9 Best Cheese for Pasta: Melting, Grating & More Explained

The right cheese can elevate your pasta instantly, but choosing the best cheese for pasta can be tricky with so many options. Whether you’re aiming for a creamy, melty finish or a sharp, savory kick with a touch of saltiness, selecting the right cheese is the key to balancing flavors and textures.

Explore nine exceptional cheeses that are perfect for pasta dishes, including those that melt beautifully, grate easily and add distinctive notes to your favorite recipes. Whether you’re a seasoned pasta lover or just starting to experiment in the kitchen, these cheese choices will help you create delicious, restaurant-quality pasta at home.

1. Parmesan

Parmesan is a classic choice and a staple in Italian cooking, often considered one of the best cheeses for pasta thanks to its rich, nutty flavor and crumbly texture. 

Known for easy grating, Parmesan melts into sauces seamlessly, adding depth without overpowering other ingredients. This hard cheese is aged for months, intensifying its taste, which lends a savory umami punch to pasta dishes. It’s also considered the best cheese for spaghetti.

Flavor: Nutty, salty, slightly sweet with an umami finish

Best for: Grating over pasta, adding to pesto, thickening sauces and topping lasagna

Pairs well with: Tomato-based sauces, creamy Alfredo and garlic-infused olive oil sauces

2. Pecorino Romano

Pecorino Romano is a bold and salty type of cheese made from sheep’s milk. It’s a great option for those who enjoy a more robust flavor profile. 

With a firmer texture than Parmesan, Pecorino Romano grates beautifully over pasta and holds up well in hot dishes. Its saltiness adds an extra layer of flavor, making it perfect for balancing sweeter or milder ingredients.

Flavor: Sharp, salty, tangy with earthy undertones

Best for: Grating over pasta, finishing cacio e pepe, mixing into sauces for extra richness

Pairs well with: Tomato-based sauces, garlic and olive oil and hearty meat sauces

3. Mozzarella

Mozzarella is the go-to cheese for achieving that irresistible, stretchy melt. Known for its mild flavor and creamy texture, mozzarella melts smoothly, making it ideal for baked pasta dishes where you want a golden, bubbly top layer. 

Fresh mozzarella offers a more delicate taste, while low-moisture mozzarella melts even better, adding richness without overwhelming other flavors.

Flavor: Mild, creamy, slightly tangy

Best for: Melting over baked pasta dishes like lasagna, stuffed shells and baked ziti

Pairs well with: Tomato-based sauces, basil pesto and roasted vegetable sauces

4. Fontina

Fontina is a semi-soft cheese with a rich, buttery flavor that melts beautifully, making it perfect for creamy pasta dishes. It’s considered one of the best melting cheeses.

It has a smooth, almost silky texture that enhances sauces with a luxurious creaminess, while its slightly nutty taste adds depth. Fontina’s meltability and full-bodied flavor make it ideal for recipes where cheese is the star ingredient.

Flavor: Buttery, nutty, slightly earthy with a mild tang

Best for: Melting into creamy pasta sauces, risottos and cheesy fillings for stuffed pasta

Pairs well with: Cream-based sauces, garlic and herb sauces and white wine reductions

5. Ricotta

Ricotta is a fresh, creamy cheese known for its mild and slightly sweet flavor. Its soft, spreadable texture makes it perfect for blending into fillings or adding a fluffy richness to pasta dishes. 

Unlike firmer cheeses, ricotta doesn’t fully melt, but it creates a light, creamy texture when mixed into sauces, adding a velvety touch to each bite.

Flavor: Mild, slightly sweet, creamy and fresh

Best for: Filling ravioli, layering in lasagna and mixing into creamy pasta sauces

Pairs well with: Tomato-based sauces, basil pesto and vegetable-based sauces

6. Feta

Feta is a tangy, crumbly cheese made from sheep or goat milk that brings a bold, salty flavor to pasta dishes, making it one of the best cheeses for pasta.

It doesn’t melt like other cheeses, but its unique texture softens nicely when warmed, adding a creamy, briny element. Feta’s sharp, savory notes make it a fantastic choice for pasta dishes that need a flavor boost without a heavy sauce.

Flavor: Tangy, salty, slightly sharp with a creamy finish

Best for: Crumbling over pasta salads, adding to creamy pasta and mixing into light, oil-based sauces

Pairs well with: Olive oil-based sauces, tomato and olive sauces and roasted vegetable sauces

7. Asiago

Asiago is a versatile cheese with a flavor profile that ranges from mild and creamy in its younger form to sharp and nutty when aged. 

It grates easily and melts well, making it an excellent addition to pasta dishes that benefit from a rich, savory element. Asiago’s unique flavor adds depth without overpowering the dish, making it a great alternative to Parmesan. It’s also one of the best cheeses for pasta salad.

Flavor: Mildly sweet and creamy when young; sharp, nutty and slightly tangy when aged

Best for: Grating over pasta, melting into sauces and finishing baked pasta dishes

Pairs well with: Tomato-based sauces, cream sauces and herb-infused olive oil sauces

8. Gouda

Gouda is a creamy, semi-hard cheese with a slightly sweet and buttery flavor, perfect for adding richness to pasta. Younger Gouda melts beautifully, creating a smooth, velvety texture that complements many pasta dishes. 

Its mild yet distinctive taste adds a gentle sweetness that pairs well with savory ingredients, making it a delightful choice for both creamy sauces and baked pasta.

Flavor: Buttery, slightly sweet with caramel-like notes

Best for: Melting into creamy sauces, adding to baked pasta dishes and enhancing mac and cheese

Pairs well with: Cream-based sauces, mushroom sauces and caramelized onion toppings

9. Gruyère

Gruyère is a firm Swiss cheese known for its nutty, slightly sweet flavor and exceptional melting properties. It creates a smooth, creamy texture when melted, making it a fantastic choice for pasta dishes that need a luxurious, velvety sauce. Gruyère’s rich and complex taste brings depth and warmth, perfect for comforting, cheesy pasta recipes.

Flavor: Nutty, slightly sweet with earthy undertones

Best for: Melting into creamy sauces, stirring into baked pasta and mac and cheese

Pairs well with: Cream-based sauces, garlic and white wine sauces and caramelized onions

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Halloumi cheese

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Swiss cheese

How to use cheese in pasta dishes

Cheese plays an important role in enhancing the flavor, texture and richness of pasta dishes — but only if you use it the right way. Here are some tips to make the most of cheese in your favorite pasta dishes:

• Melting cheese: Melting cheese, like mozzarella or fontina, creates a rich, creamy texture that coats your pasta beautifully. When using melting cheeses, add them directly into hot sauces or on top of baked pasta, where the heat can fully melt them into a smooth consistency.
• Grating cheese: Hard cheeses like Parmesan, Pecorino Romano and Asiago are perfect for grating. Grated cheese adds a burst of flavor and texture, especially when sprinkled over the top of pasta. This method allows you to control how much cheese you use and enhances the dish with a sharp, nutty finish.
• Adding cheese to sauce: Adding cheese to your pasta sauce can help thicken the sauce and create a velvety texture. For example, ricotta and Parmesan are often stirred into different types of pasta sauce to thicken it while adding richness. To make a creamier sauce, melt the cheese into a white sauce or tomato sauce, adjusting the amount to your desired thickness.
• Topping pasta with cheese: A final sprinkle of grated or crumbled cheese like Parmesan or feta on top of your pasta adds both flavor and texture. This method works well for both cold pasta salads and hot dishes, giving the pasta a delicious finishing touch that enhances its overall taste.

Pasta recipe ideas

Whether you’re craving something creamy, savory or light, pasta offers endless possibilities for delicious meals. By pairing the best cheese for pasta with a variety of sauces, vegetables and proteins, you can create versatile dishes to suit any taste. 

Here are some pasta recipes to inspire your next meal:

• Pasta primavera with fresh herbs 
• Cheesy roasted broccoli pasta 
• Refreshing Italian pasta salad
• Sun-dried tomato pasta with goat cheese
• Crab Alfredo pasta
• Italian shrimp pesto pasta
• Cheesy sausage pasta
• Creamy pasta with white sauce
• Lemon garlic pasta
• Chicken fajita pasta

Make your pasta night perfect with Instacart 

Ready to create the perfect pasta dish with the best cheese for pasta? Instacart makes it easy to get all the ingredients you need, whether you’re shopping for fresh mozzarella, Parmesan or the finest spaghetti. Plus, you can use our dry-to-cooked pasta calculator to perfectly portion your pasta every time, ensuring you cook just the right amount for every meal.

Cady Cohen

Author

Cady Cohen is a culinary writer at Instacart who empowers home cooks to navigate the exciting world of food with confidence. She has worked in digital media for over seven years covering food, health, and wellness. From handy conversion charts and recipe calculators to in-depth cooking guides, Cady's work makes grocery shopping a breeze and empowers you to make informed choices about what you put on your plate.

Heather Matley

Editor

Heather Matley is an editor at Instacart whose passion for food and cooking has inspired her work on everything from grocery guides to recipe development. With over eight years of experience in editing, content creation, and search engine optimization, she strives to empower readers with the most effective tools, guides, and ideas to transform their home cooking.