There’s always a reason to have Cheddar cheese sauce on hand—everything goes with it. Warm, oozing cheese is never a bad idea.–Spike Mendelsohn
LC Any Which Way Note
This recipe, adapted from the one found in The Good Stuff Cookbook, creates an uber cheesy sauce that you’ll want to slather on everything by the ladleful. And when Spike says it goes with everything, he really means everything, including the ridiculously indulgent Uncle D’s Chili and Cheddar Burger. Or just Uncle D’s Chili. Or a baked potato. Or french fries. Or, well, use your imagination. Any which way, it’s a keeper.
Cheddar Cheese Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cayenne or hot sauce, to taste
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- 1. Heat the milk in a large saucepan over medium heat until you see bubbles forming on top.
- 2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in another saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the top, stirring constantly until a thick paste forms, 1 to 2 minutes. (In classic French cuisine, a mixture of flour and fat such as this is known as a roux. In reality, this mixture is known to behave differently in every kitchen, so don’t be alarmed if it becomes quite thick.)
- 3. Slowly add the warm milk to the flour and butter paste in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Continue cooking, whisking almost constantly until the mixture thickens considerably, about 5 minutes. It should be thick but still spreadable and perhaps even pourable. Add the cheese, whisking constantly until it has melted. Season with the cayenne or hot sauce and salt and pepper to taste. If you want to be fussy about it, you can strain the sauce through a sieve to remove any lumps before serving. The sauce will thicken upon cooling.
Hungry for more? Chow down on these:
- Tzatziki Sauce from Kalyn's Kitchen
- Homemade Worcestershire from Food Renegade
- Béchamel Sauce from Leite's Culinaria
- Simple Tomato Sauce from Leite's Culinaria
Cheddar Cheese Sauce Recipe © 2010 Spike Mendelsohn . Photo © 2010 Joe Shymanski. All rights reserved.
This looks rich and almost like Cheez Whiz. I have to try this.
So I tried this and ended up with a SUPER thick, tasteless glop. I was imagining something a little more like the picture. Is a cup of flour too much for the roux? Any ideas on how to make it a little more velveeta and a little less play dough?
Nick, thanks for letting us know your experience. We’d tested it to great effect—it came out thick yet with ample flavor. We’ve retested and tweaked the recipe, reducing the flour but not the cheese flavor. Our apologies for your disappointment the first time through. We assure you, this version that now appears on the site will be much more to your liking…
1 cup sounds like way too much. More like a couple of tablespoons. Is this a misprint? I don’t have the book but it is on my wish list.
RisaG, it’s not a misprint, as that’s what’s in the book. We’re going to test it one more time and report back.
We’ve retested and tweaked the recipe, RisaG. Give it a whirl now…with confidence.
Thanks, Renee, and our trusty testing team, for going back in and making this work.
I just made this recipe from Spike’s book, as is. Wish I had looked your version up first. That roux was much too thick! Thanks for helping your readers out. I’ll certainly try your roux measurements. But, do you think there’s a way to fix it? I don’t want to have to do it all over again!
Melissa, you can try to use the existing sauce as a base, adding some milk, cheese, and butter to it to avoid making it all over again. But I suggest starting fresh. With only 2 tablespoons of flour, it is much simpler than the version in the book.
Delicious. Simply delicious.
Excellent to hear, Rebekah. Excellent. Let us know what else, if anything, you decide to smother in it. Though remember, please, we have kids reading the site…
Could the cheese sauce be saved and reheated?
Made this tonight to go over broccoli. My husband and his dad loved it. Thanks for the tweaked recipe. It is perfect.
You are so very welcome, vgts900. So glad to hear it was a go…!