If you’re anything like us, you start daydreaming about what you’ll cook for Thanksgiving dinner long before Halloween. That’s part of the fun of planning the biggest meal of the year. 

One thing’s for sure: our holiday tables always include cheese, and lots of it. Whether you’re planning to serve a comforting, classic Thanksgiving menu or looking for inspiration to mix things up a bit, we have a slate of cheese-centric recipes you and your family will love. Here are some of our favorite ways to incorporate cheese into your Thanksgiving meal.

Thanksgiving Breakfast Recipes

The country’s most festive food holiday starts with breakfast, not dinner. Start your Thanksgiving morning right with a simple, protein-packed Fluffy Fontina Cheese Souffle, which can be made in a large dish or portioned into small ramekins for individual servings. Serve it with crusty sourdough toast and fresh fruit. 

Add a savory baked treat to the breakfast table with these Ossau Iraty Walnut Biscuits. Thanks to the addition of this aged French sheep’s milk cheese, they’re rich and savory, with extra lift with the addition of yeast to the batter. 

Want to handle breakfast prep in advance so your kitchen is a clean slate for the big meal? Make these Simple Holiday Cheese Tarts—packed with spinach, leek, and ricotta or Gorgonzola and pear—the night before.

Thanksgiving Lunch Recipes

Does anyone actually eat lunch on Thanksgiving? If your main meal happens in the evening, you’ve gotta nosh on something throughout the day—but chances are, the kitchen is already monopolized with dinner in progress. 

That’s why we love putting out a bountiful cheese board for folks to snack on throughout the afternoon. A luscious board featuring fall cheeses is fast, easy, and won’t take up a burner on the stove. Simply grab a few of your favorite wedges and seasonal accompaniments and let your guests graze away. Order your cheese packages in our online store by November 23rd to get them in time for the holiday! 

If you do want to go all out with your accompaniments, prep these crisp, florentine-style Honey Orange Pistachio Lace Cookies and airy Parmesan Cheese Straws With Islahiye Pepper the day before to make your board extra special.

 Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipes

If your Thanksgiving includes a cocktail hour—or just want to intersperse some delicious little bites with your mains and sides—you’ve come to the right place. There are so many ways to incorporate cheese into delicious little starters for a festive meal, like Mascarpone-Stuffed Gougeres With Salty Caramel and Poached Pear, Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms Wrapped in Bacon, or Caramelized Pear and Blue Cheesecake With Almond Walnut Florentine Crust.

And if you, like us, believe no holiday meal is complete without a lush soft-ripened wheel swaddled in buttery pastry, look no further than our Baked Camembert With Raspberry Jam in Homemade Pie Crust and our Mt. Tam Baked in Puff Pastry With Cranberry Preserves and Thyme.

Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes

When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, the sides make the meal. Turkey’s great and all, but the abundance of dishes is what we’re excited for. 

In the realm of more traditional fall flavors, we love this smooth, sweet-savory Parsnip, Apple, Shallot and Thyme Soup With Aged Pecorino as a warming starter. For a take on outside-the-bird stuffing (or dressing, depending on where you’re from), try this Sweet Potato and Bread Stuffing With Mushrooms, Bacon, Sage, and Blue Cheese, an umami-rich, veggie-ful variation on the classic.

For some variety, we love this creamy, herb-packed Crème Fraîche Mushroom Risotto, made tangy with the addition of rich cultured cream. And for a truly nontraditional side you’ll want to make again and again, try our Cheese and Turkish Pepper Pide, a quick-baking Turkish flatbread stuffed with gooey melted cheese and heady spices. 

Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes

If you’re looking for a Thanksgiving entrée that’s a little different this year—maybe you’ve got a smaller group, or you’re looking for meatless options with wide appeal—we have two ideas that combine the beautiful presentation of a bronze-skinned turkey with much easier, quicker prep. No thawing or brining required!

This Potato Tart With Goat Cheese and Pecorino swaps out the traditional tarte tatin’s apples with creamy little potatoes and savory cheeses for a beautiful, hearty entree that’s vegetarian while looking impressive at the center of your Thanksgiving spread. 

Our Raclette Dinner Recipe is one of our favorite ways to make a simple, easy meal of cheese into a festive event. We like to drape lots of gooey, melty Alpine cheese atop a blend of roasted fall veggies, but you can also use the traditional accompaniments—roasted baby potatoes, pickles, and good crusty bread. 

No raclette melter? Combine the finished veggies in an oven-safe serving dish, top them with slices of cheese, and melt it under the broiler. You can also just melt the raclette in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, then pour it over the hot veggies just before serving. 

Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes

And now for the grand finale: dessert. Cheese is traditionally always welcome at the end of the meal, whether served on its own with a few simple accompaniments or incorporated into baked sweets like these. 

Our Lemon Orange Ricotta Bars with a graham cracker crust make a simple, light bite to conclude the feasting (go the extra mile and make your own ricotta with this recipe). This gorgeous Cheddar-Crusted Apple Pie topped with an intricate lattice takes the classic New England flavor combo to the next level with beautiful presentation. Both can be made the day before, saving you time and space in the kitchen on the big day. 

How are you celebrating Thanksgiving with cheese this year? Let us know!