Proof You Should Eat More Melted Cheese

You don't need us to tell you that cheese is the greatest food on the planet — this is a proven fact (not so much scientifically, but we eat it with everything for a reason, right?). The only thing better than cheese? Melted cheese, obviously, and these melted cheese recipes by Food52 are just about as tantalizingly mouthwatering as they come. Perhaps the most beautiful part about cheese is that there's no wrong way to eat it — tuck it into a crispy, melty sandwich, use it to dress up an otherwise yawn-sauce bowl of veggies, eat it on pizza, pasta, and pastries, or just eat it by itself. No matter what you decide, your tastebuds are in for an instant treat. Looking for a few new ideas? Here are 10 recipes that will have you craving melted cheese immediately.

By Caroline Lange

We probably don't need to remind you about the merits of melted cheese (right? The gooeyness. The gooeyness!). We think it's the sunniest part of any cheese plate, the best layer on a tray of nachos, a requisite on burgers. Heck, we even like cheese that has been melted, then cooled, then re-melted.

We don't think you should ever need an excuse to melt cheese — but if you're looking for a sign...

Make crispy-edged, melty-centered sandwiches:

1. Gabrielle Hamilton's Grilled Cheese by Genius Recipes

2. Parker & Otis' Pimento Cheese (+ Grilled Sandwiches with Bacon & Tomato) by Genius Recipes

For good measure, cover some vegetables with it:

3. Lacinato Kale Gratin by Marian Bull

4. Roasted Red Peppers with Anchovies, Garlic, and Goat Cheese by Phyllis Grant

Or fold it into a flaky pastry:

5. Focaccia di Recco by Emiko

6. Georgian Khachapuri Filled with Ramps, Green Onions, Herbs, and Cheese by Kukla

7. Tomato and Cream Cheese Turnovers by fiveandspice

8. Seadas (Sardinian Honey and Cheese Pastries) by Emiko

Or just go a little over the top:

9. Classic Mac and Cheese by Sue Conley & Peggy Smith

10. Fried Goat Cheese with Honey and Black Pepper by Alexandra Higgins

Images: Food52