An easy cheese sauce recipe is a must-have in your cooking tool box! Perfect as a topping for nachos, baked potatoes, vegetables, or to make macaroni and cheese, you’re going to love this versatile recipe!
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: An easy cheese sauce that you can make in the microwave or on the stove is a recipe that you’ll turn to again and again.
How long it takes: 3 minutes in the microwave OR 10 minutes on the stove
Equipment you’ll need: microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl; or saucepan
Servings: makes 1½ cups
This creamy, irresistible cheese sauce melts perfectly and you’ll want to pour it on everything!
About This Easy Cheese Sauce Recipe
- An essential how-to recipe. I’m bringing us back to the basics with this easy cheese sauce. Once you learn how to make recipes like this one, you can turn ordinary dishes into something really special. Doesn’t everything taste better with cheese sauce?
- Two easy methods. I’ll teach you how to make this cheese sauce on the stovetop and in the microwave. Both cooking methods are tried and true. I’ve made this recipe many times both ways. This is a pretty fool-proof recipe.
- Easy to change up. By using different kinds of cheese or adding seasonings, you can make your cheese sauce fit any type of meal. Keep reading for suggestions.
How to Make Easy Cheese Sauce
Stovetop Method:
- Melt a few tablespoons of butter and whisk in a couple tablespoons of flour. This makes a simple roux. I like to use unsalted butter so you can season to taste. Keep in mind that cheese can add a lot of salty flavor to this sauce.
- Slowly whisk in a cup of milk while whisking sauce. I recommend 2% milk or whole milk for the creamiest sauce. The sauce may look a little lumpy at first but it will smooth out.
- Continue to cook the sauce over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. If you feel the sauce sticking on the bottom of the pan, lower the heat. When the sauce comes to a boil and is thickened, remove from heat.
- Stir in shredded cheese and any other ingredients you’d like to add until the sauce is smooth and cheesy.
Microwave Method: Choose a large microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup. I use a 4 cup measuring cup. The sauce tends to boil over if you don’t use a large enough container.
- Put the butter in the bowl and cover the bowl with a paper towel or waxed paper to prevent splatters. Microwave at full power just until the butter melts.
- Whisk the flour into the butter. Slowly add milk, whisking as you go. Mixture will look lumpy because the cold milk makes the butter firm up. Don’t worry, it will smooth out!
- Put the bowl back into the microwave, cover it again, and microwave on full power for 2 ½ minutes, whisking every 30 seconds. It’s important to whisk it as it cooks. You’ll see the sauce begin to smooth out and the lumps disappear.
- Stir in the cheese and seasonings until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
How To Use Cheese Sauce
A good cheese sauce can be used in so many ways. Here are a few ideas (and I’m sure you’ll have more ideas of your own!):
Vegetables: Dress up ordinary cooked vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or cauliflower.
Mac and Cheese: Add it to cooked pasta to make a creamy mac and cheese.
Loaded Baked Potatoes: Top baked potatoes with cheese sauce and all your favorite toppings for a fun and nutritious dinner.
Nachos: This creamy cheesy sauce is a great way to top nachos, just like the ball park!
French Fries: Make your own loaded French fries with cheese sauce, bacon, green onions, tomatoes, etc.
Burgers and Sandwiches: A Philly cheesesteak sandwich comes to mind, or a roast beef sandwich smothered in cheesy sauce. Any burger, sandwich, or hot dog benefits from cheese sauce!
Variations on this easy cheese sauce Recipe
By simply using different kinds of cheese and adding seasonings, this cheese sauce can be used in so many ways.
- Creamy Enchilada Sauce: Use 1 cup cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. Add 1 tablespoon of chili powder for an irresistible enchilada sauce.
- Nacho Cheese Sauce: Use 1 cup cheddar, Monterey Jack, or pepper Jack cheese. Add ½ cup salsa for an easy nacho cheese sauce. Serve nacho cheese sauce warm with tortilla chips or beef nachos.
- For Macaroni and Cheese: Double all ingredient amounts! I like cheddar cheese for macaroni and cheese because it has the most flavor.
- Swiss Cheese Sauce: Use 1 cup Swiss cheese and add 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard. This makes an irresistible dip for my chicken cordon bleu skewers or a sauce for baked chicken cordon bleu. It’s also pretty amazing on sautéed Brussels sprouts or pretty much any steamed vegetable.
- Beer Cheese Dip: This variation of cheese sauce is often served in restaurants with soft pretzels. Try my beer cheese recipe and homemade soft pretzels.
Refrigerate: Leftover cheese sauce should be refrigerated in a covered container. It will keep for a few days.
Reheat: Gently heat the sauce in a small saucepan on the stove. Add more milk to thin, if necessary. It can be reheated in the microwave in 15-second increments at 50% power, stirring each time.
Easy Cheese Sauce (Stovetop or Microwave)
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk (2% or whole milk is best)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (3 tablespoons for a thicker sauce)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup freshly shredded cheese (cheddar, Swiss, Monterey Jack, pepper Jack, etc.)
- pinch cayenne powder, coarse ground black pepper, ground white pepper (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste (if you use salted butter, omit salt)
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat butter over medium heat until melted. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly add milk while whisking and continue to cook until bubbling and thickened.
- Remove from heat and add shredded cheese and pepper, if using. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Serve immediately.
Microwave Instructions
- Add butter to a large microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup (4 cup). Cover with a paper towel or waxed paper. Microwave butter at full power for 25 to 40 seconds, or until melted, stirring occasionally.
- Whisk in flour until smooth. Slowly whisk in milk. Mixture will appear lumpy. Microwave, covered, at full power for 2 ½ minutes, whisking every 30 seconds, or until thick. If needed, continue microwaving in 30 second intervals until desired thickness is achieved. Sauce will look lumpy at first but will smooth out.
- Add cheese and stir to melt, or until sauce is smooth. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Makes 1 ½ cups cheese sauce.
- Serve this cheese sauce with cooked pasta (make mac & cheese), cooked vegetables, baked potatoes or whatever you love with cheese sauce!
- For a thinner sauce, use 2 tablespoons of flour. For a thicker sauce (that could be used as a dip), use 3 tablespoons of flour.
- For best results, shred the cheese yourself. Pre-grated cheese contains anti-clumping ingredients and doesn’t melt as smoothly.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
These bechamel type cheese sauces are fine and tasty. But they still don’t have that silky smooth texture of a nacho cheese sauce like Taco John’s.
A molecular emulsifier needs to be used to get that silky smooth texture. I have some sodium citrate on delivery, going to make some cheese sauce with it.
Sounds like it will be amazing!
Hi Rachel my family doesn’t like real butter so I use margarine will it work in this recipe also 2% milk I would love to try your recipe it sounds and looks delicious if I tried to sneak in real butter will salted be ok that’s what I like thank you have a great safe day
That should work! Salted butter will be fine too.
I would suggest you measure out your milk & leave on the counter for one hour. Then SLOWLY add it to the pot. Stir CONSTANTLY until desired thickness. This is exactly how I make my mac & cheese sauce. Its always very creamy!
Good tips!
Thank you for the recipe for cheese sauce. I buy Tillamook block cheese and grate it at home and keep it in the fridge for future use. I followed your recipe for cheese sauce but it was grainy. Any reason why?
Sometimes if you boil it too hard the milk will curdle. Did you use 2% or whole milk? Low fat milk doesn’t work as well.
I almost always make this in the microwave. Use a 4 cup bowl and stir frequently. Looks like a disaster at first but no worries. It always turns out.
Haha it really does look like a disaster at first!
classic white sauce (bechamel)-based cheese sauce–I make it all the time when I need it