Keto cheese sauce is super easy to make and positively delicious! Perfect for dipping or for smothering broccoli, cauliflower, or other veggies, you’ll make this recipe over and over when you’re on a keto or low carb diet.
What Makes This Keto Cheese Sauce So Good
- Instantly dress up steamed cauliflower, air fryer asparagus, or Instant Pot broccoli in a delicious, cheesy, keto-friendly way. It’s amazing on so many other things, too – you might try it on palmini pasta for a kind of low-carb mac and cheese, or drizzle a little keto cheese sauce on an air fryer hot dog with or without a keto bun.
- Keto cheese sauce is SO easy to make, and if you’re keto then you’ve probably got all the ingredients on hand right now.
- No flour needed! This cheese sauce is good and thick all on its own thanks to the heavy whipping cream and cream cheese, so there’s no need for any extra thickening agents.
- It’s perfect for meal prep! Refrigerate your keto cheese sauce in an airtight container and it’ll keep for 5 days or so. Tips for reheating are in the “Chef’s Tips” section below. I don’t recommend freezing it – the consistency just won’t be the same after.
Key Ingredients for Keto Cheese Sauce
Cream Cheese – As always, you’ll want to use a full fat cream cheese, and be sure to pick the one with the lowest carb count. Personally, I prefer Philadelphia brand original cream cheese. It’s got the fewest carbs of all the varieties at my local grocery stores, and it’s always got a great taste and texture.
Cheddar Cheese – Cheddar is a classic, versatile option, but you could also make this with pepperjack or really any kind of cheese you like. For the best results, buy a block of cheese and grate or shred it yourself. It’s not hard to do! Prepackaged shredded cheese is full of starches that keep it from clumping but add unnecessary carbs. These anti-caking agents can make prepackaged cheese behave funny when it’s heated, too. If you use it, the consistency of your keto cheese sauce might be off.
Heavy Whipping Cream – HWC and heavy cream are essentially the same, so you’ll be fine if all your store carries is heavy cream. They both have at least 36% fat content. Whipping cream (as opposed to heavy whipping cream) has a slightly lower fat content, clocking in around 30%. You’ll definitely want more fat for your keto cheese sauce.
Chef’s Tips
- The keto cheese sauce will get thicker as it stands, so be sure to serve it immediately.
- Don’t rush the process. If your heat is too high, the mixture can seize. You can try adding a little more heavy whipping cream to thin it out, but it’s better to avoid the situation altogether.
- Got leftovers? Reheating is easy! Just microwave the leftover keto cheese sauce in 30-second bursts, stirring after each round, until the sauce is liquid again. Once it’s liquid, you might notice some butter oil sitting on top of the cheese – just whisk the cheese sauce vigorously until it’s completely reincorporated!
More Keto Recipes I Know You’ll Love
- Keto Lemon Bars
- Keto Carbonara
- 25 Keto Slow Cooker Recipes
- Keto Sushi Rolls with Smoked Salmon
- Keto Peanut Butter Cups
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Keto Cheese Sauce
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces cheddar grated, about 2 cups
Instructions
- Add cream, cream cheese, butter, and salt to medium saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat until butter and cream cheese have melted.
- Remove saucepan from heat. Gradually whisk in cheddar, stirring until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Watch your heat and don’t let the cheese sauce mixture get too hot! You don’t want it to boil.
- Be sure to use a cream cheese with the lowest carbs possible, and always full fat. Philadelphia original cream cheese is my personal favorite.
- Prepackaged shredded cheddar contains unnecessary carbs from the anti-caking fillers used. I recommend grating your own from a block of cheddar to avoid those!
- To reheat leftover cheese sauce, microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until the sauce is liquid again. Once liquid, whisk vigorously to completely reincorporate the butter.
Nutrition
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Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She’s been a blogger for 10+ years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of three who lives in Memphis, TN.
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