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Cheese Sauce for Fries Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 101 reviews

This creamy and flavorful cheese sauce is perfect for drizzling over fries or using as a dipping sauce. Made with a simple roux base, cheddar cheese, and a hint of garlic, onion, and mustard powder, it delivers a rich, smooth texture with a subtle spicy kick from hot sauce.

Ingredients

Scale

Cheese Sauce Ingredients

  • 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

  1. Melt Butter and Form 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.
  2. Add Milk and Thicken: Gradually whisk in ½ cup of whole milk into the roux mixture. Continue whisking constantly until the sauce thickens to a gravy-like consistency. Then stir in garlic powder, onion powder, and ground mustard evenly.
  3. Incorporate Cheese: Remove the pan from heat and add the shredded cheddar cheese incrementally, stirring vigorously after each handful to ensure smooth melting and prevent clumping.
  4. Adjust Texture and Heat Gently: If the cheese isn’t fully melted, return the pan to low heat briefly while stirring constantly to fully melt the cheese without overheating. Add additional milk, one tablespoon at a time, to achieve your preferred sauce thickness as the sauce will thicken further upon cooling.
  5. Finish with Hot Sauce: Stir in the hot sauce to add a gentle spicy kick and serve the cheese sauce warm alongside fries or your favorite snacks.

Notes

  • Use freshly shredded cheese rather than pre-shredded for a smoother sauce.
  • Do not overheat the cheese sauce once cheese is added to avoid grainy texture.
  • Adjust thickness by adding milk slowly; sauce thickens more as it cools.
  • This sauce is best served immediately but can be gently reheated on low heat.
  • Customize spice level by adjusting amount or type of hot sauce used.

Keywords: cheese sauce, cheddar sauce, fries topping, creamy cheese dip, homemade cheese sauce, snacks, quick sauce

Find it online: https://dylangranv.com/cheese-sauce-for-fries-recipe/