Mozzarella is a soft, mild white cheese that stretches beautifully when heated. If you've ever pulled apart a slice of pizza and watched long strings of cheese stretch between the pieces, that's mozzarella doing what it does best.

This cheese originated in Italy, where it was traditionally made from the milk of water buffalo. Most mozzarella today comes from cow's milk, though the buffalo milk version, called mozzarella di bufala, is still prized for its rich, creamy flavor. The name comes from the Italian word mozzare, meaning “to cut,” because cheesemakers cut the soft curds by hand during the cheese-making process.

Fresh mozzarella comes in soft white balls packed in water or whey and tastes delicate and slightly tangy. The firmer type you find shredded in bags at the grocery store is called low-moisture mozzarella. It melts perfectly on pizza, which is why pizzerias use tons of it.

You'll find mozzarella in countless dishes: layered in lasagna, melted on pizza, sliced with tomatoes and basil in a caprese salad, or stuffed inside chicken Parmesan. Its mild flavor and incredible melting properties make it one of the world's most popular and versatile cheeses.