Name: Mozzarella Parm Butter (Spreadable Italian Cheese Butter)
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 ball of fresh mozzarella, strained (100g); 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano, grated (50g); 2 ounces unsalted butter (50g)

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Mozzarella Parm Butter is the next best thing you don’t yet have in your kitchen. Slather it over garlic bread before you toast it, or add a dollop to your homemade pasta, mac ‘n cheese, or risotto. Fair warning, this buttery cheese mixture is pretty crave-able — fresh and sweet milky mozzarella balls with salty Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and creamy full-fat butter. If you love cheese or compound butters, this is the best of both worlds. No matter how you end up using this, smiles are all but guaranteed.

an 8 ounce mason jelly jar filled with white fluffy mozzarella parmigiano butter with a view of green plants in the background just outside the window

Where Does Mozzarella Parm Butter Come From?

This tasty recipe came to me one morning when I was thinking about a delicious tomato and smoked mozzarella risotto we’d eaten at a birthday dinner just days before. It was perfect risotto served piping hot with creamy, smoky mozzarella and tomato flavors (minus the stringy mess that usually comes with adding stretchy cheeses to hot dishes). It was one of those dishes that stays on your mind long after you’ve eaten it because it’s that delicious. I figured I could make a spreadable, buttery, cheese of my own that would allow me to add a touch of richness to pasta sauces and risotto, or just to slather it on a good Italian or French bread and toast it up to make extra delicious garlic bread. As you’ll see below, I’ve done both.

Mozzarella Parm Butter Ingredients

You only need 3 ingredients to make this delicious buttery cheese spread. You may already have them in your kitchen.

1 ball of fresh mozzarella, strained (100g)
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano, grated (50g)
2 ounces unsalted butter (50g)

How to Make Mozzarella Parm Butter

This recipe can be made in 3 minutes, just break out your food processor or mini chopper to get started.

Strain the fresh mozzarella from its liquid, tear it into pieces, and place it into the bowl of a food processor with the butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano (or Grana Padano or Parmesan) cheese and process until you reach a silky smooth texture. Enjoy!

Ways to use Mozzarella Parm Butter

There are endless ways to enjoy Mozzarella Parm Butter, and you should get creative with it! Here are a few of our favorites for inspiration.

Make garlic bread. Add chopped fresh parsley and freshly sliced, minced, or puréed garlic to the Mozzarella Parm butter, slather a baguette of bread with it then place it under a preheated broiler in the oven until golden brown. This is the best compound butter for bread!
Use it as a pasta topper. Place a dollop of Mozzarella Parm Butter in each pasta bowl and serve. Mix it in for an instantly creamier pasta.
Use it as the base for a parmesan cream sauce. Use this Mozzarella Parm Butter to give your parmesan cream sauce some extra milkiness.
Make bruschetta. Use Mozzarella Parm Butter as the base spread for caramelized onion and pancetta bruschetta or tomatoes and basil bruschetta (or any other combo).
Use it to top baked macaroni and cheese. Add a couple of spoonfuls of Mozzarella Parm Butter to your favorite macaroni and cheese sauce, or dollop it on top of baked mac ‘n cheese.
Add it to your favorite tomato soup. Dollop a spoonful into a steaming hot bowl of soup for an instant creamy cozy add-in.
Add it to a tomato risotto. Towards the end of cooking, add a spoonful to cooked risotto instead of butter. Stir and serve.

Mozzarella Parm Butter Recipe tips + tricks + FAQ’s

Can mozzarella be frozen? Yes, fresh mozzarella balls and shredded mozzarella can both be frozen and thawed before eating fresh or adding to recipes. In fact, when I was living in China, the local Metro Cash + Carry imported frozen balls of mozzarella which were located in the freezer section( next to the frozen butter and frozen shredded cheeses). And because of this experience, I often keep at least 2 balls of fresh mozzarella in my freezer at any given time so that if I want to have a pizza night on the fly, or a quick Caprese salad, it’s always possible.
Can I freeze Mozzarella Parm Butter? Yes, you can freeze any leftovers in an airtight jar with a piece of parchment paper or wax paper on top of the mixture to avoid ice crystals forming. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and leave it on the counter for 10-15 minutes before using. Just be sure to stir the mixture before using.

Let’s get started!