A silver pan of cheese sauce with a whisk on a marble chopping board next to a cheese grater

Cheese sauce

Name: Cheese sauce
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 600ml whole milk; 3 cloves; ½ small onion; 1 bay leaf; 50g unsalted butter; 40g plain flour; 3 tsp english mustard powder; a grating nutmeg; 200g mature cheddar (or vegetarian alternative)

Anna Glover

Published: May 10, 2022 at 12:35 PM

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Serves 4 - 6

Easy

Total time: 35 mins

+ infusing

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This comforting sauce is a staple that all home cooks should have up their sleeve – use it in vegetable dishes, pasta recipes or as a dip

Vegetarian

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Alternatives

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Make this delicious cheese sauce, then try our blue cheese sauce, kale pasta sauce, white sauce, tomato passata and hollandaise sauce. Also discover more pasta sauce recipes.

For more cheese inspiration check out our cheese straws, cheese fondue and spiced cheese biscuits.

Ingredients

Nutrition

600ml whole milk
3 cloves
½ small onion
1 bay leaf
50g unsalted butter
40g plain flour
3 tsp english mustard powder
a grating nutmeg
200g mature cheddar

(or vegetarian alternative)

Nutrition: Per serving (6)

kcal300
fat23g
saturates14g
carbs11g
sugars5.3g
fibre0.6g
protein13g
salt0.7g

Method

step 1

Warm the milk in a pan over a low heat. Press the cloves into the onion and add to the milk, along with the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
step 2

In a separate, heavy-based pan, melt the butter over a medium heat until foaming. Sprinkle over the flour and continually stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until a thick paste forms. Strain the infused milk into a jug and add to this roux, a splash at a time, while continually stirring. Only add a little milk at first as you see the flour expand and loosen – if you add the milk too quickly, it can make the sauce lumpy. Once the mixture is a little looser, add a little more milk each time until it’s all absorbed.
step 3

Cook the sauce for 4-5 minutes until it’s lightly thickened and has the consistency of double cream, then stir in the mustard powder and nutmeg to taste, along with the cheddar. Stir until the cheese melts and thickens the sauce to your liking. Add a splash more cold milk to loosen the sauce, if you need to. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over steamed cauliflower, leeks or broccoli before baking, or use as the recipe requires.
step 4

The sauce will thicken a lot as it cools, but it can be covered and kept chilled for two days. Reheat, stirring well, adding a splash more milk, to loosen.

Try this recipe, then give our blue cheese sauce a whirl

A small copper pan filled with a creamy cheese sauce

Authors

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Anna GloverSenior food editor

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