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Homemade Cheese Sauce is versatile, kid friendly and tastes great on everything from broccoli to bread. This may be the best cheese sauce ever!
If you are looking for a great cheesy appetizer, try Mozzarella Sticks. Or, make Pretzel bites to dip into this amazing homemade cheese sauce.
Homemade Cheese Sauce
Homemade cheese sauce has a perfectly creamy texture and mild seasonings your family will love! The flavors are gentle enough that kids will go crazy over it, but it can also very easily be spiced up for a more vibrant sauce that can liven up nachos like my beefy enchilada nachos. It is soo good you will be pouring this cheese on everything!
This made from scratch sauce is so much better than the processed version from the grocery store. This is the most amazing sauce and it is ready in minutes! Since it is so quick and easy to whip up, it is great for an afternoon snack for hungry kids to enjoy with chips or pretzel bites or to smother veggies like broccoli or cauliflower. This is a must have recipe that is uncomplicated and easy to make, but will be a huge hit!
Easy Ingredients for Creamy Cheese Sauce:
With just 4 simple and familiar ingredients, you can make a cheese sauce that is so tasty you will want to drizzle it on everything! Basic ingredients you most likely already have in your pantry and fridge will combine easily and make a creamy sauce everyone will enjoy.
- Butter: Gives the sauce rich flavor.
- Flour: Thickens the sauce.
- Milk: Thins the sauce out a bit and adds sweet flavor.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: Freshly grated cheese will melt better and give a stronger flavor than the coated shredded cheese you can buy in a bag at the store.
How Do You Make Cheese Sauce From Scratch?
This homemade cheese sauce is ready to enjoy in almost no time because the recipe is so simple. It uses well known ingredients that are easy to work with and prepare. You will be so glad you have this recipe in your collection!
- Melt butter: In a medium size sauce pan over medium high heat, then add the butter and melt.
- Whisk: Now add in the flour to the butter, then slowly whisk in the milk. Next, add in the cheese. Continue to mix until the cheese is melted.
- Serve!
The Recipe Critic Pro Tip:
Your cheese will start to get clumpy or stringy if it gets too hot. To avoid this, add the cheese end at the very end, then promptly remove it from the heat.
Variations:
This may be one of the most versatile family favorite recipes that you will ever make! It literally goes with anything. Here are some amazing ideas on how to use this savory cheese sauce with your next meal.
- What to serve with Cheese sauce: Pretzel bites, Cauliflower fritters, Sheet Pan Nachos, rice, baked potatoes, steamed broccoli, or even roast beef sandwiches.
- What cheese works best: Use a mix of cheeses and change them up depending on how you plan to use this savory cheese sauce. For example, swiss and Gruyère are great cheeses that will melt easily and create a perfectly smooth and creamy dip for bread. Whereas, montery Jack would work very well with a Mexican dish like nachos or enchiladas. Or use half cheddar and half parmesan for a homemade macaroni and cheese.
- How to make a spicy cheese sauce: If you prefer a spicier cheese, try adding hot sauce, chili peppers, or cayenne pepper. Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies would also make great additions if you are making Queso Burgers.
Storing Cheese Sauce:
If you want to make this yummy cheese sauce ahead, or you are in the rare position of having leftovers, this cheese sauce stores well and is easy to heat and use again. You will need to keep your cheese sauce in a sealed container. It will keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat it, microwave it for 30 seconds then stir and repeat until it is heated throughout.
More Cheesy Recipes:
- The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Three Cheese Zucchini Au Gratin
- Slow Cooker Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes
- Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu
Homemade Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- In a medium size sauce pan over medium high heat, add the butter and melt. Whisk in the flour and slowly whisk in the milk. Add in the cheese and mix until cheese is melted and serve.
Video
Nutrition
Serves: 12
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Amazing!! Everyone in the house loved it.
I’m pretty terrible at cooking, but I made something decent (though quite thick), thanks for the recipe I’m gonna keep attempting to perfect my methods because it seems solid enough for me to learn off.
loved this recipe. thinking of trying it at the weekend for my whole family. nervous + excited. thank you for sharing it.
Hi i did not try this recipe yet but it looks delish
Thank you! I’ve been trying to create sauce for the longest but of course did not “read instructions.” No more wasted ingredients or time. This is now my go-to for quick, creamy and flavorful cheese sauce.
This made a great cheese sauce, thanks.
Your homemade Cheese sauce looks delicious! I would love to try making it. I would also use this to grate cheese. That pre-shredded packaged cheese just does not do it for me.
I am a cheese lover myself and simply loved your recipe. It’s quite different from how I make. Will surely try your recipe and will let you know how it turns out. Thank you for sharing.
Can you freeze cheese sauce as I have so much goat’s milk at the moment!
It is best not to but if you do, slowly warm it up stirring it consistently.
Amazing just made this after work. I wanted some quick to go with my tortilla chips. Took me literally 5 minutes to make and it’s delicious. I added a pinch of salt and it’s amazing.
Made this recipe for a topper on some leftover chili. It was so good! Ended up making chili cheese dogs.
Great basic recipe! I used cheddar and added a bit of garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Tasty!
One of our family faves. We use a combo of pepper jack and Colby jack and it’s sooo yummy.
This was the first time a cheesy sauce recipe has actually turned out amazing.The only different thing is that I add a bit of chilly powder. I faced one problem which was the fact that by the time my fries were ready, the cheese sauce solidified. But i should’ve made the fries before.
I have used this receipe a few times and has been a huge hit. Thank you!!
THE BEST!!! Originally we made it for a pasta with veggies…. but we tried it with tortilla chips:)) It was amazing!!! 1000% recommend!
I love it 🥰
This recipe looks easy and delicious Thank you for sharing
So simple to have a tasty cheese sauce! I’m kinda wondering what variations of flour we should use here.
H Alyssa,
I have been making this exact recipe for the past 40 years, with 1 addition. Just after adding the milk, add a pinch of cayenne pepper, not enough for it to be spicy, but it pops out the cheese flavour.