Marinated Mini Mozzarella with Herbs, Garlic and Lemon

Mini mozzarella, olive oil, herbs, garlic and lemon. This is one of those combinations where there is no need to overthink things, because the ingredients already do most of the work. In just a few minutes, you get a simple, fragrant and very useful Mediterranean appetizer that you can serve with bread, cold cuts, salad or as a side to a summer lunch.

The best thing about this recipe is that time does most of the work. The mozzarella absorbs the flavour of the olive oil, herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and lemon zest beautifully. You get small creamy bites that are fresh, aromatic and just a little spicy.

Mediterranean appetizer

Marinated mini mozzarella with herbs, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil and lemon zest. A quick recipe for an appetizer, side dish or that small extra on the table that always disappears faster than expected.

Prep time about 10 minutes

Marinating time at least 30 minutes

Serves 4 to 6 people

Ingredients

• 3 packs mini mozzarella, 125 g each
• 200 ml olive oil
• 80 g sun-dried tomatoes in oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 8 g fresh parsley
• grated zest of 1 lemon

Method

1. Prepare the mozzarella

Drain the mini mozzarella from its liquid and, if needed, gently pat it dry with a paper towel. It does not need to be completely dry. The important thing is that too much liquid from the packaging does not end up floating in the marinade.

2. Prepare the add-ins

Cut the sun-dried tomatoes into smaller pieces. Peel the garlic and chop it very finely or grate it. Chop the parsley, then wash the lemon well and grate only the yellow part of the zest, avoiding the white bitter part.

3. Make the marinade

In a bowl, mix the olive oil, oregano, thyme, chilli flakes, chopped garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley and lemon zest. Stir everything well so the spices are evenly distributed through the oil.

4. Marinate

Add the drained mini mozzarella and gently mix so that every ball is coated in the aromatic oil. Cover the bowl or transfer everything to a clean jar with a lid. Leave to stand for at least 30 minutes, or even better, for a few hours in the fridge.

5. Serve

Serve the marinated mozzarella slightly chilled or at room temperature. It is excellent with toasted bread, on a salad plate, with prosciutto, olives, roasted vegetables or as a simple addition to a cold platter.

Tip

If you marinate the mozzarella in the fridge, leave it at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving, so the olive oil loosens up and the flavours open more beautifully. For a milder version, reduce the amount of chilli flakes. For a stronger flavour, add a few drops of lemon juice or a little freshly ground black pepper.