Cheese is a type of dairy product formed by the coagulation of the milk protein casein. Prior to refrigeration, the production of cheese and yoghurts were some of the few ways that milk could be preserved for long-terms storage. It comprises proteins and fat from milk (usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats or sheep). During production, milk is usually acidified and either the enzymes of rennet or bacterial enzymes with similar activity are added to cause the casein to coagulate. The solid curds are then separated from the liquid whey and pressed into finished cheese. Some cheeses have aromatic moulds on the rind, the outer layer, or throughout.

Most cheeses are acidified by bacteria, which turn milk sugars into lactic acid; the addition of rennet completes the curdling. Vegetarian varieties of rennet are available; most are produced through fermentation by the fungus Mucor miehei, but others have been extracted from Cynara thistles. For a few cheeses, the milk is curdled by adding acids such as vinegar or lemon juice.

The word cheese comes from Latin caseus, from which the modern word casein is derived. The earliest source is from the proto-Indo-European root *kwat-, which means "to ferment, become sour". That gave rise to cīese or cēse (in Old English) and chese (in Middle English). Similar words are shared by other West Germanic languages—West Frisian tsiis, Dutch kaas, German Käse, Old High German chāsi—all from the reconstructed West-Germanic form *kāsī, which in turn is an early borrowing from Latin.

When the Romans began to make hard cheeses for their legionaries' supplies, a new word started to be used: formaticum, from caseus formatus, or "cheese shaped in a mold". It is from this word that the French fromage, standard Italian formaggio, Catalan formatge, Breton fourmaj, and Occitan fromatge (or formatge) are derived. Of the Romance languages, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Tuscan and some Southern Italian dialects use words derived from caseus (queso, queijo, caș, cacio and caso for example).

Cheese is an ancient food whose origins predate recorded history. There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheesemaking originated, whether in Europe, Central Asia or the Middle East. The earliest proposed dates for the origin of cheesemaking range from around 8000 BCE, when sheep were first domesticated. Because animal skins and inflated internal organs have provided storage vessels for a range of foodstuffs since ancient times, it is probable that the process of cheese making was discovered accidentally by storing milk in a container made from the stomach of an animal, resulting in the milk being turned to curd and whey by the rennet from the stomach. There is a legend—with variations—about the discovery of cheese by an Arab trader who used this method of storing milk.

The recipes given here are sourced from around the world, and give a broad view of cheese-based dishes globally as well as presenting historical recipes from the ancient Greek and Roman worlds.

The alphabetical list of all the cheese-based recipes on this site follows, (limited to 100 recipes per page). There are 1429 recipes in total:

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Linguine and Trumpet Chanterelles      Origin: Britain	Marigold Cheese Soup      Origin: Britain	Minestra (Mixed Vegetable Soup)      Origin: Serbia
Linguine with Chanterelles and Leeks      Origin: Italy	Marillenknoedel (Austrian Apricot Dumplings)      Origin: Austria	Minestra di farro (Tuscan Farro Soup with White Beans and Vegetables)      Origin: Italy
Linguine with saffron, roasted garlic, herb butter and hazelnuts      Origin: Britain	Marinara Pizza      Origin: Italy	Minestra siciliana di Pasqua (Sicilian Easter Soup)      Origin: Italy
Liphaphatha (Lesothan Bakestone Bread)      Origin: Lesotho	Marzipan Centre Bundt Cake      Origin: Fusion	Minestrone Toscana (Tuscan Minestrone Soup)      Origin: Italy
Liv Syrnyk (Easter Cheesecake with Sultanas)      Origin: Ukraine	Mascarpone Cupcakes with Strawberry Glaze      Origin: American	Mini Curried Shepherd's Pie      Origin: South Africa
Llysiau Gyda Saws Caws (Vegetables in a Cheese Sauce)      Origin: Welsh	Mattar Paneer (Green Peas and Curd Cheese Curry)      Origin: Britain	Mini Goat's Cheese and Sunblush Tomato Muffins (Mini Goat's Cheese and Sunblush Tomato Muffins)      Origin: Britain
Locro de papa (Ecuadorian potato and cheese soup)      Origin: Ecuador	Mattar Paneer Curry      Origin: India	Mini Victoria Sandwiches      Origin: Britain
Locro de Zapallo      Origin: Peru	Mattar Panir      Origin: Britain	Mint Chocolate Meringue Cheesecake      Origin: American
Lokše (Slovak Potato Pancakes)      Origin: Slovakia	Meadow Waxcap Frittata      Origin: Britain	Mixtura cum Caseo (Soft Cheese with a Herb Purée)      Origin: Roman
Loseyns (Lozenges)      Origin: England	Meat Feast Pizza      Origin: American	Mixtura cum Caseo (Soft Cheese and Herb Purée)      Origin: Roman
Louisiana Cajun Pizza      Origin: American	Mediterranean-style Farro Salad with Rocket and Walnuts      Origin: America	Mixtura cum Nucibus (Hazelnuts with Herb Purée)      Origin: Roman
Lumbardy Tarts      Origin: Britain	Medlar Muffins with Medlar Cream Cheese Icing      Origin: Britain	Monkfish Wellington      Origin: Britain
M'chaqub (Stuffed Matzoh)      Origin: Libya	Mel et caseum (Honey-sweetened Cheese)      Origin: Roman	Monterey Jack Cheese, Olive and Prawn Dip      Origin: American
Mâche Sabayon with Parmesan Shavings      Origin: France	Melcas (Cheese Sweetened with Honey)      Origin: Roman	Moretum (Garlic and Herb Pâté)      Origin: Roman
Mac'N'Cheese      Origin: American	Melintzanes Yiemistes (Stuffed Aubergines)      Origin: Cyprus	Mornay Toasts      Origin: Britain
Macadamia Nut Cheesecake      Origin: American	Methi Paneer      Origin: India	Mousakkas (Cypriot Moussaka)      Origin: Cyprus
Macaroni Cheese      Origin: Britain	Mexican Beef Quesadilla      Origin: Mexico	Moussaka      Origin: Greece
Macaroni Soup      Origin: British	Mexican Beef Tostada      Origin: Mexico	Mozzarella Fritters      Origin: Ireland
Mackerel Burger with Sweet Potato Chips      Origin: Fusion	Mexican Chicken Pizza      Origin: American	Mozzarella-stuffed Mushrooms      Origin: Britain
Macrows      Origin: England	Mexican Fiesta Dip      Origin: America	Mucver (Turkish Courgette Patties)      Origin: Turkey
Madarch a Chaws Pob (Mushroom Rarebit)      Origin: Welsh	Mexican Rice      Origin: America	Mulled Wine Cheesecake      Origin: Britain
Maids of Honour Tarts      Origin: Britain	Mexican Spirals      Origin: American	Mulled Wine Cheesecake II      Origin: Britain
Makaronia Pastitsio (Macaroni with Minced Meat and Bechamel Sauce)      Origin: Cyprus	Microwave Amaretto Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce      Origin: Britain	Mushroom and Sea Aster Rustic Pie      Origin: British
Makaronia tou Fournou (Oven-baked Macaroni with Layers of Minced Meat)      Origin: Cyprus	Microwave Bacon Dip      Origin: Britain	Mushroom and Spinach Rustic Pie      Origin: Britain
Makerouns (Macaroni)      Origin: England	Microwave Chimpanzee Cheesecake      Origin: American	Mushroom Cheese Blintzes      Origin: Jewish
Malai Kofta with Spicy Gravy      Origin: India	Microwave Mint Julep Cheesecake      Origin: American	Mushroom Cobbler      Origin: Britain
Malai Tikka      Origin: Britain	Microwave Pasta alla Carbonara      Origin: Britain	Mushroom Pâté en Croûte      Origin: Britain
Mallow Cheese Meringues      Origin: Britain	Microwave Spaghetti with Garlic Sausage      Origin: Britain	Mushroom Pie      Origin: France
Mallow Cheese with Seaweed Paste      Origin: Fusion	Microwave Spinach and Cheese Soufflé      Origin: Britain	Mushrooms Risotto      Origin: Italy
Maltese Pastizzi      Origin: Malta	Milanesa Uruguaya      Origin: Uruguay	Mustacei (Must Rolls)      Origin: Roman
Malvaceae Marshmallows      Origin: Britain	Milanese Ragôut      Origin: British	Mustard Beef with Potato Gratin      Origin: Australia
Mango and Lemon Myrtle Cheese Cake      Origin: Australia	Milka Micic (Cheese-filled Crepes)      Origin: Serbia	Myma (Baked Plaice)      Origin: Roman
Mango Bingsu (Korean Mango Shaved Ice)      Origin: Korea	Milkless Pineapple Cheesecake      Origin: American
Marble Cupcakes      Origin: Britain	Minchet Abish Wot      Origin: Ethiopia

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