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As a classically-trained chef, I’m always looking for shortcuts. Everyone loves to thicken sauces with a roux (a mixture of fat and flour), but cornstarch is a fuss-free, foolproof alternative that I turn to time and time again for soups, sauces, and gravies.
I’ve been making this easy 3-ingredient, 5-minute homemade cheese sauce for years. I ladle the cheese sauce over broccoli, serve it with appetizers like soft pretzels, and even toss it with cooked macaroni for the easiest homemade mac and cheese.
If you’re looking for a spicy nacho cheese sauce, stir in a tablespoon (or more) of diced pickled jalapeños. There are many ways to enjoy the simplest cheese sauce on the planet!
Table of Contents
Cheese Sauce Ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Shredded cheese: It’s okay to use pre-shredded cheese here. Although they are tossed with agents to prevent the cheese from sticking together, it will still melt and thicken up fine.
- Cornstarch: The perfect thickener for this easy cheese sauce, an naturally (accidentally) gluten-free.
- Evaporated milk: This pantry-friendly milk substitute lends the perfect consistency.
- Salt and pepper: It’s so important to taste your sauce as you season it or it might be bland. I keep a jar of tasting spoons next to my stove-top just for this purpose.
How to make Cheese Sauce
- In a small saucepan, combine cheddar cheese and cornstarch. Toss until cheese is evenly coated.
- Stir in evaporated milk and salt and pepper to taste (I like 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper). Heat over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, until cheese is melted and smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and keep warm until serving time. Or, transfer to a slow cooker on the “warm” setting for serving.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes about 2 cups.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Slow cooker: Make the recipe as directed below, on the stove, and then transfer it to your favorite slow cooker (I used one of the “mini sizes” and there is room for a double batch of this cheese sauce recipe). I’ve left it on the “warm” setting for a few hours and all it ever needs is a little stir. It works really well!
- Spicy: You can stir in a can 4-ounce of diced green chiles, drained, for some extra flavor and heat. You can do that on the stove or in a slow cooker. If you add them to the slow cooker, just be sure the cheese sauce is back to “hot” before serving (the chiles might cool it down temporarily).
Homemade Cheese Sauce FAQs
You can thicken cheese sauce by creating a roux on the front end (usually with butter and flour) or with a thickening starch such as corn starch, tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch. I prefer cornstarch because it produces a smoother, silkier sauce without the taste of flour.
Cheese sauce thickens as it cools, so if yours is getting too thick to handle, stir in milk (a tablespoon at a time) while heating your cheese sauce over medium-low heat.
Medium cheddar cheese melts easily without graininess, so I reach for that over sharp cheddar. Mozzarella, gruyere, Monterey Jack, and Havarti are also excellent melters. They will give a different flavor to your cheese sauce, though.
Either thickener can work. I reach for cornstarch because it’s powdery consistency leads to a smooth, silky cheese sauce that doesn’t have a raw flour taste. Cornstarch is also a stronger thickener, so you can use less overall compared to how much flour you’d need to thicken the same amount of sauce.
Homemade Soft Pretzels
Homemade Soft Pretzels that are soft and chewy on the inside and crackly brown on the outside. Knot or twist your way to the BEST soft pretzels you’ve ever had! The Oktoberfest pretzels in Munich are…
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Drizzle cheese on these
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Homemade Cheese Sauce Recipe (Cheddar Cheese Sauce)
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (see note 1)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine cheddar cheese and cornstarch. Toss until cheese is evenly coated.
- Stir in evaporated milk and salt and pepper to taste (I like 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper). Heat over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, until cheese is melted and smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and keep warm until serving time. Or, transfer to a slow cooker on the "warm" setting for serving.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Shredded cheese: It’s okay to use pre-shredded cheese here. Although they are tossed with agents to prevent the cheese from sticking together, it will still melt and thicken up fine.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 2 cups.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Slow cooker: Make the recipe as directed below, on the stove, and then transfer it to your favorite slow cooker (I used one of the “mini sizes” and there is room for a double batch of this cheese sauce recipe). I’ve left it on the “warm” setting for a few hours and all it ever needs is a little stir. It works really well!
- Spicy: You can stir in a can 4-ounce of diced green chiles, drained, for some extra flavor and heat. You can do that on the stove or in a slow cooker. If you add them to the slow cooker, just be sure the cheese sauce is back to “hot” before serving (the chiles might cool it down temporarily).
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Easy, quick, and delicious. Important to not over cook the sauce. I have taken to experimenting with different cheese combos, and a recent favorite is 1/4 aged white cheddar with 3/4 jack. I double the recipe. Thanks for posting.
You’re welcome, Chris! Happy experimenting and thanks for writing! – Meggan
I ate this dip with Wilde brand nacho chips which are made from chicken breast meat and are quite tasty. The bag shows a cheese dip with fresh jalapeรฑos as a serving suggestion. I used 2/3 mild cheddar and 1/3 monterey jack for variety. Delicious and guest worthy.
Sounds delicious, Ron! Take care! – Meggan
Kudos on the use of evaporated milk and starch.Cheese needs emulsifiers,if one has sodium citrate you`ll get the creamiest sauce ever no matter what kind of cheese and will also re heat well.
Thanks, lowandslow! – Meggan
Hi Meggan,
Thank you for sharing this recipe! After over three years (no kidding) of searching for the best cheese dip recipe, I finally found yours. The evaporated milk was the key. I added diced jalapeรฑo and Rotel diced tomatoes (with fire-roasted hatch chiles) and it came out spectacular. Next time I will use a bit less evaporated milk as I prefer a thicker sauce for dipping.
Amazing ๐ thank you again!!
You’re so welcome, Ross! I’m so happy you found it and loved it! – Meggan