Marinated Mozzarella Balls with Tomato and Avocado
Marinated mozzarella balls are the simple yet impressive heart of this recipe, which makes a terrific salad or appetizer. You can’t help but love a dish that’s fresh and beautiful yet takes about 10 minutes of your time!
Best Marinated Mozzarella Balls
Marinated mozzarella is a crowd-pleasing treat that is guaranteed to disappear from any party spread! The little balls make an outrageously popular appetizer by themselves — creamy mozzarella swimming in rich olive oil and a literal infusion of garlic and fresh herbs will do that — or pair them with a sunny array of tomatoes, more herbs, and sliced avocado for a simple dish that will wow everyone.
Why You’ll Love It
- Quick. It takes about 5 minutes to get the mozzarella started, and then another 5 minutes to mix everything together at the end.
- Easy. No cooking or gadgets required!
- Versatile. This makes a great appetizer, salad, or side. I love bringing it along to a picnic or outdoor concerts!
Ingredients & Common Substitutions
Another benefit of this dish is the simple ingredient list. You will need:
- Mozzarella. You can use just about any form of fresh mozzarella. Pictured here are Ciliegine, small mozzarella balls about the size of cherries. You can also use mozzarella labeled Bocconcini or Perlini, or even grab a package of larger pieces and cut them into bite-sized pieces yourself.
Fun fact: the word “Ciliegine” actually stems from the Italian word for cherry: “la ciliegia.”
- Olive oil. Use a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil if possible. The flavor will shine!
- Garlic. A few fresh cloves, finely minced. Sub roughly 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder only if desperate!
- Herbs. Fresh herbs make this sing. Try a mix of basil, thyme, and oregano — all the Italian classics. Add rosemary or marjoram if you’re feeling fancy.
- Balsamic Glaze. Usually sold alongside oils and vinegars, and well worth keeping in your pantry. Or make your own!
- Tomatoes. Cherry, grape, or quartered heirloom tomatoes all work beautifully.
- Avocado. This is optional; I usually add avocado if I’m serving this as more of a side or salad, but omit if serving as an appetizer.
- Kosher salt and red pepper flakes. If you want to avoid all heat, sub black pepper for the red pepper flakes.
Where to find marinated mozzarella balls in the store?
You can usually find mozzarella balls marinated in olive oil, garlic, and herbs in the fresh deli section of your supermarket. Look near other specialty cheeses or the olive bar if your grocery store has one. These make a great appetizer as-is, or can be tossed with tomatoes and avocado as in the recipe shown here. If you’re in a real time crunch, this is a great way to make a fancy dish in an absolute snap!
About Fresh vs. Low-Moisture Mozzarella
For this recipe, you will definitely want to use fresh mozzarella, which is typically sold in a small tub or other container with the cheese soaking in liquid. This is opposed to low-moisture mozzarella, which has a longer shelf-life and is great for shredding, but does not have the same creamy texture and will not absorb other flavors as well.
Extra curious? Read all about the differences between fresh and low-moisture mozzarella here.
How To Make Mozzarella Balls
This could not be simpler, or faster!
First, combine your olive oil with the minced garlic, red pepper, and herbs. Drain the excess liquid from your mozzarella, then add it to the olive oil mixture.
Give everything a good toss, then set it aside to marinate. You can really leave this as long as you like and have time for. One hour or more will give it the most flavor, but if you’re in a pinch, just set it aside for 30 or even 20 minutes before moving ahead.
Pro Tip: If marinating this for 2-3 hours or more, you may want to place it in the refrigerator. However, olive oil will solidify in the refrigerator, so in this case, be sure to stir it periodically, and be prepared to let the marinated mozzarella rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior to serving. This will allow the olive oil to return to its liquid state.
After the mozzarella has soaked up the olive oil-garlic-herb goodness, toss it with the tomatoes, add a drizzle of balsamic glaze, and sprinkle on some fresh herbs for good measure.
The dish can rest this way for awhile, if you need to transport it elsewhere or make it ahead. If adding avocado, do that as soon as possible prior to serving, so it doesn’t brown.
What To Serve with Marinated Mozzarella Balls
Serve this as a side or salad, or as an appetizer alongside:
- Crostini or French bread
- Garlic toasts or crackers
- A simple charcuterie board
As a side, it pairs perfectly with Italian-inspired dishes such as pesto Cavatappi, Tuscan chicken, or chicken Florentine.
Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips
How long is it safe to keep marinated mozzarella in the fridge?
Marinated mozzarella should be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator and can stay good for up to one week after it has been opened. Once you’ve eaten all of the mozzarella, don’t toss the oil–it’s great to use for cooking or for salad dressings!
Unopened mozzarella balls will keep for several weeks in the fridge, so just follow the best buy date on the package and your best judgment.
My marinade turned solid in the fridge. What to do!?
Don’t worry! Olive oil, like most oils, will solidify in cold temperatures. If possible, take your marinated mozzarella out of the fridge 45 minutes prior to serving and let it come to room temperature, shaking it occasionally to loosen and stir up the solid parts.
If you’re in a big hurry, try this tip: put a bowl of water in the microwave and heat it until steaming. Open the microwave, put your mozzarella inside, and close the door without turning on the microwave. The residual warmth and steam will quickly return the oil to liquid form!
Does marinating fresh mozzarella infuse it with the flavor of the marinade?
Yes! This is the magic of this simple recipe. Fresh mozzarella has a creamy texture and light flavor which easily picks up other aromas and flavors. This is why you’ll even find smoked mozzarella at some specialty cheese shops! In the case of a simple marinade such as this recipe, your mozzarella will take on zippy notes from the fresh herbs, tang from the garlic, and a richness from a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil.
Related Recipes
If you love easy sides and salads, try my cucumber tomato white bean salad, potato salad without mayo, or quinoa chickpea salad next. All fresh and fabulous!
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Marinated Mozzarella Balls with Tomato and Avocado
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, or oregano, chopped, see note
- 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 16 ounces small mozzarella balls such as ciliegine, drained
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- 1/2 avocado sliced or chopped
- balsamic glaze
- extra fresh herbs optional garnish
Instructions
- First, marinate the mozzarella. Stir together the olive oil, garlic, herbs, red pepper, and salt. Add mozzarella and stir well.
- Allow to marinate for one hour or more, stirring occasionally. If marinating for longer than 2-3 hours, transfer to the refrigerator, but still stir from time to time.
- To serve, place tomatoes in a large bowl. Spoon mozzarella on top along with as much of the olive oil mixture as you desire, and stir gently to combine.
- Top with avocado and additional herbs, if using, and drizzle with balsamic glaze. (I like to reserve a little bit of the olive oil to spoon over everything immediately before serving.) Enjoy!
Notes
- Herbs: You can use a mix of fresh and dried herbs, or even all dried herbs in a pinch. Generally speaking, you’ll want to use about 1/3 as much of a dried herb as you would fresh, because the flavor is more concentrated.
I’m always on the lookout for simple yet impressive recipes, and these marinated mozzarella balls sound absolutely delightful! I love that they can be used in various ways, whether as a salad or appetizer. The fact that they can be prepared in just 10 minutes is a huge bonus. I can’t wait to give this fresh and beautiful dish a try. Thanks for sharing!
These Marinated Mozzarella balls are fantastic and I could eat them all alone, Add some fresh tomato and avocado , oh my goodness so good. This is a recipe I will be hanging onto .
I just love how healthy and delicious this recipe is plus it is so easy to make.
Loving this dish already! Looks amazingly delicious and very healthy too! Many will definitely love and enjoy this! Such a perfect appetizer too!
I am loving EVERYTHING about this salad! 🙂 And bonus points for being so quick and easy to make. This will definitely be happening on repeat for summer get-togethers.
Beautiful marinated mozzarella balls recipe. It’s so fresh and vibrant. The aromatic notes are coming through loud and clear.
Wr absolutely love fresh mozzarella. In Italy we eat it like a meat for dinner. Love your idea of it all flavored up in a salad! 😋 Looks gorgeous too!
Thanks for a great idea!
Delicious! The perfect way to add flavor to mozzarella balls. This was fresh, simple and tasty!
One of my favorite salads, and this one is soooo quick! Just love how easy it is without needing to chop and prep. The avocado add-in was also a nice touch 🙂
Marinating the mozza balls and adding avocado turns a caprese salad into something even better. We loved this salad!
I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you!
This salad is absolutely incredible. The addition of garlic is genius. It’s going to be a regular now absolutely no doubt about it.
I’m so glad you liked it, Ramona!