How to Make Cheese Dipping Sauce in Microwave

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If you're tired of the macaroni and cheese with powdered cheese flavoring, want to dress up some plain veggies, or need something quick and easy to serve with nachos, try this cheese sauce. You'll know exactly what's in it, and it'll be ready in a few minutes while you prepare whatever is going with it.

Ingredients

1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch (varies)
Milk
Cheese (sharp-tasting cheese such as Cheddar or Parmesan are good choices)
Salt to taste

Steps Download Article

1

Select a small to medium-sized microwave-safe dish that is wide and shallow. A glass pie plate or glass casserole dish works well. It will need to have walls, so a dinner plate isn't the best choice.
2

Grate plenty of cheese into the dish. You don't have to measure. Just make a loosely packed layer an inch or so deep, depending on how much sauce you want to make and how large a dish you have.
3

Pour milk over the cheese until it just covers the cheese.
4

Pour a tablespoon or two of milk into the cornstarch and make a slurry before adding the corn starch to the dish. Make sure all of the cornstarch is dissolved in the milk before you add it to the pie plate.
5

Stir everything together with a fork, making sure to mix the cornstarch so it dissolves completely.
6

Microwave the whole thing in the dish for two minutes. Cover the dish if you want to save yourself some cleanup.
7

Stir with a fork again. Break up and loosen any clumps of cheese that stick together, or to the bottom.
8
Repeat the microwaving and stirring until the sauce blends and thickens. Microwave the sauce for about two minutes at a time, stirring in between. It will take about 2-4 two-minute cycles, depending on your microwave and quantities.
- If the sauce seems too thick, add more milk and microwave for 20–45 seconds, then stir thoroughly.
- If the sauce seems too thin, add more cheese and microwave for about 30 seconds-1 minute or until cheese is melted, then stir thoroughly.
9

Add salt to taste. A little salt will help to bring out the cheese flavor.
10

Serve hot. Pour it over pasta, veggies, or whatever else needs to be a bit cheesier.

Add New Question

Question

Can I use deli cheese instead?

Yes, just about any type of cheese will work. Thinly-sliced or shredded cheese will melt beautifully. If you are going to use deli cheese, consider adding some butter; this will add richness and bring the cheese flavor out.
Question

Can I leave out cornstarch? I don't have any substitutes.

Are you sure? Plain, white flour is often a suitable substitute for cornstarch. You could just omit it, but the sauce won't be as thick.
Question

What is the corn starch for?

You use cornstarch to thicken sauces and glazes; you can also use it in place of flour when making a roux.

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Put the microwave on a lower setting that turns off and on, this will stop the sauce from bubbling over.
For nachos, spice it up a bit with chili powder and, if you like heat, just a bit of ground red pepper. To dress up chips even more, add pinto beans, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, green onions, olives and other fixings, for a great layered dip.
Start the pasta before you start the sauce, or start the sauce before you start the veggies.
Try eating pizza or chips dipped in this sauce.
You can also use a package of powdered cheese sauce from any macaroni and cheese box as a substitute for cheese and cornstarch or flour. Add milk and package of cheese sauce, stir well, cover and heat for 2 minutes in microwave. Basically following the same instructions, stir frequently if anymore time is needed.
If you'd like to dress up this cheese sauce, a splash of dry sherry or other dry white wine will take this sauce beyond the realm of kid stuff, or, make proper cheese sauce in a pan inn the stove.
Cheddar is a good cheese to use, but try others, too. A bit of Parmesan mixed in will add a nice zip, for instance. You can also mix cheeses, so this is a good use for leftover dabs of cheese.
Use a cheese that's sharper than you want the sauce. It will mellow somewhat as it melts and blends. Vermont cheddar, if you can get it, has a nice tang.

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Please use caution when handling hot bowls. The bowl may be very hot.
Be aware that if you microwave multiple times it may bubble and spill over the bowl and get stuck on the plate.

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How to Make Cheese Dipping Sauce in Microwave

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Cheese-Sauce-in-the-Microwave

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