No matter if you’re making stovetop mac and cheese or baked mac and cheese, this is the best mac and cheese sauce on the internet!
Made with simple ingredients such as a mac and cheese roux, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper, this cheese sauce for mac and cheese is creamy and scrumptious.
Obviously, if you’re on this site you are a cheese lover. I mean, we are The Cheese Knees after all!
Every cheese website deserves to have a signature mac and cheese sauce that’s easy to make, creamy, and perfect on any noodle! PS: if you haven’t tried our classic mac and cheese, you need to now!
Why THIS Mac and Cheese Sauce?
Out of all the recipes on the internet, why choose this cheese sauce for mac and cheese?
- 7 simple ingredients
- ready in less than 15 minutes
- versatile
- creamy
- oh-so CHEESY
Homemade Mac and Cheese Sauce with 7 Ingredients
Like we mentioned above, you only need 7 simple ingredients to make the creamiest, cheesiest mac and cheese sauce on the internet. Check it:
- butter
- all-purpose flour
- 2 % milk
- shredded cheddar cheese
- salt
- granulated garlic (or garlic powder)
- buffalo hot sauce (we used Franks)
Technically the hot sauce is optional, but I promise it makes this cheese sauce SO GOOD. A little vinegar really does bring out the flavor of the cheese sauce.
Cheese Recs
Are you a cheese connoisseur? Try mixing things up and use your favorite cheese. Here are some ideas:
- Colby Jack
- Mexican Cheddar Blend
- Gouda
- White Cheddar
Before we jump into how to make mac and cheese sauce, I thought we’d chat about the importance of a roux and why you shouldn’t skip it for this sauce!
What is a mac and cheese roux and why do I need it?
A roux is essentially a way to thicken a sauce or liquid. You need a fat (such as butter or olive oil) and a flour in order to make this thickening agent and then you need to heat it to activate it.
The reason why you don’t want to skip the roux for this mac and cheese sauce recipe is that the roux is what helps make it thick and luscious.
How to Make a Roux
First time making a roux? No problem! Check out this super simple tutorial:
- Start by heating a large pot or dutch oven over medium/high heat. Then add butter, and allow it to melt fully.
- When the butter is melted add the all-purpose flour and whisk (consistently!) until the butter and flour form a crumble or paste.
- Slowly add milk to the pot by pouring slowly, and whisking constantly. Continue to whisk the roux over medium/high heat for about 4-6 minutes or until the roux thickens.
- When the roux is thick, remove from heat, and then it’s time to melt the shredded cheese!
Congrats, you’ve made your roux! This will give your mac the thick and creamy texture you’re looking for.
Easy Roux Swaps
Butter –> olive oil – like we mentioned above, you need a fat in order to make a roux. We’ve use olive oil many times in place of butter and it works like a charm!
All-purpose flour –> white whole wheat flour – looking to make your homemade mac and cheese sauce a bit healthier? Try using white whole wheat flour instead.
How to Make Mac and Cheese Sauce
Step 1: Make Roux – by this point, you already know the ins and outs of a roux and how to make it (re: above), so we’re going to skip to step 2.
Step 2: Whisk in Milk – slowly add milk to the roux, whisking constantly so it doesn’t burn. Continue to whisk for around 4-6 minutes, or until things begin to thicken.
Don’t rush this process. we PROMISE things will thicken!
Step 3: Remove from Heat – once things are thick, turn the heat off.
Step 4: Whisk in Shredded Cheese – then, add shredded cheese, garlic, hot sauce, salt, and pepper and whisk until the cheese melts.
Give your cheese sauce a taste and add more hot sauce, as desired.
Step 5: Enjoy! – mix mac and cheese sauce with macaroni noodles and serve immediately.
How many does this serve?
This easy mac and cheese sauce recipe is enough for 1 lb. of macaroni noodles. That should serve around 6-8 people…unless you’re really hungry 😀
Mac and Cheese Sauce Versatility
Love this sauce and want to mix things up? Here are some ideas on how to repurpose this sauce for something other than mac!
Use on any noodle – all out of macaroni noodles? You can literally use 1 lb. of any noodle under the sun!
Nachos – we love using this sauce on top of nachos. Think – loaded nachos with all the fixings + this cheese sauce.
Burgers/Sandwiches – how good would this easy mac and cheese sauce be on top of a burger or sandwich?! I’m drooling.
Chili Mac and Cheese – mix this cheese sauce with 1 lb. of noodles and a batch of homemade beef chili for some chili mac! Check out our sister site’s Chili Mac and Cheese recipe!
Dip – when I dip you dip we dip. Grab your favorite tortilla chip and dip away!
Homemade Mac and Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups 2 % milk
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 1-2 tablespoons buffalo hot sauce we used Franks
Instructions
- First, prepare a roux by heating a large pot or dutch oven over medium/high heat. Add butter. When the butter is melted, add flour and whisk until the butter and flour form a crumble or paste.
- Slowly add milk to the pot, whisking constantly. Continue to whisk the roux over medium/high heat for about 4-6 minutes or until the roux thickens.
- When the roux is thick, remove from heat and add the shredded cheddar cheese. Whisk until the cheese has melted.
- Add granulated garlic, hot sauce, and salt and pepper to the cheese sauce. Mix well.
- Finally, mix your mac and cheese sauce recipe with 1 lb. of noodles and enjoy!
Tips & Notes
- If you would like a thinner cheese sauce, add 2 tablespoons of milk at a time, whisk it into the cheese sauce, and add more until the cheese sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- This mac and cheese sauce is for 1 lb. macaroni noodles.
- Nutrition information does NOT include noodles.
This recipe takes any mystery or extra steps out of making the roux, and I was so grateful for that — a fearless roux has made for a DELICIOUS cheese sauce! I sautéed some mushrooms, spinach, and onions, and mixed it in with my mac. SO good! Thanks for another amazing recipe!
SPINACH AND SHROOM MAC LOVE THAT!
Amazingly good and creamy. I added a sprinkle of Trader Joe’s Vegan Chickenless Chicken Seasoning (basically a bouillon) instead of garlic and salt.
So glad you like it! Great idea with the bouillon!!
I used 50% more cheese than the recipe called for and was still not very cheesy.
Most roux based sauces are a ratio of 2Tbs/cup milk which is used to thicken 1 cup of grated cheese. This would be a thick sauce. A thin sauce would be 1Tbs/cup of milk…
18 oz (4.5 cups) is a LOT of cheese for something not to be cheesy.
WAY too much flour. This was after another 2 cups of milk and 2 cups of white cheddar cheese and 2 tablespoons of butter.
I cooked this on the stove. I put this to bake. The flour overpowers the cheese. I’d say a TEASPOON of flour per cup of milk, if that. I really tried to save it but I had to toss it in the compost bc no one would eat i. I hate wasting food but I couldn’t revive this. F
A teaspoon of flour won’t thicken a cup of milk. The flour should totally dissolve into the milk and not be noticeable. The flour is just used in a roux to thicken the milk.
Here’s an article on the science behind a roux: https://www.seriouseats.com/a-brief-guide-to-roux
You didn’t cook the roux long enough, if it still tastes like raw flour.
I’m not sure if the other commenters made the same sauce I did. I’ve followed the recipe to the t multiple times and it comes out thick, creamy, and cheesy every time. I’ve used it for traditional mac and cheese, macaroni appetizer balls (yum!), and as a dip for tortilla chips. Super versatile and easy! I even use skim milk and 2% shredded cheddar and works like a charm. I’ve subbed all purpose flour for oat flour when I’m cooking for GF guests and it’s not quite as good but still works. Thanks for another great recipe!
Such a great cheese sauce for Mac and cheese! My go-to!
So glad you enjoyed this as much as we do, Heather!
I rarely follow through with leaving reviews (laziness!) but felt compelled to with this sauce seeing some of the polarizing comments.
This was quick and easy to make, easy to adapt (per some of the suggestions provided) and turned out perfectly cheesy!
I substituted gluten free flour in the roux, used oat milk, and half cheddar and half American cheese and none of the substitutions caused any issues. It’s a very versatile recipe.
As some commenters said, it’s important to whisk the flour into the butter well and let it cook a bit before adding the milk. Be sure to let the base sauce cook down enough to thicken as well before adding in the cheese.
Loved the inclusion of the hot sauce too – gave it a nice warming heat. Look forward to making it for a nacho cheese sauce some time soon!
WOW! Thank you so much for the kind words and super helpful review, Katie! And so thrilled to hear you loved this mac and cheese sauce as much as we do 😀
Really frustrating. I followed to a T and it turned out too thick and not nearly cheesy enough. I expected this recipe to renvigorate my will to live but it disintegrated it.
We’re so sorry to hear this, Olivia 🙁 Did you make any substitutions such as a different flour, milk, or variety of cheese?
I was just going to do boxed mac and cheese after a long day at work but i didn’t have any so gave this a go. Friggin amazing!
YAY!
This came out better than expected, excellent rations super cheesy and as simple as possible those one star ratings had misunderstood a step or measurement some where cause if you want Mac and cheese this is perfect in my opinion and only way I’ll make it here on out… flawless!!!
So happy to hear you loved this, Bryan!
Followed the recipe and it turned out just the way it was supposed to, great 👍
YAY!
Very discouraged first time trying to make home made mac & cheese and it tastes like flour I even cooked it for 7 minutes and added half a block of mild cheddar on top of the sharp cheddar.. 😪
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I needed a solid cheese sauce recipe to use as a base for my alfredo bake, and boy, did this recipe perform. It’s very simple and versatile, allowing me to easily add and change what I needed without compromising in the creamy, cheesy quality. And for a beginner who doesn’t often make sauces, the recipe was so easy to follow. It made an amazing alfredo dish that everyone at my potluck loved! I’ll definitely be using it as my go-to for all my cheesy pasta dishes from now on.
Aw, we’re blushing, Allen! And loveee the idea of using this in an alfredo bake.
Just made this using radiator pasta, and some super-aged New York cheese I didn’t know what to do with. Used whole milk because that’s what I had and it turned out perfect, very rich. Thank you
Yum!
I have made this twice and it’s turned out perfect both times. I used sharp chedder, medium chedder and smoked gouda and an extra dash of Frank’s hot sauce. It was absolutely delicious and now a family fave.
Yay! So glad to hear you and the fam loved this sauce, Kesha 🙂
This cheese sauce was amazing. Will definitely be new “go to”
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it, Heather 😀
This recipe was, while simple, hard to follow, for me. I tried three different times to follow your instructions on making the roux and failed all three. I’ve now given up and not once was I able to, while following along with what you said, make roux.
Roux is extremely simple. You just melt the butter in the pot,add the flour and cook it for a bit. You want the color to change from a pale white to a light nutty brown and it should give off a hint of a nutty smell. Then you add the milk, which should be room temperature first. And just stir occasionally until it’s nice and thick.
Can I freeze this sauce? I want to make a big batch of sauce and then just pull out a portion as needed and add to pasta. Do you think this might work? Thank you!
Hi Jill, Unfortunately we wouldn’t recommend this as the texture of the cheese can change drastically in the freezing and reheating process. Hope this helps!
I made this today, for a mac & cheese with shredded chicken of the woods mushrooms (great substitute for chicken). Was outstanding! My wife absolutely loved it. I always put some ground black pepper in cheese sauce and usually some taco seasoning too, but I would never have thought to add hot sauce. Genius! We love Mexican hot sauce, so some Valentina (extra hot was what went in mine) and it was delicious. Thanks for a great recipe!
Yum! Valentina sounds like an amazing choice!
If I wanted to substitute olive oil as suggested, how much should I use? The same measurement?
Correct! The same amount — 4 tablespoons 🙂
I smoked some Mac and cheese for my family but the sauce wasn’t thick. I found this. How will this do smoking it,then reheat it the next morning?
First time I made my own cheese sauce. I used bbq sauce instead of hot sauce but WOW is it easy to make and very very yummy! So versatile too; I’m sure I could sub whole wheat for white, oil for butter, and it would be great. It’s very mild and can be pumped up w bold flavor of choice. I mixed some spicy curry miso in mine and it was DELECTABLE. Thank you so much for de-mystifying cheese sauce!
I can confirm that this Mac n cheese sauce is incredible! I’m not a great cook 😆 but this recipe was easy to follow and tastes amazing! I added more cheese than recommended because I wanted maximum cheesiness and some broccoli 😬 Thank you for a great recipe!
Always a good idea to go for maximum cheesiness 😀
I was skeptical of the hot sauce, but added it because life is short and Frank’s is delicious. I have made many mac and cheese sauces at home and this was by far the best. I am amazed and so thankful for the extra notes and details added to this recipe. Thank you! Delicious!
Life is short and Frank’s is delicious — words to live by!
I followed the recipe and it came out super thick! I was making a protein mac n cheese using fat free cheese, so it may have made it a little weird, but If you have this issue and want it a little runnier, add about a 1/4 cup water to the entire sauce or until you reach your desired consistency and readjust your spices. It also felt like it was missing something and i couldn’t quite put my finger on it. It was a little bland for my taste. It really needed some super cheesy ingredient like the fake stuff in a packet haha
This is a great recipe! My first time making it and it was so easy and came out perfectly. Used real cheese, not pre shredded which is what I wonder others are doing that didn’t have success with this recipe. Used protein pasta.
Looks so delish, Stacy!
It was a big hit in our house hold of picky eaters and stomachs with sensitivity to cheese!
So happy to hear it, Jenny!
Question, I’m a scout leader and want to make the sauce ahead of time to make campfire or stovetop Mac and cheese. Camping meals are always easier when one can make sauces ahead of time. Any suggestions on how to do this for camping?
I made this exactly as written, it is VERY important to make a roux correctly and not rush it, it should look almost like sugar cookie dough when you add the first bit of milk. I added 1/3-2/3 cup at a time.
Changes I made: I used apple wood smoked Gouda, Muenster, and marble jack for my cheeses, and I used a LOT more than in ingredients, turned out nice and stringy immediately after heat. I added hot sauce at end because I love it, I also added in pulled pork! DELICIOUS!!
Highly recommend this recipe, and of you need to better understand how to make a good roux, watch a video tutorial so you can see how it should look each step along the way.
I substituted a couple of tablespoons of Blue Agave Sriracha instead of buffalo hot sauce – My husband loved it! I also added broccoli florets when the pasta was just Al dente’, which added a great taste!