Cheese Sauce

You'll love this cheese sauce—an undeniably creamy sauce that can go from nachos to enchiladas to pasta. Like many of our other favorite sauces, cheese sauce is easy to make and a good recipe to keep in your back pocket to take basic taco night to great, or to turn a plate of steamed broccoli into your kids' favorite side dish.

Learn how to make cheese sauce, and keep this recipe ready to go for all sorts of dishes.

Ingredients for Cheese Sauce

To make cheese sauce, you'll need just six ingredients:

• Salted butter: Adds richness to the sauce, and works with flour to create a roux.
• All-purpose flour: Helps thicken the sauce.
• Milk: The base of the creamy sauce. Can substitute with evaporated milk, 2% milk, or half-and-half if needed, although it may thicken or thin the texture slightly.
• Colby Jack cheese: A mild, creamy, buttery flavor for a rich cheese sauce. Can substitute with Colby, Monterey Jack, pepper Jack, Cheddar, or other preferred cheeses.
• Chopped green chiles: For a mild, tangy flavor and subtle heat. Can be left out depending on what you're using the cheese sauce for.
• Table salt: Enhances the flavor of the sauce.

How To Make Cheese Sauce

If you think making a cheese sauce from scratch is difficult, prepare to be amazed. Two steps, and you'll have a decadent, homemade sauce ready to serve. Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started:

• Step 1. Prepare a roux: Melt butter in a heavy saucepan, and whisk in flour; cook 1 minute.
• Step 2. Add milk and cheese: Gradually whisk in milk and cook until thickened. Add cheese, chiles, and salt.

Variations for Cheese Sauce

A classic cheese sauce is made first by preparing a roux, then adding milk for a bechamel, and finally, adding shredded cheese to ultimately create a mornay sauce (or cheese sauce). While the classic elements are important, they can be changed up to suit what you have on hand and what you're using the sauce for.

• Flour: Substitute with half the quantity of cornstarch, potato, or arrowroot starch, or an equal amount of rice flour or gluten-free flour. You can also cook the roux until golden in color for a nutty, deep flavor.
• Milk: 2% milk, evaporated milk, half-and-half, and plant-based milks can all be used in the place of whole milk. Note that depending on the texture and richness of the chosen milk, the sauce texture may be thinner or thicker accordingly.
• Cheese: This sauce can be changed up to pair with almost any dish. Sub in Gruyère, Cheddar, pepper Jack, Fontina, or other preferred cheeses.
• Seasonings: A pinch of nutmeg, touch of cayenne pepper, mustard, garlic, chopped herbs, truffle oil, bacon, and more can be added in the place of chiles to take this sauce in an entirely different direction.

Ways To Use Cheese Sauce

While this cheese sauce was originally meant for our Breakfast Enchiladas, the uses are endless. Pour over nachos, quesadillas, cheese fries, or steamed veggies, spoon over baked potatoes or tacos, serve as a dip for crudité or chips, and stir into grits for a cheesy twist on a Southern favorite. One would argue that everything is better topped with cheese sauce.

Can I Make Cheese Sauce Ahead?

This sauce can be made and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of milk if needed to loosen it up.

More Cheesy Favorites You'll Love

Whether you love mac and cheese, grilled cheese, or cheesy dips, these deliciously cheesy recipes will be right up your alley:

• Cheesy Broccoli-and-Rice Casserole
• Best Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
• Cheesy Sausage-and-Croissant Casserole
• Collard Dip
• Cheesy Tomato-and-Sausage Strata
• Tortellini Mac and Cheese
• Cheesy Skillet-Baked Pork Chops
• Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
• Hot Cheesy Crab Dip
• Cheesy Potato Croquettes

Editorial contributions by Katie Rosenhouse.