Gluten Free Cheese Sauce | For Queso, too!
This gluten free cheese sauce made from scratch is perfect for dipping, making into queso, and even making the easiest mac and cheese ever!
Ingredients
For roux-based cheese sauce
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon gum free gluten free flour blend (See Recipe Notes)
- ⅝ cup milk plus more as necessary
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese shredded (fresh, not preshredded) plus more as needed
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
For cheese sauce without a roux
- ½ cup milk plus more as necessary
- 2 ounces cheddar cheese shredded (fresh, not preshredded) plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (See Recipe Notes)
- 2 ounces Kraft deli deluxe American cheese slices (about 3 slices) (See Recipe Notes)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
For making macaroni and cheese
- 2 ounces dried gluten free elbow macaroni cooked according to package directions and tossed with 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, then set aside
For making queso
- Mexican salsa fresca/pico de gallo
Instructions
For the roux-based cheese sauce.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour (blend), and whisk until smooth.
- Cook slowly, whisking frequently, until the mixture is just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes or less. Pay close attention, as it will begin to change color very quickly.
- Add the milk, and whisk to combine. Continue to whisk to smooth out the clumped mixture, and cook until it just begins to simmer.
- Remove from the heat and add 4 ounces of the shredded cheese. (If you’re making macaroni and cheese, add the remaining 1 ounce of the cheese.)
- Mix until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth.
- If necessary to melt all of the cheese, return the saucepan to the stovetop over very low heat, mixing constantly. Add salt and/or pepper to taste.
- If you’re making macaroni and cheese, add the sauce to the cooked macaroni and butter, toss to coat and serve immediately.
- If you’re making plain cheese sauce, serve immediately.
- If you’re making queso, add the salsa, mix, and serve immediately.
For the no-roux cheese sauce.
- Place the milk in a small saucepan over very low heat. Bring to a simmer, whisking very frequently.
- Continue to cook until the milk just begins to reduce (about 3 minutes). If the milk curdles at all, try to skim any solids off the top.
- Toss 2 ounces of the shredded cheddar in the cornstarch, remove the saucepan from the heat, and add the cheese and starch to the hot milk. (If you’re making macaroni and cheese, add the remaining 1 ounce of the cheese.) Mix to combine.
- Tear the cheese slices into about 4 pieces each, and add them to the mixture, too. Mix until smooth.
- If necessary to melt all of the cheese, return the saucepan to the stovetop over very low heat, mixing constantly. Add salt and/or pepper to taste.
- If you’re making macaroni and cheese, add the sauce to the cooked macaroni and butter, toss to coat and serve immediately.
- If you’re making plain cheese sauce, serve immediately.
- If you’re making queso, add the salsa, mix, and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
For the GF flour and/or cornstarch
In place of the gum-free gluten free flour blend in the roux-based recipe, or the cornstarch in the no-roux recipe, you can use an equal amount of superfine sweet white rice flour, or even cornstarch or arrowroot.
For the Kraft deli deluxe American cheese slices
You know those extra- shiny slices of American cheese that are usually individually wrapped? We are not using those!
We are using the Kraft package that usually comes in a square blue package, and says “deli slices.” The deli slices have that rich American cheese taste and texture that helps add that creamy richness and thickness to the cheese sauce. But they are actually real cheese, not a “cheese product.”
They also come in American and cheddar flavors. I prefer the American flavor in this recipe, but it’s a matter of taste.