This grilled cheese includes Aleppo pepper, which adds a dimension of spiciness to balance the tangy sourdough bread and the creamy mozzarella.

The standard American dish is transformed into an elegant entree with lobster and a splash of brandy.

In this bulked-up version of the classic side dish creamed spinach, chard replaces spinach and Gorgonzola adds depth and a creamier texture.

Simply bread your chicken (you could use veal or eggplant instead), fry it, layer with some easy homemade red sauce and mozzarella, and bake. Get the recipe for Easy Chicken Parmesan »

A decadent mixture of Gruyère, garlic, wine, and kirsch is scooped onto bread rounds and fried to perfection—golden and crisp outside, gooey inside. Get the recipe for Swiss Fondue Fritters (Malakoffs) »

Buffalo chicken khachapuri

Pecans lightly brushed with egg whites are baked into cheesy, buttery wafers with a touch of chile flakes. Get the recipe for Pecan Cheese Wafers »

Ocean Bleu @ Gino’s in Newport, Oregon, uses Dungeness crab for this indulgent cheese dip, but snow or jumbo lump crabmeat works just as well.

This layered no-cook appetizer from former test kitchen assistant Eliza Martin features a sweet core of dried apricot coated in tangy goat cheese and then rolled in a savory mixture of crushed pistachios and fresh herbs. The finger-friendly “truffles” can be made up to 2 days before serving and stored in the refrigerator, making them the perfect hors d’oeuvres for the busy host or hostess. Get the recipe for Goat Cheese and Apricot Truffles »

Matt Taylor-Gross

In the 1950s, pickled jalapeños were sold whole or in strips; the now-familiar rings became available, not coincidentally, after nachos gained national popularity. Today, supermarkets offer an array of tortilla chips, shredded cheeses, and salsas, all intended to ease preparation of this Tex-Mex classic. This recipe brings us back to the joys of a simpler nacho. Get the recipe for Nachos »

The foundation of this creamy casserole is a classic mornay sauce, a béchamel sauce to which cheese has been added—in this case, comté, a French cheese with a complex, nutty flavor that melts beautifully. With lots of freshly grated nutmeg to season it and a golden, crunchy breadcrumb topping, it’s a luscious, satisfying side dish for the Thanksgiving table. The dish comes from Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bistro, in the Napa Valley, where the staff makes it as part of their annual Thanksgiving dinner for veterans and their families.

Labneh, a thick strained yogurt, is the base for this vanilla-spiked tart.