37 Cheese Recipes to Empty Out That Cheese Drawer

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 by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone1/373-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.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne2/37Our 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.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich3/37Apple Pie With Cheesy Cheddar Crust
The cheese is blended into the pie dough in this twist on a favorite Midwestern pairing.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell4/37Cabbage 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.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou5/37Cheesy 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.
Photo by David Loftus6/37Bombay Rolls
These easy pastry rolls are filled with fresh green chutney, and grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova7/37Cheese 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.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou8/37Kue 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.
Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott9/37Baked Three-Cheese Onion Dip With Chive and Pepperoncini
This beloved dip boasts all the beauty of a creamy onion dip with the irresistible appeal of queso. Mayonnaise and Monterey Jack boost the creaminess—get your crackers or tortilla chips ready to dive in.
Photo by Amy Neunsinger10/37Asparagus and Fontina Quiche
Ribbons of asparagus and two kinds of cheese make this spring quiche feel special for brunch—or dinner.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Anna Hampton11/37Cheesy Potato Soup With Bacon
This hearty homemade potato soup is one of our favorite cheddar recipes, and it all gets finished with a shower of crispy bacon.
Photo by Heami Lee, Food Styling by Victoria Granof, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka12/37Classic Cheese Ball
Everyone loves a cheese ball. This retro favorite brings cream cheese, cheddar, Brie, and Worcestershire sauce to the party.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne13/37Apple-Cheddar Dutch Baby
A little savory, a little sweet, and totally fun to eat at any time of day.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton14/37Horsey Goat
This easy, spreadable blend of fresh goat cheese, horseradish, and heavy cream is as fun to eat as it is to say.




Matthew Zuras

Rachel Gurjar
