Upon first glance, mozzarella and burrata may look like the same cheese. Both are soft, white, delicately textured, typically sold in a round shape, and highly regarded for their ability to make any appetizer or pizza an immediate hit. But if you look closer, you’ll find that the differences between the two cheeses make them unique yet equally beloved. Read on to learn more about how these two Italian specialties compare.

Mozzarella, believed to have originated in southern Italy, has been around for ages, although its history is up for debate. As the Italian Tribune notes, Romans were producing a similar cheese made from sheep’s milk as far back as the first century A.D. But based on a 12th-century tradition established by the San Lorenzo Monastery monks in Capua that included offering bread and “mozza” to passing pilgrims, the cheese may have roots that began in the Middle Ages.