Cheese

37 Cheese Recipes to Empty Out That Cheese Drawer

There are so many ways to use those last nubs of cheddar and Gruyère.
Photo of eight Bombay Rolls in a metal baking dish.
Photo by David Loftus

You don’t need cheese recipes to make a pretty assortment and dive right in, but sometimes you want more than a cheese board. You want creamy mac and cheese, classic fondue, buttery pastry rolls with crispy cheese edges, toasted cheese sandwiches, simple cheese spreads…you get the picture. Below you’ll find our favorite ways to cook with cheese for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack time, including comforting soups, elegant tarts, and the best cheesy dips around. You just might find yourself needing to refill the cheese drawer sooner than you’d expected.

  • Photo of easy cheese sauce recipe with chip dipping into a bowl of sauce and a plate of chips underneath the bowl.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
    1/37

    3-Ingredient Microwave Cheese Sauce

    One great thing about cheese recipes is how many of them are super-simple, like this velvety-smooth sauce that uses real cheddar and comes together in under 10 minutes. Dip chips or broccoli, make nachos, or transform it into queso.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    2/37

    Our Favorite Mac and Cheese

    This is our ideal mac and cheese—creamy within, full of flavorful cheese, and topped with a crunchy layer of toasted breadcrumbs.

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  • Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    3/37

    Apple Pie With Cheesy Cheddar Crust

    The cheese is blended into the pie dough in this twist on a favorite Midwestern pairing.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    4/37

    Cabbage Potato Pie

    In this recipe, creamy mashed potatoes get jazzed up with crispy bits of bacon and sharp cheddar cheese, then wrapped in Savoy cabbage leaves before roasting in the oven.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou
    5/37

    Cheesy Samosa Puffs

    Stuff store-bought frozen puff pastry with spiced potatoes, cubes of cheddar, and fresh cilantro, then bake for the perfect crispy-cheesy snack.

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  • Photo by David Loftus
    6/37

    Bombay Rolls

    These easy pastry rolls are filled with fresh green chutney, and grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese.

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  • Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova
    7/37

    Cheese Fondue

    This Gourmet recipe is a classic way to eat cheese for dinner. It relies on Emmental and Gruyère, plus a little bit of cornstarch to prevent the cheese and wine from separating.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou
    8/37

    Kue Keju (Cheese Cookies)

    These savory cookies from cookbook author Lara Lee are perfectly buttery, crumbly, and cheesy. A little rum adds flavor to the dough, but you can skip it, too.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Anna Hampton
    11/37

    Cheesy Potato Soup With Bacon

    This hearty homemade potato soup owes its richness to plenty of melted cheddar cheese and a topping of crispy bacon.

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  • Photo by Heami Lee, Food Styling by Victoria Granof, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka
    12/37

    Classic Cheese Ball

    Everyone loves a cheese ball. This retro favorite brings cream cheese, cheddar, Brie, and Worcestershire sauce to the party.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    13/37

    Apple-Cheddar Dutch Baby

    A little savory, a little sweet, and totally fun to eat at any time of day.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    14/37

    Horsey Goat

    This easy, spreadable blend of fresh goat cheese, horseradish, and heavy cream is as fun to eat as it is to say.

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  • Photo by Tara O'Brady
    19/37

    Spinach and Cheese Slab Biscuits

    These savory slab biscuits are made with Gruyère, Comté cheese, and/or aged white cheddar, but you could also sub in feta or blue cheese.

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  • Photo by Christopher Testani
    20/37

    Classic Potato Gratin

    This potato dish is the ideal holiday side—but it's fantastic at any dinner party. Gruyère boosts the savory side of the dish, teaming up with Parmesan for a little nutty flavor.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kendra Vaculin
    21/37

    Monte Cristo With Apple-Hatch Chile Jam

    Monte Cristo sandwiches usually have a sweet element, like powdered sugar sifted over the top, or raspberry jam served on the side for dipping. In this version, you’ll cook green apple and canned green chiles down into a sweet and spicy compote to slather on your bread.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    22/37

    Cheesy Corn Spoon Bread

    Serve this creamy and garlicky spoonbread hot out of the oven for a cozy cold-weather side.

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  • Photo by Chelsie Craig
    23/37

    Baked Pasta Shells With Sausage and Greens

    Crisp nuggets of Italian sausage and tender broccoli rabe swathed in a blanket of cozy cheese sauce—this is the definition of comfort food.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Sue Li
    24/37

    Pimiento Cheese Crackers

    Cheddar crackers, all grown up, thanks to a little heat from the cayenne and a hint of sweet pepper from the pimiento. This dough can be formed into a log and stashed in the freezer so it’s on hand for whenever you just happen to need an easy appetizer. Let thaw in the fridge overnight before slicing.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    25/37

    Sonoran-Style Potato, Cheese, and Tomato Soup

    This version of caldo de queso features chunks of potato simmered in tomato-tinted broth until soft, with queso fresco added to each bowl. The cheese mostly keeps its shape, but softens and begins to break apart. A bit of milk makes the broth extra-creamy, and fresh oregano balances the richness.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Monica Pierini
    26/37

    Cheesy Baked Butternut Squash Polenta

    Butternut squash melts into the polenta as this creamy, make-ahead dish cooks, while chunks of Fontina create gooey pockets of cheese throughout.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Pearl Jones
    29/37

    Cacio e Pepe Pie

    In this extra cheesy, extra comforting meal, spaghetti pie meets an Italian classic: cacio e pepe.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    30/37

    Hot Pimento Cheese Dip

    While pimento cheese is perfect as is as a spread, it also makes a pretty darn good queso-like dip. This particular version is smooth and velvety and has a kick of smoke and heat thanks to chipotle in adobo sauce—even pimento purists will find it delicious.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    37/37

    Nutella Grilled Cheese

    Some cheese recipes are made for late night snacks. And yes, chocolate and cheese are great together.

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