Mascarpone Cheese substitutes
Mascarpone Cheese is Italian cream cheese with rich, buttery flavor and smooth texture, used in cooking and desserts.
Cream Cheese
Use the same amount as the mascarpone cheese you are replacing
The best substitutes for mascarpone cheese are cream cheese, ricotta cheese, or other soft cheeses like cottage cheese or Greek yogurt, depending on the use.
At a glance
| # | Substitute | Instead of mascarpone cheese, use | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cream Cheese | Same amount | Different taste |
| 2 | Ricotta Cheese | Same amount | Different taste |
| 3 | Cottage Cheese | Same amount | Different taste |
| 4 | Greek Yogurt | Same amount | Different taste |
| 5 | Sour Cream | Same amount | Different taste |
| 6 | Heavy Cream | Same amount | Different texture |
Every mascarpone cheese substitute
Substitutes for Mascarpone Cheese with ratios
1. Cream Cheese
Different tasteUse the same amount
Similar soft cheese with different flavor
What changes
- Covers
- Fat & richness
- Aeration
- Misses
- Aroma & flavour identity — not covered
2. Ricotta Cheese
Different tasteUse the same amount
Similar soft cheese with different flavor
What changes
- Covers
- Fat & richness
- Aroma & flavour identity
- Misses
- Aeration — not covered
3. Cottage Cheese
Different tasteUse the same amount
Similar soft cheese with different flavor
What changes
- Misses
- Fat & richness — not covered
- Aroma & flavour identity — not covered
- Aeration — not covered
4. Greek Yogurt
Different tasteUse the same amount
Similar soft dairy product with different flavor
What changes
- Misses
- Fat & richness — not covered
- Aroma & flavour identity — not covered
- Aeration — not covered
5. Sour Cream
Different tasteUse the same amount
Similar soft dairy product with different flavor
What changes
- Covers
- Fat & richness
- Misses
- Aroma & flavour identity — not covered
- Aeration — not covered
6. Heavy Cream
Different textureUse the same amount
Similar dairy product with different texture
What changes
- Covers
- Fat & richness
- Aroma & flavour identity
- Aeration
What mascarpone cheese does in a recipe
Mascarpone is really just thickened cream - roughly twice the fat of cream cheese and almost none of the tang - so it does two jobs: it makes a filling rich, and because that fat is soft-solid rather than liquid it can be whipped and will hold the air, which is why a tiramisu cream comes out light instead of heavy.
Tips for substituting mascarpone cheese
- Mascarpone cheese adds rich, buttery flavor to dishes
- Mascarpone cheese can be used in both sweet and savory dishes
- Mascarpone cheese pairs well with herbs, spices, and fruits
- Mascarpone cheese works well in baking and desserts
- Mascarpone cheese can be used to make tiramisu and cheesecakes
- Store mascarpone cheese in the refrigerator