The 42 Best Recipes To Make With Cheddar Cheese
Cheddar cheese is ... well, it's delicious, and adding a little cheddar to your favorite recipes can take them from ho-hum to "give me more!" in a flash. The creamy, sharp, salty, and slightly bitter flavor that cheddar is known for adds a distinct tang to recipes, and is especially good paired with vegetables, pasta, rice, and potatoes. It also goes nicely with proteins like steak and eggs.
There are different "levels" of cheddar cheese, from mild to extra sharp. The flavor difference is distinct and comes down to how long the cheddar has aged, with extra sharp cheddars aging naturally for up to a year, or in some cases (depending on the brand) more than two years. A little bit of sharp cheddar cheese goes a long way, flavor-wise: If you're unfamiliar with the bite these sharper cheeses have, give them a taste test and start with a little less cheddar than you might typically try. You can always substitute a mild or medium version into a recipe if sharp cheddar is called for (or vice versa).
So when you're itching for a lil' extra chedda' in your life, our round-up has plenty of chances for you to get extra cheesy, with ideas ranging from soups to snacks to casseroles to sandwiches.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
If broccoli cheddar soup isn't already in your regular fall and winter lunch rotation, it's time to learn how to whip up a pot of this creamy, veggie-and-cheddar-filled favorite. It takes just 35 minutes to make (including roasting extra broccoli florets to add as a tasty garnish), and it will definitely squash your cheddar cheese cravings — a pot of the soup includes more than a half-pound of the shredded sharp version of the cheese.
Recipe: Broccoli Cheddar Soup
5-Ingredient Garlic Cheddar Biscuits
When you're looking for the perfect, cheesy side dish for your favorite soup, stew, or chili, look no further than these garlic cheddar biscuits. You can make them in under 20 minutes, and they feature a full cup of packed, shredded cheddar cheese. One thing to keep in mind: It's best to use freshly shredded cheddar for this recipe, rather than pre-shredded. The cheese will melt better, and it's also free from the preservatives used in pre-shredded cheese to keep them from clumping in the bag.
Egg Muffins
Egg muffins are handy, protein-packed bite-sized breakfast items that you can make ahead of time. They're handy to eat as you drive to work or sit at your desk. They can be customized with whatever meats, veggies, and cheeses you like, but if you're a cheddar cheese fan, you need to add this recipe to your repertoire. Technically, it provides two ways to make your egg muffins (one with cheddar cheese, the other with feta), but you can always make the entire batch with the first option. Add crumbled bacon or ham for even more flavor.
Recipe: Egg Muffins
Copycat Trader Joe's Mac And Cheese
When you're looking for cheese, cheese, and even more cheese in your life, look no further than this copycat Trader Joe's mac and cheese recipe. Not only does it include two full cups of freshly grated sharp cheddar (one for use in the recipe, and one for extra topping), it also includes a cup each of Havarti, gouda, and Swiss cheeses. That means all your cheesy dreams will come true when you take a bite, beating the boxed mac and cheese experience by about a thousand-fold.
Instant Pot Twice-Baked Potatoes
A fair word of warning here: Once you eat these twice-baked potatoes, you're never going to want to go with boring "once" baked potatoes ever again, and neither is your family. With an Instant Pot, you can whip up a batch of twice-baked potatoes even faster than the oven-baked versions. The potatoes are topped with cheddar cheese, bacon, olives, and scallions. The recipe makes enough to serve six.
Recipe: Instant Pot Twice-Baked Potatoes
Funeral Potatoes
Admittedly, the name "funeral potatoes" is bound to put a few people off, but the idea is simple: A cheese-filled, crunchy potato recipe that's perfect comfort food when you're feeling a little bit beat up by life. In addition to the two cups of shredded cheddar cheese, the recipe also calls for a can of condensed cheddar cheese soup. Make it for your family or take it to a potluck to share — either way, you're unlikely to have many leftovers.
Recipe: Funeral Potatoes
Bacon Weave Taco With Mac And Cheese Filling
Good luck finding a more decadent, cheesy, borderline obscene recipe when you really want to indulge. This bacon-weave taco is filled with homemade beer mac and cheese (yes, beer mac and cheese), featuring a three-cheese blend of cheddar, mozzarella, and Monterey Jack. And of course, there's that bacon-weave taco to consider. Together, it's the pinnacle of comfort foods that should only be attempted, say, once a year, but the satisfaction you'll feel when biting into your salty, cheesy, beer-tinged meal will definitely give you a buzz (mostly a fat and salt buzz, as the actual alcohol gets cooked out).
Zucchini Enchilada Boats
When you're looking for a way to sneak in extra veggies while also enjoying a healthy dose of cheddar cheese, look no further than this recipe for zucchini enchilada boats. Built in the hollowed-out halves of zucchinis, these enchiladas deliver everything you'd expect in the original version (green chilies, tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, ground turkey, and of course, lots of cheddar cheese), helping you satisfy your need for Mexican food while ensuring you're maximizing your intake of good-for-you nutrients.
Recipe: Zucchini Enchiladas Boats
Copycat Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole
If you've never tried a hash brown casserole before, you're missing out. This Southern potluck staple is a crowd-pleaser, featuring frozen hash browns, butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and bacon for the topping. The copycat Cracker Barrel version takes about an hour to make, but you won't regret the time it takes, especially since it takes 45 minutes to bake. While the recipe calls for a Cheddar and Monterey jack blend of cheese, you can always skip the Monterey jack and double-down on that cheddar-y flavor.
Quiche
Who doesn't love the flavor of eggs, breakfast meats, and cheese, all packaged up with a crispy, flaky pie crust? Quiche is one of those breakfasts you probably don't make that often, but this tasty recipe with cheddar cheese, onion, and bacon should make it into your monthly rotation. Bake two of them: You can freeze one and pull it out to enjoy with company (or solo) at a later date. Use a store-bought pie crust or your own pie crust recipe. One quiche serves eight people.
Recipe: Quiche
Enchilada Casserole
When taking the time to roll up enchiladas just seems like too much trouble, try this easy enchilada casserole recipe. It has all the regular enchilada fillings (beef, onions, spices, and enchilada sauce) layered with corn tortillas. It's like part Mexican lasagna and part enchilada, all in one handy casserole dish. Plus, there's plenty of cheese: Two cups of shredded cheddar cheese and an additional half cup of Monterey Jack.
Recipe: Enchilada Casserole
Copycat Domino's Cheeseburger Pizza
Cheddar cheese isn't a super common ingredient found on pizza — unless, of course, you're making a Domino's-style cheeseburger-inspired pizza. This means this recipe is pretty much a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. One thing that might surprise you is that the ingredients that really signal "cheeseburger!" (aside from the burger and cheese, of course) are ketchup, mustard, and pickle juice that get whisked together and used instead of the typical red sauce. When you bake the pizza with a pre-made crust, the entire recipe only takes 30 minutes to make.
Beer Cheese Sauce
Use shredded sharp cheddar cheese to make this savory cheese dip. The cheese is blended with your favorite type of beer along with Dijon mustard, butter, milk, and spices to make an easy sauce that comes together in just minutes. (Mozzarella cheese makes the sauce especially melty.) Set it out at parties as a dip with pretzels, pita chips, pieces of sourdough bread, raw veggies, cooked sausages, or chicken skewers.
Recipe: Beer Cheese Sauce
Cowboys Breakfast Skillet
Topped with a dash of hot sauce, this is one of the best, heartiest breakfast skillets ever — and it only takes about 15 minutes to cook it up on the stovetop. Crumbled breakfast sausage, diced peppers, onions, and cubed potatoes sizzle in a hot pan until everything is cooked through and tender. Top it with a generous sprinkle of cheddar cheese and some fried eggs. Though the recipe serves three, with an extra egg (or two) this dish will easily feed four people for breakfast or brunch.
Recipe: Cowboys Breakfast Skillet
Copycat Panera Mac And Cheese
There's a time and place for a box of Kraft mac and cheese, but when you want indulgent, delicious, out-of-this-world mac and cheese? You need to make your own version from scratch. Take this Panera copycat recipe for a spin. It features two and a half cups of mild cheddar cheese, along with butter, flour, whole milk, and heavy cream to really deliver the to-die-for saucy flavor. If you prefer a slightly stronger flavor, use a sharp variety of cheddar.
Recipe: Copycat Panera Mac And Cheese
King Ranch Chicken Casserole
King Ranch Chicken Casserole is a classic Texas comfort food dish. There's even a copy of the recipe in the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library in Austin, because the casserole was often served by the president and the First Lady at their Texas ranch. This version layers shredded chicken with condensed chicken and mushroom soups, diced tomatoes, corn tortillas, and two whole cups of shredded cheddar cheese. Bake the casserole for a half hour until it's bubbling and the cheese is melted and browned.
Recipe: King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Cheese Ball
Turn your cheddar cheese into an old-fashioned party appetizer that everyone will love digging into. Best of all, this recipe is fast and easy to make. Blend cheddar and Jack cheeses with cream cheese and seasonings, then shape it into a ball. Roll the ball in a coating of herbs and chopped nuts, and give it a brief chill in the fridge. (The cheese mixture can also be spooned into a dish if you don't want to shape it into a ball.) Serve with crackers and small slices of bread.
Recipe: Cheese Ball
Copycat 5-Ingredient TGI Friday's Stuffed Potato Skins
T.G.I. Friday's stuffed potato skins make a perfect game-day appetizer, paired with a beer and maybe some chili. If you don't feel like ordering from T.G.I. Friday's, whip up a copycat recipe at home. This 5-ingredient recipe takes only an hour and a half to make and delivers the crispy-on-the-outside, soft-and-creamy on the inside flavor that you expect from potato skins. Plus, one of those five ingredients is sharp cheddar cheese, so you know it's going to taste good.
Recipe: Copycat 5-Ingredient TGI Friday's Stuffed Potato Skins
Potato Cakes
The next time you make mashed potatoes, make too much on purpose. That way, you can use the leftovers to make these easy, cheesy potato cakes. The mashed potato is blended with bits of cooked bacon, cheddar cheese, garlic, and diced onion. The recipe makes ten little potato cakes that fry up in just a few minutes each. Serve them as part of a savory breakfast with eggs and sausage, or as a side with dinner.
Recipe: Potato Cakes
Broccoli Casserole
If you think broccoli and cheddar cheese go swimmingly together in soups, you should try them in a casserole. Mix up the soup, broccoli, and cheese with some extra milk, an egg, and a bit of mustard, then top the whole dish with crumbled Ritz crackers. Just 30 minutes in the oven will give you a creamy, cheesy, broccoli-laced casserole, with a nice, crunchy topping. And if you want to turn it into a full meal? Add some pre-cooked chicken to the casserole before you add the topping.
Recipe: Broccoli Casserole
Copycat Arby's Beef 'N Cheddar
Arby's ads claim, "We have the meats!" Well, you can have the meats too, without ever leaving your house: Make your own version of Arby's Beef N' Cheddar sandwiches. Thinly-sliced deli roast beef is piled onto soft onion rolls with a spiced-up ketchup sauce. Warm up cheddar cheese, American cheese, spices, and cream on the stove to make a smooth, melted cheese sauce to pour over the top of your sandwiches.
Recipe: Copycat Arby's Beef 'N Cheddar
Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
For your next Super Bowl party or movie night, make a batch of these cheese-filled jalapeño poppers. Large peppers get halved and deseeded, then filled with a blend of cheddar, cream cheese, and smoked paprika. Wrap each one in bacon and grill them until the bacon is crisp. The final touch is a sweet-savory barbecue glaze. Poppers are surprisingly easy to make and taste so much better than frozen, store-bought versions.
Chicken Divan
Get your cheddar fix by making a classic dinner dish: Chicken Divan. Sautéed broccoli florets and seared chicken breasts are smothered in a rich and creamy cheese. Top everything with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and shredded cheddar cheese, then pop it in the oven. The resulting casserole is a wonderfully delicious comfort food that's perfect for a family-pleasing weeknight dinner, but classy enough to make for a dinner party.
Recipe: Chicken Divan
Copycat Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Boosted by Beyonce's 2016 name-drop of Red Lobster in her song "Formation," the brand's cheddar Bay (or "Bey," as the brand quipped in a tweet) biscuits have been a fan favorite for years. It's easy to understand why — they're garlicky, cheesy, and buttery, making the perfect pairing for all your seafood favorites. That's why you should learn to make this copycat recipe at home — they make for an easy grab-and-go snack when you're craving a little bit 'o cheddar.
Autumn Hash
With cubes of butternut squash, diced apple, and mushrooms, this hash is a tasty dish for winter as well as in fall. It's a hearty meal thanks to breakfast sausage in the mixture and a generous layer of shredded cheddar over the top. Fry or scramble some eggs to serve with it for an extra protein boost. This is a great breakfast dish, of course, but try it for a weekend lunch or for dinner, too.
Recipe: Autumn Hash
Sheet Pan Nachos
There's nothing quite like a pan full of loaded nachos — it can satisfy even the biggest appetite. This recipe for sheet pan nachos is perfect because it's fast, easy, and relatively cheap to whip up. You can even keep a couple pans in rotation without much effort — serve one pan, pop the next in the oven, and repeat until everyone appears to be full. The recipe is truly fully loaded, including hefty doses of cheddar and mozzarella cheese, along with tomatoes, onions, peppers, jalapeños, olives, ground beef, cilantro, and plenty of tasty spices.
Recipe: Sheet Pan Nachos
Cheesy Stuffed Mushrooms
Mushroom caps brimming with savory fillings are a common sight on appetizer tables, but this recipe isn't just for parties. Serve them as a side dish with a bowl of hot soup or with roast chicken. They can even be a light meal all on their own. Large portobello mushrooms — an enduringly trendy choice — are filled with a blend of cheddar cheese, bacon, garlic, and seasonings and then baked until browned and ooey-gooey. Best of all, the whole recipe takes only about a half hour to prepare.
Recipe: Cheesy Stuffed Mushrooms
Copycat O'Charley's Loaded Potato Soup
The next time you're craving a hearty, loaded potato soup made with potatoes, cheddar, and bacon, don't head to O'Charley's: Go to the grocery store instead! That's because with just a few ingredients plus staples already in your pantry, you can make a copycat version of this cheesy soup that's fresh and way more delicious. Plus, this recipe makes quite a generous portion, perfect for feeding the whole family — or yourself all week.
20-Minute Breakfast Tacos
Breakfast tacos don't always include cheddar cheese, but when they do, you know they'll be especially satisfying. This 20-minute breakfast taco recipe features potatoes, Anaheim peppers, eggs, onions, and of course, a hearty dose of cheddar to ease your morning hunger and help keep you full until lunch. And, of course, you can always cook up some bacon or sausage to round out the dish without adding more than a couple of minutes of prep time.
Recipe: 20-Minute Breakfast Tacos
Pimento Cheese
This dish is a Southern comfort food favorite, whether it's served as a spread with crackers or on slices of bread for easy sandwiches. Pimento cheese is made from a blend of cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mayonnaise, diced pimento peppers, and flavorings like diced onion and dill pickle juice. Feel free to add in your own spices too, like a dash of hot sauce or Cajun seasoning blend. Pimento cheese spread takes minutes to mix together and can be served immediately — or, make it up to five days in advance and keep it in the fridge.
Recipe: Pimento Cheese
Mini Egg Souffles
There are endless varieties of bite-sized quiches like these, and no wonder: They're easy to eat for breakfast on the go, make for your family, or bring to a brunch potluck. What you'll love about this recipe is how light and airy they are, thanks to a generous amount of milk in the egg batter. The mini souffles have delectable flavor too, thanks to bacon bits, green onions, and just enough cheddar to make them nice and cheesy without affecting the light texture.
Recipe: Mini Egg Souffles
Welsh Rarebit
According to Britannica, the mysteriously-named Welsh Rarebit has been a savory favorite for centuries. At its simplest, it consists of cheese broiled on slices of bread, but our recipe makes it way more delicious than that. Sharp cheddar cheese is blended with stout beer, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and spices to make a tantalizing sauce. Spread it over thick slices of good sourdough bread, and broil them until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown. This is a great game day food or lunch for a lazy weekend.
Recipe: Welsh Rarebit
Copycat Taco Bell Loaded Nacho Taco
Let's be honest: Those Taco Bell tacos never look nearly as good in real life as they do in the ads. But when you make a copycat Taco Bell taco at home, not only do they look amazing, they taste way better, too. Pick up a packet of Taco Bell seasoning for the ground beef, or make them with ground chicken or turkey if you prefer. Add the seasoned meat to soft taco shells with nacho cheese sauce, shredded cheddar cheese, and all your favorite taco toppings.
Breakfast Burrito
This breakfast burrito recipe actually makes four burritos that are filled to the brim with hash browns, eggs, peppers, onions, pico de gallo, cilantro, and cheddar cheese. That means you can easily share with your family, or chow down on burritos yourself several days in a row. While most of the ingredients can be cooked in advance and kept overnight, scrambled eggs don't typically keep well so it's best to cook half the eggs one day, and half the next, then assemble your burritos fresh each morning.
Recipe: Breakfast Burrito
Copycat Melting Pot Cheddar Cheese Fondue
There's a restaurant chain called the Melting Pot that specializes in all things gooey and dippable — including the most amazing cheddar fondue. No worries if you don't live nearby: We have a copycat recipe so you can try this melty cheese dip at home. Pick up a good quality cheddar cheese (Vermont cheddars are highly recommended) and melt it down with your favorite beer and a few spices. Serve it with skewers and small pieces of bread, apples, and veggies.
Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup
It's nice to sit down at a Panera with a bowl of this comforting broccoli cheddar soup (which many people feel is Panera's best soup) but when you make it at home you'll have enough for the whole family or several days of work lunches. This copycat Panera recipe perfectly replicates the texture of Panera's soup, and it has the same creamy base made with chicken stock, cheddar cheese, cream, and broccoli. Serve it in a bread bowl or with bread on the side.
Copycat Starbucks Bacon, Cheddar, And Egg Sandwich
Instead of spending five or six bucks (or more) on breakfast at Starbucks every morning, pick up a few ingredients at the store and make your own copycat sandwiches for less at home. The recipe is built with smoked bacon, egg, sharp cheddar cheese, and croissant buns. (Feel free to use English muffins or bagels.) The sandwiches take only 20 minutes. Save time by frying bacon and cooking the egg rounds in advance, then just warm them up in the morning to make your sandwich.
Ina Garten's Mac And Cheese
It's hard to improve on Ina Garten's recipes. Her creations boast simple flavors and yet are elegant enough to serve at a dinner party — but recipe developer Liz Capozzoli managed to do it. Garten's Mac and Cheese recipe is made with Gruyère and cheddar cheeses, sliced tomatoes, and fresh breadcrumbs. This twist adds more Italian flavors to the dish with fresh basil, a little mozzarella, and roasted garlic. This gorgeous casserole serves seven.
Recipe: Ina Garten's Mac And Cheese
Cheesy Beans On Toast
Here's a very British way to enjoy some cheddar. This easy comfort dish is fantastic for lazy afternoons, a weekend brunch, and especially on late nights when you come home hungry after drinks at the pub. Warm up Heinz canned beans (or your favorite brand of canned baked beans) and pour them over thick slices of sourdough bread. Pile on plenty of cheddar cheese and broil until melted. This dish is fun to customize, too — add chopped bacon, cooked sausages, hot sauce, or a sprinkle of curry powder.
Recipe: Cheesy Beans On Toast
Creamy Grits
Homemade grits are so delicious as part of a hearty, savory breakfast or brunch spread. This recipe is ready in only 25 minutes, and turns out a pan of creamy grits that are flavored with garlic powder and red pepper flakes. They're really cheesy too, thanks to a whole cup of shredded cheddar cheese (use mild or sharp, whatever you prefer). Serve grits as a side with sausage, bacon, fried eggs, and warm biscuits.
Recipe: Creamy Grits
Tater Tot Casserole
This crispy casserole has two hefty doses of cheddar, thanks to cheddar cheese soup and shredded cheddar cheese. Browned ground beef with bacon is layered over the bottom, and then tater tots are arranged over the meat. Recipe developer Laura Sampson says it's worth taking the time to arrange the tots in neat rows: Not only does it look really nice, but the tots also bake more evenly when laid out this way. Make this dish for dinner or your next get-together with friends; this cheesy, bacony dish makes a perfect Super Bowl party food.
Recipe: Tater Tot Casserole
Creamy Corn Dip
Be prepared for any party, potluck, or game night by keeping a few easy-to-prepare, crowd-pleasing appetizer recipes handy — like this one. It's a dip that has fresh flavor and texture from corn, cilantro, and scallions, plus a little heat from jalapeño. Shredded cheddar cheese and a creamy dressing bring everything together. This dip is so tasty with tortilla chips or crackers. It does need an hour to chill before serving, which means it's a great appetizer to make in advance.
Recipe: Creamy Corn Dip