This cheese sauce can be used for so many things! Use it for nachos (you can make it spicier), use it as a to dip for chips, fries or pretzels, use it for a veggie topping or potato topping; as a sauce for tacos, burritos and enchiladas or you can spread it on sandwich or wrap (like a Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich)!
Ingredients for Cheese Sauce
This cheese sauce is easy and fast to make. You will need some cream cheese, cheddar cheese (sharp, medium or mild-it is up to you), some milk, seasonings and cornstarch for thickening.
This cheese sauce has amazing flavor. The ingredients give it a smooth cheesy flavor that taste real! No fake cheese taste here!
Making the Cheese Sauce
You will start by mixing all of your spices and cornstarch together, then whisking it into your cold milk.
In a saucepan, on medium heat, start melting your cream cheese.
When the cream cheese starts to soften and melt, pour in your milk with the seasonings. Whisk until it’s thickened and smooth.
Add your shredded cheddar cheese.
Whisk until smooth and completely melted. Adjust the cheese and seasonings to your liking. If the sauce is too thick, add some milk (1 tbsp. at a time) until it is to your liking. If you want it thicker make a cornstarch slurry.
Why Cornstarch and What is a cornstarch slurry?
This recipe has cornstarch that is added in with the milk and seasonings to thicken the sauce.
If cornstarch is whisked into cold liquids it can thicken sauces (gravies and soups too).
The trick with cornstarch is it has to be mixed in with cold liquids and then heated or it will create lumps. You cannot add cornstarch to a hot sauce, gravy or liquids or it will be lumpy.
If you need to thicken an already warmed/heated sauce or gravy (this includes soups as well) then you make a cornstarch slurry.
To make a cornstarch slurry you take equal parts of cornstarch and cold water and mix it together.
Remember always use cold water or it will be lumpy. You don’t need massive amounts of each. Just a tablespoon or two of each is all it takes.
Just mix the cold water and cornstarch together then add it, a little at a time, to the hot/boiling sauce, gravy or soup and whisk it in.
The sauce (or gravy or soup) has to be pretty hot and simmering/boiling to thicken. Add a little at a time, whisking as you add it, until your desired thickness is reached. You can keep making and adding cornstarch slurry as much as is needed.
To thicken this easy cheese sauce: Just take equal parts of cold water and cornstarch and mix it together and slowly add it to the cheese sauce a little at a time over medium heat.
Keep adding it until it’s as thick as you like! I would start by adding a tbsp of each and go from there!
Remove from the heat and enjoy.
What to eat with the Cheese Sauce
This sauce is versatile and amazing.
I love this cheese sauce on Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches, in tacos and of course nachos! You can also add this sauce to veggies. Think of steamed broccoli or cauliflower with this sauce-yum! This sauce is also yummy on baked potatoes!
Use this cheese sauce as a dip for fries or make my Easy Pretzel Bites and use this cheese sauce for dipping!
I always double this sauce because I love it that much! This cheese sauce can be stored in your fridge for up to a week. It can be reheated in the microwave or stovetop. You can add a little milk if the sauce is too thick when reheating.
Try my Chilis Copycat Queso or my Fresh Queso made with real cheese and fresh ingredients!
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The Best Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 oz. cream cheese
- 1 cup 2% or whole milk
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded any type of cheddar cheese works great
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp ground mustard
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- pinch of chili powder more if you want it spicier
Instructions
- Mix your seasonings and cornstarch together then mix them into your cold milk.
- In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt the cream cheese.
- Once the cream cheese starts to melt, whisk in the milk and seasonings. The sauce should start to thicken. Keep whisking until it is smooth and thick.
- Add in your shredded cheese and whisk until the cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
- Adjust the cheese and seasonings to your liking as needed. If the sauce is too thick you can add in 1 tbsp. of milk at a time until it is to the consistency you like.
- Serve immediately. The sauce will thicken a bit as it cools!
- This sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat it in the microwave and add some milk if it is too thick.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
This was a tasty cheese sauce. Yet, it barely needs any salt because the cream cheese and cheddar cheese already contributes a level of salt. Because the first time it was too salty, I only added a pinch of salt the second time I made it. Otherwise, a nice recipe. Thanks!
Hi Sabirah! Thank you for trying the recipe and the feedback! I love things more on the salty side so I am glad you made it twice and got the amount of salt you like! Thank you so much again for the feedback and trying the recipe!❤️