Quick Cheese Sauce
A silky, smooth cheddar sauce made on the stovetop in about 15 minutes with a simple butter-and-flour base. Perfect for pouring over broccoli, nachos, baked potatoes, or tossing with macaroni.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Makes
- About 2 cups (480 ml) sauce, 6 servings of ⅓ cup
Steps
Before you start
- Grate the cheese yourself from a block; pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking starch that can make the sauce grainy.
- Let the grated cheese sit out at room temperature while you start the sauce so it melts quickly and evenly.
- Measure all ingredients before you turn on the heat, because the sauce comes together fast.
- Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan to prevent scorching.
Prep the cheese
- Grate the 8 ounces (225 g) cheddar on the large holes of a box grater into a bowl; you should have about 2 cups.
- Leave it on the counter while you make the base.
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Ready when: Cheese is fully grated with no large chunks.
Tip: Grating from a block gives a much smoother sauce than bagged shreds.
Melt the butter
- Place a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat and add the butter.
- Let it melt completely, swirling the pan, about 1 minute.
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Ready when: Butter is fully melted and just beginning to foam, but not browned.
Tip: Don't let the butter brown; it will change the flavor and color of the sauce.
Cook the roux
- Sprinkle the flour, mustard powder, and paprika (if using) over the butter.
- Whisk constantly for 1 minute to form a smooth paste.
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Ready when: Paste looks bubbly and smells lightly nutty, like cooked dough, with no raw flour smell.
Tip: Keep whisking so the roux doesn't scorch on the bottom.
Whisk in milk
- Slowly pour in about ½ cup (120 ml) of the milk while whisking vigorously; the mixture will thicken into a thick paste.
- Gradually whisk in the remaining 1 cup (240 ml) in a steady stream until smooth.
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Ready when: No lumps remain and the liquid looks uniformly smooth.
Tip: If lumps form, whisk harder or pour through a fine strainer.
Thicken the base
- Keep cooking over medium heat, whisking often and scraping the corners of the pan, until the sauce begins to bubble gently around the edges and thickens, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Do not let it boil hard.
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Ready when: Sauce coats the back of a spoon and a finger drawn across it leaves a clear line.
Melt in cheese
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Add the cheese in three handfuls, whisking until each addition melts before adding the next.
- If the sauce cools too much to melt the cheese, return the pan to low heat briefly.
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Ready when: Sauce is glossy, smooth, and thick enough to coat a spoon, with no visible strands of cheese.
Tip: Adding cheese off the heat prevents it from turning greasy or grainy.
Season and serve
- Taste, then stir in a pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper.
- Add more as needed; the cheese is already salty, so season gradually.
- Serve immediately while warm.
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Ready when: Flavor is cheesy and balanced, with a gentle tang from the mustard.
Tip: If the sauce is too thick, whisk in milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
Good to know
Tips
- Always melt the cheese off the heat or on very low heat; high heat makes cheese sauce grainy and oily.
- Use sharp or extra-sharp cheddar for the strongest flavor, since mild cheddar can taste bland once mixed into the milk base.
- For macaroni and cheese, toss this sauce with about 8 ounces (225 g) of cooked pasta.
- Sauce thickens as it cools; thin with a splash of warm milk before serving if needed.
Make ahead
"Make up to 3 days ahead. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin, then refrigerate. Reheat as directed below."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: not recommended, as the texture may separate. Reheat in a saucepan over low heat, whisking constantly and adding a splash of milk (1 to 2 tablespoons at a time) until smooth and warm."
Substitutions
- sharp cheddar cheese → Gruyère, Monterey Jack, or a mix of cheddar and Gouda. Use the same weight; choose good melting cheeses and grate from a block.
- whole milk → 2% milk or half-and-half. 2% gives a slightly lighter sauce; half-and-half makes it richer.
- all-purpose flour → 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold milk. Skip the roux; whisk the slurry into simmering milk and cook until thickened. Butter can be melted into the milk.
- dry mustard powder → ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard or a dash of hot sauce. Adds the same tang; stir in with the cheese.
