Easy Cheddar Cheese Sauce

A made-from-scratch cheddar cheese sauce is easy to prepare at home. This recipe uses a simple white sauce base and shredded cheese to create a delicious sauce that you can use in a variety of ways. It cooks up quickly and is gently seasoned with dry mustard, salt, and pepper, so it has a universal flavor that you can build on.

What Kind of Cheese to Use for Cheese Sauce

Almost any cheddar cheese will work for cheese sauce, but choose one that tastes good on its own. Generally, very sharp aged cheddars do not melt as well as younger cheddars, but most cheddars available at your typical grocery store will work perfectly well in this recipe. The only cheddar to avoid is the pre-shredded kind. Pre-shredded cheeses are coated with cellulose, which prevents the cheese shreds from sticking together in the bag. However, it also inhibits melting and can give sauces a grainy texture.

Why Isn't My Cheese Sauce Smooth?

One reason for a lumpy sauce may be that the roux—the melted butter and flour mix that thickens the sauce—is overcooked or burnt. The recipe's recommended heat and cook times should prevent that. Resist the temptation to increase the heat for faster results. It's also important to add the dairy to the roux slowly while stirring constantly.

The cheese may be a factor as well. Freshly shredded cheese works better than packaged shredded cheese. When adding it, the heat should be low to avoid "breaking" the cheese (when the fat separates out of the cheese due to overheating), which will cause a grainy sauce. Try adding half of the cheese and stir that in until it melts, then add the rest. You can also remove the pan from the heat during that step, heating it only if needed to aid melting.

Tips for Making Cheese Sauce

• Gradually add the flour to the melted butter, whisking constantly, to avoid lumps. If you have one, you can sift in the flour using a small fine mesh strainer. This method has the added bonus of removing any lumpy flour from the get-go.
• Similarly, add the milk in a thin, steady stream, whisking as you add. You can also stop pouring the milk and whisk for a minute if you find your pouring arm is faster than your whisking arm.
• Keeping the heat on low or medium-low ensures that you won't scorch your beautiful sauce. This recipe comes together quickly. There is no advantage to rushing the process.
• Heat the sauce minimally after adding the cheese. In fact, you can take the sauce off the heat while stirring in the cheese. If it is not sufficiently hot to melt the cheese, place it back over low heat to finish melting.
• Shred your own cheese for this recipe. It is certainly possible to make cheese sauce from pre-shredded cheese, but the best, smoothest, and most flavorful cheese sauces are made with cheese sold in blocks.
• For an ultra-cheesy sauce, stir in up to 1 cup (4 ounces) additional shredded cheddar.

What You'll Need to Make This Cheddar Cheese Sauce Recipe

A Nifty Cheese Grater

A Nice Saucepan

A Great Wooden Spoon