White American cheese and mozzarella are two popular cheese varieties used in cooking.
But what exactly sets them apart?
White American cheese is a processed cheese made from a blend of milk, whey, milkfat and emulsifying salts. It has a very mild, slightly sweet flavor and a smooth, creamy texture that melts easily.
Mozzarella is a fresh Italian cheese traditionally made from the milk of water buffalos. Authentic mozzarella has a delicate, milky flavor and a soft, elastic texture.
How They’re Made
The production method impacts the final flavor and texture.
White American Cheese
White American cheese is made through a process called emulsification. This involves blending one or more cheeses (often Colby and cheddar) with ingredients like whey protein concentrate, milkfat, emulsifying salts, and stabilizers.
The mixture is then heated, forming a homogeneous final product with a smooth, slick texture that melts uniformly.
Key Takeaway: White American cheese is made by emulsifying a blend of cheeses along with various dairy ingredients to create a very smooth, creamy processed cheese.
Mozzarella
Authentic mozzarella cheese is created through the pasta filata method. First, rennet is added to cow or buffalo milk to form curds. Then the curds are stretched and kneaded in hot water until smooth and elastic.
This process aligns the proteins in the cheese, giving mozzarella its distinctly stringy, chewy texture when melted. High moisture content also contributes to mozzarella’s soft, creamy consistency.
Key Takeaway: Real mozzarella is made by kneading and stretching fresh cheese curds in hot water to develop its signature elastic texture.
Taste and Texture
Let’s analyze how the flavors and textures distinguish these two cheeses.
Taste
- White American cheese is prized for its very mild, faintly sweet flavor. It allows other ingredients to shine without overpowering them.
- In contrast, fresh mozzarella has a delicate milky taste and lightly tangy, acidic notes. Its flavor is more complex compared to the subtle profile of white American.
- Aged mozzarella can develop even stronger savory, salty elements as enzymes break down proteins and fats.
Texture
- True to its name, white American cheese has a bright white color and exceptionally creamy, smooth consistency that easily melts into a cohesive sauce.
- Mozzarella is snowy white as well, but has a springy, elastic texture. When cooked, it becomes extremely soft and stringy.
White American imparts very subtle flavor and develops a homogenous, flowing melted texture. Mozzarella offers a more pronounced milky, tangy taste and strings when exposed to heat instead of fully melting.
Best Uses
Their differing properties make white American and mozzarella best suited for certain dishes:
White American Cheese
- Grilled cheese sandwiches
- Cheeseburgers
- Quesadillas
- Cheese sauces
- Macaroni and cheese
- Cheese dips
White American really shines when you need copious amounts of smooth, creamy melted cheese. Dishes like grilled cheese sandwiches, quesadillas and creamy pasta sauces rely on its mild flavor and incredible melting capacity.
Mozzarella
- Caprese salad
- Pizza
- Lasagna
- Baked ziti
- Stuffed shells
Because mozzarella softens while retaining some shape and strings when stretched, it's perfect for baking dishes like pizza, lasagna and ziti. And fresh mozzarella works beautifully with complementary ingredients like tomato and basil.
Nutrition
There are some notable nutrition differences as well between these two popular cheeses:
Calories and Fat
- Per ounce, part-skim mozzarella contains 80 calories and 5g fat
- Full-fat mozzarella has 85 calories and 6g fat per ounce
- White American cheese clocks in at 106 calories and 9g fat per ounce
So calorie and fat-wise, mozzarella is a leaner choice especially when using part-skim varieties.
Sodium
- Mozzarella: 130mg sodium per ounce
- White American: Up to 470mg sodium per ounce
Mozzarella also wins when it comes to sodium content, with less than a third of the amount of salt compared to white American cheese slices.
Protein
- Mozzarella: 7g protein per ounce
- White American Cheese: 5g protein per ounce
Additionally, mozzarella packs more protein ounce for ounce. So if you’re looking to get a protein boost from your cheese, mozzarella is superior.
Vitamins and Minerals
- Mozzarella is higher in vitamin B12, selenium and zinc
- White American cheese contains more vitamin A, calcium and vitamin D thanks to fortification
To sum up the key nutrition points:
- Mozzarella is lower in calories, fat and sodium
- It also provides more protein compared to white American
- Vitamin profiles differ, with mozzarella having more B12, selenium and zinc
So if limiting fat, salt and calories are priorities for you, fresh mozzarella is likely the better choice.
Price Differences
You’ll also discover some significant cost differences when shopping:
- Pre-shredded low moisture mozzarella retails for around $4 per 8oz
- Fresh mozzarella balls cost about $5-7 per 8oz
- White American cheese retails for approximately $3-4 for 16 slices
So per ounce, white American cheese is the more budget-friendly option. High moisture fresh mozzarella costs about double.
However, less expensive low moisture shredded mozzarella offers convenience at a price point closer to processed American cheese slices.
Health Concerns
There are a few health-related drawbacks associated with each as well:
White American Cheese
Some of the main health knocks against American cheese slices include:
- High levels of sodium, which may increase hypertension risk
- Emulsifying salts, which some avoid due to gastrointestinal issues
- Higher saturated fat than natural cheeses
- Lots of food additives and stabilizers
- Concerns over how ingredients like whey protein concentrate are sourced
So for those avoiding highly processed foods or watching salt, fat and additive intakes closely white American cheese may be less ideal.
Mozzarella
Potential health considerations with fresh and low moisture mozzarella focus on:
- Fat, sodium and calories if consumed in large quantities
- Milk allergies or lactose intolerance
- Due to higher moisture, spoilage risk requiring careful storage
Eating reasonable portions is key to prevent excessive consumption of fat and calories. Those with dairy issues may also want to moderate intake or avoid mozzarella altogether.
Appearance Differences
You can distinguish these two popular cheeses based on appearance as well:
White American Cheese
As the name suggests, white American cheese is very light cream to stark white in color. Other identifying characteristics include:
- Sold sliced, cubed, shredded or as snack sticks
- Extremely smooth, shiny, slick consistency
- Homogenous texture without holes
- Melts to a uniform liquid with a glossy sheen
Mozzarella
Fresh mozzarella has a bright white color without the yellow hue of aged varieties. Key traits include:
- Sold as pliable balls packed in water or whey
- Smooth, thin, pale rind
- Springy, slightly fibrous texture
- When melted, strings and retains shape
So at a glance, white American is much more homogenous when melted. Mozzarella softens while staying stringy and shaped.
FAQs
Is mozzarella better for you than American cheese?
In many regards yes—mozzarella is lower in fat, sodium, calories and additives than processed white American cheese. So from a health standpoint, it can be a better choice.
What’s a good substitution for white American cheese?
Great substitutes include other processed cheeses like Velveeta as well as natural cheeses like Monterey Jack, provolone and Swiss. These all melt well and have mild, creamy flavors.
What taste better on a burger: white American or mozzarella?
This often comes down to personal preference, but many prefer white American on burgers. Its mild flavor accents the other toppings instead of overpowering them, and it provides that classic diner-style cheeseburger experience.
Can I freeze white American cheese?
You can freeze slices or blocks of white American cheese. For best results, tightly wrap in plastic wrap or place cheese in an airtight freezer bag removing as much air as possible. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Why does fresh mozzarella cost more than white American cheese?
Handcrafting fresh Italian mozzarella in smaller batches takes more time, labor and care which drives up the price. Large commercial producers make white American cheese far more economically using emulsification equipment. So fresh mozzarella requires specialized techniques that command premium pricing.
Conclusion
While white American and mozzarella may seem interchangeable at first glance, they have distinct differences that impact flavor, texture and best uses.
White American cheese offers an ultra-mild flavor with exceptional melting properties thanks to emulsification. Mozzarella provides fresher, tangier taste and strings beautifully when softened by heat.