This super easy Cheese Sauce recipe is a game changer in the kitchen and is way better than any store-bought kind! It’s so versatile, it can be used as a nacho cheese sauce on loaded nachos, mac and cheese sauce or even a cheese sauce for broccoli!
The kids will love this homemade cheese sauce because it goes with everything! And how much easier can it get with only a handful of ingredients? Honestly the best cheddar cheese sauce you’ve ever had.
How to Make a Roux for Cheese Sauce
The most important part of any good sauce is a ‘roux’ which is, essentially, a cooked, thickened combination of butter and flour.
This will be the base of the sauce and it only takes a few minutes to whip up! Be sure to stir it constantly and cook the flour to rid of any starchy flavor before adding the other ingredients.
Any Cheese Goes
You can use any type of cheese for this recipe based on what you’re pouring it over.
- Monterey Jack or Spiced Cheese for Loaded Nachos
- Swiss Cheese for Chicken Cordon Bleu or with ham dishes
- Sharp Cheddar (and a touch of grainy mustard for Oven Baked Soft Pretzels)
- Any combination for dipping breads or pouring over vegetables like Roasted Brussels or Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
How to Make a Cheese Sauce
Here’s where it gets good! Really good! To make a cheese sauce:
- Cook flour and seasonings with butter to remove any floury flavor
- Slowly add in some milk to the roux and whisk constantly (it will be super thick). Keep adding a little at a time until it smooths out.
- Whisk until it reaches a boil and let bubble 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and add cheese. Whisk until smooth.
Remember to always remove from the heat before adding cheese, the milk will still be plenty hot enough to melt it. Cheese can separate or become grainy if it gets too hot.
Be sure to adjust for taste, feel free to add a splash of hot sauce or garlic powder…anything that you want!
How to Thicken Cheese Sauce
The ratio below will create a perfectly thick and cheesy sauce and shouldn’t require thickening.
The best way to thicken a cheese sauce would be to add more cheese! Who can resist a thick, creamy, savory cheese sauce perfect for making Homemade Mac and Cheese too!
Another way to thicken a cheese sauce is to add a little bit of cornstarch slurry (equal parts cornstarch and water) added a little at a time to hot cheese sauce. This method is less desirable, you do risk the cheese separating if you re-heat it too much when thickening.
More Cheese Please
- Cheese Grits – southern classic
- Gooey Cheese Sticks (Fried or Baked) – kid friendly
- Crock Pot Mac and Cheese – so easy
- Pizza Grilled Cheese – my personal fav
- Homemade Mac and Cheese Casserole – cheesy and delicious
- Quick Broccoli and Cheese – two amazing flavors
Creamy Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper or a pinch
- 1 ¼ cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add milk a small amount at a time, whisking smooth after each addition.
- Add onion powder and white pepper.
- Continue to cook over medium heat, whisking continually until slightly thick.
- Remove from heat and add cheeses. Stir until melted.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dip, Sauce
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How much flour and butter?
As listed in the ingredients section, there are 2 Tablespoons of each. Click Jump to Recipe at the top, or scroll down to find the full list of ingredients and instrucitons.
Fantastic recipes im looking to try out more different ones thank you, Lynn
You’re welcome Lynn!
I make this sauce for chicken cordon blu noodles and it works wonderfully. I use pre-shredded gruyere/swiss from aldis. I have had to tweak the recipe a little to get the consistency right for the bag of cheese I like to use and to thin it a bit. all I did was double the recipe and add about a 1/4 cup more milk. for some reason I keep forgetting to pin the recipe and have to go find it again every time I make it.
I added thyme to my cheese sauce, I used the sauce for ham cheese and potatoe casserole. It was Devine!
I think some people may like it better if they used the flour and butter to make a roux first, then slowly added milk to desired thickness, and then melted the cheese in the sauce.
Those are her exact directions…
literally the exact instructions LOL
I’m going to use this cheese sauce for my scalloped potatoes & broccoli to go along with our ham dinner.
I made this for nachos for my dad’s birthday and I am not lying when I say that it just turned out so rich and creamy, it was a huge it and delicious with beans and chips. 10/10 recommend if you want it to be extra creamy, what I did was I added a little bit of heavy whipping cream but do whatever you want. overall great recipe and I will be using this again.
Thanks for the recipe. I added a Tablespoon of spicy mustard. It adds a nice subtle zing to it.
This recipie is wrong. You need more cheese and you have to cook rue until it has the consistency of warm peanut butter and whisk it constantly because its very easy to scortch. Was using it for a measurement/ratio reference and now im trying to fix it.
Did you cook it for 1-2 minutes in step 2? This extra cook time is what removes any flour flavor. Did you use sharp cheddar?
Had a casserole recipe that called for a jar of Cheez Whiz. Yuck. Made my own cheese sauce using this recipe, adding a little low sodium seasoned salt, garlic, and black pepper (I didn’t have white pepper). Made the casserole taste awesome.
May try making it and adding some hot sauce for a chip or potato wedge dip.
Wouldn’t change a thing. Made this to put on broccoli and cauliflower. Love the flavor that the little bit of Parmesan cheese gives. Thank you for a simple yet flavorful sauce.
You’re welcome! So glad you enjoyed the sauce Rhonda!
It was absolutely disgusting I’m sorry to say. Tasted like a flour paste and I followed this recipe to the T.
Did you cook it for 1-2 minutes in step 2? This extra cook time is what removes any flour flavor. Did you use sharp cheddar?
Turned out almost too good to be true. Used it over broccoli, YUM! I’m going to spice it up a bit for nachos tomorrow.
Thanks for a tasty easy cheese sauce.
My whole family love this cheese sauce recipe and it is really amazing. Thanks for sharing this cheese sauce recipe.
Made this yesterday with friends to pair it with wedges and it turned out amazing! Cheesy realness, we couldn’t have enough. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Mmmm serving this with wedges sounds delicious Alexa!
ALWAYS make sure your liquids you add to your rue are warm and you’ll have PERFECT sauce!!!
Terrible. Just a huge blob of cheese in the end. Very gummy
Sorry it didn’t work out for you Robyn.
Did you shred your own cheese?
Did you remove the pan from the stove before adding the cheeses?
I used a cup of blue cheese crumbles and half cup of pecorino-romano for my cheeses. Mixed until the blue cheese was just barely still chunky. Poured over asparagus and on a baked potato. Absolutely delicious. Would consider changing the milk to half a cup of mayo and 1 cup of heavy cream to make a salad dressing
Hi Stevie, So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for the positive review :)
I made this, it was super easy & my dish turned out deeeelicious! (: This will be the recipe that I use from now on. Thanks so much! (:
This was fast and easy, and best of all – tasted good. I would definitely keep this recipe to make again. We used it over broccoli.