Homemade Cheese Sauce – best recipe – 4 ingredients and just 10 minutes! Perfect for nachos, cheese fries or add to pasta for the creamy, decadent mac and cheese.

black plate with tortilla chips and homemade cheese sauce spooned over the top.

Whether you’re dunking fries, drizzling over nachos or making the best mac and cheese,  a perfect cheese sauce starts with an easy roux (more below).

In just 10 minutes and 4 simple staples from the grocery store, you’ll be diving into this creamy, luxurious cheese sauce. So grab your ingredients and let’s make some melty goodness!

tortilla chips with homemade cheese sauce drizzling over the top

WHAT 4 INGREDIENTS DO I NEED TO MAKE HOMEMADE CHEESE SAUCE

  1. Butter: Melt it in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
  2. All-purpose flour: After butter melts, whisk it in to create a smooth flour mixture. Cook 1 minute to avoid a raw flour taste.
  3. Milk: Warm milk a few seconds in the micro for the creamiest cheese sauce.
  4. Cheese: Choose a good melty cheese —sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack even a mix. Avoid pre-shredded or pre-grated cheese. It contains additives that keep it from melting smoothly. Shredding your own cheese is also less expensive.

What kind of cheese is best for Cheese Sauce?

Use any good melty cheese is perfect in this recipe. Sharp cheddar (or extra sharp) is my favorite. Below are a few more:

How to make the perfect Cheese Sauce:

Grate the cheese then set aside. Warm milk in the microwave and set aside

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter then sprinkle the flour over the top.
 
Whisk until smooth then continue simmering 1 minute. Pour in milk and season with salt then continue whisking constantly until the milk and flour mixture are combined.
 

Add cheese a little at a time, stirring until melted. 

Taste and adjust salt as needed then eat right away.

What is a roux and why do we need it?

A roux is simply equal parts melted butter and flour cooked together to form a thickening agent for sauces, soups and stews.

Starting with roux means a cheese sauce that’s dippable, pourable and drizzleable and uber creamy.

Tips for the best Cheese Sauce:

  1. Grate your own cheese: pre-packaged cheese contains additives that don’t allow it to melt as well.
  2. Gather and prep all ingredients before you start. This recipe comes together quickly.
  3. Warm milk in the microwave for an even creamier cheese sauce.
  4. Use whole milk to 2%. Skim milk not recommended. Low fat cheeses not recommended.

Why I love this recipe:

  • DELICIOUS with just 4 simple ingredients!
  • VERSATILE: top veggies, fries, baked potatoes or add to pasta for tasty Mac and Cheese.
  • HOMEMADE CHEESE SAUCE IS BETTER than premade from the grocery store.
  • ONLY REAL CHEESE – no processed cheeses or Velveeta.
  • FOR GLUTEN FREE RECIPE – check out my flourless cheese sauce recipe.

Flavor boosters for homemade Cheese Sauce: 

    • Garlic powder or white pepper – Enhances the depth of flavor.

    • Green chiles – 1 small can adds a bit of heat and texture.

What to do with homemade Cheese Sauce:

  • Drizzle over French fries for homemade cheese fries or next time – sweet potatoes
  • Pour over pasta for the best mac and cheese
  • Use as a dip for pretzels or soft breadsticks.
  • Drizzle over favorite vegetables like this air fryer broccoli.
  • Spoon over tortilla chips for nachos like sports events and the movies!

Roasted Broccoli topped with easy cheese sauce on black plate

How to store leftover Cheese Sauce:

Let it cool to room temperature then store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or stovetop adding a small splash of milk as needed.

To reheat. warm over low heat with a splash of milk to restore the creamy texture.

clear bowl with easy cheese sauce garnished with pickled jalapenos

Full details for this easy homemade cheese sauce recipe in the printable recipe card below. What’s your favorite way to enjoy cheese sauce? Let me know in the comments!

Enjoy!

Pin for later! ⇓

pinterest pin showing homemade cheese sauce


You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for more easy, tasty recipes!

black plate with tortilla chips and homemade cheese sauce spooned over the top.

Best Homemade Cheese Sauce

4 Ingredient homemade cheese sauce in just 5 minutes! Creamy, dunkable, dipable cheese sauce perfect for topping veggies, tortilla chips for nachos and cheese fries.
4.29 from 53 votes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Course Appetizer, sauce
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories

Equipment

  • box grater to grate cheese

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole milk can sub half and half or 2% not skim
  • 4 ounce block sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

Instructions
 

  • Grate the cheese then set aside. Warm milk in the microwave and set aside.
  • In a medium saucepan, melt the butter then sprinkle the flour over the top.
  • Whisk until smooth then continue simmering 1 minute. Pour in warm milk and season with salt then continue whisking constantly until the milk and flour mixture are combined.
  • Add the cheese a little at a time stirring to combine.
  • Taste and adjust salt as needed then eat right away.
Keyword cheese sauce, nacho cheese sauce, cheese sauce for fries
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

4.29 from 53 votes (46 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

19 Comments

      1. Thank you! — and Yum! I love your variation – can’t go wrong with extra cheese right?! Great idea adding to schnitzel. I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Enjoy the day – Bernie

      1. HI Renee – thank you so much for your kind words – I appreciate! I’m really glad you and your husband both enjoyed the cheese sauce. Thanks for taking the time to comment — Bernie

  1. Made the cheese cause tonight to go over some cauliflower and loved it!! Really rich and added a ton of flavor. Made me actually enjoy eating veggies 🙂 I’ll try this over nachos in the future. AND as an added bonus – I was very worried about the cheese sticking to the pot and having a hard time washing and it came out so easily which always makes the end of a meal even better – love an easy clean up!

  2. Loved this! I wanted to do something fun for my boyfriend, so I made some cheese sauce to go with my second attempt at air fryer fries. Both went great!

    Mine was a little thick and I had forgotten your advice to add some milk, but neither of us minded because it’s cheese! My boyfriend completely cleaned the bowl! The only change I made was adding a couple splashes of Frank’s Red Hot at the end for a little kick.

    1. Hi Sarah – I’m so glad you and your boyfriend enjoyed the recipe so much! What a fun date night idea. Yum – love the addition of Frank’s for a little kick – sounds delicious! Thanks for taking the time to comment ~ Bernie

  3. Hi there – the recipe is indeed there. You have 2 options: hit the Jump to Recipe button at the top of the post that will immediately take you to the printable recipe card – OR – scroll down to the bottom for the same printable recipe card that contains all of the ingredients, amounts and detailed instructions. Please feel free to adjust your recipe rating to reflect this. Have a nice day. — Bernie

  4. Great base! You can use your favorite melting cheese. I saw one comment that someone used preshredded cheese and I cringed-don’t do it chefs! It won’t melt as well with that coating, I love to see people making this sauce instead of that box fake cheese-so many ingredients that aren’t healthy. I also like to add a bit of Tabasco-not enough that anyone would know it was in there but just enough for bit of flavor! Thanks for sharing!

    1. Hi Susie – thanks so much – so glad you enjoyed the recipe but I really love your tips and (thank you!) reminder NOT to use preshredded cheese!! I’ll have to try the dash of Tabasco next time I make it. I appreciate taking the time to comment – enjoy the day — Bernie

  5. Used this recipe for a small batch of Mac and cheese! I used 3 oz of Gouda and about 1.5 oz of medium cheddar and it was delish! My kids enjoyed it, thank you!!