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 1200 recipes in total:

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Lumbardy Tarts      Origin: Britain	Mexican Spirals      Origin: American	Mushrooms Risotto      Origin: Italy
Mâche Sabayon with Parmesan Shavings      Origin: France	Microwave Amaretto Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce      Origin: Britain	Mustacei (Must Rolls)      Origin: Roman
Mac'N'Cheese      Origin: American	Microwave Bacon Dip      Origin: Britain	Mustard Beef with Potato Gratin      Origin: Australia
Macadamia Nut Cheesecake      Origin: American	Microwave Chimpanzee Cheesecake      Origin: American	Myma (Baked Plaice)      Origin: Roman
Macaroni Cheese      Origin: British	Microwave Mint Julep Cheesecake      Origin: American	Myzithropita (Greek Cheesecake)      Origin: Greece
Mackerel Burger with Sweet Potato Chips      Origin: Fusion	Microwave Pasta alla Carbonara      Origin: Britain	Nakelda (Istrian Bread Rolls)      Origin: Slovenia
Macrows      Origin: England	Microwave Spaghetti with Garlic Sausage      Origin: Britain	Nasturtium Leaf Pesto      Origin: Britain
Madarch a Chaws Pob (Mushroom Rarebit)      Origin: Welsh	Microwave Spinach and Cheese Soufflé      Origin: Britain	Nasturtiums with Cream Cheese and Almond Filling      Origin: Britain
Maids of Honour Tarts      Origin: Britain	Milanesa Uruguaya      Origin: Uruguay	Nettle Gnudi      Origin: Britain
Makaronia Pastitsio (Macaroni with Minced Meat and Bechamel Sauce)      Origin: Cyprus	Milka Micic (Cheese-filled Crepes)      Origin: Serbia	Nettle Leaf Pesto      Origin: Britain
Makerouns (Macaroni)      Origin: England	Milkless Pineapple Cheesecake      Origin: American	Nettle, Sorrel and Lentil Pâté      Origin: Britain
Malai Kofta with Spicy Gravy      Origin: India	Minchet Abish Wot      Origin: Ethiopia	New Year's Eve Meringue Roulade      Origin: Britain
Malai Tikka      Origin: Britain	Minestra siciliana di Pasqua (Sicilian Easter Soup)      Origin: Italy	New York Cheesecake II      Origin: America
Mallow Cheese Meringues      Origin: Britain	Mini Curried Shepherd's Pie      Origin: South Africa	New Zealand Scones      Origin: New Zealand
Mallow Cheese with Seaweed Paste      Origin: Fusion	Mini Goat's Cheese and Sunblush Tomato Muffins (Mini Goat's Cheese and Sunblush Tomato Muffins)      Origin: Britain	Newfoundland Bakeapple Cheesecake      Origin: Canada
Maltese Pastizzi      Origin: Malta	Mini Victoria Sandwiches      Origin: Britain	Nidi di Rondine (Swallows' Nests)      Origin: San Marino
Malvaceae Marshmallows      Origin: Britain	Mint Chocolate Meringue Cheesecake      Origin: American	No Bake Cheesecake      Origin: Britain
Mango and Lemon Myrtle Cheese Cake      Origin: Australia	Mixtura cum Caseo (Soft Cheese with a Herb Purée)      Origin: Roman	No Crust Easter Pie      Origin: American
Mango Bingsu (Korean Mango Shaved Ice)      Origin: Korea	Mixtura cum Caseo (Soft Cheese and Herb Purée)      Origin: Roman	No-bake Cheesecake 3      Origin: Scotland
Marble Cupcakes      Origin: Britain	Mixtura cum Nucibus (Hazelnuts with Herb Purée)      Origin: Roman	No-bake Cheesecake II      Origin: American
Marigold Cheese Soup      Origin: Britain	Monkfish Wellington      Origin: British	No-bake Cheesecake IV      Origin: American
Marillenknoedel (Austrian Apricot Dumplings)      Origin: Austria	Monterey Jack Cheese, Olive and Prawn Dip      Origin: American	No-bake Lemon Cheesecake      Origin: American
Marzipan Centre Bundt Cake      Origin: Fusion	Moretum (Garlic and Herb Pâté)      Origin: Roman	No-bake Lemon Soufflé      Origin: Britain
Mascarpone Cupcakes with Strawberry Glaze      Origin: American	Moussaka      Origin: Greece	No-cook Chocolate Silk Tarts      Origin: American
Mattar Paneer (Green Peas and Curd Cheese Curry)      Origin: Britain	Mozzarella Fritters      Origin: Ireland	Ñoquis de Papa (Potato Gnocchi)      Origin: Uruguay
Mattar Paneer Curry      Origin: India	Mozzarella-stuffed Mushrooms      Origin: British	Normandy Cheesecake      Origin: Britain
Mattar Panir      Origin: Britain	Mucver (Turkish Courgette Patties)      Origin: Turkey	Numb-fish (Electric Ray)      Origin: Roman
Meadow Waxcap Frittata      Origin: British	Mulled Wine Cheesecake      Origin: Britain	Nutty Rice Burgers      Origin: Britain
Medlar Muffins with Medlar Cream Cheese Icing      Origin: British	Mulled Wine Cheesecake II      Origin: Britain	Ocopa de Camarones (Prawn Ocopa)      Origin: Peru
Mel et caseum (Honey-sweetened Cheese)      Origin: Roman	Mushroom and Spinach Rustic Pie      Origin: British	Onion Soup with Cheese      Origin: Czech
Melcas (Cheese Sweetened with Honey)      Origin: Roman	Mushroom Cheese Blintzes      Origin: Jewish	Onions Stuffed with Meat and Mushrooms      Origin: Czech
Methi Paneer      Origin: India	Mushroom Cobbler      Origin: Britain	Oozy Orange Cupcakes      Origin: American
Mexican Beef Tostada      Origin: Mexico	Mushroom Pâté en Croûte      Origin: Britain
Mexican Chicken Pizza      Origin: American	Mushroom Pie      Origin: France

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