Whether we're talking stringy, melted mozzarella, salty aged Parmesan or silky blue Stilton, there's something utterly irresistible about cheese. From comforting classics to new ideas, plus a few desserts, too, read on to discover the cheese recipes you need in your life.
Love cheese with everything? Click or scroll through our gallery to discover delicious recipes where this versatile ingredient takes a starring role.
A pithivier might sound fancy, but we’re here to tell you that this is dish simple to put together and tastes sensational. For a veggie pie that everyone will love, layers of creamy potato, caramelised onion, sweet butternut squash and oozy gruyere cheese are encased in flaky pastry. We like to serve this indulgent dish with a peppery rocket salad on the side, to cut through the richness.
Get the recipe for butternut squash, potato and cheese pithivier here
Bread and butter pudding, but not as you know it. This thrifty, utterly delicious dish sees caramelised onions, pieces of Camembert and garlic butter–brushed bread layered together and covered with a savoury custard (featuring clotted cream, no less). The dish is then baked in the oven until golden brown and bubbling, for a real treat of a meal.
Get the recipe for Camembert and caramelised onion bread and butter pudding here
This dreamy comfort food dish pairs sharp, tangy blue cheese with tender potatoes, shallots and earthy mushrooms. It’s great served as a hearty lunch with a side salad, and any leftovers will taste fantastic the following day.
Halloumi is utterly delicious when grilled, fried or baked, but also makes a fantastic replacement for paneer in this simple, fragrant curry. For a meal that all the family will enjoy, it’s served with fluffy white rice and a zesty coconut sambal.
An indulgent recipe that’s packed with flavour and texture, this stunning dish combines smoky roasted red peppers, slightly spicy 'nduja (which falls apart in the hot oven) and smooth, creamy burrata. Serve with hunks of warm ciabatta, for mopping up all those delicious juices.
This colourful winter salad matches sweet butternut squash with a piquant, soft blue cheese and nutty chestnut mushrooms. It's simple to put together and works well on its own or served as a side. Feel free to match the strength of the blue cheese used to your personal preference. You could also swap the wild rocket for spinach, if you like.
Get the recipe for warm butternut squash salad with blue cheese here
Fabulously cheesy, crispy-topped and served piping hot: this might just be the ultimate comfort food. Our recipe combines cauliflower and white beans with plenty of mature Cheddar and a crispy breadcrumb topping. It's especially brilliant when the weather is colder, or whenever you need a bowl of food that soothes your soul.
Get the recipe for cauliflower cheese and white bean bake here
Where would a risotto be without cheese? In our eyes, the mantecare process (where butter and cheese are beaten into the rice, to achieve that creamy texture) is one of the most important of them all – get that bit right and you’re well on the way to a sensational risotto. The recipe below is hearty, comforting and full of flavour, thanks to the sweet, nutty Comté, earthy butternut squash and aromatic sage.
Get the recipe for butternut squash, sage and Comté risotto here
Take your roast chicken to the next level with this irresistibly buttery, cheesy sauce. The Parmesan adds masses of flavour to the thick sauce, which is lifted by fresh herbs and lemon juice and zest. We promise you won't want to go back to gravy after trying this recipe.
Get the recipe for roast chicken with lemon, herb and Parmesan butter here
Västerbotten is a flavourful, hard Swedish cheese that’s delicious enjoyed both on its own and incorporated into dishes. In this stunning mushroom pie recipe, it lends a salty-sweet note – you could use mature Cheddar or Parmesan for a similar effect. Serve warm from the oven with a crisp green salad and we think everyone will be very happy indeed.
Tender potatoes, smoky lardons and piping hot, melt-in-the-mouth reblochon cheese – what’s not to love about this recipe for tartiflette savoyarde? This classic gratin has winter warmer written all over it, and thanks a few clever twists, is easy to prepare, too. Serve with a warm baguette and dressed green salad for an indulgent and delicious main meal.
Get the recipe for James Martin’s tartiflette savoyarde here
Inspired by the galettes so popular in Brittany, western France, these light and lacy savoury crêpes are made with buckwheat flour. Served filled with creamy goats’ cheese, subtly sweet fig jam and slightly smoky ham they’re just the thing for a brunch to remember.
A classic combo that brings all the comfort food feels to the table, this quick and easy cheese and ham pie proves once again what a time-saver shop-bought pastry can be. Cook the pie until the pastry is crisp and golden and the cheese melting and you’ll be in for a real treat.
Another ready-made pastry that's worth buying is filo. In this cheesy recipe, which is based on the Greek classic spanakopita, spinach is combined with salty feta and crumbly ricotta. The generously seasoned filling is then baked in a crunchy filo pastry case.
A lovely dish to cook for lunch, this savoury tart is a breeze to make and sees creamy goats' cheese, earthy beetroot and peppery rocket all arranged on a shop-bought puff pastry base. Make sure you buy ready-cooked, vacuum-packed beetroot for minimal effort and maximum reward.
Get the recipe for beetroot, goats' cheese and thyme tart here
Paneer is a mild Indian cheese that holds its shape during cooking, so is a great vegetarian substitute for meat in dishes like curry. In this easy one-pan dish, paneer is fried off with spices, onion, ginger and garlic, then tomatoes and peas (frozen are fine) are added. Serve with chapattis for a wholesome, warming meal.
Paneer is also great at taking on other flavours. In this recipe, it’s coated in a spicy tikka paste before being seared over a high heat and threaded onto skewers with peppers and onions. The kebabs are served accompanied by a fresh and zingy coriander and mint chutney.
Get the recipe for tikka paneer with coriander and mint chutney here
If you thought you couldn’t get better than grilled halloumi, think again. Coated in flour and deep-fried, the semi-hard, salty cheese is even more delicious. Serve your gorgeously golden halloumi fries with a fresh and zippy fattoush salad to cut through the richness of the cheese.
This one-pot wonder is an easy veggie take on lasagne, featuring mushrooms, courgette and spinach. Parmesan and mozzarella are stirred through the sauce, with some reserved for scattering over the top. The cooked dish is flashed under the grill for a perfectly golden, melty cheesy finish.
This simple yet sensational one-pan recipe for chicken with pesto and Taleggio is finished with a generous sprinkling of crispy breadcrumbs at the end. Taleggio works especially well in this recipe; it's a semi-soft cheese with a mild flavour and an unusual fruity tang, which pairs well with the pesto and tomatoes.
Get the recipe for chicken with pesto, Taleggio and roasted tomatoes here
These little Swedish breads are perfect served warm with a generous smear of butter. Spelt is an old variety of wheat – if you can't find it, use wholemeal flour instead. The buns take a bit of time, with proving and rising, but are well worth the effort; cubes of apple and cheese melt into the bread dough as it's baking, for a lovely sweet and savoury note.
Cheese toasties are an undisputed comfort food classic, and this two-cheese recipe is an absolute keeper. Here salty Parmesan and creamy Cheddar combine with fiery jalapeños for a simple sandwich that really is a cut above the rest.
Get the recipe for jalapeño, Cheddar and Parmesan cheese toasties here
These little tarts are filled with a creamy mix of mascarpone, wafer-thin ham and salty, nutty Stilton. Perfect party food, you can use ready-made shortcrust pastry to save on time and bake your tartlets 24 hours ahead – just reheat them in a hot oven for about 15 minutes before serving. If you don't have Stilton to hand, you can use any blue cheese you like, or even swap it for a mature Cheddar.
Cauliflower cheese is a classic comfort food. Make it a pie and add some spice and you have next-level comfort food. Feel free to combine a few different cheeses – Parmesan will give a deeper, more umami-rich flavour, while a milder goats’ cheese should mellow things out nicely.
These tender dumplings made from ricotta and flour require a little effort, but once you've got the technique down, you'll be richly rewarded. They're best served as they are, topped with nothing more than a trickle of melted butter and a generous grating of Parmesan.
This comforting fennel and leek bake sees plenty of salty Parmesan melted into a rich double cream sauce. Our advice? Serve as is, with plenty of fresh bread to mop up the moreish cheese sauce or offer as an accompaniment to a roast chicken dinner.
Nothing screams comfort food more than crispy potato skins bearing mounds of mashed potato. Simple, delicious and filling, this recipe sees the skins stuffed with mash, crumbled feta and chopped spring onions but feel free to adapt the flavours and ingredients according to what you have available.
Get the recipe for feta and spring onion–stuffed potato skins here
Take the stress out of hosting with this easy three-ingredient canapé idea. Ripe figs are baked with tangy goats' cheese and honey for a sweet and savoury combination that guests will find irresistible. To turn the canapés into a sophisticated starter, simply serve on piles of rocket leaves drizzled with a balsamic glaze.
Packed full of green veg, this comforting dish is a great way to reach your five-a-day. Its best to use linguine, so that the crème fraiche sauce can cling to the tendrils of pasta. Served with grated Parmesan – to bring umami flavour – the dish is finished with lemon zest for freshness.
Get the recipe for broccoli, spinach and Param Ham pasta here
With tender sweet potatoes, creamy feta and sweetened red onions, this frittata boasts an array of epic flavours and textures. It’s also simple to make and only calls for easy-to-source ingredients. You can even use goats' cheese or ricotta instead of the feta if you wish. Serve hot from the pan or at room temperature, and if you end up with any leftovers, they’re delicious the next day.
Get the recipe for sweet potato, feta and red onion frittata here
At a glance, these pastries look challenging, but it’s time and detail that this recipe call for, rather than complicated processes. Filled with cheese sauce, smoked ham and tender asparagus spears, they’re a perfect light lunch, snack or afternoon tea treat.
Stuffed with potatoes, pickled jalapeños and streaky bacon, as well as plenty of Cheddar, this sourdough toastie is a properly indulgent treat (the sandwich itself is fried in the fat left behind from cooking the bacon). We advise serving hot from the pan, with a pile of napkins.
This French dish is famously made with apples but works incredibly well with onions too. In another twist on tradition, this version is also vegan; the sweetness of the caramelised onions are a delight with the dairy-free puff pastry and the smoked, dairy-free Cheddar. For this recipe you will need a deep, ovenproof frying pan with a lid and a board that will fit tightly over the pan.
A Canadian classic that’s adored around the world, poutine is incredibly indulgent. Perfectly crispy fries are topped with lashings of gravy and, of course, cheese curds. Originating from Québec, but also popular in parts of the US, especially Wisconsin, cheese curds are moist pieces of curdled milk. In the UK, you can order them from speciality shops or use good-quality buffalo mozzarella instead.
A good quiche recipe should be in everyone's repertoire. In this version, broccoli and buttery Gorgonzola complement each other beautifully and a pinch of chilli flakes adds a slight kick. The recipe uses shop-bought puff pastry for the base, so all you need to do is pile on the veg and cheese and bake.
Here smoked Gouda and salty, savoury Parmesan take regular cauli cheese to the next level. Panko breadcrumbs are sprinkled over the dish before it's baked, for a crispy, golden topping. You could use another smoked creamy cheese like mozzarella if you can't find smoked Gouda.
Get the recipe for cauliflower and smoked cheese gratin here
Oozing cheese and crispy bread might be a classic combo, but this recipe takes the original idea and makes it that bit more special. A whole brie is smothered with sweet fig jam, before being baked in an edible sourdough bowl. To serve, bring to the table as is and allow diners to tear and share, dip and dunk to their heart’s content.
Hot, gooey melted cheese and freshly toasted bread equals simple comfort food at its finest. Here we suggest upgrading your regular grilled cheese sandwich by giving it a spicy chilli twist and serving with homemade coriander chutney. You won't regret it.
A strong contender for the ultimate cheesy recipe, we couldn't leave mac 'n' cheese out of this fromage-focused collection. Sharp, mature Cheddar might be king in a classic mac 'n' cheese sauce but for a more intense flavour, try combining a few different cheeses. Gouda melts beautifully and has a subtle nutty taste, salty Gruyère helps cut through the heavy fats and cream cheese makes for a perfectly smooth sauce.
As much as we love the classic, mac 'n' cheese can be adapted and added to as you please. Being such an economical, family-friendly dish, sneaking in a few extra veggies just makes sense – cauliflower works really well, as do leeks and peas. In this recipe though, butternut squash adds a certain sweetness to the savoury cheese sauce and sprigs of thyme provide a nice aromatic note.
A sure-fire winner with all ages, this fun recipe sees blitzed up cheese puffs mixed in with the macaroni, turning the dish bright orange and adding an incredibly savoury, tangy layer of flavour. A topping made from breadcrumbs, grated cheese and yet more cheese puffs ensures this mac 'n' cheese has plenty of crunch and texture too.
Cheese isn't just for savoury dishes; there are plenty of cheeses, like mascarpone and cream cheese, that are ideal in desserts. In this easy take on a classic tiramisù, smooth, full-fat mascarpone is combined with double cream for an especially luscious filling.
An all-American classic, the baked cheesecake is right up there as one of the best desserts in the world. This decadent recipe sees a filling made from cream cheese, sour cream and double cream topped with irresistible banana fritter bites and berries.
Get the recipe for American cheesecake with banana fritters here
This gorgeous-looking cake is light, moist and rich. The sponge is made from a combination of ground almonds and plain flour and, once baked, it’s infused with pomegranate molasses (using the same technique as you would with a lemon drizzle cake). A layer of creamy mascarpone icing and scattering of jewel-like pomegranate seeds ensure this is a cake to remember.
This indulgent dessert is super simple to make but looks (and tastes) sensational. Silky melted white chocolate is folded through a classic cheesecake mix and the finished cake is decorated with white chocolate shavings.
Get the recipe for white chocolate cheesecake here
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Last updated by Emily Shardlow-Price.