The Easiest 3-Ingredient Cheese Sauce

This delightfully smooth and creamy sauce is perfect for pouring over tortilla chips and broccoli, or using as a warm dip for crusty bread.

The secret to a perfectly silky 3-ingredient cheese sauce without making a traditional roux is tossing the cheese with a thickener before melting it down.

The Easiest 3-Ingredient Cheese Sauce

Ingredients:

• 8 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese (about 2 cups freshly grated): It is highly recommended to grate your own cheese from a block, just like the grated cheese seen in the background of the image. Pre-shredded bagged cheeses contain anti-caking agents that can make your sauce grainy.
  
  
• 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch: This acts as a thickener and stabilizer, preventing the cheese from separating and turning greasy as it melts.
  
  
• 1 Cup Evaporated Milk (or Whole Milk): Evaporated milk provides the absolute best, most velvety texture, but standard whole milk works wonderfully in a pinch.
  
  

Instructions:

1. Prep the Cheese: Shred your cheddar cheese on the large holes of a box grater. Place the freshly grated cheese into a medium-sized bowl.
   
   
2. Coat with Cornstarch: Sprinkle the tablespoon of cornstarch over the grated cheese. Toss the mixture thoroughly with your hands or a fork until every piece of cheese is evenly coated.
   
   
3. Combine and Heat: Transfer the cheese and cornstarch mixture into a medium saucepan. Pour in the milk. Place the saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat.
   
   
4. Whisk Constantly: As the milk warms up, the cheese will begin to melt. Whisk the mixture continuously. At first, it may look a bit clumpy, but keep whisking gently for about 5 to 7 minutes.
   
   
5. Simmer and Thicken: Once the mixture begins to gently bubble and simmer, it will rapidly thicken into a luscious, glossy sauce. Remove the saucepan from the heat immediately to prevent the cheese from scorching or separating.
   
   
6. Serve: Serve the warm, cascading cheese sauce immediately. Pour it generously over a bowl of nachos and steamed broccoli, or serve it in a small bowl as a rich dip for slices of crusty bread.