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My homemade cheese sauce is ultra-creamy, wildly easy, and totally better than anything from a jar. Mild for kids, bold enough for nachos—amazing on everything!
A Reader’s Review
Best cheese sauce EVER! Children and grandchildren think it’s the best ever, including me. Thank you so much!
Secrets To Cheese Sauce Success!
- Only 4 Ingredients! Why complicate perfection? This sauce is simple, fast, and full of flavor.
- Sharp Cheddar is My Flavor Secret! Rich, flavorful sharp cheddar cheese is the reason my cheese sauce stands out above the crowd!
- Melt Slow and Low: My secret to not having lumpy, clumpy cheese sauce is adding the cheese right at the end so it doesn’t get too hot and taking it off the heat as soon as it melts!
Homemade Cheese Sauce Ingredients
- Mix It Up! Different cheeses = different vibes. Try Swiss or Gruyère for silky bread dips or Monterey Jack when nachos call your name.
- Spice It Up! Feeling bold? Add hot sauce, chili peppers, cayenne pepper, or Rotel for that extra kick your taste buds desire.
- Grate it fresh! Bagged cheese might be easy, but it won’t melt like a dream. Ditch the pre-shredded cheese and grab a grater. Trust me, your cheese sauce will thank you.
How to Make Homemade Cheese Sauce
My easy homemade cheese sauce recipe uses simple ingredients and comes together fast—perfect for vegetables, nachos, or dipping! It’s seriously the best cheese sauce!
- Melt: In a medium-sized saucepan, add the unsalted butter. Heat over medium heat until it melts.
- Whisk: Whisk in the all-purpose flour until it makes a roux.
- Stir: Add in the milk and shredded cheddar cheese to the flour mixture and stir to combine.
- Melt: Whisk until the cheese is melted and smooth.
Alyssa’s Pro Tips!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
If you want to make this homemade 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.
- In The Refrigerator: You will need to keep your cheese sauce in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- To Reheat: Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir and repeat until it is heated through. Add a splash of milk if the sauce is too thick.
What to Serve with Cheese Sauce
Pour, dip, or drizzle it over pretzel bites, cauliflower fritters, nachos, french fries, baked potatoes, tortilla chips, pasta, steamed broccoli—or pile it onto a roast beef sandwich. Here are a few more ideas!
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Easy 4-Ingredient Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a medium-sized sauce pan, add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Heat over medium-high heat until the butter melts.
- Whisk 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour until it makes a paste.
- Add 1 cup milk and 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese and stir to combine.
- Whisk until the cheese is melted and smooth, and serve!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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.