Our Favourite Cheesy Recipes

It’s no secret that we love a cheesy recipe. 

Sadly, because of its high fat content, cheese tends to be very high in calories, and not exactly slimming friendly. 

It might not be for everyone, but if you love cheese as much as we do, it can be tough to cut down when you want to eat a little more healthily. 

The good news is that there are lots of lower fat versions readily available in supermarkets. 

This means it’s easy to make plenty of cheesy recipes that are still slimming friendly. 

From low fat cream cheese to reduced fat Cheddar, we’re celebrating one of our favourite ingredients in this cheesy recipe roundup!

Even those on dairy free or vegan diets can enjoy these recipes simply by switching any cheesy ingredients to dairy free alternatives. 

Cheese for breakfast

We see no reason not to have cheese for every meal of the day. 

If you love a savoury breakfast, chances are cheese will make your favourite dish even better. 

Cheese pairs so well with many breakfast staples – toast, eggs, mushrooms and beans to name a few. 

It’s no wonder that so many of our favourite savoury breakfast recipes have a cheesy twist! 

Take these Breakfast Bakes for example. Layer up your favourite cooked breakfast ingredients and top with cheese – it’s that easy. 

We’ve used bacon, mushrooms, beans and eggs, but you can get creative with these. 

The best part is they get topped with a good handful of cheese and popped into the oven to get all melty and golden brown. 

Or how about these Mushroom and Rarebit Muffins? 

Perfect for breakfast, you can also enjoy them for brunch or even a light lunch. 

Traditional rarebit recipes are very high in calories, with a thick sauce and cheese topping. 

Our slimming friendly version is so much lighter without losing any of the flavour. 

You’ll be surprised how far a little bit of reduced fat Cheddar cheese goes, and you’ll love how gooey and golden it becomes under the grill. 

Our Cheesy Bacon Flatbreads are a cheese-lover’s twist on a bacon butty. 

Load them up with Cheddar, bacon, tomato, spring onion and a little mustard for a slight kick and pop them in a pan until the cheese melts. 

You’ll want them for breakfast every day. 

For something a little bit different, you could try this Marmite Mushrooms on Toast recipe.

It’s less out and out cheesy, with the subtle flavour of Philadelphia Light mixing with the salty Marmite to create a creamy sauce for the mushrooms. 

Cheesy main courses

Cheese is such a versatile ingredient, it pairs with a wide variety of meat, fish and vegetables. 

So when it comes to dinner, there’s plenty of choice if you fancy something cheesy!

For a twist on fish pie, this Smoked Haddock and Cheese Gratin is ready in under an hour, and it’s just 264 calories despite being total comfort food. 

With creamy potatoes, melted cheese and flaky smoked fish, it packs so much flavour. 

To double up on cheesiness we’ve used haddock in a cheese sauce. You can get this from the supermarket or make your own cheese sauce if you’d prefer. 

A veggie classic, our Cheese, Onion and Potato Pie is such a treat.

There are fewer things more comforting than a cheese pie and this one does not disappoint. 

With a few simple swaps we’ve cut the calories down so that you can enjoy your favourite dinner for less than 300 calories. 

The light filo pastry is not just healthier, it’s crispier than the traditional shortcrust too – we think it might even make this recipe more delicious!

A good handful of reduced fat mature Cheddar adds plenty of flavour to the filling and helps the top get that irresistible crispy golden crust. 

We’ve merged two of our favourite cheesy dinners into one for this next recipe. 

Enchilada Lasagne is a revelation – layering tortillas, chilli and plenty of cheese into a lasagne inspired dish that’s a little more indulgent but oh-so worth it. 

We’ve doubled up on cheese again, finishing the whole thing with mozzarella and grated Cheddar for the cheesiest of all cheese toppings. 

 

For a super simple midweek dinner, we think you’ll love this Cheesy Topped Chicken. 

Cheese and chives are a winning combination and they add so much flavour to this recipe. 

Mixing light cream cheese with parmesan and sprinkling over some breadcrumbs gives your chicken breasts a delicious crispy topping. 

Served with steamed veggies or a crisp green salad, this dish is a total crowd-pleaser, and on the table in just half an hour. 

Cheesy snacks and side dishes

If you’re still craving cheese, why not add a cheesy side dish to your lunch, or nibble on a cheesy snack mid afternoon?

These Pizza Waffles are the perfect excuse to enjoy cheese at any opportunity. 

You can enjoy them on their own as a snack – and we even recommend them as a treat for a weekend breakfast. 

One of the best things about them is that you can add any of your favourite pizza toppings. 

The cheese will always steal the show, with both Cheddar and mozzarella melted into the middle of each waffle. So good!

As a big snack or a light lunch, you can’t beat a good old cheese toastie. 

We’ve taken this humble favourite to the next level with our Caramelised Onion Cheese Toastie recipe. 

Adding in the veggies is a great way to make this toastie a little bit more filling. 

To keep the calories down we’ve used reduced fat cheddar, but you can get as creative with the cheese as you like. 

Think goats cheese, gouda, brie, mozzarella – whatever you fancy! 

Whether as a side dish or a main, this Cauli Mac ‘n’ Cheese has got to be one of the best things to ever happen to cauliflower. 

Blended into the sauce, fussy eaters won’t even know it’s there!

Our recipe is a mashup of cauliflower cheese and macaroni cheese – two cheesy classics. 

It’s definitely one of our favourites when we get a craving for something covered in cheese.

Another dish that celebrates cheesy goodness is this Chilli Cheesy Nachos recipe.

With potato wedges, savoury chilli and a whole lot of gooey cheese in the middle, this can be a whole meal on its own.

  

Cheesy desserts

Some of our favourite desserts even have a cheesy twist!

Reduced fat cream cheese is a super versatile ingredient that’s great in both sweet and savoury recipes. 

Use it to create a creamy cheesecake like this Raspberry and Blueberry Baked Cheesecake or as the filling for our Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries. 

You might not expect it, but we’ve even used light cream cheese for this Chocolate Mud Pie recipe. 

It doesn’t taste cheesy but it makes the chocolate filling so rich and creamy, without the calories. 

This Banoffee Tiramisu is made with thick ricotta cheese instead of cream. 

You won’t be able to tell the difference and it tastes so indulgent. 

Cheesy tips!

If you love cheese there’s no need to cut it out of your diet when you’re trying to be healthier. 

Here’s our favourite tips to make the most of your cheese:

• Invest in a microplane grater. Grating the cheese as finely as possible will help it to go so much further. 
• Look out for light or reduced fat versions of your favourite cheeses to keep calories to a minimum. 
• Swap from cream to low fat cream cheese in sweet or savoury recipes to create rich, creamy sauces. 

What are your favourite cheese recipes? Let us know over in our Facebook Group! There are nearly 1 million members waiting to inspire, support and motivate you on your slimming journey.