The Cozy Cookbook is here! 
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.
Try These Next
Meow Gallery: The layout none is not available in this version.
Get My Free Meal Plan
I’ve got a Free Meal Plan with 7 of my super popular recipes (complete with grocery list)! Sign up for my email list and I’ll send it over now along with weekly dinner recipes!
And follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
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!
I use this recipe each time I make a cheese sauce. It is always good. Margaret
I’m so happy you’re enjoying it Margaret! Thank so much for taking the time to leave a review!🩷
Absolutely delicious and super easy! I used Havarti and a little Gouda to pour over broccoli, everyone loved it!
Sounds delicious Kelly, I love cheese and broccoli!🙌 Thanks so much for the great review!
yummy!!!!
Thanks so much Alex!💖
It was super cheesy and yummy 😋. I have made it two times and both were delicious! The recipe is easy and quick. We plan to add in herbs or other flavorings in the future. Thank you!
I’m so happy you’re enjoying it! Definitely a good one to customize with some herbs. Thanks for the great review!💕
SOO GOOD!
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it Janelle!!
Would it work to add a can of Rotel to this? Yum!
Absolutely!
My sauce wasn’t smooth, despite following the recipe. Any ideas of why? The texture looked more granular.
Granular texture means (without a question) that the heat was on too high and the dairy separated, which creates a grainy consistency. Shredding the cheese from a block helps create a smoother consistency as well.
Just the kind of recipe a single old timer needs. I made polenta with brussel sprouts and I used the cheese sauce recipe. What can I say? Live with the Pasta.