Which cheese goes best with pasta?

It’s one of life’s greatest pleasures - a silky, carb-y base that’s been laden with cheesy, cheesy goodness. It’s a combination that we reckon you would be hard pressed to not make work. So, without further ado, here are the cheeses that we think go best with pasta.

Best All-Round Cheese:

Spenwood, Village Maid

Spenny. How we love you so. This is the type of cheese that evokes the feeling of being in a small family-run restaurant, having a waiter just ask ‘cheese?’

‘Yes please!’

‘Tell me when’

*the sound of cheese being shaved permeates the silence*

Do you know what we mean?

Spenwood is a British take on your classic Pecorino, that develops a delightful caramel nuttiness as it ages. Use it in a cacio e pepe, or grate mountains of it onto the dish of your choosing - this is a cheese that is positively made to go with pasta.

Pile it on. 

Best Cheese to Impress:

Golden Cross, Golden Cross

Somebody call me goat-i mabuse, cause this cheese makes me want to dance. 

This cheese is exceptional, and potentially even more so when used in rich and decadent pasta sauces. Creamy, dreamy and oh so god. We’d recommend cooking this up with some caramelised onions (recipe to come so keep your eyes peeled) and sitting back and enjoying your favourite shape. 

Made from their herd of 220 goats, this is small-batch artisan cheese at its finest. Subtle, floral and grassy - this cheese has a richness in texture that feels self-indulgent.

We say indulge!

Best Cheese on a Pasta Bake:

Pitchfork, Trethowan Brothers

There’s nothing more comforting at this time of year than a good pasta bake - hearty, wholesome and delicious. And what is the highlight of any good bake? The cheese toppin, of course.

With these types of dishes, we’d usually recommend a cheddar style cheese as they tend to have the robustness to stand up to those complex flavours of roasted veg or well-developed ragù. We particularly favour Pitchfork here at cheesegeek

Made by the Trothowen brothers in Somerset, this raw milk cheddar is butter-y, tangy, and everything else you would expect from a good British cheddar. It melts beautifully, and really lifts any bake it is loaded onto.

Best Cheese in a Béchamel:

Beauvale, Cropwell Bishop

You’re feeling a little adventurous. A little bold. Let’s go for a Blue.

Beauvale works fantastically in béchamel sauce, with its soft, creamy texture melting perfectly into this sauce. Similar in nature to a Gorgonzola, Beauvale packs the tang we have come to expect from Blues, but understands that it's also okay for it to hum away in the background.

As we say, this cheese is ridiculously well-suited to being added to a béchamel sauce. We’re thinking of lasagnes, we’re thinking of mac and cheese (see recipe here), we’re thinking of your classic white sauce pastas. 

The béch really is your oyster with this one.

Best Cheese in a Pasta Salad

Mrs Bell’s Salad Cheese, Shepherd’s Purse

Like feta. But better.

This cheese is made from 100% sheep’s cheese by our good pals at Shepherd’s Purse in Yorkshire. Tangy, tasty and a great texture, this cheese is perfect for those pasta salads reminiscent of Spring and Summer.

This is not to say that it can’t be enjoyed in the colder months. It bakes beautifully and goes very well with roasted tomato and pepper based dishes. Alternatively, crumble some over your go-to for a lovely hit of salty tang.

So, there you have it.

Those are the cheeses that we think go best with pasta. As we say, pasta and cheese is a match made in heaven. Is anyone else feeling a bit peckish now?