Mozzarella is one of the most known and beloved kinds of cheese around the whole world – there aren’t many people who have never seen the iconic, small white balls we all associate with Mozzarella.
But this is just the most common way Mozzarella is being sold, and not the only one. In fact, this shape is mostly linked just to Fresh Mozzarella.
But if you look closely around your supermarket, you will be able to find, for example, tons of different brands that sell Mozzarella that was, for example, already shredded.
So what is the difference between Fresh Mozzarella and Shredded Mozzarella? Even though it may seem strange, there actually is a pretty significant difference between the fresh and the shredded Mozzarella. This is due to the fact that the latter is processed, which makes it low in moisture.
But is this the only difference? And if not, what other differences are there then? And what do they mean for you and your cooking? Let’s take a look!
Table of Contents
- What is the difference between fresh mozzarella and shredded mozzarella?
- Is fresh mozzarella better than shredded?
- Is fresh mozzarella healthier than shredded?
- Can I use fresh mozzarella instead of shredded and vice versa?
- Can you shred fresh mozzarella cheese?
- Fresh mozzarella vs shredded for pizza
- Fresh mozzarella or shredded for lasagna
- Summary
- Resources
What is the difference between fresh mozzarella and shredded mozzarella?
The most significant difference between Fresh Mozzarella and Shredded Mozzarella (besides the obvious one regarding their shape) is that the former is simply the cheese that hasn’t been processed at all.
Shredded Mozzarella, on the other way, goes through not only the shredding but also procedures that, besides others, make it low in moisture and able to last longer. simply the
Fresh Mozzarella vs Shredded nutrition
These differences then make those two types of Mozzarella differ in their nutritions value as well. Therefore, for the comparison, we prepared a table with the nutritions values for 100 grams of both Fresh and Shredded Mozzarella:
| Fresh Mozzarella | Shredded Mozzarella | |
| Calories | 300 | 304 |
| Total fat | 19g | 20g |
| Carbohydrates | 2.2g | 8.1g |
| Protein | 22g | 24g |
| Cholesterol | 79mg | 65mg |
| Sodium | 304mg | 682mg |
Fresh Mozzarella vs Shredded melting
Another way the fundamental differences mentioned above affect Fresh and Shredded Mozzarella’s properties are the way those two cheese melt.
As the name suggests, Fresh Mozzarella is primarily meant to be eaten fresh and as soon as possible after you buy it. Even though it is possible to melt it, it simply isn’t meant to be eaten that way.
On the other hand, the shredded one is just like made for melting – well, it also indeed is. Its lower moisture content simply makes it melt much, much better than the Fresh one does.
Furthermore, the fact it is already shredded itself drives you to use it while making a pizza or lasagnas. But now we would be skipping; we yet have to get there.
Is fresh mozzarella better than shredded?
Most people will agree that Fresh Mozzarella has a better taste, but that makes it often be considered a delicacy that should be eaten raw by itself or maybe just put into a salad.
That makes the Shredded Mozzarella more useful in some cases, and that is more the truth when we take its better ability to melt into account.
Is fresh mozzarella healthier than shredded?
Yes, Fresh Mozzarella is healthier than Shredded. This is since Fresh Mozzarella hasn’t been treated in any way (besides shaping into the small balls), while moisture reducing process is usually used while making the Shredded.
Can I use fresh mozzarella instead of shredded and vice versa?
But that doesn’t mean these two kinds of Mozzarella are that different that one can’t be replaced with the other. There’s a difference, no doubt about that, but simply not that dramatical.
Can you shred fresh mozzarella cheese?
Yes, you can Fresh Mozzarella, but it’s going to be a pretty challenging task your arm won’t really enjoy. There’s a trick that may help you a lot, though – let the cheese freeze for a while, giving it a more solid texture.
That way, the shredding will be not only much less messy but also highly easier for you. Indeed, your hands and arms will thank us!
Fresh mozzarella vs shredded for pizza
However, there’s still a difference between the way Fresh and Shredded Mozzarella melt – even though both of these kinds of Mozzarella melt pretty well, the Shredded one is still a much better melting type of cheese.
Therefore, it seems more reasonable to use it while making pizza. Even though
Fresh mozzarella or shredded for lasagna
And the same goes for lasagna – Shredded Mozzarella melts better than Fresh Mozzarella; hence it is probably the better choice while making lasagna. But if you love the fresh, more milky-tasting Mozzarella, you can stick to the first one.
Can I substitute fresh mozzarella for shredded in Lasagna?
So yes, you can substitute Fresh Mozzarella for the shredded one in basically any Lasagne recipe – we would recommend you to shred/grate your Fresh Mozzarella before putting it into the Lasagne nevertheless, though.
If you don’t want to labor too much, use the trick mentioned a few paragraphs before.
Summary
Even though Fresh Mozzarella and Shredded Mozzarella are, as you can most likely tell from their names, both fundamentally the same cheese, they don’t differ that much.
Essentially, Shredded Mozzarella is a dairy product made by processing the Fresh kind of this extremely popular cheese. That makes it not only, surprise, surprise, already shredded, but also lower its moisture content.
Related:
- Fontina vs Mozzarella Cheese
- Parmesan vs Mozzarella Cheese
- Mozzarella vs Swiss Cheese
- Paneer vs Mozzarella Cheese
- Cheese Curds vs Cheese
Resources
Image credits – Canva
