Velveeta cheese sauce is the ultimate in creamy, cheesy recipes! This is simple to make, perfectly melty, and incredibly versatile! Whether you’re making macaroni, topping tacos, or preparing a delicious dip, this creamy cheese sauce is a must-have recipe for your kitchen.
Wonder how to make the best cheese sauce with only 5 simple ingredients? This recipe is your answer!
This is sure to be a hit with the whole family! Plus, it’s a gluten-free, so everyone can enjoy it!
This Velveeta cheese sauce is perfect for adding rich, cheesy flavor to a variety of dishes. You can pour it over cooked pasta for an easy mac and cheese, drizzle it on vegetables for a tasty side, or serve it with chips as a snack-worthy dip. With just a few simple ingredients and minimal effort, this recipe is a versatile addition to your favorite snacks and meals.
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Why We Love This Velveeta Cheese Sauce
- Beyond simple to make and quick, too!
Our white cheddar sauce recipe starts with a roux (fat and flour) and takes about 20 minutes to make. But Velveeta cheese recipes like this one don’t need that extra step; this one comes together in 15 minutes! - Just 5 simple ingredients.
Actually, if you don’t count the two spices in our Velveeta cheese sauce recipe, you really only need 3 ingredients to make this recipe! - The absolute creamiest consistency!
Velveeta is my secret ingredient for making a super creamy sauce.
What is Velveeta?
Velveeta is a brand of processed cheese that was originally introduced in 1918. Made from milk, whey, and vegetable oil, and has a smooth, creamy texture. So, is Velveeta really cheese? Not exactly, because real cheese isn’t made with vegetable oil. but it does taste incredible!
Velveeta is perfect for making sauces because it melts quickly and evenly. This makes it ideal for creating a smooth, creamy sauce like this one!
Plus, it’s gluten-free, so everyone can enjoy it! And, it’s perfect for dipping in your favorite foods or as a sauce on your favorite meals!
It’s fantastic on nachos and pizza, and the perfect sauce for pellet smoked mac and cheese, too!
Love dips and sauces? Try our 3 ingredient BBQ sauce, best honey mustard, roasted red pepper dip, and mango dip.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Milk – Using whole milk makes for the creamiest sauce, but 2 percent works well, too.
- Cornstarch – If you need a gluten-free substitute for cornstarch, arrowroot is a great choice.
- Chili pepper paste – We include just a pinch for a little kick of spiciness. Feel free to leave it out if you are serving kids or just don’t like spicy food. If you need a substitute, ground cayenne pepper is a good one.
- Velveeta – We used Velveeta original flavor, which comes in a 2-pound loaf/block. If you want to switch the flavor up, consider using one of the other Velveeta cheese flavors.
Check out our Velveeta cheese substitutes post for a variety of delicious and affordable alternatives to this popular cheese. Plus if you love Velveeta, don’t miss out on our Velveeta and Rotel dip recipe.
Note:
I prefer using squeeze-tube chili pepper paste (from Amazon) because it mixes easier in creamy sauces, and you won’t see little specks of ground chili pepper in the sauce. Also, a tube in the fridge will last for a while. We also use it in other recipes, like our spicy rigatoni Carbone recipe.
Recipe Variations
- For a creamier sauce, use half and half or heavy cream in place of the whole milk.
- If you want a spicy sauce, add more chili pepper paste or cayenne pepper to taste. You could also include salsa, hot sauce, or BBQ sauce to your Velveeta sauce if you’d like.
- Use mix-ins! You can also add in some chopped green onions, roasted garlic, or garlic powder for an extra flavor boost.
- Southwest – Canned chili, diced tomatoes, green chilies, and diced jalapeños can be added for a southwestern flavor. This would be fantastic with jalapeno cheddar cornbread with jiffy mix for dipping!
- Mexican – Add refried beans, diced avocado, and sour cream for a delicious Mexican-style cheese sauce.
- For a thinner sauce, add more milk to thin it out to your desired consistency.
Equipment Used in Our Recipe
- Saucepan: For gently melting the Velveeta and creating the perfect consistency.
- Whisk: Ensures the sauce is smooth and free of lumps for that velvety texture.
Velveeta Cheese Sauce Recipe Tips
- Use cold milk for the slurry.
In a medium saucepan, mix together cornstarch and cold milk using a whisk until it is smooth. Then, bring the milk and cornstarch mixture to a simmer over low-medium heat, whisking frequently.
- Cut the cheese into cubes.
Cutting the Velveeta cheese into cubes or small pieces helps it to melt faster.
When the slurry mixture is nice and thick, add the cubes, along with the chili pepper paste. Stir until the Velveeta melts completely. Remove from heat, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Low and Slow: Melt the Velveeta over low heat to prevent scorching and to achieve the perfect, smooth texture.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Enhance the Flavor: Add a splash of milk or cream to adjust the consistency, and try stirring in a pinch of cayenne or paprika for extra flavor.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy cheese sauce is great with pasta, but also great as a sauce for cooked veggies like broccoli or green beans Pressure Cooker.
Serve it as a dip with raw carrots and celery, or with superbowl party favorites like easy pretzel bites recipe, tortilla chips, best pimento cheese, and corn chips.
Of course, the best use for our recipe is to make homemade Velveeta white cheddar baked mac and cheese!
Creamy Cheese Sauce Recipe FAQs
The white powder is called calcium sulfate, and it’s used as a preservative. It helps to keep it from molding and spoiling. It’s a common ingredient in processed cheese, and it’s perfectly safe to eat.
The best way to melt Velveeta cheese for sauce is to cut it into small cubes and add it to a saucepan over low-medium heat.
The key to melting Velveeta cheese without it getting hard is to cook it over low-medium heat and to stir it frequently. If it gets too hot, it will start to get hard and clumpy.
Place any leftover in an airtight container in the fridge. It keeps for up to 1 week.
To reheat, simply microwave the sauce on 50% power for 1-2 minutes, or until heated through. Stir well before serving.
You can also reheat this on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently until warmed through.
Yes! This cheese sauce can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. To thaw, simply place it in the fridge overnight. Then, reheat as directed above.
However, note that this may be a bit thinner after being frozen and thawed. If needed, you can add more cornstarch to thicken it.
Yes! Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of milk if needed to thin it out.
Absolutely! This dip is perfect for nachos, pretzels, or even fresh veggies.
This creamy cheese sauce is great for tacos, baked potatoes, or as a drizzle over roasted broccoli or cauliflower.
Other Fantastic Velveeta Recipes: How to make cheeseburger soup
Love To Make Cheesy Recipes? Here’s More…
If you tried this velveeta cheese sauce recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Velveeta Cheese Sauce
Equipment
- saucepan
- whisk
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups milk (I recommend using whole milk, 2% or non-fat milk will make a less creamy sauce)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 8 ounces Velveeta Cheese cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon chili pepper paste (can sub with2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper)
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan, whisk together cornstarch and cold milk until smooth. Bring the milk and cornstarch to a simmer, over low-medium heat, whisking frequently (about 3 minutes).
- Once the mixture has thickened, add Velveeta and chili pepper paste, stirring until cheese has melted. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste
- Serve the sauce over pasta or vegetables. Or use as a dip for raw vegetables, pretzels and pretzel balls, cheese cubes, sausage balls, tortilla chips, or corn chips.
Notes
- Add 1/2 cup of salsa
- Add 1/2 cup canned chili
- Add 1/2 cup of canned green chiles
- Add 1/2 cup of refried beans
Nutrition
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Andrea says
Used the cayanne pepper as I didn’t have the paste and WOW! It was spicy! LOL! I toned it down with more milk, cheese and a bit of sugar. Good recipe! Ill make it again. Thanks for posting!
Don says
We made this a few nights ago for a March Madness party. There were at least 3 different dips besides this one, but we clearly didn’t make enough. This one was gone in the blink of an eye!