Can You Freeze Mozzarella Cheese? Learn How to Do This Right
Updated on March 2, 2023
Mozzarella cheese is delicious with pizza and pasta or salads, but it’s not a type of cheese you just grab to snack on regularly. So, what can you do to preserve your mozzarella cheese when you have too much? Maybe freezing will be the right option for you.
Of course, fears about whether or not freezing mozzarella cheese is possible have popped into our minds, as not everything can be frozen while maintaining the right flavor.
Can You Freeze Mozzarella Cheese?
Keeping mozzarella cheese in the fridge for too long can lead to it going bad, so you don’t want to throw out whole bags. In this same situation is one of our readers who sent us the following message:
Q. I bought a lot of mozzarella cheese to make pizzas for some guests, but now I have cheese left over. I don’t typically eat mozzarella cheese unless it’s in a recipe, so I don’t want to leave it in the fridge to go bad. Can you freeze mozzarella cheese? Is it better to freeze it in a piece or shredded?
The great news is that mozzarella cheese is a great cheese to freeze, as it keeps its taste and consistency well after being frozen.
- Mozzarella balls or bricks will freeze well.
- However, fresh or soft mozzarella should not be put in the freezer.
Soft mozzarella should be consumed fresh, as it can become too watery and mushy after being frozen and thawed. However, most people use mozzarella balls or bricks for topping pizzas, so this is probably what you have leftover. If you think you will use the whole piece of mozzarella, it can easily be frozen in a solid piece.
How to Freeze Mozzarella?
In order to freeze your leftover mozzarella cheese, you need to take a few steps only:
- Remove the mozzarella from its original package
- Wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap to avoid freezer burn.
- Place the wrapped cheese in a freezer bag and remove the excess air.
- Seal the freezer bag, then label and date it.
If you’re planning to use the cheese as a pizza topping in the future, it may be a good idea to shred it before freezing.
- Shred or grate the mozzarella in a bowl.
- To prevent it from clumping, add a small amount of cornstarch or flour and toss it into the cheese. This helps to soak up the moisture.
- Place the shredded cheese on a baking sheet in a single layer and put it in the freezer for about 20 minutes, to help harden the cheese a little bit.
- Remove from freezer, and place shredded cheese in a single layer in a freezer bag.
- Remove the air, and seal. Label and date the bag of cheese.
How to Keep the Mozzarella Cheese for Longer?
One way that you can make sure your leftover mozzarella cheese, as well as pretty much any other meats or meals and veggies, stay fresh for longer in the freezer, and holding on to their flavor, is to use a food saver.
Food savers are great because they enable you to save time and money by preserving anything you want in an air-tight bag or container. Our favorite is FoodSaver V4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealer Machine, which works with 8 and 11-inch bags.
How to Thaw Mozzarella Cheese?
To thaw, remove the bag of cheese from the freezer.
- Mozzarella balls or blocks can be placed in the fridge to thaw for several hours or overnight. The mozzarella can then be sliced or shredded and used in recipes.
- Shredded cheese can be thawed in the refrigerator until soft, or can be placed directly into recipes that will be cooked through. Never thaw shredded cheese on the counter, as harmful bacteria may grow.
Thawed cheese should be used within 2-3 days of being defrosted. Never refreeze cheese that has been previously frozen. Shredded cheese should maintain its flavour and consistency after being defrosted.
We even have some great recipes that you can use your thawed mozzarella cheese in: