Have you ever spotted a golden, pear-shaped cheese hanging from strings in an Italian market? It’s likely scamorza—a lesser-known cousin of mozzarella that melts like a dream and adds a deliciously smoky twist to many famous Italian dishes.
Scamorza is one of Italy’s most versatile cheeses, especially beloved in southern regions like Campania, Molise, and Puglia, where it’s made. If you’re a fan of gooey, melty cheeses (and who isn’t?), this is one you’ll want to try while traveling in Italy.
Let’s take a closer look at:
- what scamorza is
- how to pronounce scamorza
- how it’s used in Italian cooking
- what to look for when buying it
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What Is Scamorza?
Scamorza is a semi-soft Italian cheese made from cow’s milk. It’s crafted using the same pasta filata (stretched-curd) method used to make mozzarella, but it’s aged typically for around two weeks. This short aging period gives it a firmer texture and a deeper, more concentrated flavor.
Scamorza is often shaped like a pear or gourd and traditionally hung in pairs with a string tied around the top to give it that characteristic “neck.” One of its most distinctive forms is scamorza affumicata, a smoked version that develops a bronzed rind and a gently smoky flavor.
Good To Know: Scamorza has a firmer, drier texture than fresh mozzarella, which makes it ideal for melting, grilling, or baking.
How To Pronounce Scamorza In Italian
Scamorza is pronounced skah-MOHR-tsah in Italian.
Listen to the pronunciation of scamorza here:
Fact: Sometimes scamorza is called caciocavallo in Italian.
Scamorza vs Mozzarella
While scamorza and mozzarella come from the same cheese-making roots, they’re quite different in how they taste and how they are used in the kitchen.
Mozzarella is soft, moist, and best enjoyed fresh. It’s most commonly served in caprese salads, added to pizza after baking, or eaten as-is with fresh produce.
Scamorza, on the other hand, is slightly aged and drier, giving it a firmer bite. It melts beautifully and browns and crisps up better than mozzarella. This makes it the one for stuffing vegetables, baking into pasta, or even for grilling or pan frying.
How Scamorza Is Used in Italian Cooking
Scamorza is incredibly popular in southern Italian home cooking, where it’s used in many dishes including these favorites:
- Antipasti – grilled scamorza served warm with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh vegetables, salad and bread
- Pizza & focaccia – added before baking (unlike mozzarella or burrata)
- Stuffed dishes – scamorza is melted into meatballs, eggplant dishes, or baked inside zucchini and other stuffed vegetables
- Pasta al forno – scamorza adds creamy richness and a mild smokiness to baked pasta dishes like lasagne
How Scamorza Is Made
Scamorza begins like mozzarella. The cow’s milk is curdled, the curds are stretched, and then shaped into balls using the pasta filata technique. Rather than going to the market, scamorza is tied and hung to dry for several days, developing a rich flavor and firmer texture.
If it’s to be smoked (called scamorza affumicata), the cheese is then exposed to natural wood smoke. This process gives scamorza affumicata an amber hue and a smoky aroma. Whether plain or smoked, scamorza is typically enjoyed within a few weeks of being made but it can also be aged longer.
Fun Fact: The name scamorza derives from the Italian word scamozzare, meaning “to cut off” a reference to the cheese’s round body and tied-off “neck.”
Scamorza vs Scamorza Affumicata
If you’re shopping at a market or deli in Italy, you may notice two types of scamorza: plain (bianca) and smoked (affumicata). Both are made using the same base process, but the smoked version is exposed to wood smoke after drying, giving it a golden-brown exterior and deeper flavor.
Scamorza affumicata has a slightly more savory, earthy taste and is especially popular when grilled or baked. It’s still mild enough to be versatile but with a deeper flavor profile.
Plain scamorza has a gentler, milky flavor and is perfect if you want something closer to mozzarella in taste.
Tips When Purchasing Scamorza
The absolute best scamorza you can find will be at open air food markets in southern Italy.
You’ll often find scamorza hanging in strings behind the deli counter or stacked in the cheese section at local markets. Look for scamorza from small southern producers or artisanal cheese shops for the best quality.
If you’re traveling, scamorza is an excellent cheese to bring along for a picnic or back home with you (as long as you get it vacuum packed) as a food souvenir or gift.
Check out all of my guides to Italian cheeses:
Italian Cheese – All You Need To Know Before Coming to Italy
Mozzarella Types and Shapes + a Mozzarella Imposter
What is Asiago?
What is Burrata?
What is Caprino?
What is Mozzarella di Bufala (Buffalo Mozzarella)?
What is Ricotta Salata?
What is Robiola?
What is Scamorza?
A Guide to Pecorino di Pienza
How to Pronounce Parmigiano
Is Mozzarella Pasteurized In Italy?
Is Ricotta Pasteurized In Italy?
