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.
A decadent mixture of Gruyère, garlic, wine, and kirsch is scooped onto bread rounds and fried until golden and crisp outside, gooey inside. Penny De Los Santos
Coiled strands of spaghetti soak up a creamy sauce in these delectable fried ham and cheese fritters. Matt Taylor-Gross
A buttery pistachio puree bolsters this mortadella and mozzarella pizza. Todd Coleman
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. Ingalls Photography
Crispy breading encases gooey melted mozzarella cheese in this classic appetizer. Farideh Sadeghin
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. Matt Taylor-Gross
An unabashedly savory collage of french-fried potatoes, beef gravy, and squeaky-fresh cheese curds, poutine is perhaps the ultimate late-night snack. Maxime Iattoni
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. Matt Taylor-Gross
The buttery, creamy indulgence of mashed potatoes meets the visceral joy of digging into a baked potato in this iconic side dish. Todd Coleman
Simply bread your chicken (you could use veal or eggplant instead), fry it, layer with some easy homemade red sauce and mozzarella, and bake. Farideh Sadeghin
These are reminiscent of pizza, but deep-fried and portable. SAVEUR
For this hearty dip, we found that frozen artichoke hearts held up better than jarred ones. Farideh Sadeghin
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. Matt Taylor-Gross
This simple, comforting root vegetable gratin is perfumed with fragrant thyme and bay leaves before being baked with a bubbly Gruyère crust Anders Schonnemann
This dish represents the best of Ireland: sea, dairy, and spud. Romulo Yanes
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. Matt Taylor Gross
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. Todd Coleman
This classic gratin dauphinois, or scalloped potatoes, is one of our favorite comfort foods. Vanessa Rees
