Mascarpone is a thick, creamy, soft Italian cheese with a high fat content. It is best known as an ingredient in the Italian dessert tiramisu. Besides tiramisu, mascarpone can be added to both sweet and savory dishes, providing a rich, creamy element. You can also add it to baked pasta recipes, like lasagna, macaroni and cheese, or baked rigatoni, to make the dish rich and creamy.