Can You Freeze Shredded Mozzarella Cheese?

Cheese is one of those food items that most people always keep well-stocked in the fridge. You can have any number of types of cheeses stocked away for whatever cheese needs may arise.

Cheese is an item that you sometimes fly through and other times seems to last forever and ever.

If you find yourself buying 3 large bags when your local grocery store has a sale, you’ll need options for storing your cheese in order to make sure it’s good when you’re ready to use it. 

So, can you freeze shredded mozzarella cheese? Yes, you can freeze your shredded mozzarella cheese. When frozen properly, shredded mozzarella cheese stays good in the freezer for up to 9 months. It must be stored in an airtight container.

In this guide, we will share with you everything you need to know about freezing shredded mozzarella cheese. We will walk you through every step of the process and share with you our best tips and tricks so you can freeze your cheese successfully. 

Keep reading to learn how to freeze shredded mozzarella cheese and more. 

How To Freeze Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – A Complete Guide

Mozzarella is certainly a specialty cheese. You might find it topping your favorite pizza or shredded over that spaghetti dish that you just love. There are so many uses for shredded mozzarella cheese. 

This Italian cheese was originally made from buffalo’s milk. It’s processed by a method known as pasta filata. When mozzarella is produced and sold, it has to meet certain qualifications to be labeled as such and must also follow traditional recipes. 

Any type of milk can be used although most of the time whole milk is used to get the texture just right. If you ever get the chance to try traditional buffalo mozzarella, you should go for it!  You will be amazed. 

Freezing Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Freezing mozzarella is pretty easy. Mozzarella cheese should last in the freezer for about 9 months if you take the proper care to store your cheese correctly. 

If you want to store your shredded mozzarella for a short amount of time, you can do so in the original packaging. Use this method when you will use the frozen mozzarella within two months.

If you need to store your mozzarella for longer than two months, use the process outlined below. You can’t go wrong with this process.

Here are our recommended steps for freezing mozzarella: 

1. Place sealed mozzarella cheese into an airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. We prefer freezer bags because they’re simple and easy for this type of freezing material. 
2. Tightly seal packaging. Be sure that you leave some extra space in your packaging, and release as much excess air as possible prior to sealing. 
3. Label and date your shredded mozzarella cheese. 
4. Store in the freezer for up to 9 months. (You could potentially store it longer but this is the recommended timeframe for the best results.) 

There is nothing complicated about this process, you can have your shredded mozzarella cheese in the freezer in a matter of a few minutes. 

Pros Of Freezing Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

• You can purchase in bulk
• You can preserve mozzarella for an extended period of time
• The freezing process is simple
• The cheese can be frozen up to 9 months, potentially longer
• You don’t need any complicated processes or equipment
• You can freeze it in its original packaging for short amounts of time
• Shredded mozzarella freezes better than fresh, uncut mozzarella

Cons Of Freezing Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

• You cannnot freeze it for as long in its original packaging
• It might be dry after freezing
• The cheese may crumble easier after freezing
• The flavor and texture can decrease in quality over time

The pros certainly outweigh the cons for this process but we think it is important to be aware of the effects that the freezer can have on your products. It’s best to know ahead of time if you could run into any problems when you try to freeze an item. 

Proper Storage of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Now, let’s talk about storage methods before and even after you use the freezer to preserve your shredded cheese.

The effects of the freezer and storage means could make a significant difference in the quality of your mozzarella.

Always make sure that the container is airtight in order to preserve it for a long time. 

You can potentially store shredded mozzarella cheese in the fridge for up to a month.

Here are the steps for storing shredded mozzarella cheese in the fridge: 

1. Seal cheese properly in either the original packaging or a plastic storage bag. Be sure to release excess air as much as possible and get the storage method sealed tightly. 
2. Store shredded mozzarella in the fridge for 2-4 weeks. Be sure to store it in a dry location within the fridge in order to prevent it from gather or retaining excess moisture. 

The key here, for both of these storage methods, is to get your bags airtight. It is the air that will dry out the shredded mozzarella.

The best way to avoid this is to store the cheese in something that is airtight. 

Using Shredded Mozzarella Cheese Once It Has Been Frozen

Using your shredded mozzarella after it has been frozen is super easy.

The only thing that we caution you on is to be mindful to only thaw what you need. Be ready to use the entire bag within a couple of weeks from the time you thaw it out. 

If you purchased a large bag, you may want to consider portioning it out into smaller sections before you freeze it.

When it comes to thawing your mozzarella cheese, we recommend transferring it from the freezer to the fridge the night before and allowing it to thaw in the fridge overnight.

However, you can also let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This method will work best for cooking the cheese into a heated dish, such as a casserole, or homemade pizza.

We don’t recommend using the microwave to defrost mozzarella. This will cause the shredded cheese to dry out and potentially turn hard. It will also have an adverse effect on the overall flavor of the shredded mozzarella cheese.

Related Questions

We hope that you have found this guide to freezing shredded mozzarella cheese to be a valuable and informative resource.

The process is simple and there isn’t a whole lot for you to do in order to successfully freeze your shredded mozzarella for several months at a time. 

We invite you to review the following question and answer section for some additional information that you might find helpful or interesting. 

Is Mozzarella Cheese Healthy for You?

Mozzarella cheese is lower in calories than traditional full-fat cheese options. It can also be filling, keeping you more satisfied in between meals than most cheeses will.

This cheese is low in sodium and has protein as well. It is loaded with calcium and minerals and is nutritious for your bones and teeth. 

Is Mozzarella a Melting Cheese?

Mozzarella melts easily and has a nice smooth texture when melted. It has a low moisture content so it works well for melting or eating chilled.

You can’t go wrong no matter how you choose to use this type of cheese. 

Can You Refreeze Mozzarella Cheese?

We rarely recommend refreezing items once they have thawed.

If the mozzarella cheese is partially thawed out, you could put it back in the freezer. Once the cheese has thawed completely or spent more than a couple of hours outside of the freezer, we don’t recommend that you freeze it again. 

If you did attempt to refreeze, you run the risk of your cheese clumping or drying more, not to mention you increase the risk of bacteria on the cheese. 

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