What Is Mascarpone cheese and How Can I Use It?

Mascarpone cheese rewards a little know-how: how to choose it, cook it, store it, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 61 recipes to cook with it.

What is mascarpone cheese?

Mascarpone is an Italian triple-cream cheese made from crème fraîche, denatured with tartaric acid. Sometimes buttermilk is added as well, depending on the brand.

Mascarpone is milky-white in color and is easily spread. It is a main ingredient of tiramisu. It is sometimes used instead of butter or Parmesan cheese to thicken and enrich risotto.

Quick facts

Where to find mascarpone cheese: Mascarpone cheese is usually found in the cheeses section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

In Chinese: 马斯卡彭奶酪
British (UK) term: Mascarpone cheese
en français: mascarpone
en español: queso mascarpone

Recipes using mascarpone cheese

There are 61 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Fresh Strawberry & Citrus Mascarpone Tart with Port Glaze

This fresh strawberry tart is a winner at any occasion, the fresh strawberries are arranged on top of the creamy and citrus mascarpone cheese that is spread in the buttery and flakey baked shell, after that, we have a port glaze over the strawberries. Give your palate a super luxury enjoyment.

Mascarpone Vanilla Ice Cream

Silky and rich. This mascarpone ice cream is absolutely delicious, it's so easy to be addicted.

Wild Mushroom Risotto

Creamy wild mushroom risotto made with shiitake and white mushrooms, Arborio rice, white wine, and finished with Mascarpone and Parmesan. Pure Italian comfort for two.

Cheesy Crispy Potato & Zucchini Pancakes

An easy and delicious way to make zucchini into a delicious dish. Serve it with yogurt, sour cream or any your favorite sauce.

Cheesy Farfalle with Asparagus, Mushrooms & Toasted Walnuts

Loved the browned onions and mushrooms that really added tons of flavor, also enjoyed the tender-crunch and freshness from the asparagus. The toasted walnuts just added enough nutty touch and brought everything together.

Perfect Tiramisu

Creamy, silken and rich, but not too sweet! This tiramisu is just like the title, perfect. It gives you ultimate joy in every bite, and this is a super dessert!

Tiramisu from BUCA di BEPPO

A desert that tastes like a creation of an award winning chef...

The Ultimate Tiramisu

Tiramisu from scratch: Italian sponge soaked in espresso-brandy syrup, layered with a silky Marsala zabaglione mascarpone cream, and dusted with cinnamon and coffee. A refined take on the classic.

Classic Tiramisu with Zabaglione

Authentic Italian tiramisu with zabaglione, mascarpone, and espresso. Marsala-based custard layered with rum-soaked sponge cake in wine glasses. Serves 8, chill 3 hours.

Chocolate Tiramisu

Chocolate tiramisu layers espresso-soaked ladyfingers with mascarpone cream spiked with Marsala, Triple Sec, and brandy, then folds in bittersweet chocolate between every layer. A grown-up Italian no-bake dessert that chills in just one hour.

Tiramisu (Ew)

Lighter tiramisu made with cooked egg whites, mascarpone, reduced-fat cream cheese, brandy, and espresso-soaked ladyfingers. No raw eggs, layered in a trifle bowl, and chilled overnight.

Delicious Tiramisu Cake

Italian tiramisu cake with layers of sponge cake, mascarpone-Tia Maria filling stabilized with gelatin, and an espresso-amaretto topping dusted with cocoa. A make-ahead party dessert.

Tiramisu - Bon' Appetito

Classic Italian tiramisu with mascarpone, marsala wine, espresso-soaked ladyfingers, and grated bittersweet chocolate. A cooked egg custard base makes this version rich and silky.

Mascarpone with Wafers, Caramelised Fresh Figs & Orange Sauc

Mascarpone sandwiched between crispy ginger brandy wafers with caramelized fresh figs and orange sauce. A stunning restaurant-style plated dessert with snap and tuile textures.

Favourite Tiramisu

Classic Italian tiramisu with mascarpone, espresso, cognac, amaretto, and dual layers of Savoiardi ladyfingers and amaretti biscuits. No-bake dessert showstopper.

Tiramisu #1

Italian tiramisu with whipped mascarpone, cottage cheese and egg yolks, layered over coffee-soaked ladyfingers and dusted with cocoa. Includes a strawberry-rhubarb variation. Make-ahead, no-bake dessert.

Spotted Chocolate Cheesecake with Lychee Love Liquid

Spotted chocolate cheesecake with lychee sauce features cream cheese and mascarpone filling, piped white "spots," and a fragrant lychee-lemon puree. A showstopper dessert.

Tiramisu--Italian Dessert

Classic Italian tiramisu layered with espresso-brandy soaked ladyfingers, creamy mascarpone filling, and dusted with cocoa. A no-bake make-ahead showstopper.

Peaches with White Wine

Peaches with white wine: ripe peeled peaches steeped in dry white wine for an hour, then served in wine glasses topped with sweetened mascarpone-yogurt cream. The Italian summer dessert that cooks itself.

Tirami Supick Me Up Cake

Tiramisu-style cake with three sponge layers soaked in espresso-rum syrup, filled with mascarpone cream, and finished with cocoa powder and chocolate shavings. A classic Italian pick-me-up.

Tiramisu Parfaits

Elegant individual tiramisu parfaits layered in stemmed glasses with mascarpone Italian meringue, coffee-soaked crumbs, dark rum, and bittersweet chocolate triangles.

Mascarpone-Lemon Cream & Fresh Fig Tart with Cornmeal-Rosemary Crust

Creamy, refreshing, nutty and tangy! This is a absolutely beautiful and delicious dessert that will impress everyone.

Tiramisu Cake

No-bake tiramisu cake with angel food cake soaked in espresso and amaretto, layered with ricotta-mascarpone cream and topped with grated chocolate.

Big Raviolis Stuffed with Mushrooms, Potatoes, Egg

Oversized ravioli filled with mascarpone potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, and a whole egg yolk that oozes when you cut in. Topped with crispy pancetta and fresh tomato-basil sauce.

Jane's Tiramisu

Tiramisu ("pick me up") is a modern version of a dessert first created in Siena, where it was called zuppa del Duca (the Duke's soup!). From there it migrated to Florence, where it became very popular in the nine- teenth century among the many English people who came to live in the city at that time. And so it was called zuppa inglese--English soup. Only recently, the same dessert with some variation--chiefly the substitution of rich mascarpone cheese for the original custard--has come to be called tiramisu.

Cheesecake with Rhubarb & Strawberry Glaze & Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Cream cheese and mascarpone cheese makes this creamy and silky cheesecake, rhubarb and strawberry glaze adds the sweet and sour crunch, and the chocolate covered strawberries gives extra surprise. There are so many delicious things going on all at once, it's such a deluxe luxury!

Tiramisu Pick-Me-Up Cake

Three layers of genoise sponge brushed with espresso-rum syrup, filled and frosted with silky mascarpone cream, dusted with cocoa, and wrapped in chocolate shavings.

Authentic Italian Tiramisu

Authentic Italian tiramisu with cooked zabaglione, mascarpone, and brandy-coffee soaked ladyfingers in two layers. Topped with whipped cream, cocoa, and grated chocolate. The traditional method, no shortcuts.

Tuna Tapenade Crostini

Italian oil-packed tuna blitzed with mascarpone, kalamata olives, capers, anchovy paste, and lemon zest into a luxurious tapenade spread. Pile it on grilled crostini for a cocktail party appetizer that disappears fast.

Upside-Down Grape & Mascarpone Cheesecake

Upside-down grape and mascarpone cheesecake: red seedless grapes in a glossy sweet-tart sauce under a silky mascarpone filling, inverted to reveal the jewel-like fruit on top.

Fresh Watermelon with Cool Citrus Mascarpone

Fresh watermelon balls drizzled with a blended citrus mascarpone sauce made from orange, lemon, and grapefruit juices. A light, elegant summer dessert with no cooking required.

Strawberry, Mint & Mascarpone Granita

A light, fruity and delicious summer dessert. Creamy and smooth mascarpone and strawberries are a tasty pair, mint adds a hint of refreshing punch.

Tirami Su Pick Me Up Cake

Italian tiramisù cake with three layers of sponge brushed in espresso and rum, layered with mascarpone cream, and dusted with cocoa. Make-ahead Italian dessert.

Smoked Salmon Pizza

Smoked salmon pizza with mascarpone, shallots, lemon juice, and fresh chives on a crispy baked crust. An elegant five-ingredient flatbread that comes together in 15 minutes.

Mixed Berry Tiramisu

Mixed berry tiramisu with mascarpone, ladyfingers soaked in raspberry liqueur syrup, and layered berry jam with fresh strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Coffee-free summer tiramisu.

No-bake Strawberry, White chocolate & Vanilla Cheesecake

A simple soft cheesecake which is light, creamy and perfect for summer! If you’re feeling brave, the strawberry flavour is really brought out by steeping the chopped strawberries in some freshly ground black pepper and balsamic vinegar, before adding them to the cheese mixture.