This easy, extra creamy cheese sauce has just four simple ingredients and tastes great with broccoli, cauliflower, baked potatoes, and more!
Baked Potato Day. I would look forward to it every single Wednesday in middle school, when you’d get a big ol’ baked potato for lunch and a helping of the cafeteria’s cheese sauce. No one liked baked potato day like I did. In fact, I’m probably the only one who even liked it at all. 🤣
Alright, there are in fact a few things you need to know to make sure that you have super creamy consistency, otherwise you could easily end up with a grainy texture. Read on!
How to Melt Cheese for the Creamiest Consistency
-Melted cheese will have the best, most creamy consistency if it’s at room temperature prior to being melted.
-Avoid using cheese that’s pre-shredded. The cheese melts best if it’s purchased as a block and shredded or sliced at home.
–Avoid aged cheeses. Stay away from hard cheeses like Parmesan. Those won’t melt nearly as well.
-Add the cheese to a warm base gradually. If the liquid is too hot, the fat from the cheese will separate too quickly and the consistency will be grainy or clumpy.
What to Serve with Cheese Sauce
Aside from pairing cheese sauce with roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and baked potatoes, you can also drizzle it over homemade french fries or burgers! It also makes a great dip for pretzels, bread sticks, chicken tenders, tortilla chips, and more!
Storing Leftover Cheese Sauce
This sauce is best if refrigerated and used within 3-5 days.
Reheating
- Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add splashes of milk to loosen it up and restore it back to it’s original form.
Can You Freeze Cheese Sauce?
I love to freeze anything and everything, however creamy, dairy-based sauces such as this one don’t usually freeze well, the consistency just isn’t the same when reheated.
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Easy Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons Flour
- 1 cup milk
- 8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded, **See Notes
Instructions
- Shred the cheddar cheese and set it aside, it should be at room temperature when you add it to the sauce.
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a small saucepan.
- Whisk in flour. Continue to whisk for 1-2 minutes, until you can no longer smell flour.
- Slowly add the milk in splashes, whisking continuously as you do so. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low. Gradually sprinkle in the cheddar cheese, whisking constantly as you do so. Continue to whisk until the mixture is well-combined.
- Let the sauce continue to heat over low heat, it may appear thin at first but it will continue to thicken upon standing.
- Once it's reached your desired level of thickness, remove it from the heat and serve!
Could I substitute the flour with almond flour?
It might not be quite as thick as regular, but yes, you can!
Love this recipe!! Going to try the stovetop mac and cheese recipe next! Thank You!
You’re very welcome Susan! I’m so happy you enjoyed this one, I can’t wait for you to try the Stovetop Mac and Cheese!💖
wow
Yayyy, thanks so much!💖
Great recipe, remember to add flour and cheese slowely for no lumps!
Thanks so much for the great review Angie! You’re very right, slow and steady is the key to success!💗
Very happy with sauce. Texture and flavor were both great. I needed 3 cups so did 1.5x ingredients. Simple and delicious. In my past sauces I used too much milk, but these proportions are just right.
Yayyyy! Thanks so much for the great comments and review, I’m so happy you enjoyed this!💗
Could I add less milk and use in Mac n cheese?
Hi Eha, I have an easy Stove Top Mac and Cheese recipe that you might want to try instead. You can also check out all of my mac and cheese recipes here! 🙂
can I substitute a plant based buttery spread for butter?
That should work, although I haven’t tested it!
This was delicious and so easy. Thank you.
You’re very welcome, I’m so happy you liked the Cheese Sauce! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!❤️
Can you substitute some swiss or Gruyere cheese for some of the cheddar?
Absolutely, either one would work, but Gruyere would be really delicious!
I could never get the cheese sauce right until I tried thi s recipe! I live it thank you so much!!😋😋😋
Wahooo! I’m so happy this is a victory for you Amanda, thanks so much for the great review!❤️