Keto cheese sauce recipe and how to use it

We’re cheese monsters in this house. Luckily for me, on a keto diet, cheese is good. Cheese however it comes.  And making a cheese sauce can be so handy to have to hand for lots of recipes from cauliflower cheese to lasagne.

But standard cheese sauce isn’t keto because it’s got milk in.  In the past I’ve not worried too much about it. After all, we don’t have cheese sauce that frequently, plus having to make 2 cheese sauces is a bit of a pain.. But I decided I’d try a keto cheese sauce and see if it worked in the microwave. After all, I make my standard cheese sauce in the microwave and it’s so much easier to keep an eye on and clean up. Making 2 sauces isn’t so painful if I can do both the ame way.

A keto cheese sauce recipe is so simple.

Just cream, cream cheese and cheese. Plus a bit of butter,  seasoning – pepper, salt and a sprinkling of nutmeg. You can add a bit of mustard powder if you prefer that instead, but we keep ours really simple.  I use extra mature cheddar cheese, but a mature cheddar will be fine. Or choose a different hard cheese if you prefer a different flavour – Manchego works well.

Most recipes tell you to gently heat the main 3 ingredients on the hob, but I’m terrible at getting distracted and burning pans. So the microwave is much safer for my cooking and pans!  You can of course just use a saucepan on the cooker if you prefer.

Equipment needed for microwaved keto cheese sauce

• Microwave safe jug – try Pyrex*. I used to use a plastic jug but accidentally melted it by leaving it too close to an oven ring that was on, and my replacement jug just won’t thicken sauces. So I stick with my pyrex jug instead.
• Whisk (or you can just use a fork, just make sure you get into all the corners of the jug.

Keto cheese sauce ingredients

• 60ml double cream
• 60g of grated cheddar (or whatever hard cheese of choice)
• 60g cream cheese
• 2 tbsp butter, unsalted
• salt, pepper seasoning to taste
• nutmeg, ground (optional)

Making the cheese sauce

To make the sauce, simply add the cream, cream cheese and grated cheese to the jug, and heat in the microwave until the cheese has melted. Stir to mix the cheese in well, then add the butter and mix until melted.  Season, then cook for a little longer to help thicken the sauce a little.

In my microwave it only takes around 1 ½ minutes but just keep an eye on it. Gradual is good. Then add any seasoning, or grind in nutmeg if using.

What’s great is how creamy the sauce is.  If it’s not thick enough add more cheese, if too thick add a little water to thin it out and stir.

Once you have your cheese sauce, you can use it for a variety of dishes.

Meals to use keto cheese sauce

• Cauliflower cheese (or alternatively on broccoli)
• Lasagne – I replace the pasta with courgette slices
• Over keto bubble and squeak – cauliflower or celeriac mash, cabbage mix, top with bacon and a poached or fried egg
• Cheesy green vegs
• Over chicken breasts
• Use it as a fondue and dip seed crackers or sticks of veg in
• Over pasta alternatives like keto egg noodles or courgetti
• Celeriac dauphinoise
• Eat with chicken goujons
• Cheesy bake – I use whatever veg I have, and cooked bacon. or pancetta then stir in the sauce before grilling to lightly brown the top.

What dishes do you use cheese sauce for?

Like this post, try these other tips for nearby days out.