Cheese Sauce Calculator

A standard cheese sauce uses 20g butter, 20g flour, and 200ml milk per portion (200ml of sauce), plus about 50g of grated cheese. This creates a medium-thick coating sauce. For a thicker sauce, increase the butter and flour to 30g each.

Mature Cheddar is the classic choice for British cheese sauce — it melts well and has a strong flavour. Gruyere makes a smoother, more refined sauce. A mix of Cheddar and Parmesan gives great depth. Avoid very young or very processed cheeses as they can make the sauce stringy.

Make the white sauce (roux) first: melt butter, stir in flour, cook for 1 minute, then add milk gradually while stirring constantly. Only add the cheese once the sauce is smooth and off the heat. Never boil the sauce after adding cheese or it may go stringy.

Yes, cheese sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge. Press cling film directly onto the surface to prevent a skin forming. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring constantly. Add a splash of milk if it has thickened too much.

For a main dish like cauliflower cheese or mac and cheese, allow about 200ml per person. For a side or topping, 100-150ml per person is usually sufficient. This calculator defaults to 200ml per serving.