Cheese sauce: recipes for meat dishes, vegetables and pasta

Experienced housewives know that any dish tastes better if it is served with sauce. It plays the role of a kind of final chord. With this addition, it becomes possible to better reveal all the subtleties and taste characteristics of the main product. Among the most popular options is cheese sauce. It harmonizes perfectly not only with meat, poultry or fish, but also with vegetables, pasta, mushrooms, all kinds of seafood and even cereals. Of course, you can buy it in the store. But the best thing to do is learn how to make your own cheese sauce at home. By the way, doing this is not at all difficult.

Classic version

To make the simplest cheese sauce at home, you need to use the following ingredients: 350 milliliters of whole milk, 50 grams of butter, a little salt, 30 grams of flour and 150 grams of hard cheese.

The technology for preparing such a sauce is not particularly complicated. First you need to choose the right cheese. It should not separate, but melt well, so that the result is a soft, homogeneous mass. The whole process consists of several stages:

First you need to melt the butter. This can be done in a frying pan or in a saucepan.
Then add flour, mix well and heat both products together for one minute.
With constant stirring, add warm milk and bring the resulting mass to a boil.
Add cheese. It is better to grate it first. We must wait until the product is completely dissolved.
If necessary, the mass can be salted.

This cheese sauce can be made at home in a matter of minutes. The finished product is often used hot, pouring it over a dish in a plate. Cold it can be spread on fresh bread or served in a bowl.

Bechamel sauce with American cheese

Once cooked, the sauce will look a little runny. This is how it should be; during subsequent baking with pasta, it will be absorbed, baked and form an appetizing crispy crust.

Required Products

Cheddar cheese – 2 tbsp.;
Parmesan cheese – 0.5 tbsp.;
milk – 3 tbsp;
breadcrumbs - 0.5 tbsp;
butter – 0.05 kg;
flour – 2.5 tbsp. l.;
paprika – 1 pinch.

Preparation

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Then add flour and stir for about a minute so that the flour is saturated with oil. Afterwards, you need to slowly pour in the milk, while stirring the future sauce all the time.

After 7 minutes the sauce should begin to thicken and boil. At this point, you should add both types of cheese, which you need to finely grate before the sauce has time to boil.

Stir until the cheese melts. Immediately after this remove from heat.

Good to know! Cheddar cheese is distinguished by its nutty, sharp, sour taste. It has a yellowish color, which is obtained thanks to the natural dye annatto.

Place butter in a clean frying pan, and after it melts, add breadcrumbs to it. Fry them until lightly browned. Add paprika and stir.

Place the pre-boiled pasta in a baking dish and pour over the resulting sauce, mix everything well and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and paprika. Place in the oven, which is heated to 180 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven, cool slightly and divide the American-style pasta into portions and serve.

Cream cheese sauce

Using additional ingredients, you can give a regular cheese sauce a special taste and aroma. Everything will depend on what dish it is intended for. For example, cream cheese sauce is perfect for meat. It is very easy to do at home.

To work, you will need the following ingredients: 110 milliliters of milk, 200 grams of cheese, 5 grams of salt, 45 grams of corn starch, a pinch of ground black pepper and a few drops of lemon juice.

To prepare this sauce you need:

Grind the cheese using a fine grater.
Combine it with starch, mix and leave in this position for 10 minutes.
Warm up the saucepan.
Transfer the cheese mixture into it and pour milk over it.
Stirring constantly, add spices. Here it is better for the housewife to focus on her own taste. You should get a homogeneous paste-like mass.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and add fresh lemon juice to its contents.

The result is a spicy sauce with an original taste and amazing aroma.

Cheese sauce: simple recipes

For richness and versatility of taste, cream, yolks, milk, butter, and meat broths are added to the dressing. And the final flavor is given by spices: garlic, pepper, basil, paprika, thyme, nutmeg, oregano and other herbs.

Classic

Peculiarities. The sauce prepared according to this recipe is considered universal. It can be served with any main course; it will best highlight the flavor notes of the main product. The classic recipe for cheese sauce made from hard cheese is the base. Additional ingredients, added at the discretion of the cook, provide the opportunity for limitless gastronomic experiments and allow you to create your own cheese sauce.

What it consists of:

hard cheese - 150 g;
milk - 350 ml;
butter - 50 g;
salt.

Procedure

Melt the butter in a saucepan.
Add flour a little at a time to the butter, mix thoroughly and fry the resulting mass for a minute.
Now pour in the pasteurized milk and continue cooking, stirring constantly.
When the mixture reaches the consistency of sour cream, add grated cheese.
Stir the thick mixture until the cheese is completely dissolved.
After all the cheese has melted, add some salt to the sauce and pour it into the gravy boat.

With cream and lemon

Peculiarities. Cream gives the dish a creamy taste, and lemon juice gives it a pleasant sourness and amazing aroma. The gravy has a light and delicate consistency. Creamy cheese sauce goes well with various side dishes, lavash rolls, appetizers of meat, fish and vegetables.

What it consists of:

Parmesan cheese - 150 g;
cream - 100 ml;
corn starch - tablespoon;
butter - 50 g;
garlic - two cloves;
lemon juice - a couple of drops;
salt, black pepper.

Procedure

Grind the Parmesan.
Add starch to the cheese, leave both products to brew for ten minutes.
Pour the cream into a preheated saucepan and add the cheese-starch mixture.
Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until the consistency becomes thick and homogeneous.
At the end of cooking, add black pepper and chopped garlic to the contents.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and add a little lemon juice to the sauce. Ready!

With eggs

Peculiarities. It will be an ideal addition to meat dishes, and goes well with baked potatoes and grilled vegetables. You can arrange a delicious snack: ham, cheese cream and toast. The dressing is prepared from available products. The step-by-step recipe for cream cheese sauce is so simple that even an inexperienced cook can handle the process.

What it consists of:

processed cheese - 150 g;
vegetable oil - 40 ml;
chicken egg - two pieces;
sugar - 0.5 small spoon;
salt - 0.5 small spoon.

Procedure

Separate the whites from the yolks, beat the yolks with a mixer until white.
Add salt and sugar to them, pour in sunflower oil in a thin stream and beat again.
Finely grate the processed cheese and add it to the mixture. Whisk the sauce base again until it reaches the consistency of sour cream.
Now beat the remaining whites separately and carefully fold them into the sauce.
Pour the sauce into a saucepan and simmer over low heat for two minutes. Be sure to mix it with a whisk at the same time so that there are no lumps.

With mustard for meat

Peculiarities. Meat cooked with cheese sauce will please even the pickiest gourmet. Cheese sauce is a kind of final chord that will make an ordinary meat steak sparkle with new spicy notes!

What it consists of:

Parmesan cheese - 150 .;
cream - 150 ml;
mustard - two small spoons;
salt pepper.

Procedure

Pour the cream into a saucepan and heat until bubbly.
Grate the Parmesan into the cheese shavings and add it to the boiling cream, stirring constantly with a whisk.
When the cheese is completely melted, add mustard and a little salt and pepper.
If desired, add a pinch of chili pepper to the sauce for extra heat.
Pour the gravy over the steak and enjoy!

For chicken, you can add crushed walnuts and a little garlic to the sauce.

With wine and fish

Peculiarities. The sauce served with trout and salmon emphasizes their refined and delicate taste. But it is important to remember that not all herbs are suitable for fish. Season the sauce at your own discretion, but do not overdo it with spices so that they do not interrupt the taste of the dressing and the fish itself.

What it consists of:

processed cheese “Druzhba” - 60 g;
dry white wine - 100 ml;
wheat flour - two tablespoons;
butter - 60 g;
rosemary - two sprigs;
salt pepper.

Procedure

Finely chop the rosemary sprigs and mix with your favorite spices.
Pass the cheese through a fine grater.
Melt the butter in a frying pan over low heat.
Pour the flour into the boiling oil in small portions, constantly stirring the mixture with a wooden spatula, and fry it until caramel-colored.
Then pour white wine into the pan in a thin stream and stir immediately to avoid lumps.
Simmer the mixture on the fire for five to seven minutes.
Add the cheese crumbles, stir and cook until the cheese has melted.
Pepper and salt the cheese mixture and remove from the stove. The sauce is ready!

With herbs for pasta

Peculiarities. The sauce gives the pasta a delicate flavor and makes the pasta more filling. On a diet, cream can be replaced with milk - this will significantly reduce the calorie content of the dish. Also, this cheese sauce for pasta with basil notes will enrich the taste of lasagna and other Italian dishes.

What it consists of:

Cheddar cheese - 150 g;
cream - 150 ml;
rice flour - two tablespoons;
butter - 80 g;
cumin - a pinch;
basil - a pinch;
salt pepper;
greenery.

Procedure

Fry the flour in a frying pan until caramel-colored.
Add butter and stir until completely dissolved.
Next, quickly pour in a portion of cream, stir the mixture and cook over low heat.
At the same time, grate the Cheddar, press the garlic through a press and chop the herbs. Throw these products into the frying pan.
Now add basil, cumin and spices to the dressing to taste.
Continue cooking the cheese mixture over low heat until it reaches the desired consistency.
Top with spaghetti sauce and serve!

Like at McDonald's

Peculiarities. The sauce is for those who like to eat fast food; it can also be used for dumplings, crispy fried potatoes, sausages, croutons and various croutons. For variety, you can use sausage cheese; it will give the sauce a smoky taste.

What it consists of:

processed cheese - 150 g;
mayonnaise “Provencal” - 50 g;
tomato ketchup - 50 g;
paprika - a small spoon;
red pepper - small spoon;

Procedure

Cut the processed cheese into pieces and place in a container.
Season with paprika and red pepper and stir.
Place the container in the microwave for a minute, set the power to 600 watts.
Add ketchup and mayonnaise to the hot cheese mixture, stir again and let cool.
The chilled product is ready, just like at McDonald's.

From blue cheese without heat treatment

Peculiarities. “Dorblu” adds exquisite sharpness, piquancy and rich taste to the sauce. This dressing goes well with white meat and enhances the taste of seafood. Together with it, pasta, poultry, mushroom appetizers and assorted vegetables will turn into culinary masterpieces. And preparing blue cheese sauce correctly is not at all difficult.

What it consists of:

Dorblu cheese - 150 g;
sour cream - 100 g;
mayonnaise – 50 g;
garlic - two cloves;
dill;
salt pepper.

Procedure

Grate the blue cheese in the fine section of a grater.
In a deep plate, mix sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic and chopped dill. Add grated cheese to this mixture.
Add salt and pepper to taste, if required. “Dorblu” is quite salty, don’t overdo it.
Then place the mixture in a special glass and grind thoroughly with a blender until smooth.
If necessary, adjust the thickness of the sauce using cream or sour cream.

If you put the sauce in the refrigerator for a while, you can then use it as cream for toast.

With mushrooms

Peculiarities. For the sauce, you can use any mushrooms, for example, champignons that are available all year round. But wild mushrooms will add a special flavor to the gravy. They can be either fresh or frozen. The dressing is suitable for buckwheat, potatoes, and meat dishes.

What it consists of:

mushrooms - 300 g;
hard cheese “Gouda” - 200 g;
cream - 200 ml;
wheat flour - 40 g;
onions - 100 g;
vegetable oil - 15 ml;
greens (optional);
salt pepper.

Procedure

Finely chop the mushrooms and onion, place in a heated frying pan and fry in vegetable oil until half cooked. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the cream into the frying pan with the mushrooms, stirring constantly, and let it boil.
After the mixture has thickened, add flour in small portions and mix.
Then add the cheese crumbles and simmer them in a frying pan for about five minutes until the cheese melts.
Now add your favorite chopped herbs to the sauce and leave it to stand covered for a few minutes. The fire should be minimal.
Cool the gravy and serve.

The sauce can be served not only as a side dish or as an independent dish, but also pieces of chicken or pork can be stewed in it.

Fast food sauce

Fast food establishments also sometimes prepare cheese-based sauce. It goes great with French fries or nuggets, for example. You can make a similar product yourself. In this case, the recipe for cheese sauce at home requires the following ingredients: 200 milliliters of cream (or milk), 60 grams of cheese (can be processed), salt, 10 grams of starch, pepper, dill and basil.

The work is carried out in stages:

Pour some of the milk into a saucepan and mash the cheese in it. This can be done using a regular fork. For this option, it is better, of course, to use processed cheese.
Dilute the rest of the milk separately with starch.
Place the saucepan on the fire.
As the mixture heats, gradually add dissolved starch.
Cook until the mass thickens.
Add dried dill and basil alternately.
Add pepper and salt.

After this, the finished mass can be poured into a special sauce boat and served along with freshly fried crispy potatoes.

Cheddar

Cooking time: 20 minutes.
Number of servings: for 4 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 392 kcal/100 g.
Purpose: lunch/dinner.
Cuisine: French.
Difficulty of preparation: low.

You need to choose the gravy individually for each dish, since each type of cheese harmonizes better with certain products. Thus, the best sauce for macaroni and cheese is made from Cheddar. This is a very tasty, appetizing, delicate addition to spaghetti, which is very easy to prepare: just melt the product, mix it with Bechamel cream and add your favorite spices. If desired, you can add a few grams of walnuts, which must first be finely chopped with a knife, or mustard seeds to the Cheddar sauce.

Ingredients:

flour - 3 tbsp. l.;
grated Cheddar - 1 tbsp;
milk – ½ tbsp.;
butter – 3 tbsp. l.;
salt – ½ tsp;
white pepper

Cooking method:

Melt the butter in a frying pan, remove the container from the heat.
In a separate bowl, mix seasonings with flour. Gradually pour in milk and stir the mixture. You should get a homogeneous liquid substance.
Place the bowl containing the milk mixture over low heat to act as a thickener. Do not stop stirring the food during the heating process (it will take no longer than 5 minutes).
Combine all ingredients with grated Cheddar, mix them thoroughly until the cheese is dissolved and the mixture is perfectly homogeneous.

Sauce in the microwave

To give the cheese sauce a special flavor, you can use ready-made products (ketchup and mayonnaise) to prepare it. This greatly simplifies the process itself. In addition, in this case you don’t even need a stove. For example, you can consider how to make cheese sauce at home using a microwave oven.

You will need the following products: 150 grams of processed cheese, a pinch of red pepper, a tablespoon of mayonnaise, one teaspoon each of ketchup and dried paprika.

Cooking rules:

Cut the cheese randomly and place it on a plate.
Add pepper and paprika to it and mix well.
Place the container in the microwave for 50-60 seconds at a power of 600 watts.
Add mayonnaise and ketchup alternately to the still hot mixture.

After the sauce has cooled, it can be used for its intended purpose. This mixture is perfect for crispy chips, croutons, fried sausages or dumplings. You don't need a gravy boat to serve. The cooled mass can be poured into an ordinary deep plate or bowl.

Simple and quick recipe

For those who are in a hurry or don't want to fuss, there is a simple, quick sauce recipe.

Required Products:

spices to your taste;
100 grams of cheese;
60 grams of sour cream;
0.1 liters of cream;

Cooking process:

Heat the cream, but so that it does not boil, add pre-grated cheese to it and stir the mixture until the cheese is completely melted.
As soon as the sauce becomes a homogeneous consistency, season it with the selected spices, add sour cream, lightly whisk and remove from heat.
Serve the dressing over the pasta while it is still hot.

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Garlic sauce

Each dish has its own cheese sauce. For example, a mixture with the addition of garlic or walnuts goes perfectly with red meat. Therefore, a housewife who wants to show off her culinary skills to her guests needs to know in advance how to prepare cheese sauce at home for such a dish. Before starting work, you need to collect all the starting ingredients on the table: heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, salt, garlic and ground pepper.

To prepare this sauce you need:

Finely grate the cheese.
Squeeze the garlic through a press.
Mix both ingredients.
Add cream and place the mixture in a water bath. During operation, the mixture requires constant stirring.
As soon as the cheese melts, immediately add pepper and add a little salt.

The finished sauce is served hot with the meat. This way, its unique taste and original aroma will be better felt. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a short time and, if necessary, reheated in a water bath or in the microwave.

Bechamel sauce for pasta

Béchamel is a simple white sauce made from melted butter and flour with milk. Besides pasta, it is used in many other recipes, such as lasagna. It is also the base for many other sauces.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. l. butter;
2 tbsp. l. wheat flour;
¼ tsp. sea salt;
freshly ground black pepper to taste;
1 glass of milk (or half).

How to cook step by step:

Melt the butter in a small heavy saucepan over low heat.
Whisk the flour into the melted butter.
Add salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Cook over low heat, stirring, for at least 2 minutes to minimize the flour taste.
Slowly add 1 cup milk, stirring constantly.
Continue cooking until the mixture is smooth and thickens.

To prepare a classic bechamel sauce, add:

1 chopped small onion;
3 cloves of garlic (crush in a garlic press);
Bay leaf;
grated nutmeg.

Instead of milk, you can use light broth, cream, or a combination of both.

You can change the taste by seasoning with bechamel sauce:

lemon juice;
chopped green onions;
parsley;
½ to 1 cup grated cheese.

Pasta sauce

Some people believe that pasta should only be eaten with spicy tomato sauce. It's not like that at all. By the way, in the homeland of pasta, Italy, locals love to use all kinds of cheese sauces as an addition. It is believed that they, having a great taste and pleasant creamy aroma, are ideal for pasta. To see this, you need to try making this cheese sauce.

A step-by-step recipe at home requires the following required ingredients: 0.5 liters of milk, 400 grams of cheese, 2 cloves of garlic, 50 grams of butter, 5 grams of salt, 25 grams of flour, a quarter teaspoon each of grated nutmeg and ground pepper.

Cooking technique:

Finely chop the garlic using a sharp knife.
Fry it over low heat for a couple of minutes adding flour.
Add milk and heat mixture until it begins to thicken.
Add remaining ingredients. Continue heating for at least another 2 minutes.
Remove the mixture from heat and add grated cheese. After mixing thoroughly, it should melt completely.

The consistency of this sauce can be adjusted. If you need it to be thicker, then you need to take less flour than the specified amount, and more cheese.

Italian tomato cream sauce for pasta

This sauce will work on any type of pasta: butterflies, cones, shells, spirals - it doesn't matter. The recipe can be supplemented with pieces of sausage or cooked chicken.

Preparation time – 10 minutes.
Cooking time – 20 minutes.
8 servings
Calorie content 389 kcal

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. l. butter;
2 tbsp. l. olive oil;
4 cloves garlic, minced;
½ tbsp. finely chopped onion;
2 cans (450 g) tomato sauce;
1 tbsp. cream with a fat content of at least 20%;
½ tbsp. grated parmesan;
salt and pepper to taste;
450 g pasta of your choice.

Cooking instructions:

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in olive oil and heat for a couple of minutes.
Place the onion in the pan. Fry for 2-3 minutes until translucent and fragrant. Add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Pour the tomato sauce and cream into the pan. Simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes until the sauce thickens.
While the pasta sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add about 2 teaspoons salt.
Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain the water.
Add ½ cup Parmesan cheese to the tomato cream sauce.
Toss pasta with tomato cream sauce.
Serve sprinkled with grated cheese.

Cream cheese sauce

By adding sour cream to the cheese sauce recipe, a product is obtained that can be used as a flavorful topping for salads and various snacks. In addition, it also goes well with any meat or fish. Here you need to clearly understand how to make cheese sauce at home. First you should stock up on the necessary ingredients.

To work you need to have: 40 grams of hard cheese, 2 eggs, 100 milliliters of sour cream, 20 grams of butter, 80 milliliters of cream and 60 grams of flour.

This sauce is prepared very quickly:

First you need to beat the eggs well and finely grate the cheese.
Mix all this with sour cream.
Beat the resulting mass until smooth.
Melt the butter in a water bath.
Add the prepared cheese mass to it.
Heat the mixture over low heat for no more than three minutes.

The resulting sauce can be immediately poured into any convenient container and served. Anyone who really loves cheese can safely increase the amount in this recipe. The quality of the finished product will not suffer from this.

For pasta

The basis of the pasta sauce will be the products that are used to prepare Bechamel sauce - flour, butter, milk. By supplementing this list of ingredients with different types of cheese and certain spices, you can get a unique, delicious cheese sauce for pasta every time. To give the gravy a special piquancy and spiciness, you need to add blue cheese to the base. In addition, cheese sauce for pasta can be prepared from any other types of product, including hard and processed cheeses.

Made from Cheddar cheese

Ingredients: 3 tablespoons each of high-grade wheat flour and full-fat butter, 170 g of cheddar, 2.5 faceted glasses of milk.

First of all, the cheese is crushed using a grater with large or medium divisions.
You need to choose fatty and high-quality butter. The spread definitely won't work. It will only ruin the finished sauce.
The butter is cut into small slices and melted in a saucepan. Well-sifted flour is also added here.
The mass is left on the fire until it acquires an appetizing golden hue. In addition, the most delicate aroma of nuts should begin to emanate from the sauce. Only real cheddar cheese gives it.

In a frying pan on medium heat, melt the pieces of butter. Flour is poured here. The ingredients are mixed until smooth.
When the mixture turns brown, you can pour cream into it. The ingredients are mixed with a whisk so that no lumps appear in the sauce. The mass is brought to a boil.
Next, you can add salt, pepper, and grated cheese to the mixture.
When the cheese component has melted, the dish is completely ready.

In every home and on every table we are accustomed to seeing sauces for all dishes. In addition to the familiar mayonnaise and ketchup available in every refrigerator, there are many sauces that can update the taste of dishes and with which familiar side dishes will sparkle with new notes and become complete.