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From french fries to pasta, this easy Homemade Cheese Sauce recipe elevates every dish it’s added to! Follow my simple step-by-step recipe to create the perfect cheese sauce in under 10 minutes with 4 ingredients plus salt and pepper.
Jump to:
- Cheese Sauce for Fries and More
- Cheese Sauce Ingredients
- How to Make a Roux for Cheese Sauce
- How to Make Cheese Sauce with a Roux
- Also try…
- Tips for Making Homemade Cheese Sauce
- Storing Cheese Sauce in the Refrigerator
- Can you freeze cheese sauce?
- How do you reheat cheese sauce?
- Serving Suggestions for Cheese Sauce
- Variations on Homemade Cheese Sauce
- Pin it for later!
- Recipe
- Reviews
Cheese Sauce for Fries and More
Let’s be honest: what isn’t better with a creamy cheese sauce? My family loves this cheese sauce for fries, burgers, pasta, as a dip for steak nachos, over roasted veggies, and homemade soft pretzels. You can pair so much with this cheese sauce recipe, it’s almost out of hand!
This is a simple, rich gruyere cheese sauce (you can use cheddar, too). It packs so much flavor for calling for only four simple ingredients, and best of all, it’s ready quickly. Trust me when I say this roux cheese sauce is better than anything you can buy at the store!
Let’s get right into how to make cheese sauce!
Cheese Sauce Ingredients
- Butter: I recommend using a high-quality butter you enjoy, such as Kerrygold. You can use salted or unsalted butter, but if you use salted, make sure to lower the added salt content so your sauce isn’t too salty. This forms the rich base of the cheese sauce roux, which helps in both forming the thick consistency of the sauce and adding depth of flavor.
- Flour: Flour is used along with milk to create the roux for cheese sauce. If you’re avoiding gluten, you can make this a gluten free cheese sauce recipe simply by swapping out the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free flour at a 1:1 ratio. No need to change any measurements.
- Milk: I recommend using whole milk or 2%. Avoid using skim milk. You could also use half and half, but I recommend avoiding heavy cream as it can make the cheese sauce way too rich for most.
- Cheese: I’m using gruyere cheese for this sauce that I shred myself. You can also use cheddar. Whichever cheese you use, I really recommend grating it yourself rather than buying it shredded. Pre-shredded cheese comes with a powdery coating that prevents it from clumping together – which also means it won’t make as smooth of a cheese sauce!
- Salt and Pepper: Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper are the best. Avoid table salt, as it can add an undesirable metallic taste to cooked food.
How to Make a Roux for Cheese Sauce
Every good cheese sauce starts with a roux: a simple mix of flour and butter. I’ll show you how to make a roux for cheese sauce in the following steps, but I also recommend seeing my guide on How to Make a Roux for even more info, tips, and tricks on making a roux, and other beloved recipes it can be used for, like gravy!
1: Melt Butter
Begin by melting butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Be patient and keep the pan at medium heat. You don’t want to burn your roux.
2: Add Flour
Add flour to the butter in the saucepan and cook for about 2-3 minutes, whisking it together to combine. Make sure to use a rubber whisk so you don’t damage your cookware.
3: Voila! Your cheese sauce roux!
When the roux is ready, it will form a paste-like consistency and be light blond in appearance. Now you can move on to making your cheese sauce. Keep the pan on the stove and continue!
How to Make Cheese Sauce with a Roux
1: Add Milk
Gradually add milk to the roux while stirring. Make sure to do this slowly, so the milk does not curdle. Pour in a little milk at a time, stir, then add a bit more milk, until the milk is used up and all added.
2: Let it Thicken
The flour mixture will dissolve completely and the sauce will thicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper.
3: Add Cheese
Remove the pan from the heat and add grated cheddar or gruyere cheese. Return the saucepan to the stove once added, turn the heat to low, and stir constantly until the cheese melts.
4: Season and Enjoy
Once done cooking, remove from the heat, turn off the stove, and add salt and pepper to the cheese sauce to taste. Serve and enjoy!
Also try…
Tips for Making Homemade Cheese Sauce
- If the sauce is too thick for your liking after cooking, gradually mix in a little more milk until it’s the consistency you want.
- You can make this cheese sauce gluten-free by swapping out all-purpose flour for gluten-free flour at a 1:1 ratio.
- Although I used gruyere and recommend using either gruyere or cheddar, you can really use any cheese you’d like for your cheese sauce, as long as it melts well. Experiment with what you have on hand.
Isabel’s Top Tip
Always add any dairy, such as milk, slowly and gradually while mixing. You don’t want your cheese sauce to curdle!
Storing Cheese Sauce in the Refrigerator
Cheese sauce can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. When reheating it, you may need to mix in additional milk to help thin it out, as it will thicken further once cooled.
Can you freeze cheese sauce?
Yes, cheese sauce freezes well! Allow it to cool first. Then, you can freeze it in a small container or in plastic bags. When ready to use, let it thaw in the fridge. You can also thaw in the microwave, if you need it quickly.
How do you reheat cheese sauce?
The easiest, quickest way to reheat this sauce is in the microwave on high. Stir every few 30 seconds to make it smooth. You can also reheat the sauce on the stove over low heat, which is my preferred way to reheat cheese sauce. Add some milk to thin down the consistency if it’s too thick. Stir continuously until the texture is smooth and creamy, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions for Cheese Sauce
It is amazing how many dishes are enhanced by homemade cheese sauce! You can make macaroni and cheese with it, use it as a dip for fries or nachos, or even drizzle it over meals like enchiladas or your favorite tacos. Here are some of my favorite dishes to pair with cheese sauce:
Variations on Homemade Cheese Sauce
- Add different spices, like ground cloves, allspice, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, or even hot sauce. You can get creative and experiment with the flavor.
- Cook some onions or bacon in the butter before adding the flour for the roux. The bacon fat will especially add a ton of flavor.
- Use different kinds of cheese, like our creamy parmesan sauce. You don’t have to feel limited!
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Recipe
Homemade Cheese Sauce in 10 Minutes
Equipment
- Rubber whisk
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 3 Tablespoons flour
- 2-3 cups milk
- 1 cup grated cheddar or gruyere cheese shredded
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add butter and allow it to melt. Mix in flour once melted, and cook for 2-3 minutes, combining with a rubber whisk until it forms a paste-like consistency and is a pale golden color.3 Tablespoons butter, 3 Tablespoons flour
- Gradually add in milk slowly and while stirring. The flour mixture will combine smoothly with the milk. Once it does, season with salt and pepper to taste.2-3 cups milk, kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- Remove from the heat and add the cheese. Return the saucepan to the stove, turn down the heat to low, and stir constantly until the cheese melts. If the sauce looks too thick, you can add some more milk. Serve, and enjoy!1 cup grated cheddar or gruyere cheese
Notes
- Reheating: Keep cheese sauce in the fridge for up to one week. Reheat on low in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium heat with some additional milk.
Kathleen says
Would this cheese sauce be good for inside breakfast burritos for freezer?
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Kathleen! Yes, that should work just fine!