Keto Cheese Sauce With Ricotta & Cheddar Cheese

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Last Updated on December 21, 2021 by Toya

You have to try out this easy keto cheese sauce recipe that is gluten-free and tastes amazing. You can’t go wrong with this versatile cheese sauce with less than 1 gram of net carbs per serving and made with cream cheese, cheddar cheese and ricotta cheese! 

Keto cheese sauce

When it comes to making a creamy cheese sauce that is both gluten free and grain free, this recipe should be at the top of your list. It’s super easy to make, uses absolutely no fillers and flour and is perfect for pouring over keto friendly vegetables like green beans, meats, keto burgers and more. 

The best part is that this recipe is made with a few simple ingredients that you most likely already have on hand so you can make it at any time!

Low carb cheese sauce FAQs

What is keto cheese sauce?

A keto cheese sauce is a cheesy type of sauce made with cheese, herbs and other ingredients that is used on low carb veggies and other keto foods. 

Which cheese is keto friendly?

Almost all cheeses are keto friendly. This is so because cheese is mostly made up of fat and protein and are typically very low in lactose which makes them very low in carbs.

How many carbs are in cheese sauce?

Most cheese sauces are low in carbs unless they’re made with ingredients not approved on the keto lifestyle like flour. This specific low carb cheesy sauce recipe has only 0.7g net carbs per serving!

How do I prevent my keto cheese sauce from splitting?

While most cheese sauce recipes use all purpose flour, which helps in preventing the separation of ingredients in a cheese sauce, all purpose flour is not an ingredient that can be added to a keto friendly cheese sauce. 

So, to prevent this keto friendly cheese sauce from splitting here are a few things you can do.

• Use xanthan gum in the recipe. ¼ tsp per cup of sauce can make it so that your cheese sauce never splits. 
• Another solution is to use mustard powder in the sauce recipe.
• Lastly, do not overcook the sauce as this can make it so that the cheese sauce splits. 

Tips for making low carb cheese sauce

To make this recipe the best that it can be, here are a few tips you should consider:

1. In some cases, cheese separates from the liquid when it gets cold. To prevent this from happening to your cheese sauce recipe, add 1/8 teaspoon of the xanthan gum into the sauce. This will gently thicken the sauce and prevent the separation from happening.
2. When using cheese in any sauce, you can use just one type if this is all you have on hand, but for the best results, you can mix two types, like cheddar or Gouda.
3. To ensure that your cheese sauce is amazing, it can be seasoned with herbs like thyme, basil, or red pepper.

Best cheeses for cheese sauce recipe

When it comes to making a great cheese sauce recipe, you need to use both a soft cheese and a hard cheese for the best results. Below you’ll find examples of hard cheeses and soft cheeses that can work great for this recipe:

Hard cheese: These are cheeses that have aged longer and therefore have less moisture. Some examples include Parmesan, cheddar, romano, colby and swiss.

Soft cheese: These are cheeses that are moist and soft. Some example includes, cream cheese, feta, brie, ricotta, gorgonzola, and cottage cheese.

Now you know all you need to know to make a great cheese sauce, let’s get into the recipe!

Ingredients for keto friendly cheese sauce

• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup ricotta cheese
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• Himalayan salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ½ cup grated cheddar cheese 
• 2 tablespoons water, if needed, to thin down the sauce
• Fresh thyme, chopped, leaves only

How to make keto cheese sauce from scratch

To make this ricotta cheddar cheese sauce with heavy cream, first gather all of your ingredients in one place. 

 

Then in a saucepot combine the heavy cream and butter. Make sure you set the heavy cream and butter over medium heat and let this melt.

 

Once the butter is melted stir in the ricotta cheese, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste.

Set this over medium heat and cook until the ricotta cheese is melted. Once you start to see the bubbles, remove the mixture from the heat.

Next, you will stir in the grated cheese and thyme and mix this until the mixture is smooth and creamy. If needed, add a bit of water to thin down the sauce.

 

When done, pour into a bowl or jar and serve.

How to thicken cheese sauce

This is a thick and creamy cheese sauce recipe. However, if the sauce is not thick enough for your liking, you can cook, stirring for an additional five minutes to thicken. You can also use an additional ¼ tsp of xanthan gum in the recipe to help thicken the sauce some more. That way, you’ll have a xanthan gum cheese sauce that is thick and yummy.

What to serve with cheese sauce made with ricotta and cheddar cheese

This keto cheese sauce makes everything it is served with taste amazing. My favorite way to have it is as a dip or for pouring over boring vegetables like broccoli.

If you are looking for other ways to serve cheese sauce, here are some ideas below:

• Vegetables: You can use this sauce as a dip for veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, baby carrots, pepper slices, zucchini fries and more. 
• Keto recipes: Use in keto-friendly pasta recipes, on low-carb keto pizzas, keto cheese stuffed omelet, in keto soups, and in low carb mac and cheese recipes.  
• Keto snacks: Use as a dip for keto tortilla chips, keto crisps or pork rinds.

Can you make this ricotta cheddar cheese sauce ahead?

You definitely can. Simply follow the recipe instructions then place in the refrigerator  in an air tight container. Follow the storing instructions below if you want to make cheese sauce ahead. 

Storing, freezing and reheating keto cheese sauce

To store this sauce properly, make sure to refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking. Also, place the sauce in an airtight container and keep in in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to serve again reheat in the microwave for a few minutes then serve.

Can keto cheese sauce be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze cheese sauce too.  To freeze, pour the leftovers into an airtight container or zip-lock bag and freeze for up to a month. To prevent the frozen keto cheese sauce from curdling, stir well when reheating.

Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat for the best results.

When it comes to sauce, this easy, creamy and thick keto cheese sauce is definitely worth making an is going to make everything you serve it with taste so much better!

More easy keto recipes readers love:

• Keto Buffalo Sauce Recipe
• Keto Buffalo Wings
• Keto marinara sauce
• Keto cauliflower wings