mascarpone

American  

[mas-kahr-poh-nee, mos-kahr-poh-ney, mos-kahr-pohn] / ˌmæs kɑrˈpoʊ ni, ˌmɒs kɑrˈpoʊ neɪ, ˌmɒs kɑrˈpoʊn /

noun

1. a very soft Italian cream cheese made from cow's milk.

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mascarpone British  

/ ˌmæskəˈpəʊnɪ /

noun

1. a soft Italian cream cheese

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Etymology

Origin of mascarpone

First recorded in 1900–05; from Lombard Italian; augmentative of mascarpa, mascherpa, a kind of ricotta cheese; further origin uncertain

Compare meaning

How does mascarpone compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• mascarpone vs. cream cheese
• mascarpone vs. ricotta

Example Sentences

A superstar in French cuisine, tonka has also made its fair share of cameos on “Bake Off,” notably in an apricot compote and a mascarpone cream paired with a ginger, fig and honey pudding.

From Salon • Sep. 19, 2025

“Once I started playing around with flavor combinations that I love — like rhubarb, mint, sumac and mascarpone and black and white cookies — I realized the world is our cookie salad oyster.”

From Salon • Jul. 29, 2025

Other options here are crème fraîche, mascarpone, fromage blanc, etc.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2025

A dark chocolate carrot cake sandwich with a not-too-sweet mascarpone and cream cheese filling.

From Salon • May 28, 2024

In the mornings she went to a deli and bought a baguette and little containers of things Dev liked to eat, like pickled herring, and potato salad, and tortes of pesto and mascarpone cheese.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri