This easy cheese sauce is so simple to make, and it's a great alternative to processed mac and cheese. Plus, you can use this sauce on vegetables, chicken, and even nachos or burritos.
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup milk (or use all cream for extra richness)
1 cup grated cheese (see ideas below)
Optional: 1-2 tsp butter
Optional: a tiny pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
In a small saucepan, gently warm the cream and milk over low heat. Don't let it boil.
Add the grated cheese and stir until fully melted and smooth.
Add butter, if using, and stir until melted.
Optional: Add a pinch of grated nutmeg.
Taste and adjust the texture:
If it's too thick, add a splash of milk.
If it's too thin, let it simmer gently for a few more minutes, stirring often, until it thickens.
Serve warm. Leftover sauce can be gently reheated. The sauce thickens as it sits, so if your leftover sauce is too thick, add a splash of milk to thin it out. If you don't have milk on hand, add a splash of cream and water — after all, milk is just half cream and half water.
Any cheese that melts well will do. Here are the combinations my kids request most often:
Regardless of the type of cheese you use, the quality is key. Use fresh blocks of cheese and grate them yourself. Pre-shredded cheese contains cellulose, a wood by-product, which is an ingredient we don't need. And pre-shredded cheese doesn't taste as good as fresh cheese.
Cheddar cheese sauce
Cheddar cheese sauce
Fontina and Parmesan
Just fontina
