doesn't have the soft, velvety, and stretchy melt quality of mozzarella. So you need both, and this recipe also adds in cheddar and cream cheese as well. The way this dish is cooked, nice and slow, allows for the gooey sauce to really come into its own. All you need to do is give the ingredients a quick stir a few times and check there's enough liquid. 

Recipe: Slow Cooker Mac And Cheese

These old-style cheesy rice balls are enjoying something of an on-trend popularity as a street-style snack. And the Italian treats are dynamite dipped in a tomatoey marinara sauce. You can use a ball or a block of cheese as you cut it into cubes anyway. And make sure you shape the risotto rice around the mozzarella as you don't want any leaking out in the hot oil. When you're cooking the Arborio rice, add liquid in slowly as you would if you were making risotto. Serve with chicken Parmesan or some Italian sausages for a main course.

Recipe: Arancini

You know it's summer when no other dish will do but a traditional tomato pie. Perfect for lunch or brunch, try a slice with avocado, asparagus, or even some fresh fruit. It's important to let the tart cool down before serving as the flavors will be more intense and the consistency will be firmer. Mozarella and mayo create a creamy filling with nutritional yeast boosting the cheesy flavor. Don't miss the step of drying out the tomato slices, otherwise, the pie will be too liquidy and the pastry case may turn soggy. 

Recipe: Traditional Tomato Pie

Any recipe that includes four kinds of cheese deserves attention, and this one takes inspiration from traditional lasagna. So what's different you might wonder? Instead of beef, you make it with turkey sausage, grated carrot, and zucchini, for starters. In place of bechamel sauce, cream cheese is combined with ricotta, Parmesan, and shredded mozzarella. Don't forget to finish with a layer of mozzarella as you want your serving spoon to sink into a cheesy topping that's melted, browned, and soft yet almost crunchy compared with the noodles.

Recipe: Classic Lasagna Recipe With A Twist

Tis the season to be jolly and eat mozzarella any time of year. So don't think you have to wait until the holidays to make this festive-inspired sharing bread. As you roll each doughy ball to make your tree, you'll hide a wonderful surprise inside of mozzarella balls or pearls. You can use either, as long as you wrap the dough around them. This recipe suggests arranging the balls in the shape of a tree, but there's nothing stopping you from being creative and making a different design to pull apart. 

Recipe: Pull-Apart Christmas Tree Bread

Being able to share a delicious dish is a wonderful way to share good feelings with others, and this family-style recipe exudes comfort in every bite. Slices of milky mozzarella are tangy and sour stretching over pasta tubes in a red pepper sauce made with fire-roasted tomatoes. The ricotta is a cheesy amigo making sure that the bake doesn't dry out. Together, they are a winning combination that expresses homage to the vibrant tastes of Italy. Don't forget to grease the dish so that the pasta doesn't stick and add the cheese after the sauce.

Recipe: Baked Rigatoni

You know how sometimes you just want a light sandwich? These are the times not to make this luxuriously rich and wildly decadent mac and cheese sandwich. However, when you want all-out irresistible comfort, this one is for you as it's three dishes in one. As if it doesn't already sound ultra cheesy, note that the pasta is made with Colby Jack, cheddar, and blue cheese. Mozzarella slices are the goo sticking everything together including the buffalo sauce baked breadcrumbed chicken. Now there's a mouthful. 

Recipe: Grilled Buffalo Chicken Mac And Cheese Sandwich

Before you start cooking, soak some toothpicks, as you're going to need these to pin the chicken breasts together and keep in the divine cheesy filling. Mozzarella melts to weld spinach and artichoke hearts together along with cream cheese and garlic. Stuff the skinless chicken breasts when they are in the dish so that you don't have to move them after they've been filled. And while you want the filling well mixed, you can easily do this with a fork, and it's going to be less messy than trying to use a whisk.

Recipe: Stuffed Chicken Breast

Don't you just love a clever culinary twist? Caprese salad is reminiscent of summer, and this season invites al fresco dining from garden parties to a cookout. Instead of a big bowl of salad, create finger food that adopts the classic Italian flavors of this dish. If you're not familiar with those, they are mozzarella, tomato, and basil. Adding cherry tomatoes, fresh leaves, and marinated mozzarella balls to skewers is pure genius. Thread them on alternately, ending with an extra ball of cheese to make them more tempting before drizzling with balsamic glaze. 

Recipe: Easy Caprese Skewers

When you need a forkful of home-style cooking that's cheesy, comforting, and tastes nourishing, then this eggplant bake is an absolute dream. When you layer the tomato sauce, homemade breaded eggplant slices, and mozzarella make sure you don't add too much of the sauce at each stage. If you do, then you'll end up with a gloppy mess rather than gooey layers. To turn this meat-free dish into a plant-based recipe, seek out vegan mozzarella. The fresh basil on top lifts the flavors so although it's only a small step it makes a big difference

Recipe: Eggplant Parmesan

With so many magnificent mozzarella dishes out there, creating a skull-shaped mound of cream cheese with Italian seasoning and shredded mozzarella doesn't exactly spring to mind. In essence, it's a fun, if not a little freaky, dip that's great not just at Halloween, but for party tables for anyone who love anything ghoulish. What's great is that beyond sourcing two pimento-stuffed olives you hardly need the artistic talents of Frida Kahlo to make this. It's simple and quick. Add whatever you like to dip from pretzel sticks and crackers to celery.

Recipe: Halloween Skull Cheese Ball

This recipe calls for a blanket of mozzarella on top of what is essentially a pasta bake. How comforting and good does that sound? There's also a layer of gooey mozzarella in the middle too. And this cheese doesn't stand alone as one of the layers you add is made from ricotta and Parmesan. Together, they transform ziti pasta into a showstopping culinary dish. If you don't have ziti — which is a small, hollow pasta — then feel free to use penne. Serve with a crisp green salad once the dish has cooled down enough. 

Recipe: Baked Ziti

While shredded mozzarella is added on the top of this traditional Italian pasta and chicken dish, it's by no means a frivolous topping. Without it, this dish just wouldn't shine in quite the same way. Just as the rosemary, thyme, basil, and oregano bring a necessary herby note, the cheese marries the rigatoni, marinara sauce, and spinach together exquisitely. This stringy melted mozzarella top adds some comfort-food gooiness that really characterizes this dish as one to enjoy on a family dinner night or for supper. The green vitamin-rich spinach adds a feel-good, healthy quality too. 

Recipe: Rigatoni Fiorentina

If there's one way to elevate a simple grilled cheese recipe, then it's by creating this toasted French bread with mozzarella. Everyone knows that when it's heated up, this cheese turns wonderfully elastic with a subtle creamy taste. It's perfect for pairing with stronger-tasting ingredients. As well as crispy bacon bits, homemade ranch dressing made from seasoning mixed with Greek yogurt turns this simple dish into an amazing-tasting one. Throw on some chopped green onions once your cheesy toast is broiled and add other toppings such as olives or even chicken.

Recipe: Bacon Ranch Cheesy Bread

The name of this dish is a little misleading, as the "parm" it refers to originally relates to the city of Parma, not Parmesan cheese. While you add Parmesan to this one-pot Italian star of a dish, if there's one cheese that's the leading ingredient, it's mozzarella. The cheese melts into the marinara sauce that covers the al dente penne which is studded with succulent pieces of breaded chicken. A sprinkling of fresh herbs, and you really have a winning chicken dinner that looks stunning in the middle of the table. 

Recipe: One-Pot Chicken Parm Pasta

Where there's a Parmesan recipe, there's often a dish that needs mozzarella too. The Italian cheeses are a perfect culinary match. They bring a salty, tangy, sour, and stretchy cheese quality to dishes that is unbeatable. Take these garlicky fries, for example. Every time you reach for a fry you get a delicious string of mozzarella wrapping its way around it that you can then dangle into your mouth as you dig into this jazzed-up snack. Add foil under the fries before baking again to catch any melted cheese. 

Recipe: Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Fries

Imagine this was a quick-fire quiz and you were asked to name three ingredients from Italian cuisine that pair well. A good answer would be mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil as these, along with olive oil, are the classic trio of flavors that make up any caprese dish. This recipe translates them into a gloriously tasty chicken bake made with succulent breasts. Make sure you use soft mozzarella made from buffalo milk rather than the more robust version that you can grate. You want the baked cheese to literally melt in your mouth.

Recipe: Caprese Chicken Bake

The beauty of a crustless pie is that it's so much lighter, making it ideal for summer lunches and picnics. Not only that, but the lack of dough means that the flavor of the ingredients is brought into sharper focus. This recipe celebrates the simplicity of tomatoes and cheese in style. Thick tomato slices act as a base, while mozzarella creates a velvety texture with beaten egg for the filling. Feta cheese brings some tang to lift the flavors and mozzarella is perfect for sprinkling on the top before the tart is cooked. 

Recipe: Crustless Tomato Pie

Mamma Mia. Mozzarella is the star of this understated homemade pizza, along with eggs, which aren't thew usual pizza topping. Less is more with a homemade honey crust topped simply with slices of cheese and tomatoes, sauce, and eggs. Ribbons of fresh basil finish the pie once it's out of the oven. The egg whites should be set while the yolks will still be nice and runny. Meanwhile, if you space the mozzarella slices evenly, they'll spread out when they melt. That means that every slice is topped with deliciously stretchy molten strings of cheese. 

Recipe: Egg Pizza