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 1236 recipes in total:

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Quesadilla Hondureña (Honduran Quesadilla Cake)      Origin: Honduras	Rhubarb Fool with Lemongrass      Origin: Britain	Sŵffle Cennin (Leek Mousses)      Origin: Welsh
Quesillo (Venezuelan Custard Flan)      Origin: Venezuela	Rice and Bean Enchiladas      Origin: Britain	Saffron and Fig Risotto      Origin: Italy
Quesitos (Cream Cheese Puffs)      Origin: Puerto Rico	Rich Minestrone Soup      Origin: British	Saffron Milk Cap, Brie and Thyme Tart      Origin: Britain
Queso Fresco      Origin: Peru	Ricotta al Limone (Rich Lemony Ricotta)      Origin: Italy	Sage Pork Chops      Origin: Ireland
Queso Fresco      Origin: Mexico	Ricotta and Parmesan Soufflé      Origin: Britain	Sagu Keju (Indonesian Cheese Biscuits)      Origin: Indonesia
Queso Fresco      Origin: Bolivia	Risoto Cranc Celtaidd a Chorgimychiaid Bae Ceredigion (Risotto of Celtic Crab and Cardigan Bay Prawns)      Origin: Welsh	Sajta de Pollo      Origin: Bolivia
Queso Fresco      Origin: Ecuador	Risotto al Tonno (Risotto with Tuna)      Origin: Italy	Sala Cattabia (Potted Salads)      Origin: Roman
Queso Fresco      Origin: Colombia	Risotto All Accetostella (Risotto with Sorrel)      Origin: Italy	Sala Cattabia Apiciana (Apician Potted Salads)      Origin: Roman
Queso Fresco      Origin: Honduras	Risotto All Ortica (Risotto with Nettles)      Origin: Italy	Salada Limao (Lemon Salad)      Origin: Angola
Queso Frito (Fried Cheese)      Origin: Spain	Risotto alla Milanese      Origin: Italy	Salade au Fonio (Fonio Salad)      Origin: Mali
Quiche au Saumon et Crevettes (Salmon and Prawn Quiche)      Origin: France	Risotto alla Paesana (Risotto with Beans and Bacon)      Origin: Italy	Salade Greque (Greek Salad, French Style)      Origin: France
Quiche Dent-de-Lion (Swiss Dandelion Quiche)      Origin: Switzerland	Risotto alle Erbe e Niputedda (Catmint and Herb Risotto)      Origin: Italy	Salata (Greek Salad)      Origin: Greece
Quick Berry Cheesecake In a Glass      Origin: Britain	Risotto allo Zafferano (Saffron Risotto)      Origin: Switzerland	Salsa Caruso (Caruso Sauce)      Origin: Uruguay
Raclette      Origin: Switzerland	Risotto con Prosciutto e Piselli (Risotto with Ham and Peas)      Origin: Italy	Salsa con Queso Jalapeña (Nicaraguan Cream Sauce with Cheese)      Origin: Nicaragua
Ragù d'anatra (Venetian Duck Ragu)      Origin: Italy	Risotto di Girolle (Chanterele Risotto)      Origin: Italy	Salsa di Fromaggio (Cheese Sauce)      Origin: Italy
Rajas con Crema      Origin: Mexico	Risotto Rucola (Wild Rocket Risotto)      Origin: Italy	Salsify with Cheese      Origin: Britain
Rakott Krumpli (Hungarian Scalloped Potatoes)      Origin: Hungary	Risotto with St George's Mushrooms and Asparagus      Origin: Britain	Salted Caramel Cheesecake      Origin: Britain
Rarebit Toasts      Origin: Britain	Roadhouse Chili Pizza      Origin: American	Samartard (Cottage Cheese Fritters)      Origin: England
Ras Gulla (Cheese Balls in Sugar Syrup)      Origin: India	Roast Lamb with Pesto Stuffing      Origin: Britain	Samartard II      Origin: England
Ras Malai      Origin: India	Roast Loin of Pork a la Provencale      Origin: France	Sambocade (Elderflower Cheesecake)      Origin: England
Rasabali      Origin: India	Roast Potato Gnocchi      Origin: British	Samp and Beans Croquettes      Origin: South Africa
Raspberry Jam Shortbreads      Origin: Britain	Rocky Road Cheesecake Pudding      Origin: America	Sana Thongba (Manipuri Paneer Curry)      Origin: India
Raspberry Ripple Cheesecake      Origin: Britain	Rocoto Rellenos (Stuffed Rocoto Chillies)      Origin: Peru	Sargos (Cuttlefish)      Origin: Roman
Ravjul (Maltese Ravioli)      Origin: Malta	Roman Gnocchi      Origin: British	Sausage Ragu      Origin: Britain
Red Chilli Biscuits      Origin: America	Roosterkoek with Filling      Origin: South Africa	Sautéed Mushrooms and Rocket      Origin: Britain
Red Deadnettle Rice Bake      Origin: Britain	Rosemary Pesto Crusted Lamb Valentine Steaks      Origin: Britain	Savillum (Cheese Bread)      Origin: Roman
Red Lobster's Cheesecake      Origin: American	Ross il-Forn (Baked Rice)      Origin: Malta	Savoury Aigrettes      Origin: British
Red Onion and Mozzarella Pizza      Origin: British	Rosti      Origin: Austria	Savoury Honey Fungus Tart      Origin: Britain
Red Velvet Cake      Origin: Britain	Rosti Tatws a Chaws (Welsh Potato and Cheese Rosti)      Origin: Welsh	Savoury Potato Roulade      Origin: Ireland
Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes      Origin: Britain	Rum Raisin Cheesecake      Origin: Britain	Sawge y farcet (Pork Meatballs with Sage Coating)      Origin: England
Relleno de Empanada de Pollo (Chicken Empanada Filling)      Origin: Mexico	Rumbledethumps      Origin: Scotland	Schenecken (Crispy Butterhorns)      Origin: Germany
Restaurant-style Vegetable Dum Biryani      Origin: Britain	Russian Pierogi      Origin: Russia	Scottish Bacon and Potato Pie      Origin: Scotland
Rhubarb and Curd Cheese Tart      Origin: Britain	Rwlâd Bara Lawr (Laverbread Roulade)      Origin: Welsh
Rhubarb and Ginger Cheesecake      Origin: Britain	Ræst fisk med mos (Fermented Fish with Mash)      Origin: Greenland

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