How to slice mozzarella and soft cheeses cleanly — the right tools and techniques to avoid squashing, tearing, or sticking.
Soft cheeses like fresh mozzarella, brie, and goat cheese can be frustrating to slice — they squash, tear, and stick to the knife. With the right tools and techniques, you can cut them into clean, beautiful slices. Here's how to slice mozzarella and soft cheeses.
Why Soft Cheeses Are Tricky
Soft cheeses are difficult to slice because they're moist, delicate, and sticky. A regular knife drags through them, squashing the cheese and causing it to stick to the blade and tear rather than slicing cleanly. Fresh mozzarella, in particular, is soft and wet, while bloomy cheeses like brie are creamy and tacky. The solutions involve reducing sticking (with the right tool or a little moisture) and using a gentle, clean cutting motion. The goal is clean slices that hold their shape.
Slicing Fresh Mozzarella
Fresh mozzarella (the soft ball in water) slices best with a sharp, thin-bladed knife or a dedicated cheese wire/slicer. Pat the ball dry first to remove excess surface water, then slice gently with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts, or use a cheese wire or even an egg slicer for neat, even rounds. For caprese, aim for slices of even thickness. A serrated knife can also work with a gentle sawing motion. Keeping the mozzarella cool (not warm) helps it hold its shape.
Slicing Brie and Bloomy Cheeses
Bloomy-rind cheeses like brie are sticky and creamy, especially when ripe. Use a knife with holes in the blade (an open-work cheese knife) or a thin, sharp blade, and a clean cut. A trick that helps with sticky soft cheeses is to dip or warm the knife in hot water and wipe it dry before each cut, so the warm blade glides through cleanly. Cut brie into wedges from the center to the rind. For very ripe, runny brie, it may be more scoopable than sliceable.
Slicing Goat Cheese Logs
Soft goat cheese logs are notoriously prone to crumbling and sticking when sliced. The best method is to use a length of unflavored dental floss or a thin wire (or a cheese wire): slide it under the log, cross the ends over the top, and pull through to cut a clean round, rather than crushing it with a knife. This gives perfect, intact discs every time. Chilling the log first also firms it up for cleaner slicing.
Useful Tools
A few tools make slicing soft cheese easy: a cheese wire or wire slicer cuts cleanly through soft and semi-soft cheeses without sticking; an open-work (holed) cheese knife reduces sticking for soft cheeses; dental floss or fine string cleanly slices soft logs; and a thin, sharp knife dipped in warm water glides through sticky cheeses. Having the right tool for soft cheese turns a messy job into an easy one.
General Tips
For clean slices of any soft cheese: keep the cheese cool (chilled cheese is firmer and slices better, though serve it at room temperature), use a sharp or purpose-designed tool, wipe or warm the blade between cuts, and use a gentle motion rather than forcing it. For the cleanest rounds of soft logs and mozzarella, wire or floss beats a knife. With these techniques, even the softest cheeses can be sliced neatly and beautifully.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I slice fresh mozzarella cleanly?
Pat it dry, then use a sharp thin-bladed knife (wiping it between cuts), a cheese wire, or even an egg slicer for neat, even rounds; keep it cool for firmer slicing.
How do I cut soft goat cheese without crumbling?
Use unflavored dental floss or a thin wire: slide it under the log, cross the ends over the top, and pull through for clean rounds. Chilling the log first helps.
Why does soft cheese stick to my knife?
Its moisture and tackiness make it cling to the blade. Use a holed cheese knife, a wire, or a knife dipped in warm water and wiped dry between cuts.