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Food and Entertaining
Recipes
Eggs and Dairy
Cheese
How to Store Mozzarella Download Article Co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano and Hannah Madden
Last Updated: February 19, 2026
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Storing Fresh Mozzarella
|
Storing Loaf and Shredded Mozzarella
|
Expert Interview
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Tips
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Warnings
|Show more|Show less X
This article was co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University. This article has been viewed 94,126 times.
Mozzarella is a staple in most Italian dishes, like pasta, pizza, and salad. If you like to cook, you may have come across some recipes that call for fresh or shredded mozzarella. Even if you buy the exact amount of cheese that you need, you may have some extra left over. To keep your mozzarella from going bad, you can keep it in your fridge or freezer to enjoy it for days to come.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 2:
Storing Fresh Mozzarella
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1 Keep fresh mozzarella in its container of liquid if it has one. If you bought your fresh mozzarella from the store, it may have come in an airtight container with liquid at the bottom. Keep your mozzarella in this container to keep it moist.[1]XResearch source
The liquid is actually whey, a byproduct of when mozzarella is made. You can replace it with water if it gets low.
2 Transfer your mozzarella to a bowl of cold water if it was vacuum packed. Take your mozzarella out of the vacuum package and place it in a large bowl filled with cold water. Change out the water each day you keep your cheese in the fridge. This will mimic the whey that the mozzarella would be sitting in and stop the cheese from drying out.[2]XResearch source
Fresh mozzarella usually looks like a round ball of cheese rather than a block or a loaf.
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3 Store mozzarella in the fridge for up to 5 days. Place your fresh mozzarella on the middle shelf of your fridge. Try to eat your mozzarella as soon as you can for the best taste and freshness.[3]XResearch source
Never freeze fresh mozzarella. The texture and flavor won’t be the same.
Keep your fridge between 34 and 40 °F (1 and 4 °C).
Tip: If you haven’t opened up your mozzarella yet, you can keep it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.[4]XResearch source
4 Take your mozzarella out of the fridge 1 hour before you serve it. Mozzarella tastes the best when it is room temperature. Pull your cheese out of the fridge about 1 hour to warm it up before you use it for the best flavor.[5]XResearch source
You can use fresh mozzarella on salads, pizzas, and pasta.
Advertisement Method 2 Method 2 of 2:
Storing Loaf and Shredded Mozzarella
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1 Wrap your loaf mozzarella in plastic wrap after you open it. Loaf mozzarella usually comes vacuum packed. After you open up your cheese, wrap it back up with plastic wrap to make sure it doesn’t come into contact with air and keep it from getting hard.[6]XResearch source
Loaf mozzarella usually looks like rectangular bricks of cheese.
Cheese is alive and breathing, so never store it in tightly wrapped plastic wrap.[7]X Expert Source Ollie George CiglianoPrivate Chef & Food EducatorExpert Interview
Wrap wedges and rounds like a present in cheese, parchment, or wax paper and store in a plastic bag.[8]X Expert Source Ollie George CiglianoPrivate Chef & Food EducatorExpert Interview
Store your cheese in the "warmest" spot in the fridge. You can also use a big Tupperware or bin to keep all your cheeses. Always label and date.[9]X Expert Source Ollie George CiglianoPrivate Chef & Food EducatorExpert Interview
2 Seal shredded mozzarella in its packaging. Shredded mozzarella often comes in a resealable bag or tub. As soon as you open your mozzarella, seal the rest up in the packaging it came in.[10]XResearch source
If your shredded mozzarella didn't come in resealable packaging, put it in an airtight bag or container.
3 Keep your mozzarella in the crisper drawer of your fridge. The crisper drawer of your fridge has a different level of humidity than the rest of your fridge. Use this drawer to keep your cheese from drying out as you store it.[11]XResearch source
The crisper drawers are usually at the bottom of your fridge. You may be using them to store vegetables or leafy greens.
4 Eat loaf and shredded mozzarella within 21 days. Loaf and shredded mozzarella can keep for much longer than fresh mozzarella. Eat them within 21 to 28 days after you first open them up.[12]XResearch source
Tip: The sooner you eat your cheese, the better it will taste.
5 Store unopened packages of mozzarella in the freezer for 3 months. If you haven’t punctured the vacuum seal of your cheese, store it in the freezer before you eat it. Thaw it in the fridge for 1 day before you use it.[13]XResearch source
Don’t store opened mozzarella in the freezer. This could cause the cheese to get moist and might change the taste or texture.
J. Kenji López-Alt, Chef and Food Science Writer
The best store-bought mozzarella is made with whole milk and has a high moisture content. It should be soft and pliable, and should melt easily. Look for mozzarella that is labeled as 'fresh mozzarella' or 'mozzarella di bufala.'
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about cooking, check out our in-depth interview with Ollie George Cigliano.
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Tips
Try to buy mozzarella in amounts that you can eat quickly so it doesn’t go bad. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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Warnings
If your mozzarella smells like sour milk, it has gone bad and you should throw it away. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
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About This Article
Co-authored by: Ollie George Cigliano Private Chef & Food Educator This article was co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University. This article has been viewed 94,126 times. 3 votes - 33% Co-authors: 12Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 94,126 Categories: Cheese In other languages French German Spanish Portuguese Italian
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Ollie George Cigliano Private Chef & Food Educator 3 votes - 33% Click a star to vote 33% of people told us that this article helped them. Co-authors: 12Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 94,126
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Download Article Co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano and Hannah Madden 
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Co-authored by: Ollie George Cigliano Private Chef & Food Educator This article was co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University. This article has been viewed 94,126 times. 3 votes - 33% Co-authors: 12 Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 94,126 Categories: Cheese In other languages French German Spanish Portuguese Italian 
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1 Keep fresh mozzarella in its container of liquid if it has one. If you bought your fresh mozzarella from the store, it may have come in an airtight container with liquid at the bottom. Keep your mozzarella in this container to keep it moist.[1] 
2 Transfer your mozzarella to a bowl of cold water if it was vacuum packed. Take your mozzarella out of the vacuum package and place it in a large bowl filled with cold water. Change out the water each day you keep your cheese in the fridge. This will mimic the whey that the mozzarella would be sitting in and stop the cheese from drying out.[2] 
3 Store mozzarella in the fridge for up to 5 days. Place your fresh mozzarella on the middle shelf of your fridge. Try to eat your mozzarella as soon as you can for the best taste and freshness.[3] 
4 Take your mozzarella out of the fridge 1 hour before you serve it. Mozzarella tastes the best when it is room temperature. Pull your cheese out of the fridge about 1 hour to warm it up before you use it for the best flavor.[5] 
2 Seal shredded mozzarella in its packaging. Shredded mozzarella often comes in a resealable bag or tub. As soon as you open your mozzarella, seal the rest up in the packaging it came in.[10] 
3 Keep your mozzarella in the crisper drawer of your fridge. The crisper drawer of your fridge has a different level of humidity than the rest of your fridge. Use this drawer to keep your cheese from drying out as you store it.[11] 
4 Eat loaf and shredded mozzarella within 21 days. Loaf and shredded mozzarella can keep for much longer than fresh mozzarella. Eat them within 21 to 28 days after you first open them up.[12] 
5 Store unopened packages of mozzarella in the freezer for 3 months. If you haven’t punctured the vacuum seal of your cheese, store it in the freezer before you eat it. Thaw it in the fridge for 1 day before you use it.[13] 
J. Kenji López-Alt, Chef and Food Science Writer