White Cheese Sauce Without Flour (Ready in 15 Minutes)

Name: White Cheese Sauce Without Flour
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup Whole Milk ((NO SKIM OR 2%)); ¼ lb. American Cheese; ¼ lb. Monterey Jack Cheese; ¼ tsp. Salt (*To taste); ⅛ Tsp. Nutmeg (*Optional)

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This White Cheese Sauce is made without flour and is ideal for dipping and smothering foods like nachos or fries. It is simple to make and ready in less than 20 minutes. Plus its gluten-free since there's no flour or 'roux' needed! It's similar to a queso dip so it can be used as both as dip and a sauce.

Planning a game-day spread? Serve this cheese sauce with air fryer nachos or pulled pork nachos, then use my football watch-party guide to plan the rest of the menu.

White cheese sauce without flour being poured into mini crock. — Sauce will thicken as it cools.

This white cheese sauce is grain free and gluten free meaning I did not use ANY thickeners or rouxs like flour or cornstarch which most other cheese sauces have.

It's straight cheese and milk. That's it!

It reminds me of a deliciously smooth and creamy queso sauce but can easily be used as a sauce to pour over nachos, add to cheesy mulitas, or just to dip pretzels, fries, or nuggets into!

Watch the video below to make sure your sauce comes out perfect every time!

Jump to:

Cheese Sauce Ingredients
Getting The Perfect Consistency
Choosing The Best Cheese
How To Thicken Your Sauce Without Flour
This Sauce vs. Nacho Cheese Sauce
Preventing A Curdled or 'Gritty' Cheese Sauce
Serving Suggestions
Serving White Cheese Sauce for a Party
Make Ahead, Store & Reheat
FAQ's
White Cheese Sauce Without Flour

Cheese Sauce Ingredients

Milk- Whole milk is the only type I recommend. The fat content will help to keep the sauce smooth and creamy without separating.
American Cheese- American cheese is great melting cheese and should be chopped up before adding to your pot.
Monterey Jack Cheese- Monterey Jack cheese is a delicious cheese that also melts very well making it ideal for sauces.

Ingredients on table for white cheese sauce. — These cheeses are my recommended cheeses for the creamiest sauce.

Getting The Perfect Consistency

A common question I hear is "How do you thicken a cheese sauce without flour?".

Cheese is naturally thick so it doesn't necessarily need a thickener. The hard part is getting it SMOOTH and CREAMY! All I do for this white cheese sauce recipe is melt my cheese in MILK. Although there is not much room for error, there are a few things that you have to keep in mind.

The TYPE of cheese you use makes a difference.

For example, very sharp or aged cheeses can be less forgiving because they are more likely to turn grainy if overheated. For this flourless sauce, I prefer smoother-melting cheeses such as American and Monterey Jack.

Instead, I use American cheese for two reasons...

It is white and what we're looking for. (looks better on my Pulled Pork Nachos)
It melts very well and is super creamy.

By adding hot milk to shredded cheese, the cheese will slowly melt giving you a deliciously creamy sauce that will NOT harden up on you when cooled!

YAY to flourless cheese sauces!

Try topping these Mini Baked Potatoes with this cheese sauce!

Choosing The Best Cheese

Most creamy cheeses will work but some will taste better than others.

The top FOUR cheeses for this sauce I like are:

American
Monterey Jack
Fontina
Gouda

*Cheddar can work in cheese sauces, but sharper, more aged cheddar is less forgiving in this flourless version. American, Monterey Jack, Fontina and Gouda melt more smoothly here.

Dipping tortilla chip into flourless white cheese sauce.

How To Thicken Your Sauce Without Flour

Typically you would need milk/cream and a 'roux' to make any cheese sauce. A roux is made by melting butter and flour together then adding milk or cream to the saucepan.

If you want to use cheddar cheese, this would be the way to go.

However, I'm assuming you're reading this because you want a flourless cheese sauce recipe. So to thicken this sauce, we need to allow the cheese ITSELF to be the thickener.

As the cheese melts, it will get creamy but not creamy enough to dip. So to make the sauce dippable, I add whole milk. It keeps the integrity of the sauce and adds more creamy flavor.

I do not suggest using LOW FAT or SKIM MILK. Whole milk is the best to ensure you get a creamy sauce.

This Sauce vs. Nacho Cheese Sauce

When we think of "nacho cheese," we usually picture that processed orange/yellow cheese that's thick, creamy, silky and stays smooth for a long time.

Processed cheese products such as Velveeta use ingredients such as emulsifying salts and modified food starch to help them stay exceptionally smooth when melted. This homemade version uses a different approach: gentle heat, whole milk and cheeses that melt smoothly.

If you're going for that bright yellow/orange color, cheddar cheese with a roux is a better fit than this flourless method.

Preventing A Curdled or 'Gritty' Cheese Sauce

High heat can cause the fat and proteins in cheese sauce to separate, so keep the heat low and never let the sauce boil. This is definitely a low-and-slow recipe!

To prevent curdling, make sure you DO NOT:

Turn your heat too high! NO boiling allowed! The lowest setting is best. Once it gets too hot, there's no turning back!
Use anything less than WHOLE milk! 2% or skim milk have much less fat in them. The fat is what you need to keep the sauce smooth and creamy!
Use a very aged or crumbly cheese without adjusting the method. Sharper cheeses can be more prone to turning grainy in this flourless sauce, so the smoother-melting cheeses listed above are the most forgiving.
Add a huge chunk of cheese to your milk. Not only will it take longer but it will create uneven hot spots which lead to gritty cheese!

Serving Suggestions

Dipping?

Here are some things you can dip into your cheese sauce:

Tortilla chips
Soft pretzels
French fries
Chicken nuggets
Bread
Pita bread
Potato Wedges

It's also great for topping the following:

Broccoli
Cauliflower
Chips to make nachos!
Macaroni/Pasta
Fries
Enchiladas
Cheesesteaks
Mini Cheesesteak Wonton Bites

Serving it at a party? A mini cocotte looks great on the table, but it does not actively keep the sauce hot. For longer serving, use a small slow cooker or warming pot instead.

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Mini slow cooker / warming pot

Mini Cocotte (for serving)

Spoon being dipped into flourless white cheese sauce.

Serving White Cheese Sauce for a Party

This is an easy sauce to scale when you're feeding a group. The recipe card makes about 6 servings, so use this as a quick party guide:

Guests	Whole Milk	American Cheese	Monterey Jack
6	¾ cup	4 oz.	4 oz.
12	1½ cups	8 oz.	8 oz.
24	3 cups	1 lb.	1 lb.

For larger batches, I recommend melting the sauce in two smaller batches and combining them once smooth rather than crowding one pot. Scale the salt carefully and taste after the cheese has melted; you may not need the full mathematical multiple.

How to Keep Cheese Sauce Warm

Once the sauce is fully heated and smooth, transfer it to a preheated mini slow cooker or warming pot set to warm or low. Stir it occasionally, and if it thickens too much, stir in a small splash of warm whole milk.

For food safety, hot foods served at home should be held at 140°F or warmer. Use an instant-read food thermometer to check the sauce periodically rather than relying on how warm the crock feels.

Turn It Into a Party Spread

This sauce is especially good over Air Fryer Nachos or Pulled Pork Nachos, spooned over Mini Baked Potatoes, or served alongside my Mini Cheesesteak Wonton Bites. For game day, set it out with tortilla chips, pretzels, jalapeños, salsa and other toppings and turn it into an easy nacho bar. My Football Watch Party Ideas have more ways to build out the rest of the spread.

Make Ahead, Store & Reheat

You can make this cheese sauce ahead of time. Let it cool briefly, transfer it to a shallow covered container and refrigerate it within 2 hours. When you're ready to serve it again, reheat it gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave in short intervals, stirring often.

For leftovers, reheat the sauce to 165°F, then transfer it to a preheated slow cooker if you need to hold it hot for serving. Do not use a slow cooker to reheat cold leftovers from scratch.

Quick Troubleshooting

Too thick? Stir in a little warm whole milk, one spoonful at a time.
Too thin? Let it cool slightly first. If it is still too thin, melt in a little more cheese over low heat.
Starting to look grainy? Take the pan off the heat immediately and stir gently. High heat is the most common culprit.

FAQ's

Why is my sauce gritty?

You either warmed your sauce too much or too quickly. You do not want to boil your sauce. Low and slow! Also make sure you use whole milk.

Can I use cheddar cheese?

Cheddar can work, but sharper or more aged cheddar is less forgiving in this flourless sauce and can turn grainy more easily. For the smoothest result, I prefer American, Monterey Jack, Fontina or Gouda.

Will this sauce stay thick?

The sauce is loosest right out of the pan and will thicken more as it cools.

My sauce is too runny. Why?

Give it a little time to cool. If it is still too thin, melt in a small amount of additional cheese over low heat.

Can I make white cheese sauce ahead of time?

Yes. Make it ahead, refrigerate it promptly in a covered container, then reheat it gently while stirring often. Add a small splash of whole milk if it has thickened too much in the refrigerator.

How do I keep cheese sauce warm for a party?

Transfer the fully heated sauce to a preheated slow cooker or warming pot and keep it at 140°F or warmer. Stir occasionally and check the temperature with an instant-read food thermometer.

Can I double or triple this recipe?

Absolutely. Double or triple the milk and cheeses using the party chart above. For very large batches, I get a smoother result by melting the sauce in smaller batches and combining them once everything is creamy.

More Appetizers To Try!

AGT Editorial Team