How to Make Velveeta Cheese Sauce

How to make copycat Velveeta cheese sauce recipe for broccoli, nachos or baked potatoes. Easy with only 3 ingredients and tastes just like store bought.

This is how to make your favorite block of cheese that sits on the store shelf, because we love that stuff! Using it in all sorts of recipes, on top of vegetables or on top of chips it’s great but it is cheap to throw together and make yourself. An easy side dish you too will find lots of uses for.

Throw in some diced up leftover chicken to add protein and voila you have dinner in a flash. Have picky eaters who need some cheese for vegetables all the time or they won’t touch it? I get it, I have 3 girls and we were there once. I’d use this early on, add less and less as the years went on and it was a way to get kids to eat vegetables.

Ingredient Notes

You want to start with a bunch of pre shredded cheddar cheese, sharp cheddar is best for the most authentic flavor.

Non fat dry milk powder can be found at the store, shelf stable and you will add as is, not diluted with water

Powdered gelatine unflavored mix will allow the mixture to solidify but stay a bit jiggly like Jello

Boiling water can be done in the microwave or in a pot over medium heat. You do want it rather hot so it becomes a smooth mixture when combined and mixed.

How to make this spicy

You can make this spicy air fryer nachos cheese if you want to add some heat or just keep it mild like we did here. There are a few ways to add heat, my favorites would be to add a squeeze of Sriracha, diced fresh roasted jalapenos or some cayenne pepper.

You will want a food processor to blend this all together. If you don’t have one just use a blender instead, that will work. If you are not really going to bother making it a solid block because you just need it to make Velveeta Hamburger Helper or something then you can skip those steps.

Tips for Success

You want to make sure the liquid you add is very hot and boiling. That way the dry milk will dissolve and cheese will melt smooth and won’t be grainy. Adding some soft cheeses into the mix like fontina, Gouda, Gruyere or Havarti will make it extra creamy as well.

Want to make it heartier, similar to our sausage gravy that is killer on top of all the things too? Add some precooked sausage or ground beef into the shredded cheese melted mixture too. A tbsp. of garlic powder and/or onion powder can be a yummy add in too.

If you are just keeping it liquified and don’t want to harden it like a copycat Velveeta recipe of sorts then that is all you need. To make it into a “log” you’ll do this by pouring it into a loaf pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper so it lifts out easily. This is better when making queso dip with meat.

My girls actually like this as a chicken nuggets dipping sauce too. Like I said, they love cheesy all the things so why not on chicken too right?

Now jump to recipe below and use it in one of our Velveeta recipes like our pressure cooker chicken spaghetti which is cheesy and can be made with this. Easy Instant Pot fondue is a fun one to be melted like a double boiler using this too. Or make some shrimp rotel dip with it

How to save leftovers

You can serve it right away if you’re making Velveeta mac and cheese after it is melted and nicely smooth. Or make into a block like you commonly see it at the store packaged up. If you don’t use it all wrap tightly with plastic wrap and sit inside a freezer bag stored in the fridge for up to a week.

How to Reheat

If you want to rewarm leftovers, add a tbsp of milk to a bowl with small cut blocks so it smooths out nicely in the microwave cooked in 30 second intervals stirred each time until smooth and hot.