Substitutes for String Cheese

Is String Cheese Similar to Mozzarella Cheese?

String cheese is very similar to mozzarella; in fact, it's made from mozzarella. The key differences are:
String cheese is not just mozzarella in a slightly different form. It's a unique creation, made by further stretching and pulling mozzarella cheese. This process aligns the milk proteins horizontally, allowing the cheese to be pulled into long strings or strands. Regular mozzarella, on the other hand, is not stretched as much and does not have this stringy quality.

String cheese is made from low-moisture part-skim mozzarella, while regular mozzarella has a higher moisture content. The lower moisture content of string cheese allows it to be dried out and packaged individually. In terms of nutrition, string cheese typically has a slightly lower fat content and higher protein content compared to regular mozzarella.

The stretching process used to make string cheese results in a firmer, drier texture compared to fresh mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella is often stored in water or brine to maintain its soft, moist texture. This is because the high moisture content of fresh mozzarella can cause it to dry out and become rubbery if not stored properly.
String cheese has a longer shelf life than fresh mozzarella due to its lower moisture content and drier texture.

So, in summary, string cheese is a type of mozzarella that has been stretched and dried to give it a unique stringy texture. However, it is still fundamentally the same cheese as regular mozzarella, just processed differently. The best part is that the two can be used interchangeably in many recipes, giving you the freedom to experiment in your kitchen.