Name: How to Make Mozzarella Cheese Hearts
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 21 min
Ingredients: 16-20 fresh mozzarella balls (Ciliegine)

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These festive mozzarella cheese hearts are perfect for your Valentine’s Day dinner! Use fresh mozzarella and silicone heart molds and wow your guests, or your special Valentine! 🙂 Great for festive charcuterie boards, or pasta salads, or fun Valentine’s Day-inspired salads!

Sky’s the limit with fun mozzarella shapes! See how you can use this same concept to make spooky Halloween mozzarella skulls for this yummy pasta salad!

Mozzarella cheese hearts in the heart molds.

Ingredients needed to make mozzarella cheese hearts:

You’ll need the following ingredients to make these fun heart-shaped mozzarella balls:

Mini Mozzarella Balls: These are also called ciliegine, and they’re about the size of a cherry tomato. They can typically be found in the deli or cheese section at the grocery store.

Silicone Mold: The molds that I use are simply silicone ice cube trays! Amazon sells them in all sorts of shapes and sizes. The exact molds I use are here: Silicone Heart Molds.

Note: When buying molds, be sure they are heat/oven safe because we’ll be place them in the oven to soften the mozzarella.

How to make mozzarella hearts: Step by Step

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Make sure each mozzarella ball is free from moisture by blotting with a paper towel. Then, place one mozzarella ball in each mold.

Mozzarella balls in the molds before being baked.

Step 2: Place the molds on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes or until just soft enough to spread. With the back of a spoon, press the softened mozzarella into the mold, pressing down gently. You can blot off any excess moisture with a paper towel, if needed.

A spoon pushing down on the baked mozzarella cheese balls to form them into the mold.

Step 3: Refrigerate for about 10 minutes or until cool, then carefully unmold each heart.

Mozzarella cheese hearts after they have been chilled and unmolded.

Expert tips and tricks

Heart molds: Be creative! You don’t have to do hearts! Amazon has molds in the shape of flowers, hearts, stars, palm trees…sky’s the limit! These are the exact heart molds I used.
Heat-safe molds: When you order your silicone molds, just make sure they are heat/oven safe! Again, grab these molds because I’ve already tested them!
Remove moisture: Before baking, blot each of the mozzarella balls with a paper towel before placing them into the mold to ensure there is no excess moisture.
Storage/make ahead: You can make these mozzarella hearts ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

A spinach salad which the mozzarella cheese hearts on it. — Strawberry and Spinach Salad with Mozzarella Hearts

How to use mozzarella hearts and shapes

Festive pasta salads: Add these cute little hearts to a pasta salad like this Christmas pasta salad or this classic Salad Supreme pasta salad.

Spinach salad: Use these fun hearts to make this Valentine’s Day-inspired salad with spinach, strawberries, and a creamy balsamic dressing.

Mozzarella “Pops“: Serve these cheesy shapes on toothpicks or mini skewers with a drizzle of balsamic glaze or pesto for a quick appetizer.

Charcuterie Boards: Add shaped mozzarella to meat-and-cheese boards for a fun and fancy touch.

Check out 10 festive Valentine’s Day salad ideas

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Thank you! ~ Casey