Provolone vs Mozzarella - What's the difference?

If you are an aspiring home cook, it is important that you know the different types of cheese.

Having a good understanding of how specific ingredients work will come in handy when exploring a myriad of different recipes. Of course, this is often easier said than done.

For example, many people seem to confuse provolone and mozzarella cheese. That is why this guide aims to answer the question:

What is the difference between provolone and mozzarella?

The main difference between provolone and mozzarella is the manufacturing process. While provolone matures for 3 weeks, mozzarella is a fresh cheese. Provolone also has a sharper flavor than mozzarella, which is butterier and smoother.

Of course, there is more to it than that. These two types of cheese are among the most widely used varieties. Knowing the particularities of what differentiates them will surely be useful to us later.

To do this, we are going to take a closer look at both mozzarella and provolone to see how they differ. So don’t stop reading.

Overview - Provolone and Mozzarella

The confusion surrounding provolone and mozzarella is perfectly understandable. After all, both cheeses have their origin in Italy, although they come from different regions of the country.

At the same time, they are also classified as semi-soft cheeses. They also share a somewhat smooth, buttery flavor. It should also be noted that there are some similarities in their production process.

However, the subtle differences are what ultimately set them apart. To better understand how they differ, we need to take a closer look at how each one is made.

Making Provolone Cheese

First of all, let’s look at Provolone cheese. Known for its smooth, nutty flavor, it also has a hint of acidity that’s hard to ignore. This flavor profile makes it a popular choice for pizza recipes, as well as pasta.

Keep in mind that the quality of provolone cheese depends on two main factors: the quality and amount of fat in the milk used, and the production process itself.

Here is the process of making provolone cheese:

1. Obtaining the milk - The first step is to obtain fresh milk to submit it to the cheese-making process. The freshness of the milk is of paramount importance.
2. Heat Milk - Fresh milk is then heated to temperatures ranging from 9 to 102°F.
3. Curd Separation - Once the milk has reached the desired temperatures, the curd begins to form. To speed up the process of separating the curds from the milk, cheesemakers add a bit of rennet.
4. Strain and dry the curd - The curd should be cleaned of any remaining water and milk solids before being completely dried.
5. Cooking the curd - The curd should be cooked at high temperatures. This usually ranges from 118-125°F. The cooking process can last between 6 and 8 hours. Cooking the curd is a fundamental preparatory step for the formation of the cheese itself.
6. Curd Stretching - Once the cooking process is complete, the curd will be cut into blocks before stretching. The act of stretching is what will give provolone its distinctive springy texture. Once finished, the cheesemaker will put it in a mold to give it shape.
7. Preparing the cheese for curing - The entire cheese will then need to be placed in a very light brine bath before being tied with string and submerged in a light wax bath. These steps help prevent any bad mold from developing during the curing process.
8. Curing - This is the final and most important step. In the case of provolone, the cheese must be cured for at least 3 months before being sold on the market.

These are the general principles for making provolone. However, you should keep in mind that cheesemakers often make subtle variations to make their cheese unique.

Making mozzarella cheese

Now, it’s time to take a look at mozzarella cheese. There is no denying that mozzarella is the more popular of the two.

It is one of the most well-known and beloved varieties of cheese, probably due to its ubiquity on the culinary scene. In fact, it’s especially delicious in our Creamy Shrimp Mozzarella Pasta recipe.

You will probably find that it is much easier to make than provolone. You can even start making it yourself at home, if you want.

These are the steps to follow to make mozzarella cheese:

1. 1. Getting the milk - To make authentic mozzarella cheese, you will need buffalo milk. However, if you can’t access it, cow’s milk will be an acceptable substitute.
   2. Ripening and curdling the milk - Next, you will need to add a whey ferment to ripen the milk. Once this is done, add rennet to help curdle.

1. Breaking the curd - Once the curd is formed, cut it into pieces and knead it with salt. This will help reduce them to small curd particles.
2. Melt the curd - Hot water is added and mixed with the curd particles to melt them.
3. Separate the curd and whey - As the curd melts, it will begin to separate from the whey. Be sure to wring out excess water.
4. Knead and Stretch - This is where the stretching process comes into play. Start kneading and stretching the curd before shaping it into mozzarella balls.

There you have it. Once these steps are finished, you can consume the cheese.

Mozzarella is easy to make and easy to find, and it goes well with many dishes, but if you’re really digging into this topic because you’re looking for a mozzarella substitute , we’ve got another article for you.

By now, you’ve probably noticed a couple of differences between the production process of these two types of cheese. Remember that all of them will also play an important role later.

Provolone and Mozzarella - Comparison

Mozzarella and provolone are incredibly popular cheeses. However, you should know that there are significant differences between them that you should not ignore.

Again, as a home cook, it all comes down to knowing the ingredients. So, read on as we break down each of these differences.

Production process - Aged vs. Cool

As has been clearly shown in the previous section, the main difference between these two types of cheese is found in the production process.

For example, note that provolone relies on fresh cow’s milk, while mozzarella requires buffalo milk to be matured ahead of time.

At the same time, you’ve probably noticed that provolone is cured for at least 3 months before it hits the market, while mozzarella isn’t cured at all. As stated in the previous section, mozzarella is usually eaten fresh.

Simply put, provolone is known as an aged cheese, while mozzarella is not. It goes without saying that many of the differences that define these two types of cheese stem from this fact.

Flavor profile

This is perhaps the most notable difference between the two types of cheese. Provolone has a sharper, spicier flavor than the smooth, buttery, almost milky flavor of mozzarella.

It goes without saying that provolone has the more complex flavor profile between the two, which is a direct effect of the aging and curing process.

Of course, this doesn’t necessarily give provolone an advantage over mozzarella. This is because some people find their flavors quite overpowering at times.

Useful life

If you’ve ever bought mozzarella at the supermarket, you’ve probably noticed that it comes packed in a brine solution.

This helps the cheese retain its moisture and stay fresh. Fresh cheeses like mozzarella do not have a very long shelf life and must be eaten quickly to prevent spoilage.

Instead, provolone can be kept for a long time. 2-3 weeks, to be exact. Meanwhile, true pure mozzarella cheese can only last up to five days in the fridge.

nutritional content

Another notable difference between these two types of cheese is their nutritional content. Below is a table that compares provolone and mozzarella nutritionally.

Comparison between mozzarella and provolone*.

*(per 1 cup serving)

The difference between the two is quite obvious once you examine their nutritional content.

If you follow a specific diet, this table will surely be useful as it tells you everything you need to know about these two types of cheese.

For example, if you are on a protein-rich diet, you should choose provolone for its higher protein content. However, if you’re trying to reduce your sodium intake, you may want to opt for mozzarella.