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My Keto Cheese Sauce Tastes Too Good To Be Low Carb
You’ve been needing this keto cheese sauce in your life. I first made it as part of my cauliflower mac and cheese, but it was such a hit that it earned its own post. It’s smooth, creamy, and way more flavorful than the stuff from a jar, and you only need a handful of real ingredients to make it. Once I figured out how easy it was to make homemade cheese sauce, I never looked back. Here’s what makes it such a go-to recipe:
- Only 3 ingredients – This isn’t one of those complicated sauces with a roux or flour. You just need 3 simple ingredients plus butter if you want it extra rich.
- Smooth and creamy – A lot of homemade cheese sauces can turn gritty or clumpy, but this one stays silky thanks to gentle heat and the right combo of fats. I’ve tested it enough times to know what works, and I’ve got plenty of tips to help you get it just right.
- No flour needed – Most cheese sauces use a roux, but we’re skipping that here. This s sauce thickens with real cheese — which is kind of the point, right? 😉
- Way more than a veggie dip – Sure, it’s great as keto cheese sauce for broccoli, but I’ve also poured it over soft pretzels, tossed it with zucchini noodles, and stirred it into dip. Even friends who don’t eat low carb always go back for more.
It’s rich, easy, and way better than anything from a jar — make it with me and see for yourself.
Reader Review
“Came out perfect! I’m so thankful for this recipe. I paired my broccoli and cheese with some tilapia.” –Cee Cee
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my keto cheese sauce recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Cheddar Cheese – I usually go with sharp cheddar for the boldest flavor, but mild works too if that’s what you prefer. You can use pre-shredded cheese, but I get the best results when I shred it myself — it melts smoother and gives the sauce a creamier texture. Monterey Jack is another good option if you want something a little milder that still melts well.
- Heavy Cream – This is what makes the sauce rich and velvety. I’ve tried half and half or full-fat coconut milk in a pinch, but nothing beats the creaminess of real heavy cream.
- Almond Milk – I usually use my homemade almond milk, but store-bought is totally fine too. Just make sure it’s unsweetened so you don’t end up with sweet cheese sauce (been there). If you don’t have almond milk, any unsweetened milk you like will work
- Unsalted Butter – Totally optional, but I almost always add it. It gives the sauce a richer flavor and a silkier texture, especially if you plan to reheat it later.
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My Recipe Tips For The Best Keto Cheese Sauce
- Dumping all the cheese in at once can make it clumpy or greasy. I like to sprinkle it in gradually while stirring. It helps everything stay smooth and creamy.
- Don’t let it boil. I keep the heat on low the whole time. If it starts bubbling, it can “break” and turn grainy instead of staying smooth and creamy.
- If it gets too thick, just add a splash more cream or milk. Too thin? Stir in a little extra cheese until it’s just right.
- Cheese sauce needs a little attention. I stir it pretty much the whole time to help it melt evenly and stay smooth. It only takes a few minutes, so don’t walk away.
- I usually don’t add salt because I think the cheese is salty enough on its own. If yours tastes a little flat, try adding a small pinch at a time until it hits that perfect savory flavor.
Keto Cheese Sauce
By
My easy keto cheese sauce is rich, creamy, and ready in minutes. Perfect for veggies, nachos, or anything that needs that cheesy goodness!
Instructions
[ See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Heat, stirring frequently, until the cheese mixture is smooth. Be careful not to overheat or the cheese will burn.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/4 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the smoothest texture, the creamiest finish, and keto cheese sauce that turns out perfect every time.
- Store: Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for 4-5 days in an airtight container
- Meal prep: You can totally make this cheese sauce ahead! Just keep it in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stove or in the microwave when you’re ready to use it.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Keto Cheese Sauce
Ways To Use It
Wondering what to put it on? Here are some of my favorite ways to use this low carb cheese sauce:
- Fresh Veggies – My favorite veggies for dipping are bell peppers and broccoli. But it’s also great with celery sticks, cucumber slices, or cauliflower if you want an easy cold snack with some crunch.
- Cooked Veggies – I love pouring this over roasted broccoli (pictured above) or cauliflower, but it’s just as good drizzled on sauteed asparagus, green beans, or really any veggie you want to make a little more exciting.
- Pasta – I originally made this cheesy sauce for my cauliflower mac and cheese, but now I use it on zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or whatever keto pasta I have on hand. It turns any bowl into comfort food.
- Nachos & Bread – I usually make my keto tortilla chips when I’m keeping it low carb, but my girls like my gluten free tortilla chips. Just add taco meat, salsa, and jalapenos for easy gourmet nachos. This sauce also makes the perfect dip for breadsticks or my fathead pretzels.
79 Comments
Aly
0Was it just me…. but sauce was too runny for cauli cheese. I added cornflour. Flavoursome tho.
Cee Cee
0Next time try adding your cheddar cheese slowly it will make the sauce more thick and less runny.
Soraya McInnes
0Worked well, very tasty.
Sarah
0Add dash of turmeric, powdered yellow mustard, dash and a splash of Aceto Balsamico, maybe 2 oil splashes, and a bunch of fresh said cheese slices from the deli and Vwa-lah! Amazzzzzzing!
BJ
0Worked beautifully. I didn’t use the almond milk just added more cream.
Brian
0Fabulous simple recipe, and tastes delicious
Sherry
0Do you think extra sharp cheddar will be too oily? That’s all the hub will eat anymore.
Carol-lynne
0The sharp is great.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Sherry, Yes, sharp cheddar should work just fine. Enjoy!
Paula
0I thought this sauce was really delicious. I did shred my own cheese and used half Vintage Irish Cheddar from ALDI (probably equivalent to Kerry Gold) and Land O’ Lakes Italian Blend for a little extra flavor. I made sure to keep the heat low and did add a little extra almond milk at the end to thin it out a bit. Served it over roasted cauliflower. Yum!!
I do have a question about the serving size in the recipe. The full recipe says 8 servings with a serving size of 1/4 cup, but that doesn’t seem to work for the ingredients?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Paula, This sauce will reduce and thicken the longer it is cooked. The volume of a serving size may vary if your sauce didn’t reduce down as much as mine did. Using these ingredients, it makes 8 servings. I hope this helps!
Dee
0This sauce is amazing!! Simple ingredients that I always have on hand. I added curry powder and put over chicken and broccoli. Was the best. Just like mom use to make.
Ben
0More like cheese blob than cheese sauce.
Andrea
0I had the same experience, I used HWC for all the fluid, I did use the butter, but it seems way too much cheese for the liquid. I added more HWC to try to thin it, but it just wouldn’t merge at that point. Still worked OK on tacos, but it was weird to have to deal with strings of cheese sauce.
Tracey
0Typically grating your own block cheese comes out so much better than using already grated cheese when melting for sauce. There is a an ingredient in already grated cheese to keep it separated. hope this helps!
Debbie Mahan
0It was a lump of cheese. Not a sauce.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Debbie, This is likely due to the cheese sauce getting too hot on the stove. That will cause it to seize and clump.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Ben, I am sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. The cheese sauce likely clumped together because the mixture got too hot on the stovetop.
Yevonne
0Yum! I made pot roast in my instant pot last night. For the leftovers tonight, I made low carb bread, cut up the roast beef over the bread, then cover it with this cheese sauce. A big hit with the family! And one of the easiest recipes on the net! Thank you! What is really neat, it does not taste like diet food!
Lee
0I’m new to keto and this cheese sauce is just what I have been looking for. Can I make it in one of those tiny crockpots that (I think) came free with my big crockpot?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Lee, I have not personally tried this, but it should work. Just remember to stir the sauce to help it come together.
Christine Demetroff
0I am new to Keto so I have been looking up recipes, I was trying to find a cream cheese sauce and yours is fantastic, Thank you so much have trie da few of your recipes Wow Thanks for all the help you give us to keep going
Liz
0This was a flop. It was more like cheese taffy. Trashed it.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Liz, I am sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. It sounds like your cheese sauce got too hot, which would cause it to clump or become too thick to pour.
Sammy
0Are the non-cheese ingredients (milk, cream, butter) interchangable for one another? Like, if I only had almond milk, could I adjust the amount and still get the same creamy texture? Same question with solely adding butter?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Sammy, The ingredients are not necessarily interchangeable. You will get a different consistency if you use all almond milk. The recipe will still work, but it will be much thinner. If you use just butter in place of the cream and almond milk, you will get a much thicker consistency. I hope this helps.
Desiree'
0This was so creamy and good. Definitely a keeper, I will be making this for all my cheesy dishes I cook. Thank you!
Michelle Tonge
0Hi,
Quick question. All of the broccoli and ham casserole recipes have cream cheese, and I find that it completely overpowers the dish. Do you think I could use this cheese sauce in a casserole?
Thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Michelle, Yes, I think this would work great in a recipe. Alternatively, if you didn’t care for the cream cheese in casseroles you can swap the cream cheese for mascarpone cheese, which is similar to cream cheese but much more mild in flavor.
Wholesome Yum A
0I made it to the T what was posted, it turned out ok, but its not near as runny as yours in the video…any advice?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Amanda, You can add a little additional liquid to the sauce if it’s not the right consistency. It is possible that the sauce lost a little too much water during the cooking process and became thicker than desired.
Paulette
0This is very good and very easy, my family loved it over broccoli.
Jamie
0Can I use half and half instead of heavy cream?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jamie, Yes that will work fine.
LAURA STRUFFOLINO
0how long can this be stored for in the refrigerator ?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Laura, It’s really best for just a few days. Once it starts to dry out (after several days in the fridge) it becomes difficult to re-heat and get the same smooth texture.
Kaci
0Can I just use half and half instead of heavy cream and almond milk? It’s what I have at the moment 😉
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kaci, Yes the recipe will still work. The nutrition will change if you are closely tracking macros, but the recipe will work fine.