Secrets for how to make perfect cheese sauce every time! Never have clumpy, oily or stringy cheese sauce again! Simple ingredients- ready in 10-minutes!
Everything tastes better with cheese! Keep this simple, foolproof recipe handy...once you make it, you'll use it time after time!
Why you'll love this recipe!
- Works for different aged cheeses - Cheddar, Colby, Monterey Jack
- Quick and Easy - ready in 10-minutes
- Simple ingredients - you probably already have everything you need
- Versatile - use as a sauce, dip or in a casserole
Once you learn how to make the perfect cheese sauce, you can explore different sauces!
Here's what you'll need:
Flour, butter, milk, cheese, lemon or vinegar, salt and pepper
How to make it:
Troubleshooting Cheese Sauce:
Follow these tips for making the perfect cheese sauce:
- Use aged cheese - the proteins in aged cheese dissolve and melt better than in a fresh or unaged cheese
- Use whole milk, not reduced-fat cheese: Reduced-fat cheeses have fat replacers that reduce the fat content; the replacers produce a stringy, rubbery texture
- Shred or cube cheese from cheese block
- Grated- grate cheese from a block of cheese; grating cheese increases the surface volume so the cheese melts better and faster; don't use cubed or pre-shredded cheese; they are often coated with cellulose that does not respond to heat
- Room temperature cheese - allow for better melting
- Low heat-cheese will separate when added to a boiling liquid; to prevent separation, always use very low heat
- Add acid-last and off heat; a teaspoon of lemon, vinegar or wine when added to Cheddar, Colby and Monterey Jack will reduce the risk of the cheese forming clumps
- Don't over stir - continued stirring will cause the cheese sauce to separate
- Serve it warm - if cheese sauce cools, it will tend to clump
- Highly acidic cheeses - Swiss, Emmentaler and Gruyere should be lightly dusted with cornstarch prior to melting because they're more acidic
Related recipes:
Foolproof Perfect Cheese Sauce
Foolproof recipe for creamy cheese sauce every time-perfect for vegetables, casseroles and more!
Print
Rate
Servings: 2 cups
Calories: 790kcal
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 cup milk
- 8 ounces cheese , shredded from block, aged
- 1 teaspoon vinegar , white vinegar or lemon
- salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
- On low heat, melt butter
- Sprinkle in flour; whisk
- Add milk in ½ cup increments; continue to stir
- Remove from heat
- Add shredded cheese in increments, stirring in between
- Remove from heat; add vinegar; whisk till smooth
- Taste for salt and pepper
Notes
Follow these tips for creamy cheese sauce:
- Use aged cheese - the proteins in aged cheese dissolve and melt better than in a fresh or unaged cheese
- Use whole milk, not reduced-fat cheese: Reduced-fat cheeses have fat replacers that reduce the fat content; the replacers produce a stringy, rubbery texture
- Shred or cube cheese from cheese block
- Grated- grate cheese from a block of cheese; grating cheese increases the surface volume so the cheese melts better and faster; don't use cubed or pre-shredded cheese; they are often coated with cellulose that does not respond to heat
- Room temperature cheese - allow for better melting
- Low heat-cheese will separate when added to a boiling liquid; to prevent separation, always use very low heat
- Add acid-last and off heat; a teaspoon of lemon, vinegar or wine when added to Cheddar, Colby and Monterey Jack will reduce the risk of the cheese forming clumps
- Don't over stir - continued stirring will cause the cheese sauce to separate
- Serve it warm - if cheese sauce cools, it will tend to clump
- Highly acidic cheeses - Swiss, Emmentaler and Gruyere should be lightly dusted with cornstarch prior to melting because they're more acidic
Nutrition
Serving: 2cups | Calories: 790kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 64g | Saturated Fat: 41g | Cholesterol: 191mg | Sodium: 957mg | Potassium: 272mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2034IU | Calcium: 962mg | Iron: 1mg
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Debi says
I never thought to put vinegar in cheese sauce. I'm going to try this next time!
Anecia says
Just a smidgen...it's a food science thing:) ...the acid works with the dairy proteins in some magical way to prevent clumping...you can also use wine or lemon juice...