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    Home / Recipes / Keto Sauces

    Keto Cheese Sauce (For Dipping Or Drizzling)

    By Lisa MarcAurele · Jul 8, 2020 · 52 Comments

    10.3K shares
    Jump to Recipe
    cheese sauce pinterest image

    This quick and easy keto cheese sauce is both creamy and delicious... and only uses three ingredients! Dress up steamed broccoli, dip your favorite low-carb chips, or top your tacos with it.

    keto cheese sauce cover image
    Article Index
    • Ingredients Needed For Keto Cheese Sauce
    • How To Make Keto Cheese Sauce
    • Frequently Asked Questions About Keto Cheese Sauce
    • Other Low Carb Recipes To Try
    • Recipe

    You’ve heard the expression that the dressing makes the salad? Well, this sauce makes the veggies! And the chips and the beef and the… Well, you get the point.

    Butter is a keto staple on steamed veggies and creamy ranch dip is perfect for your fresh, crispy vegetable sticks. You might have even tried a quick and easy hollandaise sauce recipe before.

    But, sometimes you just want something savory and decadent; that’s when this creamy keto cheese sauce becomes your BFF. After all, everything tastes better with queso dip!

    Most traditional cheese sauce recipes use flour as a thickener making them off-limits for people on certain diets or lifestyles. (low-carb, keto, Atkins, Banting, gluten-free) This creamy cheddar sauce has no thickening agents, however, and is perfect for all of those ways of eating!

    This easy low-carb cheese sauce is about to become the best thing to hit your plate since you started cutting the carbs. And, if you have kids, they’ll love it, too!

    Ingredients Needed For Keto Cheese Sauce

    Now for one of the best parts: this keto cheese sauce only has three ingredients!

    While there are other keto recipes for cheddar cheese sauce, they call for so many more ingredients and take a lot longer. This one tastes so good, why would you make life harder?

    Cheese

    Be creative and use a different kind of cheese each time. If you want a traditional cheese sauce, use shredded cheddar cheese.

    For a spicier cheese sauce, use shredded pepper jack or buy some jalapeno cheddar cheese.

    Gruyere melts beautifully and has a very distinct flavor that is popular for people who enjoy French onion soup.

    Heavy Whipping Cream

    This is what makes the sauce really creamy and rich. Use full-fat heavy whipping cream for the best results.

    Dijon Mustard

    I like the zest that dijon mustard gives the sauce. If you want a spicier sauce, then use spicy brown mustard instead.

    Please note: Check out the recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients used to make this low-carb recipe.

    ingredients in the sauce

    Quick Tips:

    • It isn't necessary to grate the cheese, but I prefer to because it helps the cheese melt faster.
    • Grate your cheese at home instead of buying pre-shredded cheese. The bags of pre-shredded cheese have extra ingredients (like starches) added to them.
    • When in doubt, use the lower heat. If the stove or pan is too hot, you could scorch the cheese.

    How To Make Keto Cheese Sauce

    This low carb, high fat (LCHF) treat is ridiculously simple to make. All of the exact steps are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    First, here are some extra tips for you!

    Grate Your Own Cheese

    You could just chop your brick of cheddar cheese, but it melts much more quickly if you grate it ahead of time. Pre-shredded cheese won’t give it the same flavor/consistency/health as using your own brick. So, stick with fresh cheddar and not pre-processed.

    Heat the Ingredients On The Stove

    All you do is heat your cream with the mustard and cheese in it, stirring the ingredients over medium-high heat.

    Stir it constantly and remove it from the heat as soon as it is all melted.

    combined ingredients melted in pan

    And that is how you make easy keto friendly cheddar cheese sauce!

    keto cheese sauce in bowl

    What To Serve With Creamy Low-Carb Cheddar Sauce

    The possibilities are truly endless, and the carb count is only 1 gram per serving.

    This sauce is amazing over broccoli or cauliflower. If your kids resist the vegetables you serve, try topping them with melty cheddar sauce next time!

    Pour it over your favorite low-carb noodles or riced cauliflower for a keto mac and cheese alternative. Consider topping it with some diced tomatoes and jalapenos for a Tex Mex inspired side dish.

    Looking for inspiration to branch out from your normal vegetable choices? Check out this list of vegetables for a keto diet. Keto and low-carb diets don’t have to be boring!

    This keto cheese sauce is also delicious drizzled on top of Crock Pot tacos or a taco salad.

    serving keto cheese sauce for broccoli

    To enjoy your creamy keto cheese sauce as an appetizer, pair it with an assortment of sliced low carb vegetables. It goes well with homemade keto chips, ProTings chips, and pork rinds too.

    The dip is perfect for making dippers into a quick cheesy snack if you don't have time to make keto mozzarella sticks.

    Frequently Asked Questions About Keto Cheese Sauce

    Before we get to the recipe at the bottom of this post, here are some questions that people often ask me about it.

    How do you store cheese sauce?

    If you make this keto cheese sauce recipe ahead of time, store it in an airtight container (like a mason jar). It will keep for up to a week in your fridge.

    How do you reheat homemade cheese sauce?

    To reheat it, you can use the stovetop or your microwave. 

    If you’re going to microwave your low-carb cheese dip, add a few drops of cream first. Then, heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between, until you reach your desired temperature.

    If you heat it on the stovetop, adding a few drops of fresh cream is still a good idea. Be sure to stir constantly so it doesn’t scorch!

    cheese sauce drizzled over broccoli on plate

    Other Low Carb Recipes To Try

    Once you discover how simple it is to make your own low-carb sauces, you may want to try a few more. Here are some of my favorite recipes:

    • Homemade Low Carb Ketchup tastes amazing on burgers or as a dip for your keto-friendly onion rings.
    • Dill Mustard Sauce tastes perfect as a dip for vegetables or on a lettuce wrap.
    • Keto Barbecue Sauce is the best thing ever with some chicken wings.
    • Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce is another fantastic topping for steamed broccoli or cauliflower.
    • Keto Worcestershire Sauce is low in sodium and only takes 5 minutes to whip together.

    Follow us on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM for even more tasty keto-friendly recipes!

    Recipe

    keto cheese sauce featured image

    Creamy Keto Cheese Sauce

    4.81 from 26 votes
    A creamy low carb cheese dip that only uses three ingredients. It's perfect for dipping keto friendly tortilla chips or using as a sauce for broccoli and other steamed vegetables.
    Prep Time:1 min
    Cook Time:4 mins
    Total Time:5 mins
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: American
    Print Pin Review Recipe Save Recipe View Collections
    Servings: 8 people
    Calories: 160

    Video

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese grated
    • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan.
    • Stir over medium to medium high heat until all cheese is melted.

    Notes

    Makes about 1 ½ cups sauce.
    It isn't necessary to grate the cheese, but it will melt faster if grated. Grate your cheese at home instead of buying pre-shredded cheese. The bags of pre-shredded cheese have extra ingredients (like starches) added to them.
    If the stove or pan is too hot, you could scorch the cheese.
    If you make this keto cheese sauce recipe ahead of time, store it in an airtight container (like a mason jar). It will keep for up to a week in your fridge.

    Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart

    Nutrition

    Calories: 160 | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 36mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 580IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 0.1mg

    Additional Info

    Net Carbs: 1 g | % Carbs: 2.6 % | % Protein: 10.3 % | % Fat: 87.1 % | SmartPoints: 7
    Values
    Array
    (
        [calories] => 160
        [carbohydrates] => 1
        [protein] => 4
        [fat] => 15
        [saturated_fat] => 9
        [cholesterol] => 55
        [sodium] => 113
        [potassium] => 36
        [fiber] => 0
        [sugar] => 0
        [vitamin_a] => 580
        [vitamin_c] => 0.2
        [calcium] => 122
        [iron] => 0.1
    )
    

    Notes on Nutritional Information

    Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.

    Copyright

    © LowCarbYum.com - Unauthorized use of this material without written permission is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes. Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.

    First published on January 2, 2012. Post updated on April 29, 2021, with enhanced images and additional recipe information.

    « The Best Keto Friendly & Low Carb Fruits
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      « Previous 1 2
    1. Mary

      March 22, 2022 at 11:08 pm

      Do you have a specific brand of cheddar cheese you use? When I use store brands like from Kroger, even if I shred it myself, the cheese doesn't seem to melt properly. It gets clumpy instead. I haven't tried your recipe yet, but I was wondering if you had this problem. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Lisa MarcAurele

        March 23, 2022 at 10:27 am

        I've used both pre-shredded and manually shredded without issue. Some are store brands and others are major brands like Cabot and Sargento. You could try upping the heat a little and adding in more cream to help the cheese melt better.

        Reply
    2. Karen L

      May 24, 2021 at 7:13 am

      5 stars
      Lisa, this looks yummy. I feel that a lot of people, like me, read and use your recipes a lot but never leave reviews. I want to thank you for all the great work you do for those of us trying to get away from the SAD American diet! Please don't stop!

      Reply
      • Lisa MarcAurele

        May 24, 2021 at 1:09 pm

        Thanks so much for writing in Karen! I appreciate the feedback.

        Reply
    3. Sealey

      November 24, 2019 at 1:25 pm

      5 stars
      I used cream cheese and parmesan cheese in my cream to make this Easy cheese sauce (since I had only those options on hand) on a day I needed to serve steamed broccoli but wanted it a little more special.

      My husband says that he thinks this was better than it would have been using cheddar! Score!

      Reply
    4. susan black

      September 12, 2019 at 5:15 pm

      What is a serving size on which the nutritional breakdown is provided?

      Reply
      • Lisa MarcAurele

        September 13, 2019 at 8:37 am

        I estimated about 2 tablespoons.

        Reply
    5. Yang

      August 23, 2019 at 11:19 pm

      5 stars
      So easy to make! What a great idea to serve with veggies.

      Reply
    6. Jennifer Fisher

      August 23, 2019 at 7:13 am

      5 stars
      Cream and cheese . .I'm in! I mean I'm LITERALLY in . . jumping in that bowl of delicious looking cheese sauce! Seriously . . . what an easy "upgrade" to pour on everaaaaarything!

      Reply
    7. Jean Choi

      August 22, 2019 at 9:19 pm

      5 stars
      OMG, yum. Love how simple but delicious this is!

      Reply
    8. Megan Stevens

      August 22, 2019 at 7:39 pm

      5 stars
      The Dijon in this is so clever and delicious!

      Reply
    9. paleoglutenfreeguy

      August 22, 2019 at 5:34 pm

      5 stars
      Wait, it's that easy? I had no idea cheese sauce could be so simple. And your ideas to use this with tortilla chips or broccoli are perfect and now I really, really want some.

      Reply
    10. Katherine | Love In My Oven

      August 22, 2019 at 5:14 pm

      5 stars
      I would literally put this cheese sauce ALL over everything!! I love cheese sauce, especially with roasted veggies. Such a treat!

      Reply
    11. Raia Todd

      August 22, 2019 at 12:10 pm

      5 stars
      So easy and creamy! Perfect to step veggie sides up a notch. 🙂

      Reply
    12. Joni Gomes

      August 21, 2019 at 8:41 am

      5 stars
      Finally an easy cheese sauce!!! Loved the addition of dijon mustard, such a great idea!!

      Reply
    « Previous 1 2

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