This simple, flourless cheese sauce is made with five basic ingredients. Heavy cream and cheddar melt into a rich sauce without a roux or any extra steps.
This rich, velvety cheese sauce comes together quickly. Dijon adds depth, garlic powder keeps it savory, and a pinch of cayenne gives just enough heat without taking over. It works well over vegetables (especially broccoli), pasta, or anywhere you'd use a classic cheese sauce. Straightforward, flexible, and easy to make again and again.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Heavy cream: This is a must. Half-and-half or whole milk won't work in this recipe, and I'll explain why later on in this article.
- Mustard: I use Dijon mustard. It flavors the sauce and helps prevent it from becoming stringy.
- Cheese: I use sharp cheddar. Other melty cheeses, such as young (not aged) Gouda, also work well.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Heat the heavy cream with Dijon mustard and spices.
Over low heat, slowly and patiently mix in the cheese until fully melted.
Serve immediately.
Recipe Tip
The sauce's thickness will depend on the cheese used. I often use pre-shredded cheese because it's easy. However, the anti-caking ingredients added to these cheeses can thicken the sauce too much. If this happens, add warm milk, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. If you go this route, please avoid shredded cheese with powdered cellulose, as it's a fiber that prevents the cheese from melting properly.
Shredding your own cheese will make a silkier sauce, but it also means your sauce will be thinner. If you prefer a pourable sauce rather than a spoonable one, that's fine, but if you prefer a thicker sauce, your options are as follows:
- Coat the cheese with a teaspoon of cornstarch before using it.
- Add a cornstarch slurry before heating the heavy cream (mix a teaspoon of cornstarch with an extra tablespoon of cold cream until very smooth and stir that into the heavy cream before heating it)
- Add more cheese - start with an additional ¼ cup.
- As a last resort, if you have a stable sauce but it's too thin, you can also add a cornstarch slurry at the end (1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with a tablespoon of cold milk or cream until very smooth).
Bottom line: This is one of those recipes where there's no escaping some level of experimentation. Start with the suggested amounts and adjust as you go according to the results you get.
The two photos below show microwave broccoli topped with a pourable sauce made with cheese I shredded myself, and a thicker, spoonable sauce made with pre-shredded cheese. Both were delicious, just different textures.
Recipe FAQs
Half-and-half or milk won't work here. I tried with half-and-half, and it came out grainy, as shown in the photo below. This happens because half-and-half doesn't have enough fat to protect the cheese proteins during heating, so the cheese curdles instead of melting smoothly. That's why, when using half-and-half or milk, you need to start with a roux (flour cooked in butter). The roux isn't used just to thicken the sauce. It also stabilizes it and prevents it from curdling.
Yes. You can refrigerate the sauce in an airtight container for up to four days. Add a small amount of heavy cream or milk when you reheat it (start with a tablespoon), then reheat in the microwave, covered, at 50% power in 30-second sessions, stirring after each session and adding more milk as needed until the texture is right.
Alternatively, you can reheat it in a saucepan over very low heat.
No. The Dijon mustard adds great flavor to the sauce. It also helps prevent the sauce from becoming stringy by adding acidity. So please don't skip it.
You can try, but it's not recommended, as it will likely become grainy or separate upon thawing.
Serving Suggestions
Cheese sauce is obviously ideal as a topping for steamed vegetables. Here are a few more ideas for using it:
- Use it as a dip and serve it with keto crackers, keto pretzels, zucchini chips, or salami chips.
- Pour it over hearts of palm pasta, zucchini noodles, shirataki noodles, or spaghetti squash pasta.
- Use it to make cauliflower mac and cheese.
- Mix it into mashed cauliflower, mashed butternut squash, or mashed pumpkin.
- Use the chilled leftovers as a cheese spread. Remove them to the counter 30 minutes before using, and mix in a tablespoon of milk if the spread is too thick (this can happen if you used pre-shredded cheese).
The images below show a few of my favorite ways to use this sauce.
Recipe Card
Simple Flourless Cheese Sauce
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard - helps stabilize the sauce - please use
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup cheddar cheese - sharp, shredded; 4 ounces
Instructions
- Add the cream, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, and cayenne in a small saucepan and whisk to combine.½ cup heavy cream, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Heat the cream mixture over medium heat. When the cream starts to bubble around the edges, lower the heat to LOW (very important).
- Stir in the shredded cheddar, a handful at a time, slowly and patiently with a rubber spatula until it is completely melted. Don't stir vigorously, or the sauce will become stringy. Turn the heat off as soon as it's all melted. See tips below in the notes section.1 cup cheddar cheese
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Make Ahead
You can refrigerate the sauce in an airtight container for up to four days. Add a small amount of heavy cream or milk when you reheat it (start with a tablespoon), then reheat in the microwave, covered, at 50% power in 30-second sessions, stirring after each session and adding more milk as needed until the texture is right. Alternatively, you can reheat it in a saucepan over very low heat.Adjusting this Recipe
Seasonings are guidelines. Adjust to taste. Half-and-half or milk won't work here, as you need the fat from heavy cream to prevent the cheese from curdling. A grainy sauce usually means the heat was too high or the cheese was added too quickly. Pull it off the heat and whisk in a little warm cream or milk, a tablespoon at a time. The sauce's thickness will depend on the cheese used. I often use pre-shredded cheese because it's easy. However, the anti-caking agents added to these cheeses can thicken the sauce too much. If this happens, add warm milk, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. If you go this route, please avoid shredded cheese with powdered cellulose, as it's a fiber that prevents the cheese from melting properly. Shredding your own cheese will make a silkier sauce, but it also means your sauce will be thinner. If you prefer a pourable sauce rather than a spoonable one, that's fine, but if you prefer a thicker sauce, your options are as follows:- Coat the cheese with a teaspoon of cornstarch before using it.
- Add a cornstarch slurry before heating the heavy cream (mix a teaspoon of cornstarch with an extra tablespoon of cold heavy cream until very smooth and stir that into the heavy cream before heating it)
- Add more cheese - start with an additional ¼ cup.
- As a last resort, if you have a stable sauce but it's too thin, you can also add a cornstarch slurry at the end (1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with a tablespoon of cold milk or cream until very smooth).
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate - please verify it. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Kellie says
So delicious!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Kellie! Thank you very much for the review.
Jackie says
Yummmm!!!!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Jackie!