Say ‘Cheese’ to 135 of Our Cheesiest Recipes

Making fresh farmer’s cheese is simple using an edible acid to separate the milk solids (curds) from the liquid (whey). Super versatile, this fresh soft cheese is similar in flavor to cottage cheese with a drier and crumblier texture and can be used as a spread, a filling or a dip, and works in both sweet and savory dishes. For a version using distilled white vinegar, check out Edible Alaska’s Farmer’s Cheese recipe. Or if you’d prefer to try your hand with lemon juice, Edible Boston’s Fresh Farmers Cheese will guide the way—and it includes a recipe for socca, a classic Provençal flatbread made with chickpea flour, to enjoy it with.

Image: Farmers Cheese, Edible Alaska

The sweet, earthy flavors of caramelized onions and roasted garlic go so well with tangy goat cheese in Edible Boston’s Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Bread, and you need no condiments to go through the whole loaf though you can never go wrong with bread and butter. Edible Michiana’s Savory Black Walnut and Cheddar Quick Bread is another delicious loaf that needs nothing, but for a sweet and savory treat slather on your favorite fruit jam or add a drizzle of honey.

Image: Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Bread, Edible Boston

Edible Madison’s Brazilian Pão de Queijo has us edging toward obsession—once you start eating one of these naturally gluten-free chewy, crisp-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside, cheesy, milky and salty rolls of utter perfection, it is nearly impossible to stop until the whole lot of them are gone. (If you plan on sharing, you’ve been warned!) If you prefer a breadier bite-size cheese bun, try Edible Sarasota’s Petits Choux au Fromage. The same warning applies.

Image: Brazilian Pão de Queijo, Edible Madison

Buttery and cheesy? Yes, please. While we love a sweet scone, these cheesy savory versions may be even more satisfying—though some jam wouldn’t be amiss. Edible Michiana’s Savory Cheese and Herb Cream Scones with prosciutto, Gruyère and sharp cheddar cheese, green onions and dill are great for any time of day. Shared by Edible Vancouver Island, these Apple & Aged-Cheddar Scones from Thyme for Dessert hit the perfect sweet-savory-buttery balance to end a meal. And for lunch we love these Cheesy Mushroom Thyme Scones from Love Your Lunches, great on its own but try adding a layer of homemade ricotta cheese and thank us later.

Image: Savory Cheese and Herb Cream Scones, Edible Michigan

Traditionally served during Hanukkah, Edible Boston’s Syrniki cheese pancakes are delicious any time of year. Typically made with Tvorog, a crumbly dry farmer’s cheese, you can use drained ricotta instead. Sweet, savory with a spicy kick, Edible Monterey Bay’s White Cheddar and Jalapeño Pancakes get lovely texture and additional sweetness from the cornmeal. Edible Ojai & Ventura County’s Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes are like dessert for breakfast (but healthier). But if you’re more the French toast sort, Edible Cape Cod’s Blueberry-Stuffed Cream Cheese French Toast is made custardy, cream cheesy and sweet with a sweet cream cheese filling, maple cream cheese sauce and blueberries (fresh or jam).

Image: Syrniki, Edible Boston

Frittatas are easy and endlessly customizable. Our two requirements are eggs and whatever cheese we have on hand. This recipe provides a formula that helps set the ingredient ratios but the specifics are up to you. Choose goat cheese (such as chèvre) or feta for tangy and salty flavors that balance beautifully with eggs and leafy greens. Creamy and milky mozzarella, fontina or ricotta play nice with everybody and offer excellent balance for bolder flavors. For nutty notes try Gruyère, Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, Gouda or Manchego. And for a sharp bold cheesy flavor, cheddar is king. 

Recipe from Edible New Mexico

Creamy, just the right amount of tangy, lighter than most cheese dips and the perfect foil for veggies, breads or crackers, labneh makes a brilliant dip. Edible Northeast Florida’s Spicy Herbed Labneh spruces up the cheese with a traditional dagga (or salsa). Take the Asian approach with Edible Boston’s Cucumbers in Labne with Chili-Sesame Dressing and Fried Shallots. Or brighten it up with Edible Dallas & Fort Worth’s Labne Herb Dip with Scallion Oil.

Image: Spicy Herbed Labneh, Edible Northeast Florida

Shamelessly indulgent, these dips cut no corners on taste. Edible Alaska’s Beer and Cheese Dip is packed with bold cheesy, tangy, creamy and hoppy flavor. Warm, gooey and extra cheesy, Edible Ottawa’s Creamy Caramelized Onion Dip combines three kinds of cheese (Brie, cream cheese, Gruyère) with sweet caramelized onions, balanced with chili oil and a little bit of lemon zest and juice. If fine dining offered onion dip, you’d find this version on the menu.

Image: Beer and Cheese Dip, Edible Alaska

Savory, earthy yet light, Edible Vancouver Island’s Caramelized Goat Cheese and Garlic Panna Cotta is elegant proof that panna cotta is not just for dessert. Edible Sea to Sky’s Whipped Feta Spread with Hot Honey bursts with creamy, tangy, herby, sweet and nutty flavor with a bit of heat (and includes a recipe for sweet-and-savory rosemary rye crackers). If you’re from the South it’s all about pimento cheese and Sean Brock’s Pimento Cheese Dip from Heritage, shared by Edible Nashville, has the perfect kick. And Edible Madison’s Herby Cottage Cheese Dip proves the versatility of cottage cheese in all kinds of dishes, sweet or savory.

Image: Whipped Feta Spread with Hot Honey, Edible Sea to Sky

Impromptu guests? Bake the cheese for an easy crowd-pleasing appetizer or a little something to go with the wine. From the maven of vegetarian cooking, Deborah Madison, this Baked Ricotta Infused with Thyme from In My Kitchen is simple and elegant, and almost embarrassingly easy to make. The melty goodness of Edible New Mexico’s Queso Fundido is our game-night go-to. And Edible Asheville’s Honey Baked Brie dresses brie up for a party with sweet dried fruits and honey.

Image: Baked Ricotta Infused with Thyme, In My Kitchen

Burrata can be enjoyed as an appetizer on its own or it can also be paired with other seasonal ingredients to make a beautifully refined dish. Good year round but especially warm weather, Edible San Diego’s Beet Carpaccio with Burrata and Pistachios soaks sweet and earthy beets in a sweet-and-tangy marinade to pair with milky and creamy burrata and pistachios for a beautifully balanced appetizer. And bookmark Edible WOW’s Burrata with Crispy Butternut Squash, Pomegranate Molasses and Walnuts to enjoy in the fall and through the holidays.

Image: Beet Carpaccio with Burrata, Edible San Diego

The classic cheese toast gets the Cali and rarebit treatment with the addition of butter and mustard to California cheese and beer in Edible Silicon Valley’s California Rarebit Toasts. For the sweet appetizer lovers, Edible WOW’s Fruit and Cheese Crostini combines cream cheese with sweet strawberries and bright lemon curd and juice. Deep, earthy and rich, Edible Santa Barbara’s Wild Mushroom and Taleggio Crostini go double the cheese with a goat cheese spread and melted Taleggio on top.

Image: California Rarebit Toasts, Edible Silicon Valley

These grilled cheeses are loaded with cross-cultural flavors. Tangy and spicy Korean kimchi, gooey cheese and toasty bread come together in Edible Rhody’s Kimchi Grilled Cheese. Sweet Italian peppers are the flavor booster in Edible Madison’s Roasted Carmen Pepper Pimento Grilled Cheese With Sweet Onions & Apple Butter and in Edible Sarasota’s Sweet Corn and Calabrian Chili Grilled Cheese. And caramelized sweet onions and Gruyère cheese give Edible Jersey’s French Onion Grilled Cheese a taste that’s reminiscent of the classic French soup. 

Image: Kimchi Grilled Cheese, Edible Rhody

Edible Northeast Florida’s Blackberry Chia Jam Grilled Cheese balances Colby cheese with homemade blackberry chia jam for a sweet-savory treat with loads of texture. The Apricot Grilled Cheese Sandwich from Pulp (shared by Edible WOW) combines and contrasts brie-style cheese with sweet apricots on a grainy pumpernickel bread. Edible Michiana’s Blackberry, Bacon and Basil Grilled Cheese adds the tart sweetness of blackberries smashed with lemon juice to give a contrasting balance to the savory components while the basil adds an interestingly herbaceous note. And an award-winning recipe, The Speakeasy Grilled Cheese, shared by Edible Madison goes full blast on flavor with a full variety of sweet and savory ingredients.

Image: Blackberry Chia Jam Grilled Cheese, Edible Northeast Florida

Ham and cheese have international icon status as a pair and these recipes will not disappoint. Edible San Diego’s Three-Ingredient Ham & Cheese Sandwiches shows that local ingredients instantly elevate any recipe. Edible Sarasota’s Croque Madame is a French classic bistro brunch ham and cheese sandwich with an egg on top (leave off the egg for a Croque Monsieur). And who can resist a Cubano, the grilled ham-and-cheese sandwich variant that originated with Cuban immigrants in Florida? Level up with Edible Ojai & Ventura County’s Decker Kitchen Cubano Sandwich, with homemade pork roast (the “ham”).

Image: Three-Ingredient Ham & Cheese Sandwiches, Edible San Diego

With a name like quesadilla there’s no hiding your cheesy nature. Edible Boston’s Zucchini and Summer Squash Quesadillas are filled with cheese and a zucchini and summer squash mixture seasoned with oregano and garlic and accompanied by a salsa made of grilled poblano chile, zucchini and tomatillos. Edible Marin & Wine Country’s Quesadillas with Spicy Tomatillo Salsa are filled with requeson cheese, huitlacoche (corn fungus), epazote leaves, tomatillos and peppers—all melted together is gooey goodness. Go tasty and fun with Edible Sarasota’s Spinach & Mushroom Waffle Quesadillas and meld the flavors together with a waffle maker.

Image: Quesadillas with Spicy Tomatillo Salsa, Edible Marin & Wine Country

We can’t talk about cheese recipes without talking Mac ‘n’ Cheese and these four are all about the cheese. Edible Sarasota’s Nurse Wendy’s Skip a Beat Mac-n-Cheese is a cheese lover’s dream with four types of cheeses. Edible OKC’s Creamy 3-Cheese Mac calls for a variety of three white cheeses, from cow-milk to sheep-milk cheeses, for an especially creamy and melty mac-n-cheese. And a famed California cheese region gives the inspiration and a range of semi-hard to soft cheeses for Edible Marin & Wine Country’s Sonoma Mac & Cheese.

Image: Nurse Wendy’s Skip a Beat Mac-n-Cheese, Edible Sarasota

When your local bounty includes seafood, of course you should add it to your favorite comfort dish. Edible Alaska’s Seafood Macaroni & Cheese calls for Dungeness crab, shrimp, scallops, smoked salmon—or whatever seafood you have on hand. Edible Delmarva’s Crab Mac and Cheese makes the most of the Chesapeake Bay’s most famous crustacean, the blue crab. And while Vermont may be landlocked, a drive to its New England neighbor makes the lobster in Edible Vermont’s Todd Darrah’s Royal Surf and Turf Mac & Cheese as local as it gets.

Image: Seafood Macaroni & Cheese, Edible Alaska

Edible Boston’s Carrot Macaroni & Cheese is a “Kraft-macaroni-and-cheese”–looking dish with more nutritious ingredients that also tastes better. Edible Delmarva’s Pumpkin-Pecan Mac and Cheese is our go-to fall comfort recipe. No time to hit the store and all you have is a few remaining staples? Edible Maine’s Retro Mac & Cheese with Stewed Tomatoes leans into pantry ingredients that you are likely to have at home.

Image: Pumpkin-Pecan Mac and Cheese, Edible Delmarva

Edible San Fernando Valley’s Lasagna Love Meat Lasagna calls for a ricotta filling with ground beef or ground turkey (or a mix of both) and three kinds of cheese for a lasagna that oozes flavor. Deep, meaty and tomato-y bolognese is balanced by layers of cheese and creamy béchamel sauce in Edible Sarasota’s Lasagna Bolognese. And if you prefer a lasagna with no tomato sauce, the Lasagna del Bosco shared by Edible Madison is filled with the rich flavors of Italian sausage, Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheeses and earthy mushrooms. 

Image: Lasagna Love Meat Lasagna, Edible San Fernando Valley

These rustic tarts may look fancy but they come together quickly with premade dough. Edible Ottawa’s Caramelized Onion, Apple and Ricotta Galette is naturally sweet and made savory, with a layer of melted Gruyère covering the top. Edible Boston’s Asparagus, Baby Spinach and Ricotta Galette with Burrata and Sumac is a vibrant medley of flavors in each bite. With just a little more time, give Edible Madison’s Cherry Tomato & Goat Cheese Galette with sourdough (no leavening required) a try for an additional savory note.

Image: Caramelized Onion, Apple and Ricotta Galette, Edible Ottawa

Edible WOW’s Spinach and Feta Pie (Spanakopita) is baked golden brown with perfectly crispy layers of phyllo dough and a savory spinach and feta cheese filling. Super versatile, spanakopitas can be eaten as breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack—and can be eaten hot right out of the oven, warm or at room temperature. If you prefer it a bit heartier and your cheese more gooey, Edible South Florida’s Polly-O Three-Cheese Calzone uses spinach and three cheeses (ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella), with a tomato sauce that balances the rich cheeses. 

Image: Spanakopita, Edible WOW

The Bastion Herb Cheesecake Tomato Tart shared by Edible Dallas & Fort Worth heaps on the cheese with cream cheese as well as Gruyère, Romano and Parmesan cheeses. Rich and earthy mushrooms are balanced with creamy and tangy goat cheese in Edible Asheville’s Mushroom & Goat Cheese Tart. And Edible New Mexico’s Savory Cheese Tart with Onion and Mushroom is a beautifully savory puff pastry tart with jammy caramelized onions, earthy shiitake mushrooms and a mix of Asiago and sharp white cheddar cheeses. 

Image: The Bastion Herb Cheesecake Tomato Tart, Edible Dallas & Fort Worth

A sweet twist on scalloped potatoes, Edible Monterey Bay’s Creamy, Cheesy Scalloped Sweet Potatoes is impressive enough for a gathering but also easy enough for weeknights. A brilliant side or a hearty main vegetarian course, Edible Boston’s Custardy Leeks and Carrots with Gruyère brings together heaps of fragrant leeks and shredded carrots, bound together with eggs and crème fraîche, which is then baked with nutty Gruyère.

Image: Custardy Leeks and Carrots, Edible Boston

A side or vegetarian main course, well-seasoned roasted vegetables with a bit of heat are served over a decadently creamy whipped feta in this Harissa Roasted Veggies with Whipped Feta from What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking shared by Edible Monterey Bay. Also a brilliant vegetarian main course or side dish (cube the feta), Edible Rhody’s Seeded Feta with Roasted Vegetables and Tahini Sauce balances the tangy feta with nutty seeds and tahini sauce. Easy and flexible, this Cheesy Roasted Broccoli is all creamy, cheesy goodness with no fuss.

Image: Cheesy Roasted Broccoli, Edible Communities

Edible San Diego’s Sourdough Cheese Crackers make the perfect cheesy no-guilt homemade snacks for adults and kids, made better with fun cutout shapes like goldfish. A softer, thicker cracker flavor-packed with herbes de Provence and aged cheese, Edible Santa Barbara’s Herbes de Provence Cheese Crackers are delicious for snacking or as an accompaniment to wine. Great as a snack, served at a cocktail party or a savory end to a meal, Edible Boston’s Irish Cheese Biscuits are easy to make and can be frozen, allowing you to make more, and in advance.

Image: Sourdough Cheese Crackers, Edible San Diego

Sweet, savory and deliciously sophisticated, this Blue Honey Ice Cream shared by Edible Marin & Wine Country is made sweet with terroir reflecting local honey, made savory with a Roquefort blue cheese and a pinch of black pepper and made complete with the accompanying sugared brioche and caramel-cured egg yolks. Super refreshing and fun, Edible Madison’s Black Raspberry Cheesecake Shake is thick, creamy and custardy, made with milk, cream cheese and frozen custard.

Image: Blue Honey Ice Cream, Edible Marin & Wine Country

A crustless cheesecake celebrated for its caramelized top and custardy center, Edible Michiana’s Basque Goat Cheese Cake brings a tangy twist by blending in goat cheese with the traditional cream cheese. Tangy goat cheese is balanced by the rich and warm crust and sauce in Edible Madison’s Chèvre Cheesecake with Cardamom Shortbread and Butterscotch Sauce. A light cake with a hint of sweetness and a lemony zing, Edible Nutmeg’s Goat Cheese Cake is perfect for a hot summer day. And a showstopper of a cake, Edible Delmarva’s Muscadine Marbled Cheesecake combines goat and cream cheeses with regional muscadine grapes for a tart-sweet creamy beauty of a cake.

Image: Basque Goat Cheese Cake, Edible Michiana

Sweet and tangy balsamic vinegar enhances the sweet creaminess in Edible WOW’s Strawberry Balsamic Mascarpone Pie. The traditionally sweet blueberry pie takes a savory turn with goat cheese and basil in Edible Delmarva’s Blueberry Goat Cheese Pie. Nutty and slightly sharp Asiago gives this Apple-Asiago Pie from Simply Organic, shared by Edible Silicon Valley, a unique savory twist perfect for those who like to end a meal with a savory, not-too-sweet note.

Image: Strawberry Balsamic Mascarpone Pie, Edible WOW