Low Sodium Marinated Mozzarella Cheese Recipe

Servings: 8 1/8-cup servings

Estimated Sodium (Per Serving): 22mg

These low sodium marinated mozzarella cheese balls make a perfect appetizer or snack, bright, herby, and loaded with flavor in each bite. They make a wonderful appetizer or addition to your favorite salad or low sodium charcuterie board.

Start by making a 5-minute pesto with fresh basil, garlic, nuts, and lemon juice. Toss the fresh mozzarella cheese in the pesto, and let the cheese marinate for up to 3 days for amazing flavor. As easy as it is impressive!

Want more low sodium mozzarella recipes? Try our low sodium chicken parmesan, low sodium pesto pasta salad, and our favorite low sodium pizza recipe.

low sodium marinated mozzarella cheese in basil pesto for a bright appetizer

Table of Contents

Fresh mozzarella is one of my favorite low sodium cheeses, but it can be a bit bland on it’s own. This marinated mozzarella takes basic mozzarella up a notch with big bright flavors.

All you need is a few fresh ingredients to make your own pesto marinade and a bowl or container to marinate the cheese in for an amazing flavor. These marinated mozzarella balls are especially great in our low sodium Caprese bites and it makes a really fantastic appetizer!

Notes from Our Low So Kitchen

This easy low sodium cheese recipe is great way to jazz up fresh mozzarella!
The marinade takes just 5 minutes to make if you have a food processor or blender.
It’s bright, zesty, herby, and loaded with fresh basil flavor.
A really fantastic appetizer that is a crowd-pleaser: we have made this for family parties and it’s a hit with everyone.
This no-cook recipe is simple to make… just follow along with our step-by-step photos below!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Be sure to visit the recipe card below to see the full ingredient amounts and directions!

The base of this recipe is fresh mozzarella cheese, which is a great low sodium cheese options. Fresh mozzarella packed in water is best for this recipe… and you can use any size mozzarella balls or pearls you like. I like using ciliegne or the miniature pearls best. For larger mozzarella slices you can cut them into bite-sized pieces before serving.

The pesto is made from fresh basil, garlic, walnuts, and fresh lemon juice.

And finally I like to top off the fresh mozzarella with black pepper and some extra white wine vinegar. The vinegar will give the cheese an extra sharp flavor.

Additions and Substitutions

Try different flavors of vinegar! I’ve made this with balsamic vinegar, which also turned out fantastic. You could also use red wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, or a white balsamic.

If you like a little kick, you can add in some chili flakes to the pesto, ½ teaspoon or more for some heat!

I like using a fresh pesto, but if you wanted to try this with a store-bought variety that meets your sodium needs, feel free to add it in place of making your own.

Step-By-Step Photos & Directions

drained fresh mozzarella pearls in a bowl to be marinated in salt free marinade

Step 1: Start by draining the fresh mozzarella balls. Place them in a medium mixing bowl.

salt free pesto in a food processor with basil and garlic and walnuts

Step 2: Next, make the pesto. In a food processor, add the fresh basil, fresh garlic, walnuts, and lemon juice. Mix until the pesto becomes thick and chunky.

fresh salt free pesto and white wine vinegar mixed with mozzarella cheese low sodium appetizer

Step 3: Add the pesto to the mozzarella balls, and pour in the white wine vinegar.

low sodium pesto marinated cheese fresh mozzarella recipes with flavor

Step 4: Toss well to combine and add the black pepper on top of the pesto. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Recipe FAQs

How much sodium is in marinated mozzarella?

This recipe has ~22 mg sodium per 1-ounce serving as it uses a low sodium fresh mozzarella, homemade basil pesto, and no added salt. If you have store-bought marinated mozzarella, there may be more sodium depending on the ingredients used, so be sure to check labels before enjoying.

Can you use different vinegars to marinate cheese?

Yes, this recipe uses white wine vinegar which has a nice, sharp flavor. You can use balsamic vinegar for a richer flavor (I’ve tried this and it’s fantastic) or any other vinegar to give the cheese a unique taste.

Can you use store-bought pesto for the marinade?

Yes, you can use a store-bought pesto instead of making your own from scratch, but be mindful of the extra sodium in the pesto.

Expert Tips

If you are using larger mozzarella balls, or slicing your own brick mozzarella, just be sure to cut them into bite-sized pieces before serving.
The longer you marinade the mozzarella, the more intense the flavor will be.
Be sure to give the cheese a good stir before serving. Or stir once a day if keeping it longer, so each piece of mozzarella gets mixed around in the marinade.

a hand spooning fresh mozzarella balls marinated in basil pesto with garlic and vinegar

More Low Sodium Mozzarella Recipes

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