Soft and Cheesy Mozzarella Stuffed Bread

Soft and cheesy mozzarella stuffed bread wraps warm, stretchy cheese inside tender homemade rolls brushed with savory garlic butter. Each roll has a lightly golden exterior, a fluffy middle, and a molten mozzarella center that makes it especially inviting when served fresh from the oven.

A simple cooked flour mixture called tangzhong helps the dough retain moisture, so the bread remains softer than a basic pizza-style dough. Save or print this recipe for family dinners, holiday bread baskets, game-day snacks, or any evening that calls for warm homemade comfort food.

Quick Mozzarella Stuffed Bread Snapshot

Detail	Information
Prep time	30 minutes
Rise time	About 1 hour 45 minutes
Cook time	25–30 minutes
Total time	About 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings	12
Serving size	1 stuffed roll
Difficulty	Intermediate
Cooking method	Oven baking
Flavor	Buttery, garlicky, milky, and savory
Texture	Fluffy bread with a stretchy cheese center
Best for	Appetizers, shared meals, parties, and side dishes

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Soft and Cheesy Mozzarella Stuffed Bread

• Exceptionally tender dough: The tangzhong helps the rolls hold moisture and stay pleasantly soft.
• Cheese in every portion: Each roll contains its own piece of mozzarella, making serving easy and less messy.
• Approachable ingredients: The dough uses familiar baking staples without requiring specialty equipment.
• Flexible presentation: Arrange the rolls in a rectangular pan, round baking dish, or cast-iron skillet.
• Useful for sharing: The individual portions work well for parties, family dinners, and casual gatherings.
• Freezer-friendly: The baked rolls can be stored individually and warmed as needed.

Ingredients and Why They Matter

The dough for soft and cheesy mozzarella stuffed bread is enriched with milk, egg, and butter. These ingredients create a finer, more tender crumb than water-based pizza dough. Bread flour adds enough structure to surround the melting cheese without making the rolls heavy.

Use low-moisture mozzarella rather than fresh mozzarella stored in liquid. Low-moisture cheese releases less water, melts reliably, and is less likely to make the dough damp around the filling.

Main Ingredient	Purpose	Nutrition Contribution	Best Substitution
Bread flour	Builds an elastic dough that traps air	Carbohydrates and some protein	All-purpose flour, with a slightly softer structure
Whole milk	Adds moisture and tenderness	Protein, carbohydrates, fat, and calcium	Two-percent milk
Instant yeast	Makes the dough rise	Minimal contribution per serving	Active dry yeast, dissolved first
Egg	Adds richness and supports structure	Protein and fat	Commercial egg replacer designed for yeast dough
Butter	Tenderizes the bread and adds flavor	Total and saturated fat	Neutral oil, though flavor changes
Mozzarella	Creates the stretchy center	Protein, fat, calcium, and sodium	Low-moisture provolone or Monterey Jack
Parmesan	Adds a salty, savory finish	Protein, calcium, fat, and sodium	Pecorino Romano in a smaller quantity

For the tangzhong, combine ½ cup whole milk, ½ cup water, and ¼ cup bread flour. For the remaining dough, use 3½ cups bread flour, 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1½ teaspoons salt, one large egg, ½ cup warm milk, and four tablespoons softened unsalted butter.

The filling requires 12 pieces of low-moisture mozzarella, approximately 1 ounce each. Finish the baked rolls with two tablespoons melted butter, one minced garlic clove, chopped parsley, and two tablespoons grated Parmesan.

How to Make Soft and Cheesy Mozzarella Stuffed Bread

1. Prepare the tangzhong

Whisk ½ cup milk, ½ cup water, and ¼ cup bread flour in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat for two to four minutes, whisking continuously, until it resembles smooth pudding and the whisk leaves visible lines.

Transfer it to a mixing bowl and let it cool until warm rather than hot. Adding yeast to an overly hot mixture can weaken or kill the yeast.

2. Mix the dough

Add the remaining bread flour, yeast, sugar, salt, egg, and warm milk. Mix until no dry flour remains, then knead for about five minutes before adding the softened butter gradually.

Continue kneading for eight to ten minutes. The dough should feel smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. When stretched gently, a small piece should become thin enough to let light pass through before tearing.

3. Complete the first rise

Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and leave it in a warm, draft-free location for 60–75 minutes, or until nearly doubled.

Use the dough’s appearance rather than the clock alone. A cool kitchen may require additional time, while a very warm room can accelerate fermentation.

4. Fill and shape the rolls

Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, preferably using a kitchen scale for consistent baking.

Flatten one portion into a small round, place a piece of mozzarella in the center, and pull the dough edges firmly over it. Pinch the seam closed, then place the roll seam-side down in the prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Avoid leaving thin areas over the cheese. Weak seams or stretched dough can open as the mozzarella melts.

5. Proof and bake

Cover the pan and let the rolls rise for 35–45 minutes. They should look puffy and begin touching one another, but they should still spring back slowly when pressed gently.

Heat the oven to 350°F during the final part of the rise. Bake the soft and cheesy mozzarella stuffed bread for 25–30 minutes, until the tops are evenly golden and the bread around the seams looks fully baked.

A thermometer inserted into the bread portion should register approximately 190°F. Avoid inserting the probe directly into the molten cheese, which will give a misleading reading.

6. Add the garlic-butter finish

Mix the melted butter with garlic and parsley. Brush it over the rolls immediately after they leave the oven, then sprinkle with Parmesan.

Rest the bread for five to ten minutes before serving. The short rest allows the crumb to settle while leaving the mozzarella warm and stretchy.

Tips, Mistakes, and Substitutions – Mozzarella Stuffed Bread

The most important rule for soft and cheesy mozzarella stuffed bread is to seal each portion thoroughly. Pinch the dough until the seam disappears, and keep the seam underneath during proofing and baking.

Do not keep adding flour simply because the dough feels slightly tacky. An excessively dry dough produces firmer rolls. Lightly grease your hands or allow the dough to rest for five minutes before deciding whether it truly needs more flour.

Cut the mozzarella into thick sticks or compact cubes. Finely shredded cheese is harder to contain and can escape through small openings. Chilling the mozzarella for 15–20 minutes before shaping can also slow its melting slightly.

All-purpose flour can replace bread flour, but the rolls may spread more and have a less elastic crumb. Monterey Jack creates a creamy filling, while provolone brings a sharper flavor. Fresh mozzarella is not ideal unless it is drained and dried very carefully.

Do not overproof the shaped rolls. Dough that rises too long may weaken around the filling and collapse or leak in the oven.

Serving Ideas and Variations

Serve soft and cheesy mozzarella stuffed bread with warm marinara, tomato soup, a green salad, roasted vegetables, or a simple pasta dinner. It is also a natural partner for Sheet Pan Gnocchi Broccoli, especially when you want a relaxed vegetarian meal with crisp vegetables.

For a hearty comfort-food menu, place the rolls beside Corned Beef Au Gratin Potato. The light garlic topping balances the casserole’s creamy, savory layers.

Readers who enjoy bold, casual bread recipes may also like Sloppy Joe Garlic Bread as another family-friendly option.

For an Italian-inspired variation, add a small spoonful of thick pesto beside the mozzarella. For gentle heat, mix crushed red pepper into the garlic butter. You can also add finely chopped pepperoni, but keep the filling modest so the rolls remain easy to seal.

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating – Mozzarella Stuffed Bread

Let leftovers cool, then place them in an airtight container and refrigerate within two hours. Keep them refrigerated for up to four days. The USDA advises refrigerating perishable leftovers promptly and reheating leftovers to 165°F.

To reheat several rolls, cover them loosely with foil and bake at 325°F for 10–15 minutes. Remove the foil for the last few minutes if you want a drier surface. A single roll can be microwaved in short intervals, although the crust will become softer.

Freeze cooled rolls individually before transferring them to a freezer-safe container. Keep them frozen for up to two months for the best texture. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat until hot.

Read the USDA’s official leftovers and food-safety guidance for additional refrigeration and reheating recommendations.

Nutrition and Dietary Notes

Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients, yield, and assumed serving size. Values vary according to brands, substitutions, and portion size.

One serving is one of 12 rolls. Each serving is estimated to provide approximately 350 calories, 14 grams of protein, 39 grams of carbohydrates, 1–2 grams of fiber, 15 grams of total fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 5 grams of total sugars, 3 grams of added sugars, and 550 milligrams of sodium.

Nutrient	Estimated Amount per Serving	Main Source
Calories	350	Flour, cheese, butter, milk
Protein	14 g	Mozzarella, flour, milk, egg
Carbohydrates	39 g	Bread flour, milk, sugar
Fiber	1–2 g	Bread flour
Total sugars	5 g	Milk and added sugar
Added sugars	3 g	Granulated sugar
Total fat	15 g	Mozzarella, butter, egg
Saturated fat	9 g	Cheese, butter, whole milk
Sodium	550 mg	Salt, mozzarella, Parmesan
Calcium	Approximately 250 mg	Mozzarella, Parmesan, milk

The recipe functions mainly as an appetizer or bread side rather than a complete meal because it contains limited vegetables and fiber. Mozzarella, milk, egg, and flour provide protein, while the flour supplies most of the carbohydrates. Cheese, butter, and milk provide most of the fat and saturated fat.

To reduce sodium, use less Parmesan and choose a lower-sodium mozzarella, though the flavor will be milder. To increase fiber, replace up to one cup of bread flour with white whole-wheat flour; the crumb will become slightly denser. To turn the rolls into a more balanced light meal, serve them with vegetables and a protein-rich soup rather than increasing the cheese filling.

This recipe contains wheat, milk, and egg. Check Parmesan and packaged cheese labels when cooking for anyone with specific allergen concerns. Choosing mozzarella made from pasteurized milk is the most practical option; the FDA explains why pasteurization helps reduce hazards associated with raw milk and raw-milk products in its food-safety guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions – Mozzarella Stuffed Bread

Final Thoughts – Mozzarella Stuffed Bread

Soft and cheesy mozzarella stuffed bread brings together fluffy homemade dough, warm cheese, and fragrant garlic butter in a shareable format. Careful kneading, patient rising, and secure seams are the small details that produce tender rolls with satisfying mozzarella centers.

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