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5 Ways To Melt Mozzarella Cheese In The Microwave Perfectly

We all love mozzarella – who doesn’t? This amazing, Italian cheese can be eaten in a variety of ways, but we can all agree that melted, is best.

That’s why we’ve put together this little guide to help you understand the best way to melt your mozzarella in the microwave, meaning you can have melted mozzarella within a few minutes every time!

In case you were wondering how mozzarella cheese is made – mozzarella is made from milk. This normally comes from either a cow or water buffallo. This milk can either be pasteurized or unpasteurized, depending on the cheese manufacturer.

The Best Way To Melt Mozzarella Cheese (In The Microwave)

There are a few different varieties of mozzarella, ranging from a very low moisture mozzarella, which is quite soft so it’s hard to slice, to freshly brined, sliceable mozzarella curds.

Mozzarella is made by stretching the cheese curds, so because of this, it’s harder to melt. If you want your mozzarella cheese to melt, you could use a mozzarella with low moisture, as this type of mozzarella will get soft and melt.

The downside of low-moisture mozzarella is that it won’t make a smooth cheese sauce, unlike other types of cheese like cream cheese, or cheddar.

Outside of eating mozzarella when it is used as a topping on a pizza, or as part of a sandwich, mozzarella is amazing when enjoyed melted, perhaps for dipping as part of a fondue.

It’s pretty easy to melt low moisture mozzarella in the microwave – all you need to do is break it up somehow, put it into a bowl (make sure that it’s a microwavable bowl), and put it in the microwave at 50% power for fifteen seconds at a time.

Stir it in between microwave blasts, and keep putting it in until it has achieved the texture that you desire. It’s really important to stir the cheese every fifteen seconds because otherwise, the cheese can burn.

RELATED: Perfectively Melting Cheddar Cheese In The Microwave For Best Recipes

Can Mozzarella Be Heated In The Microwave?

For the most part, it doesn’t really matter what type of mozzarella you have, as it can all be microwaved. However, there are differences in the way that different types of mozzarella will heat up.

For example, low-moisture mozzarella and fresh mozzarella with higher moisture will both have slight differences in the way that you should heat them.

You must make sure that you are using a container that is safe to put into the microwave, and also be aware that any metal utensils, such as knives and forks, will not be microwave safe.

In fact, any metal at all – including gold foiling that might detail certain types of bowls and plates – will not be safe for use in the microwave. You should make sure that any dishes that you do use are marked to say that they are microwave safe.

Let’s Get Into It

Okay, so we are aware that mozzarella can be melted or heated in the microwave. Now, we will discuss how long you should put your mozzarella into the microwave, as well as the temperature you should set your microwave to beforehand.

What Temperature Should I Melt Cheese At?

What Temperature Should I Melt Cheese At?

The temperature that you melt your mozzarella cheese at differs depending on what type of cheese you are using. This is because the age of the cheese, as well as the acidity of the cheese, can differ, and a lot of the time these need different temperatures.

Mozzarella starts to melt at 130 degrees Fahrenheit – this is called the melting point. It has this melting point because of how high its moisture content is. This type of cheese will begin to get softer at around 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Whilst your mozzarella won’t instantly turn into a cheese sauce like other cheeses, it will get delightfully soft – but it will still slightly hold onto its original shape before heating.

How Long Should I Microwave Mozzarella?

Melting mozzarella cheese can be a little hard. This is because it is really easy to burn – because of how high this cheese is in moisture, if it surpasses its melting point and gets too hot whilst in the microwave, it can easily turn brown or black and burnt.

To avoid your mozzerella chees eburning whilst in the microwave, you need to make sure to stir it inbetween fifteen-second blasts in the microwave.

You will have to put your cheese in the microwave for longer depending on how big the cheese is, as well as the type of mozzarella.

On average, however, mozzarella cheese will typically take somewhere between 30 and 45 seconds whilst in the microwave, not including breaks to check on the cheese and stir it.

If you are attempting to melt a string cheese form of mozzarella, you should try placing it (without the packaging) onto either a piece of parchment paper (aqlso known as baking paper) or a microwaveable plate.

Pop it into the microwave oven for fifteen seconds, and then flip the cheese instead of stirring it. Put it back into the microwave for another fifteen seconds, and then, once again, take the cheese out and flip.

Repeat this method until your string cheese is melted. Flipping the mozzarella string cheese helps to ensure that it doesn’t burn on one side as the heat will be spread throughout the cheese evenly.

Why Won’t My Mozzarella Cheese Melt?

Unfortunately, certain types of mozzarella just refuse to melt in the microwave, no matter what you do.

This may be because your mozzarella cheese is too fresh.

If your mozzarella cheese has been made in a factory, it will probably be either low-moisture, or low in fat, or both.

Cheese like this are processed, and they can come in the form of blocks, like string cheese, in slices, or conveniently already shredded up for you and put into a bag.

These cheeses will have much longer shelf lives than fresh mozzarella will, and as a result of these longer shelf lives, they also react differently to heat than fresh mozzarella.

If your cheese has been processed, it’s actually much better for melting! Processed cheeses are often either cubed or shredded, and these types of cheeses are the ones that are often used on pizzas.

This is because traditional mozzarella balls (that are molded and stored in either brine or whey), have a higher moisture content and don’t melt anywhere near as well.

Processed cheeses have a higher scratch content, and tend to be low-moisture, meaning that they work wonderfully on pizzas.

RELATED: Best Ideas To Know How You Melt Velveeta Cheese In the Microwave?

How Do You Melt Mozzarella Cheese

1. Use A Microwaveable, Non-Stick Bowl

If you are melting mozzarella cheese in the microwave, make sure that you are using a non-stick and microwaveable bowl or plate.

If you do not own a non-stick bowl, you can choose to give it a little spray with a non-stick cooking spray – this can will stop any of your mozzarella getting glued down to the bowl.

Always make sure that whatever dish you are putting into the microwave is microwave-safe, otherwise this can be dangerous, and could damage your microwave.

2. Flip String Cheese

Remember that if you are melting string cheese, you should flip it in between fifteen second bursts in order to prevent sticking.

3. Use A Little Milk

If you find that your mozzarella is clumping, you can add a tiny bit of milk to make it smoother, and create more of a cheese sauce.

4. Low Moisture Over Fresh Mozzarella

Remember that mozzarella with a low moisture will melt much better than fresh mozzarella.

5. Try To Use Shredded Cheese!

If you want to make sure that you have an even and consistent melt, you can use shredded mozzarella instead of larger blocks.

Final Thoughts

No cheese is the same, and mozzarella is included within this rule. You should be a little more careful when melting mozzerlla in the microwave, as whilst it will taste amazing, it is a lot easier to brun this cheese.

If you would like to make sure that you melt your cheese properly, have a look at a couple of these tricks – they might help!

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Does It Take To Melt Mozzarella Cheese In Microwave?

To melt mozzarella cheese in a microwave, it takes approximately four minutes to heat the cheese to a soft consistency.

Can You Melt Mozzarella Into A Sauce?

Yes, you can melt mozzarella into a sauce! Mozzarella is a cheese made from cow’s milk. It’s very soft, and is used in many dishes. Mozzarella is usually eaten by itself, but it can also be melted into a sauce.

Mozzarella is made by taking a liquid and adding curd to it. The liquid is then heated, and the curd begins to melt and change the liquid into a solid cheese.

Why Is My Mozzarella Not Stretching?

The mozzarella cheese is not stretching, as it should. This can be a sign that the milk used to make the cheese was not properly pasteurized, which means that it has gone bad.

Jess Smith
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