Cheddar cheese sauce was meant for vegetables. This cheese sauce for vegetables is creamy, flavorful, and rich. It is a staple in our home. We love it best on broccoli!
Cheese Sauce for Vegetables
I’ve tried a lot of different cheese sauces over the years and I always come back to this one. With just a few added spices, you’ll have a whole lot of flavor that makes this Cheddar Cheese Sauce a memorable addition to a vegetable side dish.
The spices here are easily adjustable to your tastes. We like a bit more cayenne, but feel free to skip it if that isn’t your thing. A little extra garlic is always good as well.
Broccoli with Cheese Sauce
Cheddar cheese sauce has to be one of the easiest and tastiest things to make to go with vegetables. One of my must-do’s when making cheese sauce is to grate my own cheese.
Store bought shredded cheese usually has a starchy coating of some sort to keep it from clumping in the bag. However, that also keeps it from melting into a smooth creamy sauce. Always add your cheese slowly stirring and melting it completely each time.
I do like to splurge on my cheese. Quality dairy products are a major vice of mine. Sharp cheddar brings a really good flavor to mild vegetables like broccoli.
Different brands of cheese can contribute to different levels of saltiness. Don’t skip the tasting step at the end of the cooking process, adding enough salt is key to this sauce.
Cheddar Cheese Sauce Recipe
- Warm ¾ cup of milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup of milk with the flour, garlic, mustard, onion, and cayenne.
- When the milk begins to steam, add the flour mixture and whisk to combine. Whisking constantly, continue cooking until the mixture thickens slightly, about 4 minutes.
- Add the cheese gradually, stirring to melt the cheese. Remove from the heat when the cheese has fully melted into the sauce.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings, as needed. Pour the warm sauce over vegetables or serve on the side for dipping.
Note: The spices here are easily adjustable to your tastes. We like a bit more cayenne, but feel free to skip it if that isn’t your thing. A little extra garlic is always good as well. Different cheeses can contribute to different levels of saltiness. Don’t skip the tasting step at the end of the cooking process, adding enough salt is key to this sauce.
This sauce is awesome on roasted vegetables, sauteed vegetables, and boiled or steamed vegetables. There isn’t a wrong way to enjoy this cheese sauce for vegetables!
Our favorite way to enjoy this sauce is poured over cauliflower or any kind of broccoli. We have been known to use it as a fondue type of dip for air fryer potatoes.
We do love our cheesy vegetables like Cauliflower Gratin which begins by layering fresh cauliflower with a sprinkling of cheese and a light cream sauce. Then it’s topped with crispy buttery bread crumbs to coat each piece.
Cheddar Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1½ tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon granulated onion
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper OPTIONAL
- 4 ounces freshly shredded cheddar cheese about 1½ cups
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt only as needed
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper only as needed
Instructions
- Warm ¾ cup of milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup of milk with the flour, garlic, mustard, onion, and cayenne.
- When the milk begins to steam, add the flour mixture and whisk to combine. Whisking constantly, continue cooking until the mixture thickens slightly, about 4 minutes.
- Add the cheese gradually, stirring to melt the cheese. Remove from the heat when the cheese has fully melted into the sauce.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings, as needed. Pour the warm sauce over vegetables or serve on the side for dipping.
Notes
Nutrition
Rate & Comment