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An easy Homemade Cheese Sauce for appetizers, cooked vegetables, pasta, and baked potatoes. It’s ready in 5 minutes with just 3 ingredients.
Table of Contents
Recipe 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.
Ingredient 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.
Step-by-step 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 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).
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Homemade Cheese Sauce
An easy Homemade Cheese Sauce for appetizers, cooked vegetables, pasta, and baked potatoes. It's ready in 5 minutes with just 3 ingredients.
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
Serving: 0.25cupsCalories: 118kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 7gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 176mgPotassium: 28mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 283IUCalcium: 204mgIron: 1mg
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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.
Love the convenience and the fact that it doesn’t include butter. Use this recipe repeatedly. Typically I use it over broccoli on baked potatoes.
That sounds delicious, Fran! Glad you love it. – Meggan
This sauce came out amazing and so tasty. I put it over macaroni. The only issue was it was a little salty .
I think the chef should put (optional) beside salt especially for my high blood pressure folks ( me) .
Other than that amazing recipe and easy to follow.
Hi Kerry, you are right about the salt, and I usually do, so I’m sorry this one wasn’t like that. I usually say add salt and pepper to taste, and then I list what I personally use, but it should not be built into the recipe. My mom follows an extremely low-sodium diet so I know that’s how it needs to be. I will fix the recipe. I’m sorry about that! Thank you for letting me know. -Meggan
Absolutely delicious 😋
I added 1-2 tbsp of self raising flour as my sauce wouldn’t thicken up
I was a super yummy cheesey sauce
The next time I added
I also added 1tbsp of onion powder and 1 tbsp of garlic powder
It was so delicious 😋
Thank you ❣️
Yum! Sounds like some great additions! Thanks for sharing Raeleen! -Meggan
Delicious and easy. Does it freeze well?
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Bev! I haven’t tried freezing this myself, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t freeze well. I would make sure it’s airtight and freeze for 3 to 4 months, after that the texture and taste may be affected. – Meggan
Made it tonight to top over baked potatoes with bacon bits and sour cream…this absolutely the best and easiest cheese sauce recipe I have found.
I will save the left overs to make Mac n cheese.
What difference the evaporated milk makes.
That sounds delicious, Danimarie! I’m glad you enjoyed it! Take care! – Meggan
Made it tonight to top over a baked potatoes with bacon bits and sour cream…this absolutely the best and easiest cheese sauce recipe I have found.
I will save the left overs to make Mac n cheese.
What difference the evaporated milk makes.
Simple AND Delicious? YES!
I like to add about a teaspoon of dijon mustard along with the listed ingredients. Really good, really!
Thank you, Chef Stevv! Dijon sounds like a great addition! – Meggan
Super Delicious! Super Easy! I doubled the recipe, using sharp white cheddar. My only modification to this recipe was that I added 1 tsp ground mustard (Coleman’s).
Poured sauce over a broccoli/cauliflower blend topped with a panko topping – YUM.
That sounds so delicious, Steve! Thanks for sharing your tips! Happy Thanksgiving! – Meggan
Not sure if I did something wrong but it seemed to thicken way too much.
Hi Jason, I’m sorry your cheese sauce was too thick. My best guess is you may have used a little too much cornstarch or not enough cheese. I hope your next batch comes out fantastic! – Meggan
How much cheese? How much cornstarch? How much milk? I dont see any amounts on mobile…?
Hi Confused, the ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card. Sorry for the confusion! You can access it by clicking the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top right of the page, clicking the “Homemade Cheese Sauce Recipe” link in the Table of Contents, or continue to scroll down the post and the recipe will be in the recipe box. I hope this helps and you love this cheese sauce! – Meggan