Description
A creamy, flavorful cheese sauce perfect for drizzling over fries, made with a roux base, seasoned with garlic, onion, and mustard powders, and enhanced with a touch of hot sauce for a subtle kick.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ½ cup whole milk (plus 2–3 tablespoons as needed)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- 4 ounces medium cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Frank’s)
Instructions
- Melt Butter and Make Roux: Add the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat and melt it completely. Whisk in the flour to form a smooth paste and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning and to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Add Milk and Thicken: Gradually whisk in ½ cup of whole milk, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens to a gravy-like consistency. Then add the garlic powder, onion powder, and ground mustard, whisking well to incorporate all the flavors evenly.
- Incorporate Cheese: Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the shredded cheddar cheese in small handfuls, stirring thoroughly after each addition until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Adjust Texture and Heat Gently: If necessary, place the sauce back on low heat briefly to finish melting any remaining cheese, being careful not to overcook or the sauce may become grainy. Add extra milk 1 tablespoon at a time to reach your preferred sauce thickness, keeping in mind it will thicken further as it cools.
- Finish with Hot Sauce: Stir in the hot sauce to add a subtle spicy note, then serve the cheese sauce warm over fries or your favorite dishes.
Notes
- Use freshly shredded cheese for best melting and smooth texture; pre-shredded cheese may contain anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting.
- Do not overheat the cheese sauce once cheese is added to avoid grainy texture.
- Adjust milk quantity to achieve your desired thickness; sauce thickens as it cools.
- Customize the heat level by adjusting the amount or type of hot sauce used.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: cheese sauce, cheese dip, cheddar cheese sauce, sauce for fries, homemade cheese sauce, easy cheese sauce recipe
