Homemade Cheese Sauce
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Homemade cheese sauce, made from four simple ingredients, can be an amazing addition to your cooking skills. I mean, come on, what CAN'T you put cheese sauce on? In our house, cheese sauce is most often used for macaroni and cheese.
Making your own cheese sauce doesn't need to be so scary. As long as you follow a few simple tips, you will have a creamy sauce that will keep everyone coming back for more.
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My husband is the resident cheese sauce maker, so one evening I was able to capture his cheese sauce making process. I wanted you to be able to SEE what it looked like, so that you have a good idea of what to look for when you make your own. This process involves lots of stirring and a bit of patience. And if you are like my husband you might include a pint of beer to enjoy while you are doing all of the stirring.
You may notice that my husband never measures anything. Remember? When I asked how much milk he was adding he said, “Enough.” The whole time he was adding milk he was waiting for the perfect consistency. When he got there, he knew it. When he was adding cheese, he was looking for a fantastic cheesy taste. He added cheese until it tasted right. Making cheese sauce really couldn't be simpler and with practice, yours will be amazing too!
So, what do you plan on using your cheese sauce for? Stay tuned for Nachos!
Homemade Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 part flour this recipe used 2 tablespoons
- 1 part butter this recipe used 2 tablespoons
- Whole Milk
- Cheddar Cheese grated
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a pot.
- Add flour, and combine to make a roux.
- Slowly add milk and stir constantly. Continue to add milk until the sauce sticks to the back of a spoon.
- Turn off heat completely.
- Add cheese, one small handful at a time, and stir until completely melted.
- Keep adding small handfuls of cheese until you reach the desired amount of cheesiness!
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
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What kind of flour would you recommend to make this gluten free? Would any all purpose gf work? Or would you recommend an all rice flour or almond flour, etc? Thanks!
I will be honest, I have never tried to make a cheese sauce without wheat flour. I would not use almond flour or coconut flour. I would definitely experiment with an all purpose gluten free flour to make the roux and see how it goes. Please comment with your results!
I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but I’ve experimented with several kinds of gluten-free flours to make gravy and found that I liked potato starch (NOT potato flour) the best. That’s what I’d try first.
Where do you buy potato starch? Thanks
I have made cheese sauce for years. These days I use sharp cheddar and horseradish cheddar.
The taste is outstanding. I made some mac and cheese and took some to a friend and she wanted
the recipe to make for her wedding reception. Only problem she didn’t know how to make white sauce.
I use the sauce on cauliflower and sometimes broccoli. If I don’t use cheese sauce I use herbed butter.
I’m thinking of using sprouted spelt flour or maybe another ancient heirloom wheat that is not hybridized (so it has a different kind of gluten). How do you use it for mac and cheese? Just boil the pasta and pour the cheese over?
Thank you, thank you for this recipe!
I used tapioca flour. It worked wonderfully!
Can you use self rising flour?
Does this sauce freeze well?
Hello, have been searching for a good cheese to melt and use homemade cheese fries with (nothing better during football season, if you ask me).
Question: When doing the roux and when heating the milk, what setting do you have the stove set to? Low/Simmer, medium-low, medium…..?
Thanks, as this looks amazing. Looking forward to giving it a try.
It was a wonderful time while going through your article and I’ve got what I was looking for.best wishes and have a good day ahead.
Best Wishes from
Best recipe food
I want to use thru out the day should I just keep reheat it on the stove I’m making cheesey potatoes please let me know
Sure! That is what I would do!
HOW MUCH MILK?!
It depends! have you watched the video? That will give you a good idea! -Kelly
I’ve only know how to make white cheese sauce for cauliflower etc but I want a real cheese sauce for pasta.
Thanks for this recipe I haven’t try it yet but I will.
Cheers Abigail.