Dress up your favorite Keto vegetables in just 5 minutes with this quick and easy cheese sauce! Smooth and creamy, this will soon become one of your favorite Keto sauces!
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Need a Low Carb Sauce to add some healthy fat to your Keto diet? Cheese sauce is one of many ways to add more healthy fats to your diet.
Mascarpone cheese makes this cheese sauce smooth and creamy. The cheddar cheese gives it a classic flavor and a little tang from the lemon zest brightens it all up!
Adding lemon zest to dishes, gives them such a fresh flavor! Serve it over any Keto veggies, like broccoli or asparagus, and serve alongside your favorite protein like grilled steak or chicken for a complete meal. Or, if you're a Vegetarian, you use this cheese sauce in many different low carb vegetarian dishes!
This is also a great cauliflower "mac" and cheese sauce recipe! Give this sauce a try and you will find that it makes a great addition to just about any Low Carb side dishes!
What's in Easy Cheese Sauce
- Heavy cream
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Mascarpone cheese
- Butter
- Lemon zest
- Salt & pepper
*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
How to Make Keto Cheese Sauce
Let's start by adding the butter to a sauce pan and turn on to medium heat. Once the butter has melted, you can add in the heavy cream and heat for just a minute.
Then add in the mascarpone cheese, salt and pepper (to taste). Once the mascarpone has melted, add in the cheddar cheese and stir.
Cook over medium low heat for a few minutes, or until the sauce is the thickness that you prefer. You'll find that this sauce comes together pretty quickly, so it's really great for last minute meals! It should take just over 3 minutes.
Once it's thickened, add in the lemon zest and serve. If you're planning to serve it over broccoli or asparagus, you can add in extra lemon zest to really brighten it up. I would only do this if you're serving it over something that goes really well with lemon.
If you're in a hurry to make your broccoli, check out this Instant Pot Broccoli! You can make it while you're whipping up the sauce!
Tips on How to Make this Keto Cheese Sauce Recipe
When I tell you this cheese sauce is easy, you'll just have to try it to see just how easy it is. However, though it's super easy, here are a few tips to ensure it turns out perfect every time:
What Cheese is Best to Use to Make a Low Carb Cheese Sauce?
A combination of cheddar cheese and a thick creamy cheese like mascarpone or cream cheese works perfectly. If you can't find mascarpone cheese or don't have an on hand, you can substitute with cream cheese. You can also use Monterey Jack or Colby, pretty much any cheese that melts really well would work.
How do you Thicken Cheese Sauce?
The good news is that there's no flour needed to thicken this wonderfully creamy cheese sauce! And because there's no flour in it, it makes this a great gluten free cheese sauce!
Mascarpone not only makes this cheese sauce super creamy, but it also acts as a thickener. In fact, there are many recipes that use mascarpone to help thicken them, like Alfredo Sauce, Mushroom Gravy, Pot Roast Gravy, or the sauces in Butter Chicken and Chicken Marsala.
Mascarpone cheese is my favorite secret weapon! If you've never tried it, I'd say it compares closely to cream cheese, is lower in carbs, but still high in fat. Because it's so mild in flavor, it makes a great thickener for sauces, making them creamy, without overpowering the flavor.
Can you Freeze Cheese Sauce?
Absolutely! It actually freezes really well and when you're ready to use it again, just reheat it in a saucepan and it will come together nicely.
Can I Different Flavors to this Cheese Sauce?
Yes, you sure can! Adding in parmesan, Romano or asiago cheese will give this sauce even more flavor. If you like really bold flavors, you can make different variations of this sauce!
For example, if you like the flavors of Jalapeño Poppers, you'll love a variation of this sauce in Jalapeño Popper Cauliflower "Mac" and Cheese. If you're a Buffalo Wings fan, you might also like the Buffalo Cheese Sauce used in Buffalo Cauliflower "Mac" and Cheese! These are both definitely worth trying, they have a wonderful bold flavor!
Can I have Cheese Sauce on Keto
There's great news for cheese lovers! Cheese is high-fat, moderate-protein, and low in carb. It can take ordinary dishes and turn them into cheesy comfort food! Cheese sauce can be a little tricky because some, like the kind you get in some restaurants, use flour or other thickeners in their recipe. That's not the case with this Keto Cheese Sauce Recipe! Every ingredient is Keto friendly, and with only 2 net carbs per serving, you can enjoy cheesy goodness without the guilt!
More Keto Sauce Recipes
- Hollandaise Sauce
- Creamy Mushroom Gravy
- Easy Alfredo Sauce
- Quick Homemade Marinara Sauce
- Bang Bang Sauce
- Buffalo Cheese Sauce & Dip
- Bearnaise Sauce
Shop my favorite products on Amazon and check out my Keto Pantry List!
Easy Keto Cheese Sauce
Recipe Video
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 ¼ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup mascarpone cheese
- 1 tablespoon grass-fed butter
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1-2 teaspoons of salt, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Once the mascarpone is melted, add in the cheddar cheese and stir. Cook over medium low heat for a few minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your liking. Mine took a little over 3 minutes.
- Once thickened, add in the lemon zest and serve.
RECIPE NOTES
*Nutritional data is provided as a courtesy and is accurate to the best of my knowledge. You can verify it using the nutrition calculator of your choice. All data is based on net carbs, without sugar alcohol- Swerve, Erythritol, Allulose, or Monk Fruit.
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*Originally published on June 14, 2018, updated on March 26, 2021 with new photos, new video and helpful tips.
Joyce K
This was so simple, quick and flavorful. It takes just minutes to put this together and is so smooth and creamy. I used it to make some cauliflower 'mac' & cheese and it is DEE-LICIOUS!!! I had never used mascarpone cheese before but it will be my new favorite ingredient now.
Keto Cooking Christian
Oh, I love hearing this! I am so glad you enjoyed it.
Barbie
You give the Nutrition Facts for Cheese Sauce 280 calories, 243 fat calories per serving, but how much is one serving?
Tonya
How much is considered a serving?
Keto Cooking Christian
1/6th of the recipe is a serving.
peggy
i did not want to waste the lemon, so i used the juice too. OMG could not believe the rich, delicious taste and texture. reminded me of the sauce on eggs benedict. thanx.
Keto Cooking Christian
Love the idea of using the juice too, I am ALL about lots of lemon flavor! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Teri
How much is considered a serving? Extraordinarily delish!!!
Deb
I just made this and it looks like slime. I used cream cheese and mexican cheese blend (cheddar, queso quesadilla, asadero, and Monterey jack). What did I do wrong? Yummy but super stretchy.
Keto Cooking Christian
Wow, I have no idea why that would be! I make this sauce all the time, it's one of my favorites. Maybe it cooked too high and fast or not enough heavy cream?
carol clance
This is really yummy and easy! I didnt have mascarpone, so I just used cream cheese. I measured all ingredients into a small sauce pan and heated it slowly on low while I was making the rest of our meal and once it started getting warm I whisked it here and there. It was great over our steamed broccoli, and a welcome flavor and fat boost for my keto hubby. Thank you for sharing!
Keto Cooking Christian
Awesome, so glad you and your husband enjoyed it! And the cream cheese is a perfect sub for the mascarpone 🙂
Cathy
Can I substitute creme fraiche?
Keto Cooking Christian
Hi Cathy,
Assuming you mean subbing for the mascarpone cheese, I don't see a problem with that. I haven't tried it before, but it should work just fine.
Susan Sostack
Coukd crwam cheese be used instead if mascarpone?
Keto Cooking Christian
Yes, you sure can! Just be sure to adjust your macros, since the carbs will be a little higher. It will have a stronger flavor, since mascarpone is very mild, but it should still taste great 🙂
Joni
This is delicious and creamy! I love the addition of the mascarpone, makes the sauce decadent - and the lemon zest keeps it fresh. Thanks for a great recipe!
Keto Cooking Christian
You are most welcome and thanks for the feedback! I use mascarpone in so many recipes, it's mild in flavors, loaded with healthy fat and very low carbs. Glad you enjoyed it!
Twogirlsmomma
How would this pair with Mexican food? Like taco salad...
Keto Cooking Christian
I think it would pair nicely, but I would probably omit the lemon zest.
Sara
How well does this reheat?
Keto Cooking Christian
Very easily! You can either reheat in the microwave or stovetop, just mix in a tiny bit of hot water first.