These Marinated Mozzarella Balls are easy to make and take the flavor to a whole new level! With as little as 5 minutes and a handful of ingredients you can make this delicious marinated cheese!
Easy Marinated Mozzarella
The first time I had marinated mozzarella, it was love at first bite!
There is just something about the combination of tender balls of mozzarella cheese soaked in olive oil and herbs that makes everything right in the world… at least for the few seconds I am chewing!
Marinated Mozzarella Balls are exceptionally easy to make and both look and taste like an impressive appetizer.
They are perfect to serve as hors d’oeuvres, or they make a great addition to a charcuterie or cheese board.
How to Serve Marinated Mozzarella Balls
This cheese can be served on it’s own as an appetizer or be a part of a more elaborate dish.
Here are a few of my go-to ways to serve this dish.
- with crackers
- with pita chips
- with salami
- with apple slices or grapes
- with dried apricots
- tossed with pasta
- as a part of a charcuterie
- on a cheese board
This should get you started with a few delicious ways to enjoy Marinated Mozzarella, and if I missed any really delicious ideas, make sure and let me know down in the comments so I can give it a try.
Tips for Making Marinated Mozzarella
This dish is about as simple as they come. With just a few minutes, a smattering of ingredients and 5 minutes and you can be in business.
I will give a few tips and suggestions in case any questions come up, but make sure to find the full recipe card at the bottom of this post.
The Cheese
The key to this recipe is the mozzarella balls. You can get these at a variety of places.
If you have a local cheese shop, you can usually find freshly made mozzarella there. If you are just stopping by the local grocery store, higher end ones like Central Market in Texas will also sometimes make their own.
Every day grocery stores will also usually carry some type of Mozzarella balls. They are usually found near the deli in a specialty cheese case packed in water. I have also had good luck finding the Bel Gioioso brand at warehouse stores in a 3 pack.
If you can’t find the fresh mozzarella, or just don’t prefer it, you can use a block of mozzarella cut into cubes. This won’t yield exactly the same result, but it is still very delicious!
The oil
The mozzarella should be marinated in a base of olive oil. Although any olive oil will do, a high quality extra virgin olive oil will have the best taste and flavor to it.
The Herbs
In this recipe for Marinated Mozzarella, we call for garlic, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh basil.
This is my favorite flavor combination for marinated mozzarella.
If you want to get creative, other fresh herbs would work well in place of, or in addition to the fresh basil.
You could try parsley, thyme, oregano, or even rosemary.
Also, I tend to like my cheese on the saltier side, so you may want to start light on the salt, and add more to taste.
The crushed red pepper flakes are optional. If you absolutely don’t like spice, you can leave them out all together, but I think they really add the magic to the Marinated Mozzarella Balls! Use your judgement and add more or less to taste.
Preparing Marinated Mozzarella
This dish is so quick to prepare that there isn’t much need to do it ahead of time usually, however if you are trying to get ahead, this can be made in advance.
I recommend making up to 4 hours in advance for the best results, however you can do it up to a day in advance if you need to. I find that upwards of 4 hours the crushed red pepper sometimes starts to fade onto the stark white of the mozzarella which while it doesn’t effect taste, it does make it a little less visually appealing.
More Easy Appetizer Recipes
If you loved this Marinated Mozzarella, we hope that you will try more of our delicious appetizer recipes. Here are some of my personal favorites:
Marinated Mozzarella
Ingredients
- 8 oz mozzarella balls
- 1/4 cup olive oil, extra virgin
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt, coarse
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, (or more if you prefer spicier)
- 12 basil leaves, julienned
- 1/2 tsp garlic, crushed
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients together. Mix to coat the cheese in all of the toppings.
- Let marinate in the refrigerator for 15 min – 24 hours.
Leave a Reply