The Best Cheese Sauce Recipe (No Flour!) – Learn the quick and easy steps to make the most deliciously rich, smooth, and creamy cheese sauce for broccoli and other veggies.

Bowl of steamed broccoli with spoon pouring cheese sauce on top.

Why We Love This Cheese Recipe

This is a fabulously easy, silky-smooth Cheese Sauce for Broccoli, or to spoon over any steamed or roasted vegetable you like!

Now, there is nothing revolutionary here… If you’ve grown up in the United States, you’ve likely had broccoli with cheese sauce at least a few times. But instead of making a roux with flour, which if you don’t cook long enough, can result in a grainy cheese sauce, we’re using a combination of cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and milk. Together they make the smoothest “real cheese” cheese sauce you can find. And it happens to be a gluten-free recipe!

So the next time the family is feeling something healthy but not, like, too healthy for dinner, whip up this classic kid-friendly cheese dip recipe in only 10 minutes on the stovetop. I promise no one is going to have trouble eating their veggies with a bowlful of homemade cheese sauce on the table!

Hand holding broccoli floret coated with cheese sauce to camera.

5 Ingredients You Need

  • Cheddar cheese – freshly shredded is best
  • Cream cheese – softened
  • Milk – whole or 2%
  • Garlic powder – makes the sauce deliciously savory
  • Cayenne powder – optional for a nice kick of spicy flavor
Recipe ingredients on a white board: block of sharp cheddar cheese, block of cream cheese, glass measuring pot with milk, garlic and cayenne spice bottles.

How to Make the Best Cheese Sauce for Broccoli

Set a sauté pan (or small sauce pot) over medium heat. Add in the milk, cream, cheese, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.

Block of cream cheese and spice in a cast iron pan, adding milk from the glass measuring pitcher.

Stir as the cream cheese melts. Reduce the heat if needed to make sure it does not boil.

Hand with red whisk whisking the cream cheese and cream.

Once the cream cheese has melted into the milk, mix in the shredded cheddar.

Adding shredded cheddar cheese to the skillet.

Continue to stir until the sauce is smooth.

Get the Complete (Printable) Cheese Sauce for Broccoli Recipe Below. Enjoy!

Hand with red whisk stirring the cheese sauce.

Taste and add salt or additional cayenne pepper, if desired.

Hand with metal spoon over cast iron skillet, showing sauce to camera.

Serve over roasted or steamed broccoli, or go crazy and serve over Brussels sprouts or roasted potatoes!

Metal spoon with cheese sauce pouring over steamed broccoli.

Variations and Serving Suggestions

We love classic sharp cheddar cheese, but feel free to use whatever melty cheeses you like! Freshly shredded Pepper Jack or Colby Jack cheese are both delicious. You can also use pre-shredded bag blends like Mexican Cheeses or Italian Cheese blends. However, bagged cheese does have preservatives for freshness, so the consistency of your sauce won’t be quite as smooth.

Traditionally, whole milk is used in this recipe for the richest and most creamy sauce. But for a slightly lighter cheese sauce for broccoli you can use low-fat 2% milk (not skim) and low-fat cream cheese.

Of course, this classic sauce is *chef’s kiss* perfect on top of steamed or roasted broccoli. But it is delicious with all kinds of side dishes! (I mean, it is a creamy cheese sauce – are you really that surprised?) Pour on top or serve on the side to pour or dip with fresh, steamed, grilled, or roasted veggies like:

Bowl of steamed broccoli florets covered in homemade cheddar cheese sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good melting cheese for sauce?

Cream cheese is the best base for a cheese sauce made without flour. To that, you can add other melty cheeses like shredded cheddar, pepper jack, or Colby jack.

Is broccoli with cheese healthy?

Well, yes and no… The lightly cooked broccoli is of course healthy. But cheese sauce is definitely not a “healthy” food. So if you put ’em together they kind of balance out for a not-too-healthy/not-too-unhealthy side dish.

How do you make keto cheese sauce for broccoli?

Simply swap the whole milk with half and half to make this a keto-friendly recipe in addition to being a gluten-free recipe!

How long does cheese sauce last?

Cool and store the leftover sauce in an airtight container. Keep homemade cheese sauce in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Fork with floret of broccoli coated with cheese sauce, held to camera.

Looking for More Scrumptious Sauce Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:

Print Recipe
5 stars (5 reviews)
Leave a Review »

Cheese Sauce for Broccoli (Easy and Smooth!)

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Learn the quick and easy steps to make the most deliciously rich, smooth and creamy (gluten-free!) cheese sauce for broccoli and other veggies.
Servings: 12 servings (2 cups total)

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Set a sauté pan (or small sauce pot) over medium heat. Add in the milk, cream, cheese, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Stir as the cream cheese melts and reduce the heat if needed to make sure it does not boil.
  • Once the cream cheese has melted into the milk, mix in the shredded cheddar. Continue to stir until the sauce is smooth.
  • Taste and add salt or additional cayenne pepper, if desired. Serve over roasted or steamed, broccoli, or go crazy and serve over Brussels sprouts or roasted potatoes!

Notes

Cool and store leftover sauce in an airtight container. Keep homemade cheese sauce in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 3tb, Calories: 109kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 165mg, Potassium: 70mg, Fiber: 0.01g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 283IU, Vitamin C: 0.02mg, Calcium: 173mg, Iron: 0.1mg
Course: Condiment, Main, Main Course, Sauce
Cuisine: American
Author: Sommer Collier
Making this recipe?Follow us on Instagram and tag @ASpicyPerspective so we can share what you’re cooking!

Share This Recipe With Friends!