MATT TAYLOR-GROSS

18 Dishes that Are All About Melted Cheese

Because nothing’s better

Published on March 18, 2019

From queso to poutine to deep-fried spaghetti, ham, and mozzarella fritters, these dishes highlight cheese in its best form: melted. To the dairy-averse, this is our official warning to avert your eyes.

Swiss Fondue Fritters (Malakoffs)

A decadent mixture of Gruyère, garlic, wine, and kirsch is scooped onto bread rounds and fried until golden and crisp outside, gooey inside.

Ham & Smoked Mozzarella Fritters

Coiled strands of spaghetti soak up a creamy sauce in these delectable fried ham and cheese fritters.

ADVERTISEMENTAD

Pistachio and Mortadella Pizza (Pizza Pistacchio e Mortadella)

A buttery pistachio puree bolsters this mortadella and mozzarella pizza.

Chicken & Broccoli Rabe Stromboli

Most stromboli recipes call for pizza dough, but the secret to the crispy crust on this baked roll is Italian bread dough—and plenty of the gooey stuff.

Mozzarella Sticks

ADVERTISEMENTAD

Crispy breading encases gooey melted mozzarella cheese in this classic appetizer.

Chile con Queso

With both serrano chiles and jalapeños, the dip has a bright spiciness that cuts through the richness of two cheeses. The tangy sour cream added at the end brings it over the top.

Poutine

An unabashedly savory collage of french-fried potatoes, beef gravy, and squeaky-fresh cheese curds, poutine is perhaps the ultimate late-night snack.

ADVERTISEMENTAD

Mexican Ricotta Croquettes

Requeson (Mexican ricotta) and a variety of other Mexican cheeses to make these craveable croquettes. Serve them with a sweet and smoky chipotle-honey salsa.

Twice-Baked Potatoes

The buttery, creamy indulgence of mashed potatoes meets the visceral joy of digging into a baked potato in this iconic side dish.

Easy Chicken Parmigiana

ADVERTISEMENTAD

Simply bread your chicken (you could use veal or eggplant instead), fry it, layer with some easy homemade red sauce and mozzarella, and bake.

Fresh Tomato & Mozzarella Panzerotti

These are reminiscent of pizza, but deep-fried and portable.

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

For this hearty dip, we found that frozen artichoke hearts held up better than jarred ones.

ADVERTISEMENTAD

Beer Cheese Soup

This Wisconsin-inspired soup has been traded and tweaked over the years into its current state: a thick, cheddar-based soup cut through with piquant Gorgonzola.

Celery Root, Carrot, and Potato Gratin

This simple, comforting root vegetable gratin is perfumed with fragrant thyme and bay leaves before being baked with a bubbly Gruyère crust

Smoked Haddock & Cheddar Mash

ADVERTISEMENTAD

This dish represents the best of Ireland: sea, dairy, and spud.

Korean Rice Cakes with Pork Belly and Cheddar

Ddukbokki, or spicy rice cakes, gets an oh-so-American layer of melted cheddar for a stroke of fusion brilliance that recalls nachos as much as Korean cooking.

Fried Pizza with Marinara Sauce (Pizza Montanara Starita)

This signature pizza of both Naples' Starita and New York City's Don Antonio pizzerias is at first fried, then slathered in marinara before it is quickly baked to melt the mozzarella.

ADVERTISEMENTAD