Food Shopping and Storing Food Shopping & Storing How to Choose the Right Cheese for Your Pasta Dish Cheese, please! From toppers to stir-ins, we've taken the guesswork out of pairing your pastas with cheeses. By Sara Quessenberry Updated on July 21, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Anna Williams Grated or crumbled, there's a type of cheese that's right for your noodles and sauce. 01 of 02 Toppers Anna Williams Hard cheeses can be stirred into pastas but are most often sprinkled on top at the last minute, adding a final blast of flavor. Many varieties are aged, giving them a bold, salty taste, so a little goes a long way. For maximum freshness, buy hard cheese in wedges and grate as needed. But pre-grated cheese is fine, too. Bring it to the table and let people serve themselves. Try: ParmesanRomanoRicotta salata 02 of 02 Stir-Ins Anna Williams Soft cheeses make sauces wonderfully creamy and rich. And because they melt quickly, you can incorporate them easily into pestos, marinaras, and puttanescas to give plain noodles a smooth, flavorful coating. Crumble or chop the cheese before adding it to a dish, a couple of tablespoons at a time, tasting as you go. Try: RicottaBlue cheeseFetaFresh goat cheese The Best Cheeses and Meats for Charcuterie Boards Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit