Easy Cheese Sauce Recipe (Stovetop or Microwave)
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!
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk (2% or whole milk is best)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (3 tablespoons for extra thick sauce)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup freshly shredded cheese (cheddar, Swiss, Monterey Jack, pepper Jack, etc.)
- pinch cayenne powder, coarse ground black pepper, or 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.3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Slowly add milk while whisking and continue to cook until bubbling and thickened.1 cup milk
- Remove from heat and add shredded cheese and pepper, if using. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Serve immediately.1 cup freshly shredded cheese
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.3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 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.2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 cup milk
- Add cheese and stir to melt, or until sauce is smooth. Serve immediately.1 cup freshly shredded cheese
Video
Notes
- Yield: Makes 1 ½ cups cheese sauce.
- Serving ideas: Serve this cheese sauce with cooked pasta (make mac & cheese), cooked vegetables, baked potatoes, nachos, or whatever you love with cheese sauce!
- Adjust the consistency: 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.
- Cheese tip: For best results, shred the cheese yourself. Pre-grated cheese contains anti-clumping ingredients and doesn't melt as smoothly.
Nutrition
Serving: 3tablespoons | Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 139mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 256IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 0.2mg
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