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  1. Midwest Living
  2. Food
  3. Comfort Foods
  4. Warm and Cheesy Recipes

Warm and Cheesy Recipes

By Midwest Living editors Updated December 19, 2022
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Cheese Fondue

Savor one of the top comfort-food ingredients—cheese—in these recipes for lasagna, chowder, fondue, casseroles and more.

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Cheese Fondue

Cheese Fondue
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Classic cheese fondue is a splurge in every sense—but it's also guaranteed bliss. (And you don't even need a fondue pot!) CJ Bienert, owner of The Cheese Shop of Des Moines, shares his easy recipe.

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Bean and Cheese Pupusas

Bean and Cheese Pupusas
Credit: Carson Downing
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The standard-bearer of Salvadoran food, a pupusa is a flat, pan-fried pocket of corn dough traditionally stuffed with cheese, beans or meat, then served with mild salsa and curtido (a tangy cabbage slaw). Maria and Juan Vasquez serve them with and without meat at their 3 in 1 Restaurant in Indianapolis.

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Spinach-Mushroom-Sausage Pierogi Bake

Spinach-Mushroom-Sausage Pierogi Bake
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You don't get much easier than this recipe from Jan Valdez of Chicago! Saute a few ingredients, stir in cream cheese to make a sauce, and dump it all over frozen pierogis in a casserole dish. (You don't even need to thaw the pierogis!) 

Related: Fast-Fix Weeknight Dinners

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Macaroni and Cheese Chowder with Crispy Ham

Macaroni and Cheese Chowder with Crispy Ham
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A splash of hot sauce, a topper of pan-fried ham and a just-right secret ingredient for ultrasmooth creaminess. (Guilty pleasure, thy name is American cheese.)

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Creamy Artichoke Lasagna

Creamy Artichoke Lasagna
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The classic lasagna cheeses—ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella—give this one-dish meal its trademark gooey texture. The recipe also calls for some nontraditional lasagna ingredients, such as fresh artichokes.

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Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
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The combo of butternut squash, rigatoni, bacon and smoked cheese makes for a delicious twist on traditional mac and cheese.

Related: Great Recipes for Butternut Squash

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Cheesy Dutch Baby with Pesto-Dressed Vegetables

Cheesy-Dutch-Baby-RU237845.jpg
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We're convinced that colorful food tastes better—and nutritionists will tell you it's better for you, too. Proof: Our innovative recipe. While the egg-and-cheddar batter puffs in a skillet, a crazy-quilt of veggies roasts separately. When the timer beeps, put them together for a savory twist on a fruit-filled Dutch baby pancake.

Related: Top Vegetarian Recipes

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Sausage and Spinach Skillet Pizza

Sausage and Spinach Skillet Pizza
Credit: Blaine Moats
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A hot cast-iron skillet mimics a pizza stone to create a crisp, evenly browned crust. We loaded our pizza with oozy red sauce and stretchy cheese. Fork and knife highly recommended.

Related: Recipes for So-Good Homemade Pizza

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Milk-Braised Pork with Cheesy Grits

Milk-Braised Pork with Cheesy Grits
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There are a lot of ingredients in this spruced-up comfort-food dish, but trust us, it's worth the effort for a weekend treat. The recipe from Michael Watz of Chicago was a finalist in one of our recipe contests.

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Squash and Tomato Bake

Squash and Tomato Bake
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Summer squash adds texture to this easy side dish, which combines stewed tomatoes with paprika, garlic, basil and pepper, as well as some melty mozzarella and Parmesan. It goes well with roast chicken or beef.

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Starker's Bacon and Cheese Curd Burger

Starker's Bacon and Cheese Curd Burger
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Sugared bacon and melting cheese curds or string cheese make a mouthwatering filling for these behemoth burgers.

Related: Take Your Burger to the Next Level

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Bacon-Pear Macaroni and Cheese

Bacon-Pear Macaroni and Cheese
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Crispy bacon, extra-creamy cheese sauce, pears sauteed in brown sugar and butter. This might be the ultimate comfort food.

Related: Homemade Mac and Cheese Recipes

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Southwest Corn Pudding

Southwest Corn Pudding
Credit: Blaine Moats
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Buttery onions, cheddar and green chilies lace our stuffing-like pudding. Inspired by traditional skillet corn bread, this recipe works as a side or as a meatless main served with a salad or garlicky sauteed kale.

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Gouda and Red Onion Pizza

Gouda and Red Onion Pizza
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You can put just about any cheese on pizza. Try Gouda or Edam on this fresh-tasting onion pizza. To ease prep, start with refrigerated pizza crust.

Related: Easy Appetizer Recipes

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Mexican Mac and Cheese

Mexican Mac and Cheese
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Pair Mexican flavors with pasta for this comfort-food casserole that includes sausage, salsa and Monterey Jack cheese.

Related: Sizzling Mexican and Tex-Mex Recipes

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Pepperoni Pizza Pull

Pepperoni Pizza Pull
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This warm and cheesy pull-apart bread takes just a few minutes to make. Keep the ingredients on hand, and you'll always have a quick accompaniment for a soup supper with family and friends.

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Cheesy Brat Stew Casserole

Cheesy Brat Stew Casserole
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This six-ingredient hotdish recipe from an Appleton, Wisconsin, reader features bratwurst, cheddar cheese and potatoes. "It's a quick, easy recipe," our reader says. "There's not much you can mess up."

Related: Favorite Casserole and Hotdish Recipes

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Spinach Quiche

Spinach Quiche
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This easy breakfast pie, packed with nutrient-rich spinach, isn't overly eggy like some quiches. The recipe comes from Carol Reimer of  Brownsburg, Indiana.

Related: Quiche Recipes You'll Love

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Tagliatelle a la Hudson

Tagliatelle A La Hudson
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A simple mix of ingredients results in an elegant dish. Lemon peel and prosciutto flavor a whipping cream and Parmesan mixture tossed with hot pasta.

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Cheesy Potato Soup

Cheesy Potato Soup
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Potato, bacon and cheese—all the flavors you love in a bowl of soup! The American cheese keeps the soup from curdling while it slow cooks. Mashing cooked potatoes a bit gives the soup some body, while the bacon adds a smoky-salty taste.

Related: Perfect Potato Recipes

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Triangle Ranch Scalloped Corn

Triangle Ranch Scalloped Corn
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Eggs, creamed corn, diced green chile peppers and American cheese give this classic American side dish a new flavor. Saltines add some texture to the mix.

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Goat Cheese, Artichoke and Smoked Ham Strata

Goat Cheese, Artichoke and Smoked Ham Strata
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Parmesan and fontina get a flavor boost from mild goat cheese in this company-special breakfast casserole.

Related: Our Best Breakfast Casseroles

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Brats and Beer Cheddar Chowder

Brats and Beer Cheddar Chowder
Credit: Mark Thomas
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The name alone evokes images of some of Wisconsin's best foods: cheese, bratwurst and beer. "Hearty comfort food!" writes a website reviewer. "Especially good if you use specialty seasoned brats from your butcher."

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Ultimate Grilled Cheese and Ham Panini with Parsnip Fries

Ultimate Grilled Cheese and Ham Panini with Parsnip Fries
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When grilled cheese dreams big, it winds up like this. Our melty-perfect creation layers fruit chutney with ham, thinly sliced pear, a few arugula leaves, Gouda and creamy, nutty Fontina.

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Jack Cheese and Smoky Chipotle Fondue

Jack Cheese and Smoky Chipotle Fondue
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Lots of Monterey Jack cheese goes into this creamy fondue, along with sour cream, chipotle peppers and bacon. Scoop up with bread or tortilla chips. It's a great party recipe or a fun family meal.

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Short Ribs over Cheesy Polenta

Short Ribs over Cheesy Polenta
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Put in a slow cooker, short ribs give you a delicious, dressed-up dish with hardly any work. A hint of licorice from fennel accents the recipe.

Related: So-Good Slow-Cooker Recipes

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Swiss-Artichoke Dip

Swiss-Artichoke Dip
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Artichoke hearts, dried tomatoes and sauce combine for a rich, creamy dip. Our recipe calls for processed Swiss cheese because it melts smoothly, but regular Swiss cheese will work fine, too. The dip will have a more stretchy, less creamy texture, but it tastes just as good.

Related: Irresistible Slow-Cooker Appetizers

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Cheesy Italian Meatball Casserole

Cheesy Italian Meatball Casserole
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Combine Italian meatballs, three kinds of cheese, pasta and sauce for this easy, crowd-pleasing casserole.

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Bacon and Baked Potato Soup

Bacon and Baked Potato Soup
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Shredded American cheese is ideal for this soup because it melts so well. "My family loved this soup, and I even passed on the recipe to a neighbor who also thought it was awesome," notes one of our readers.

Related: Smoky, Sizzling Bacon Recipes

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Stuffed Italian Meatballs

Stuffed Italian Meatballs
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Spiced Italian sausage encases melty mozzarella cheese for meatballs perfect dipped in marinara sauce, stuffed into a calzone or plopped on top of spaghetti.

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    1 of 30 Cheese Fondue
    2 of 30 Bean and Cheese Pupusas
    3 of 30 Spinach-Mushroom-Sausage Pierogi Bake
    4 of 30 Macaroni and Cheese Chowder with Crispy Ham
    5 of 30 Creamy Artichoke Lasagna
    6 of 30 Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
    7 of 30 Cheesy Dutch Baby with Pesto-Dressed Vegetables
    8 of 30 Sausage and Spinach Skillet Pizza
    9 of 30 Milk-Braised Pork with Cheesy Grits
    10 of 30 Squash and Tomato Bake
    11 of 30 Starker's Bacon and Cheese Curd Burger
    12 of 30 Bacon-Pear Macaroni and Cheese
    13 of 30 Southwest Corn Pudding
    14 of 30 Gouda and Red Onion Pizza
    15 of 30 Mexican Mac and Cheese
    16 of 30 Pepperoni Pizza Pull
    17 of 30 Cheesy Brat Stew Casserole
    18 of 30 Spinach Quiche
    19 of 30 Tagliatelle a la Hudson
    20 of 30 Cheesy Potato Soup
    21 of 30 Triangle Ranch Scalloped Corn
    22 of 30 Goat Cheese, Artichoke and Smoked Ham Strata
    23 of 30 Brats and Beer Cheddar Chowder
    24 of 30 Ultimate Grilled Cheese and Ham Panini with Parsnip Fries
    25 of 30 Jack Cheese and Smoky Chipotle Fondue
    26 of 30 Short Ribs over Cheesy Polenta
    27 of 30 Swiss-Artichoke Dip
    28 of 30 Cheesy Italian Meatball Casserole
    29 of 30 Bacon and Baked Potato Soup
    30 of 30 Stuffed Italian Meatballs

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