Shredded mozzarella cheese can absolutely melt well, but there are a few things to keep in mind when using it for melting applications like pizza, casseroles, etc. Here’s a quick overview of how shredded mozzarella melts and tips for getting the best results.
Why Shredded Mozzarella May Not Melt Well
There are a couple reasons why shredded mozzarella sometimes doesn’t melt as smoothly as mozzarella that’s sliced, cubed, or freshly grated:
- Anti-caking agents. Pre-shredded mozzarella often contains potato starch or cornstarch to prevent the shreds from clumping together. These anti-caking agents can prevent the cheese from melting together into a nice, smooth, stretchy consistency.
- Less surface area. Shreds have less surface area than larger pieces of cheese. Less surface area for the cheese to melt from makes it harder for the shreds to melt smoothly.
Tips for Melting Shredded Mozzarella
Here are some tips to help shredded mozzarella melt as well as possible:
- Grate it yourself. Grating your own mozzarella helps avoid anti-caking agents. Use a box grater or food processor to get freshly grated cheese.
- Soak it first. Soaking the shredded cheese in milk or water for 5-10 minutes before baking can help hydrate it so it melts better.
- Mix it with other cheeses. Blending shredded mozzarella with some cheeses that melt more smoothly like cheddar, Monterey jack, or provolone can improve the overall meltability.
- Scatter it. For pizza, sprinkle shreds over the top just before baking instead of putting down a thick layer. This gives more surface area.
- Bake it thoroughly. Make sure to bake casseroles, pizza, etc thoroughly so the cheese gets hot enough to fully melt. Extra time in the oven helps.
Ideal Melting Applications for Shredded Mozzarella
While extra steps may be needed to get great melt with shredded mozzarella, there are some applications where it works well without much fuss:
- Pizza: Scatter shredded mozzarella over pizza sauce and other toppings so it can melt nicely from all sides.
- Cheese sauces: Add shredded mozzarella to simmering milk or sauce over medium-low heat. Stir frequently as it melts smoothly into the liquid.
- Cheese spreads: Combine shredded mozzarella with cream cheese, pureed roasted red peppers, and seasonings. Bake in a shallow gratin dish until melted together.
- Stuffed breads: Mix shredded mozzarella into doughs for bread sticks, bread bowls, and bread ring dips. It will stretch and melt during the baking process.
Should You Buy Precut or Shred Your Own?
When deciding between pre-shredded or shredding your own mozzarella, there are some pros and cons to consider for each option:
| Shred Your Own | Buy Precut |
|---|---|
| – Melts more smoothly | – More convenient |
| – No anti-caking agents | – Consistent shred size |
| – Fresher cheese | – Longer shelf life |
| – Less expensive per ounce | – No grating required |
Overall, shredding your own fresh mozzarella is ideal if you want the absolute best meltability. But pre-shredded works well for convenience and still offers decent melt in many dishes, as long as you follow the tips mentioned earlier.
Conclusion
Shredded mozzarella can melt beautifully, it just requires a little extra care compared to fresh, uncut mozzarella. Avoid anti-caking agents by shredding yourself, soak in liquid first, mix with other melting cheeses, and make sure to bake thoroughly. Follow these tips and you can get great melted results from shredded mozzarella for pizza, pasta, casseroles, cheese sauces, and more.