How To Make Cheese Sauce With Step By Step Instructions

When it comes to food, even some of my favorite things only get even more delicious when you add cheese. Thanks to this easy cheese sauce recipe, you’ll want to dip all the things in cheese. At the top of my list of favorite things to dip in cheese sauce is soft pretzels. YUM! We have a great recipe for soft pretzels that is popular. You can also dip it in French fries, potato wedges, or steamed vegetables. You will love it on broccoli or cauliflower! It also makes a terrific sauce for mac and cheese, pasta, potatoes, etc.

Ingredients in Cheese Sauce

You can’t go wrong with this cheddar cheese sauce. It is always an easy recipe that we can make quickly with simple ingredients and feed a crowd or just our family for a game night. Every ingredient blends together making a smooth and creamy sauce with all the cheesy flavor! Here’s what you need:

Cheddar cheese – Hand-shredded cheese works best. Try to avoid using pre-shredded cheese. The pre-packaged shredded cheese has a cellulose on it to prevent the bag of cheese from clumping and it just doesn’t melt as smoothly as cheese that you grate yourself. Cornstarch – Combine the cheese and cornstarch together to help absorb the water and expand letting it thicken when melted together. Evaporated milk – Smooths, thickens the texture and adds a sweet flavor to this cheese sauce. Dry mustard – This helps the sauce bind together as well as gives it a more yellow coloring. Cream cheese – Adds a thick and creamy taste!

Smooth Cheese Sauce

The mixture will seem grainy as it starts melting but keep at it. The graininess will go away as it heats and the cheese will become nice and smooth. This is a simple recipe that comes together quickly and everyone loves!

Types of Cheese to Use for Cheese Sauce

This recipe uses cheddar as the main cheese, but if you like the idea of trying different flavors of cheese, go for it. In fact, having a blend of different cheeses is a great way to go! Use any combination of:

Mozzarella Cheddar Jack Pepper Jack Monterey Jack Extra sharp white cheddar Gouda

Nacho Cheese, Please

Want a little hotter and spicer cheese?! This homemade nacho cheese is just what you need. It is smooth and creamy with a hint of spice from a few extra ingredients.

Tips on Making the Best Cheese Sauce

There is definitely a sweet spot when it comes to cheese. You want your cheese to heat up SLOWLY and whisk as it warms up. It may seem like it is taking forever but it will be worth it. Follow these tips to know the best way to make this delicious easy cheese sauce!

Slowly warm up – If you find your cheese sauce is getting grainy or gritty, nine times out 10 this is because it has either melted too FAST or has been OVERHEATED. Once it is melted and where you want it to be, reduce the heat even more so you can keep it right where you want it. If you continue to heat it the proteins will separate and it may start to get lumpy and gritty. Gluten-free – Gluten-free eaters, rest easy, this recipe for cheese sauce has NO flour in it. It is completely GF. Other recipes I have seen have you toss the cheese in flour but because we use cornstarch in this recipe is gluten-free. Serve with – This cheese sauce is perfect for dipping tortilla chips, vegetables, pretzels, and cubed bread, or adding it over top baked potatoes, chili, and nachos. Storage – Leftovers don’t reheat super well, but store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. You can try to reheat on super low heat on the stove, but it could come out gritty.