Lactose-Free Cheese Sauce

It even looks like Kraft!

I have finally perfected a lactose-free cheese sauce! It took many years, various lactose-free cheeses, and a lot of trial and error. But here it is! Perfect for pastas, savory waffles, or basically anything you enjoy cheese on or with. The best thing about this sauce? I made it based on a bunch of pantry staples. I didn’t have much left in the fridge and this sauce finished off the little bits I had left.

Begin by dicing one large carrot into one inch pieces and place in a medium saucepan. Cut a medium yellow onion in half and peel. Add half the onion to sauce pan (in reality, I only had a half an onion left in the fridge) along with two celery stalked, cut into two inch pieces, and three peeled cloves of garlic. Cover veggies with water, sprinkle salt in the water, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Drain water except for a couple tablespoons. Puree veggies and water until smooth—I use an immersion blender, but a regular blender would also work!

Shred one cup of Cabot Cheddar Cheese (it’s lactose-free!)—I had about a 1.5x2.5 inch block left and set aside. In the same medium saucepan (blended veggies should be in the blender or separate bowl), melt one tablespoon of dairy free butter over low heat. Add a half cup of dairy free milk (must be unsweetened) and stir. Then add two teaspoons of gluten free all-purpose flour. Stir to combine. Then add blended vegetables to saucepan along with a teaspoon of salt, a half teaspoon of pepper, and a teaspoon of paprika. Stir to combine. Mix in half the shredded cheese and stir until melted. Mix in the rest of the cheese and stir continuously until melted. Finally add a teaspoon of cornstarch. Sauce should thicken.

I have mixed the sauce with spaghetti squash—be sure to drain the squash first or it will be too watery—, gluten free pasta, and added it to zucchini waffle mix. Store extra sauce in mason jar in fridge.

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Lactose-Free Cheese Sauce

Gluten Free/Lactose-Free

Ingredients:

• 1 large carrot washed, diced into 1” cubes

• 1/2 yellow onion, peeled and cut in half

• 2 celery stalked, cut into 2 inch pieces

• 3 cloves garlic, peeled

• 1 tbsp dairy free butter

• 1/2 cup dairy free milk, unsweetened

• 2 tsp gluten free all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 cup of shredded Cabot Cheddar Cheese, packed

• 1 tsp cornstarch

Directions:

1. Add carrots, onion, celery, and garlic to medium saucepan.

2. Cover veggies with water, sprinkle salt in the water, and bring to a boil.

3. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

4. Drain water except for a couple tablespoons.

5. Puree veggies and water until smooth—I use an immersion blender, but a regular blender would also work!

6. In the same medium saucepan (blended veggies should be in the blender or separate bowl), melt dairy free butter over low heat.

7. Add dairy free milk and stir.

8. Then add gluten free all-purpose flour. Stir to combine.

9. Pour blended vegetables into saucepan along with salt, pepper, and paprika. Stir to combine.

10. Mix in half the shredded cheese and stir until melted.

11. Mix in the rest of the cheese and stir continuously until melted. Finally add cornstarch. Sauce should thicken.

12. Add to whatever you choose!

13. Store extra sauce in mason jar in fridge.