Best Mac and Cheese Sauce
Published 11/1/2023 • Updated 8/16/2024
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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.
This mac and cheese sauce recipe is hands-down our most popular recipe on The Cheese Knees and rightfully so. It’s thick, creamy, and truly best best mac and cheese sauce you’ll find on the internet.
Every cheese website deserves to have a signature mac and cheese sauce that’s easy to make, creamy, and perfect on any noodle! Ours is made with 7 simple ingredients and is ready in less than 15 minutes. You’ll need the basics and also a dash of hot sauce (our secret ingredient).
What You Need for Mac and Cheese Sauce
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.
What cheeses can I use in my mac and cheese?
Try mixing things up and use your favorite cheese. Whatever you do, we recommend shredding your own cheese so that there are no added preservatives.
- Colby Jack
- Mexican Cheddar Blend
- Gouda
- White Cheddar
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.
Variations for this Cheese Sauce
- For a richer flavor: use whole milk or half-and-half instead of 2% milk.
- For a sharper flavor: use a mix of cheddar cheese and another sharp cheese: such as Gruyère or Parmesan.
- For a milder flavor: use a milder cheese, such as Monterey Jack or American cheese.
- To make a different flavor of cheese sauce: add different seasonings, such as Italian seasoning, taco seasoning, or herbs and spices.
Can you smoke this mac and cheese?
We tested this recipe on the smoker last Thanksgiving and it worked great! 45 minutes at 225ºF in a pellet smoker gave it just enough smokiness. Check out our smoked mac and cheese recipe for a more in-depth tutorial.
Can you freeze this cheese sauce recipe?
We don’t recommend freezing this cheese sauce because of the dairy content. You risk curdling when reheating.
Use this Mac and Cheese Sauce in Other Ways!
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 Recipe
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
- 1 lb. cooked noodles
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 cooked 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.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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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!
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!
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 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 😀
Such a great cheese sauce for Mac and cheese! My go-to!
So glad you enjoyed this as much as we do, Heather!
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!
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 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.
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!!
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!