Marinated Baby Mozzarella Recipe

By Peggy Trowbridge Filippone

Updated 09/11/19

Marinated baby mozzarella

The Spruce
  • Total: 5 mins
  • Prep: 5 mins
  • Cook: 0 mins
  • Marinate: 4 hrs
  • Yield: 6 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
399 Calories
36g Fat
3g Carbs
17g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 servings
Amount per serving
Calories 399
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 36g 46%
Saturated Fat 13g 67%
Cholesterol 64mg 21%
Sodium 507mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Protein 17g
Calcium 442mg 34%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Marinated baby mozzarella balls are all the rage these days. You can pick up these little gems at supermarket delis at a premium price. Save money by making your own marinated baby mozzarella balls at home with this recipe.

In this recipe, purchased bocconcini or ciliegine mozzarella balls are marinated in olive oil, fresh herbs, lemon juice, and salt. The mozzarella balls need to marinate for 4 hours at room temperature, so plan accordingly if you're serving them for a party.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (coarsely minced)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil (coarsely minced)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (coarsely minced)
  • 1/2 cup olive oil (good quality)
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound fresh baby mozzarella cheese balls (bocconcini or ciliegine, drained)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Marinated baby mozzarella
    The Spruce

  2. Place parsley, basil, oregano, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt in a zip-top bag large enough to hold the mozzarella. Massage to combine.

    Seasoned
    The Spruce

  3. Add the drained baby mozzarella cheese balls, seal, and toss bag to coat the cheese.

    Add the drained cheese balls
    The Spruce 

  4. Open the bag, squeeze out all the air, and re-seal.

    Put in bag
    The Spruce

  5. Let mozzarella balls sit in the marinade at room temperature for 4 hours before serving.

    Marinated mozzarella balls
    The Spruce

  6. Serve and enjoy.

Mozzarella Varieties

Mozzarella cheese comes in many different varieties—fresh, smoked, cow's milk, buffalo milk (latte di bufala), and more. 

Creamy, milky fresh mozzarella is mild flavored and sold in different shapes. Regular mozzarella balls are about the size of a small orange. Bocconcini are slightly smaller balls (about the size of an egg), and ciliegine are smaller still, about the size of a cherry. 

They can be marinated or left plain and stored in whey—the drained liquid from the cheese-making process.