Here’s a situation most home cooks in India know well. You’re planning a dinner party, or just a nice meal on a quiet Saturday. You want to use good cheese. But you’re standing in the cheese section — or scrolling through an online store — and suddenly you’re paralysed.
Do you use Mozzarella or Burrata for the salad? Is Parmesan the right call for pasta? What goes on a pizza? What works for a quick snack board?
There are no stupid questions here. Gourmet cheese is still relatively new to most Indian kitchens, and the variety can feel overwhelming. This guide cuts through the confusion.
For Pizza: Mozzarella First, Burrata to Finish
If there’s one cheese made for pizza, it’s Mozzarella. Specifically, fresh Mozzarella — the kind that melts into a glossy, stretchy layer that bubbles and browns in the oven without becoming oily or rubbery.
Meatigo’s Fresh Bocconcini works beautifully here. Slice it over your pizza base before baking. Add it towards the end of cooking to avoid it drying out.
But here’s the move that will genuinely change your pizza game: once your pizza comes out of the oven, hot and golden, tear a ball of Burrata and place it in the centre. The heat from the crust will soften the creamy interior, and it melts into something extraordinary. This is how top restaurants serve it. Now you can do the same at home.
For Pasta: Parmesan for Flavour, Burrata for Drama
Pasta and cheese is one of those combinations that never gets old — but using the right cheese makes an enormous difference.
For sauced pastas — a rich tomato, a simple aglio e olio, or a meat ragù — Parmesan is your best friend. Meatigo’s Parmesan Grana Padano Block is designed for exactly this. Grate it generously over your dish just before serving. The flavour is sharp, nutty, and complex, and it adds depth to even a simple sauce.
For a more dramatic, restaurant-worthy pasta: cook your pasta, toss it with olive oil and a good quality sauce, then serve it in a bowl with a whole ball of Burrata placed on top. As you eat, break into the Burrata and let the cream mix through the pasta. It becomes its own sauce. Simple, impressive, and genuinely delicious.
For Salads: Burrata or Fresh Mozzarella
A well-made cheese salad is one of the best things you can put on a dinner table in summer — or honestly, any time. The trick is using a cheese that can hold its own without overpowering fresh vegetables.
Burrata is the premium choice here. Place it whole on a bed of arugula or fresh greens, add cherry tomatoes, good olive oil, flaky salt, and cracked pepper. Cut into it at the table for maximum impact.
Fresh Mozzarella (Bocconcini) works equally well for a more budget-friendly option. Slice it with ripe tomatoes and fresh basil for the most iconic Italian salad — Caprese — which requires no cooking and tastes incredible when the ingredients are good.
For Toasts and Snack Boards: Brie, Edam, or Gouda
Not every cheese moment needs to be a full meal. Sometimes it’s about putting together something beautiful for an evening gathering, or just elevating your lazy Sunday toast.
Brie is the ideal board cheese. It’s soft, mild, and pairs brilliantly with crackers, fruits, nuts, and a drizzle of honey. It’s the kind of cheese that makes a snack board look effortlessly sophisticated.
Gouda — particularly Meatigo’s Dutch Gouda — is excellent for everyday snacking, grilled sandwiches, or melting over toast. It’s approachable, melts cleanly, and goes with almost everything.
Edam is another good option: firm enough to slice easily, mild enough to please most palates, and excellent with cold cuts on a charcuterie-style board.
For Baking and Cooking: Parmesan and Gouda
When you’re baking something — a gratinated dish, a cheese-crusted bread, a baked pasta — you need a cheese that can handle heat without becoming greasy or losing flavour.
Parmesan Grana Padano is perfect grated over baked dishes. It creates a golden, flavourful crust when broiled. It adds depth to sauces when stirred in.
Gouda handles heat beautifully too — use it in a baked mac and cheese, fold it into a cheese sauce, or melt it over roasted vegetables for a quick weeknight dinner.
A Quick Reference for Your Kitchen
Pizza base topping: Fresh Mozzarella / Bocconcini. Pizza finishing: Burrata. Pasta finishing: Parmesan Grana Padano. Pasta showpiece: Burrata. Fresh salads: Burrata or Bocconcini. Snack boards and platters: Brie, Gouda, Edam. Baked dishes and gratins: Parmesan, Gouda. Grilled sandwiches: Gouda or Edam.
All of these cheeses are available through Meatigo’s cheese section. Shop at meatigo.com/cheese-new and have them delivered to your door — often within the hour.
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