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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Orange and Poppy Seed Cupcakes      Origin: Britain	Paneer Tikka Masala      Origin: India	Pastelitos de yuca con atún (Cassava and Tuna Pies)      Origin: Colombia
Orange and Walnut Blintzes      Origin: American	Panettone with Mascarpone and Strawberries      Origin: British	Pastelón (Sweet Plantain Lasagna)      Origin: Puerto Rico
Orange Cheesecake 2      Origin: Britain	Pansotti di Rapallo (Pansotti with Walnut Sauce)      Origin: Italy	Pastelón de Arroz (Cheesy Beef and Rice Casserole)      Origin: Dominican Republic
Orange Chesecake      Origin: Britain	Pappardelle con Ragù di Funghi Misti (Pappardelle with Mixed Mushroom Ragù)      Origin: Italy	Pastelón de Harina de Maíz (Cornmeal and Beef Casserole)      Origin: Dominican Republic
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting      Origin: American	Pappardelle with Slow-cooked Beef and Mushrooms      Origin: Britain	Pastelón de Papa (Dominican Cottage Pie)      Origin: Dominican Republic
Ostesmørrebrød (Danish Cheese Open Sandwich)      Origin: Denmark	Parma Ham and Horseradish Greens Strata      Origin: Britain	Pašticada (Dalmatian Beef Stew with Prunes and Apples)      Origin: Croatia
Ostkaka (Swedish Cheesecake)      Origin: Sweden	Parma Ham and Squash Blossom Strata      Origin: Britain	Pastiera di Grano (Neapolitan Grain Pie)      Origin: Italy
Oven-baked Macaroni and Cheese      Origin: American	Parmesan Orzo      Origin: Italy	Pastiera di Pasqua (Easter Ricotta Cake)      Origin: Italy
Pâtes au Thon (Tuna and Macaroni)      Origin: Algeria	Parseli Ffilo Cennin a Chaws Caerffili (Leek and Caerphilly Cheese Parcels)      Origin: Welsh	Pastiera Napoletana (Naples Easter Cakes)      Origin: Italy
Palak Paneer (Creamed Spinach with Fresh Curd Cheese)      Origin: India	Parsley Pesto      Origin: Saint Pierre	Pastizzi ta' l-Incov (Anchovy Pastizzi)      Origin: Malta
Palak Paneer (Paneer with Spinach)      Origin: India	Pasca de Pasti (Romanian Easter Cheesecake)      Origin: Romania	Patellam tyrotaricham ex quocumque salso volueris (A Dish of Cheese and Whichever Salt Fish you Wish)      Origin: Roman
Pan de Yuca (Cassava Bread)      Origin: Costa Rica	Pashka      Origin: Russia	Patinam ex Lacte (Milk Casserole)      Origin: Roman
Pan de Yuca (Colombian Yuca Bread)      Origin: Colombia	Paskha (Russian Easter Cheesecake)      Origin: Russia	Peach Melba Cheesecake      Origin: Britain
Pan Haggerty      Origin: England	Passatelli in Brodo (Passatelli in Broth)      Origin: Italy	Peaches with Creamy Mascarpone Filling      Origin: British
Paneer 65      Origin: Britain	Passatelli in Brodo (Passatelli in Broth)      Origin: San Marino	Peanut and Chicken Kebabs      Origin: Britain
Paneer Bhurji      Origin: India	Passion Cake      Origin: Britain	Peanut Butter Cheesecake      Origin: Britain
Paneer Capsicum Curry      Origin: India	Pasta al Limone (Creamy Lemon Pasta with Parmesan)      Origin: Italy	Pecan Brie Tarts      Origin: British
Paneer Cheese      Origin: India	Pasta con Cece (Pasta Soup with Chickpeas)      Origin: San Marino	Penne with Fresh Pumpkin Sauce      Origin: American
Paneer Jalfrezi      Origin: Britain	Pasta Con Sugo ai Funghi (Pasta with mixed mushroom sauce)      Origin: Italy	Pepper Pasta Pie      Origin: South Africa
Paneer Kofta      Origin: India	Pasta Crisps      Origin: Britain	Pepperoni Pizza      Origin: Italy
Paneer Korma      Origin: Britain	Pasta e Cece (Pasta Soup with Chickpeas II)      Origin: San Marino	Pesto alla Genovese (Genoan-style Pesto)      Origin: Italy
Paneer Lababdar      Origin: India	Pasta Primavera with Dryad's Saddle and Chicken of the Woods      Origin: Britain	Pesto Bara Lawr a Garlleg Gwyllt (Laverbread and Wild Garlic Pesto)      Origin: Welsh
Paneer Lababdar      Origin: India	Pasta with Daylily Flower Buds and Mushrooms      Origin: American	Pesto Gwymon (Seaweed Pesto)      Origin: Welsh
Paneer Makhani      Origin: India	Pasta with Olives and Caperberries      Origin: Britain	Pesto Pastry Stars      Origin: British
Paneer Makhanwala      Origin: India	Pasta with Wild Greens      Origin: Britain	Pesto Petiolata      Origin: Italy
Paneer Manchurian      Origin: Britain	Pastai Briwgig Eidion a Nionod (Leek and Caerphilly Cheese Crumble Tart)      Origin: Welsh	Peynirli Bisküvi (Cheese Biscuits)      Origin: Turkey
Paneer Maza (Chilli Paneer)      Origin: India	Pastai Cenin, Panas a Chig Moch (Leek, Parsnip and Bacon Pie)      Origin: Welsh	Peynirli Künefe (Turkish Cheesecake)      Origin: Turkey
Paneer Paratha      Origin: India	Pastai Gocos (Cockle Pie)      Origin: Welsh	Philadelphia-style Butter Cake      Origin: American
Paneer Pasanda      Origin: India	Pastai Pysgotwr (Fisherman's Pie)      Origin: Welsh	Phthois (Pastry Rounds)      Origin: Roman
Paneer Pasanda      Origin: India	Pastai Tatws (Potato Pie)      Origin: Welsh	Picau Cenin a Bacwn Caerffili (Caerphilly Leek and Bacon Welsh Cakes)      Origin: Welsh
Paneer Roll      Origin: India	Pastel De Choclo (Corn Pudding)      Origin: Argentina	Pierogies      Origin: Georgia
Paneer Shabnam      Origin: India	Pastel de Jamón (Ham Cakes)      Origin: Peru	Pineapple Rasmalai      Origin: India
Paneer Sukka      Origin: India	Pastel de Papas con Tres Quesos (Potato Cake with Three Cheeses)      Origin: Peru
Paneer Tikka      Origin: India	Pastelillos de Guayaba (Guava Pastries)      Origin: Puerto Rico

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